Grand Canyon Travel Forum

We are travelling from England in mid October starting a flydrive from San Francisco. Over to Yosemite then onwards to Las Vegas via we assume Death Valley. Thought of maybe 2 nights in Vegas (not gamblers) and then on to Grand Canyon. Is it possible to travel over to Monument Valley from here or is it too far. If we did then where would you recommend we stay for a nigh? We would also like to take in the Sedona area before flying back to UK from Phoenix. Would Flagstaff be a good base?

Thanks in anticipation.
Ann

Too far?
You don't tell us how much time you have.
It's certainly doable, but if you rush on over to Monument Valley your most scenic route would pass through the Zion and Bryce parks, both of which are extraordinary and demand that you stop for a day or two.
If you did that I might suggest you stay in Hanksville Utah, a Godforsaken little speck on the map in the middle of the most spectacularly desolate desert landscape. From there over to Monument Valley takes you up and over a beautiful range of mountains.
To travel from Grand canyon directly to Monument Valley by way of Northern Arizona makes a long and unexciting drive across vast expanses of featurless arid country, mostly Navajo Nation. Tuba City has a couple of motels operated by the Nation and a small mall with restaurants. The remarkably ugly town of Kayenta has an incongruous Holiday Inn. But I think you could get to Monument Valley in a day's drive from G.C..

It is not advisable to use one base for GC and Monument Valley...the Valley is just too far away. Flagstaff is a great base for Sedona and GC. The trip up to GC from there is spectacular...it is a much-varied landscape. I highly recommend the book Roadside Geography of Arizona (if you're into that sort of thing). It describes the various geographies you pass through on the major scenic highways in Arizona, including the one from Flagstaff to GC (which has many unexpected characteristics including lava flows and a pygmy forest).

HI
We made a great trip some time ago.
Las Vegas, Zion Park Utah, Monument Valley, Flagstaff, Sedona, Grand Canyon.
It is really pleasant drive.
In Monument Valley all places are owned by native people. WE chose the Super8 as there was not too much to choose from. We were happy with the place.
Location was good, next to the best eatery/restaurant in town.
In Sedona, we just drove in and stay in the motel by the creek (don't remember the name) but it was located 1/2 block from the main street and close to that church which is a symbol of Sedona. We just drove and pick the safest looking motel. Owner was really nice, and it was clean and quiet.
In October you should have no problem with finding a place to stay without making any reservations.
As a matter of fact the only reservation we made during that trip was that Super8 in Monument Valley as they had only 2 hotels.
Even in Vegas we drove into the motel located on E Tropicana Ave 1/2 block from the Strip (across MGM and close to NY-NY hotels). Again it was quiet, and clean with loundry facilities.
When you are looking for place to stay in Arizona, Utah, or Nevada. Go to the local restaurant for a meal first and let them point you to a local motel. It worked for us on many ocasion saving us money and making our stay better.
I do have few photos on my pages from that trip

Another place you can stay for Monument Valley is Kayenta.

Of course you can easily drive from GC to MV. Just a 4 hours drive. We spend the night in the Holiday Inn in Kayenta, close to MV, but we were not really satisfied. The welcoming was not 100% as we use to have in the USA. However some of the staff personnel is doing their very best( I am sure about that), the restaurant is "so so" and... oh well, the I guess Gouldings Lodge is perhaps a better choise. Very close to MV and a marvellous view. Let me tell you this: I have seen some places in the Southwest, and Monument Valley is one of the highlights at the top, even over the Grand Canyon. Go for it!

>>>>>Of course you can easily drive from GC to MV. Just a 4 hours drive.<<<<

Really? When I did it it seemed to take ages, but that may have been an illusion due to the huge tan colored nothingness of the landscape in between. We drove and drove, and yet that mountain on the horizon never seemed to change postion.

Dnwitte is right. I forgot we had a stop in Page, coming from MV(little detour). Then we continued to GC, which was a 4 hours drive. I checked the distance on mapquest and there must be about 5 hours 19 minutes between GC and MV. Easy.

>>>>>>> the huge tan coloured nothingness of the landscape in between. We drove and drove, and yet that mountain on the horizon never seemed to change position.<<<<<<<<

But what a comfortable drive! Where I live, I sometimes dream of this wonderful nothingness when trudging from traffic jam to traffic jam.

Haha, me too. no traffic, no people, no houses, no nothing. Makes the amazing colors of MV or the Vermilion Cliffs that much more phantasmagorical.