Welcome to Nature Friday, where we get to meet new friends and maybe share a picture or two of what nature looks like around Blogville. On the afternoon of Day 4 of our vacation, Mama, Daddy, Sunny and I all piled in the car for a scenic ride to Monument Valley.
I, Rosy, am here today to tell you a few fun facts about the scenic views. Sunny will be here on Monday to share a shorter, "Awwww, Mama!!!", part of the drive. For now, let's just say Mama made a poor road choice.
Monument Valley also known as Tse Bi Ndzisgaii(Valley of the Rocks) is part of the Navajo Nation and is a Navajo Tribal Park located in the area of the border Northeast Arizona and Southeast Utah.
The monuments are made up of "Buttes"(the smaller and narrower formations) and "Mesas"(the larger "table" like formations)
Erosion from rain, wind and ice has worn away the softer layers of earth leaving the harder "caprock"
Before the mid 1930s, no one but the Navajo and Paiute tribes(along with a few explorers) had seen the beauty of the Valley. That changed as a local trader, Mike Goulding, was about put Monument Valley on the map.
Goulding opened a trading post on the Utah side of the valley and became close to the Navajo. When the depression, a drought and federal policies started taking a toll on the Navajo, Goulding decided to take photos of the beautiful Valley and bring them to Hollywood.
Goulding's actions paid off. In 1939, John Ford's western, Stagecoach(starring John Wayne) opened in theaters, featuring Monument Valley as the backdrop.
Stagecoach was the first of many movies to use Monument Valley as their setting. From westerns like Fort Apache to comedies like National Lampoon's Vacation were filmed here. The famous movie that includes the scene above was, as Angel Tigger's Person guessed correctly, from the movie Forest Gump. They even have a scenic point showing exactly where they filmed the scene!
Needless to say, tourists now flock to Monument Valley. All the tourist dollars have brought the Navajo Nation a steady income stream. In addition to the entrance fee, there is a hotel, RV Park, campground and a shopping complex. They are all done very tastefully, and don't interfere with the views of the Monuments.
One more little fact about Monument Valley has to do with the color of the rocks and landscape. Some of the rocks are red because of the iron oxide or rust found in the siltstone.
Some of the rocks/landscape might have grey or blue tinge. This is the result of the maganese oxide that is present in the soil. How cool is that?!
(Nobby, do you or Gail have any idea how these compounds actually get into the soil??)
Monument Valley was on the pawrents bucket list, and they are SO happy to have been able to check it off.
As you might have guessed, Mama made a Monument Valley video.
Welllll, Sunny and I thought Monument Valley was pretty and it was nice spending time with the pawrents BUT if we visit again, we hope it's cooler outside AND well, Sunny will fill you in on the AND on Monday.
We hope you all get to get our and enjoy some nature this weekend!
Show us your nature! It can be flowers, your current weather, a scene out of your window, or maybe a picture from a vacation, walk or other journey! Any kind of nature picture will do! If you don't see a link below, click HERE to go to our Hoppity Page.
Awesome photos. In 1994 Gail enjoyed a white water rafting trip down the Colorado River in Monument Valley at the end of a geological field trip in Utah. She says the manganese oxides come from clay minerals in the soil and a "complex series of chemical processes particular to the environment" (ie she can't quite remember the details) result in a concentration of the manganese oxide adhering to the rock surfaces.
ReplyDeleteHappy Nature Friday!
Toodle-oo !
Nobby.