Monument Valley (for all you movie fans, especially western fans)

Located in the heart of Navajo Nation in Southeastern Utah  near the Arizona border is the Monument Valley. Our interest for going here was of course the great monuments that are there but also the movies that have been filmed at or near that location. I have always been a western movie fan and wanted to some day see the real thing that I often saw in the background of some of the moves I watched. Especially John Wayne movies. We have included in this blog some of the most interesting sites we observed.
Although many other movies (21+) have been filmed in Monument Valley, tourist consider Monument Valley belonging to one Hollywood actor, John Wayne. In the Moab area (southern Utah) several dozen movies have been filmed.
We took the scenic road from Moab to Monument valley. It included about 3 miles of very steep and gravel road that had a lot of switchbacks. Good thing new cars can now drive themselves. LOL!!  I enjoyed the ride as well as the view but Sharon not so much!!!! The gravel switchback is called Moki Dugway. It winds 1200 feet from top to bottom on a 3 mile gravel road at an 11% grade but actually very safe most vehicles.

What the valley looked like that where we were headed. The road you see is the road  we would be taking to get to Mexican Hat Utah and then on to Monument Valley.

The gravel switchback road we were to capture to get to the valley so we could continue to Monument Valley

More of the switchback road.

 

Offered the Duke an Ozark handshake

Hey partner call me Duke, how about a photo shot together.

Where the Duke  stayed while doing the 5 movies he did in Monument valley (Stagecoach 1939, Fort Apache 1948, Rio Grande 1950, The Searchers 1956, She wore a yellow ribbon 1959,

 

Remember the movie Forest Gump  and long run. It was filmed down this stretch of road.

Have you ever seem this background in a western or other movies.