When we left Monument Valley we had intended to drive through the Valley of the Gods. Pouring rain made us reconsider. Rain and a dirt road with several washes did not sound like a good idea. On our trip South from Moab we thought we might give that dirt road a try. But it was raining again.
We stopped at the Sand Island Campground in Bluff. From the road one wonders what kind of campsite you might get. It’s desert all around.
Yet a short drive down to the river and we were rewarded with a sheltered campsite.
The next day was dry to start so we headed into the Valley of the God’s. There is no visitors center or rangers. This BLM land so all we saw was a bulletin board with a map. We took a photo of the map.
There were some rough spots and were glad all of the washes were dry. This road was the first time we heard a loud clunk from underneath Sparty as we traversed one of the washes. We stopped on the other side and Mr ram looked for leaking fluids or missing pieces. Sparty seemed fine and we continued on.
That rough road leads out to spectacular views.
I have read some reviews suggesting that you are better off snapping photos of Monument Valley from the main road, saving the entrance fee and driving through Valley of the Gods instead. If you are not one for the movies and mystique of Monument Valley, that would be a good choice. Of course if you are driving your Toyota Yaris, I would avoid the roads of Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods and take all of your photos form the main road.