Monument Valley Backcountry Tours

Past the last cattle guard on the loop road, the pavement ends and the permit land begins. Three Navajo-guided trips run into that country: a 2.5-hour standard, a longer 3.5-hour highlights version, and an overnight in a traditional hogan. Here is what each one reaches, what travelers rate it, and how to pick between them.

Checked with Daniel Begay, Monument Valley guide & Navajo cultural specialist

What is a Monument Valley backcountry tour?

A backcountry tour is a Navajo-guided trip beyond the public 17-mile loop, onto restricted tribal land where the arches, private overlooks and traditional hogans sit. Three run here: a 2.5-hour standard tour with a certified guide and a rug-weaving demonstration, a 3.5-hour highlights version that adds a hogan visit, and an overnight hogan stay under the stars. On the day tours the Tribal Park entrance fee, about $10 per person, is paid separately at the gate. Book any of them on the operator's official Viator or GetYourGuide listing, where the live price shows for your date.

The three Monument Valley backcountry tours, compared

These trips share the same permit land, and they differ mostly in how long you stay and how deep you go. The standard tour is the most-reviewed and the easiest to slot into a single day. The highlights version buys you an extra hour and a hogan visit. The overnight is a different thing entirely: you sleep out there. If you only have an afternoon and want the strongest track record, the 2.5-hour backcountry tour is the seat to hold first.

Highest rated on this page · Certified Navajo guide Ear of the Wind arch in the Monument Valley backcountry, reachable only with a Navajo guide

Best for a focused half-day into the backcountry with the strongest reviews and a cultural add-on

Monument Valley Backcountry Tour (2.5 hours)

4.9 across 732 Viator reviews

Certified Navajo guide leads you into private backcountry zones the self-drive loop is closed to
Includes a rug-weaving demonstration, a look at a craft that has been part of Navajo life for generations
Pickup and drop-off at The View Hotel, or the KOA campground for guests staying there. Tribal Park entry (about $10pp) is paid separately at the gate

Live price on the listing shown for your date and currency at booking

Check live availability & prices on Viator →

Max group of 12. The 4.9 rating is Monument Valley Tribal Tours' current Viator figure.

More ground · Adds a hogan visit Longer highlights route through the Monument Valley backcountry with a hogan stop

Best for travelers who want the extra hour, more backcountry and a stop inside a hogan

Highlights Tour with Backcountry Access (3.5 hours)

4.8 across 534 GetYourGuide reviews

The longer version of the standard trip, with an extra hour on the land and more backcountry stops
Includes a visit to a traditional hogan, where the guide explains how the eight-sided home is built and used
Navajo-guided throughout. Tribal Park entry (about $10pp) is paid separately at the gate

Live price on the listing shown for your date and currency at booking

Check live availability & prices on GetYourGuide →

The 4.8 rating is Monument Valley Tribal Tours' current GetYourGuide figure.

Overnight · Sleep in the backcountry Traditional Navajo hogan in the Monument Valley backcountry under a night sky

Best for travelers who want to actually stay out in the valley, not just pass through it

Hogan Overnight Experience (about 18 hours)

4.2 across 18 Viator reviews

An overnight stay of roughly 18 hours in a traditional Navajo hogan, out in the backcountry away from any road
Navajo-guided, with time under skies dark enough to see the Milky Way clearly on a clear night
A small-scale, immersive experience rather than a quick drive. The review count is low, 18 so far, so book it for the stay itself

Live price on the listing shown for your date and currency at booking

Check live availability & prices on Viator →

The 4.2 rating reflects 18 Viator reviews, a small sample; we report it honestly rather than lean on it.

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How the three backcountry tours line up

Same country, three different commitments of time. This table puts them side by side so you can match a trip to the hours you have and the depth you want.

Tour	Platform	Rating	Length	What it adds
Monument Valley Backcountry Tour	Viator	4.9 / 732	2.5 hours	Certified guide, rug-weaving demo, private zones
Highlights Tour with Backcountry Access	GetYourGuide	4.8 / 534	3.5 hours	Extra hour, more backcountry, a hogan visit
Hogan Overnight Experience	Viator	4.2 / 18	~18 hours	Overnight in a hogan under the stars

All three are Navajo-guided, because they have to be: the backcountry is permit land where a certified guide is required by the Navajo Nation. If a guided 4x4 run into the same country is more your speed, the jeep tours page covers the open-air backcountry trip, and the tribal tours page rounds up the small-group cultural options. For the practical stuff, park hours, the entrance fee and the time-zone quirk, the guides are the place to start.

Backcountry tour questions

What makes a backcountry tour different from a regular Monument Valley tour?

A backcountry tour leaves the public 17-mile Valley Drive and crosses onto restricted Navajo land that needs a guide and a permit. That is where the arches, hogans and hidden light shafts are. A regular scenic drive stays on the loop past the famous overlooks; the backcountry is everything the loop cannot reach.

Can you stay overnight in Monument Valley?

Yes. The Hogan Overnight Experience is a Navajo-guided stay of roughly 18 hours in a traditional hogan out in the backcountry, sleeping under some of the darkest skies in the Southwest. It carries a small review count, 18 on Viator, so book it for the experience rather than the volume of ratings.

Is a Navajo guide required for the Monument Valley backcountry?

Yes. Beyond the public loop road, Monument Valley is Navajo Nation land and you cannot legally drive or hike the backcountry on your own. A certified Navajo guide or a permitted tour is required, which is why every trip on this page is Navajo-guided.

Which Monument Valley backcountry tour is best?

For most visitors the 2.5-hour Monument Valley Backcountry Tour is the pick: it has the strongest rating on this page, 4.9 across 732 Viator reviews, and adds a rug-weaving demonstration. Choose the 3.5-hour Highlights Tour if you want more ground plus a hogan visit, and the Hogan Overnight if you want to actually sleep out in the valley.

About these picks

Written by Daniel Begay, a Monument Valley guide and Navajo cultural specialist. The ratings, durations and inclusions here are taken from the operators' current Viator and GetYourGuide listings and checked against the park's own backcountry rules. We earn a disclosed commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.

The three Monument Valley backcountry tours, compared

Monument Valley Backcountry Tour (2.5 hours)

Highlights Tour with Backcountry Access (3.5 hours)

Hogan Overnight Experience (about 18 hours)

How the three backcountry tours line up

Backcountry tour questions

About these picks

Get into the Monument Valley backcountry