Believe it or not, the most efficient way to get from the southwestern side of Utah to the Southeastern side of Utah all the way up to Moab is to go through Arizona, specifically Page, Arizona. Honestly, I don’t regret it as there are so many things to see around Page; the most famous of them all is probably the horseshoe bend and the antelope canyons.
Antelope Canyons are situated on the Navajo Nation land, so you need to make reservations by taking one of the many tours offered. No self-driving is allowed. The tour I was on was offered exclusively by the Navajo Nation people, so it might be a great chance for you to get to know them a bit more than the stereotypes.
Interestingly, Page, Arizona also had a higher concentration of indigenous people employed in the tourism sector. Without knowing the details, this is perhaps quite refreshing to see. There are many places that are quite important to the indigenous population. One of them is the rainbow Bridge which is proclaimed one of the biggest bridges in the world. However, Rainbow Bridge is not always accessible due to the low water level of Lake Powell. You must wait for the right water levels to board a boat to visit the monument. Honestly, I can’t say that Utah has some of the best water management systems in the world, especially when it comes to drought times, so you do have to watch out for low water levels. Another local favorite spot for sunsets is the Wahweep Viewpoint. It had some of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen. The red sandstone perfectly juxtaposed the blue river that runs through, of course, if the water level is high enough. Otherwise, just the pink and red stones alone are worth your while.
My next stop was Monument Valley, situated right on the border between Arizona and Utah. Along the way, you will be driving on route 98, which is one of the more desolate roads I have ever driven on. Get a great sense of how it feels like to live in a desert with very little human help and neighbors are far and few in between. A truly different living experience.
At Monument Valley I would highly recommend everyone to do a driving tour or go on a 4×4 tour to go through the park. It lets you relive your Western dream and gives you a chance to get to know the local history that lived in this place.
If you are really keen on that Forrest Gump photo through route 163 is where you will find it just north of the Navajo Nation Park. There are plenty of lower-speed signs along the road close to where most would like to take their Forrest Gump pictures. However, I would still exercise extreme caution when you’re trying to capture that famous photo. Invariably there will be tons of people there so you shouldn’t miss out on it. As for me, this was my second time going through the same spot so a selfie would do.Â
Past monument valley going north, you have a lot of options. There’s the valley of gods; there’s also the Canyonlands National Park. I chose to go on route 261 to Natural Bridges National Monument. Along the way, you get to drive up a side of the cliff to look down towards the valley of gods. Quite a scenic and exhilarating drive. Natural Bridges National Monument is underrated as it has some of the most amazing natural wonders I have ever seen. It had gigantic natural Bridges, ancient indigenous monuments, and an amazing place to see sunsets.
The drive out of natural Bridges towards Monticello on route 95 was equally stunning. If you have time, I highly recommend a more extensive exploration of this area. Plus, for the first time, I’ve gotten to see real cowboys and cowgirls working herding cows. What an American experience!
