MAJESTIC MONOLITHS AND MEMORIALS:: Monument Valley's Iconic Visual Fantasy in Bloomington, MN

Just north of Kayenta, Arizona (about 22 miles) is one of the most scenic erosional landscapes in the American Southwest. Given this dished valley's expansive backdrop (1,100 square miles), Monument Valley's prized showcase of downsizing mesas, buttes, and totems decorating its Great Basin Desert environs, when it comes to peerless Out West scenery, folks, THIS IS IT! It's also the heart of Indian Country. Some of the landmarks rise1,000 feet from the sandstone base, most of which are lionized decorative features seen in numerous Western movies filmed here since the late 1930s Indeed, one of the Valley's many vistas overlooks the 17-mile unpaved road is named John Ford's Point, who was the most famous movie directors lured here by Harry Goulding (viz., the owner of Harry Goulding's historical Trading Post) to do just that. Ford's most famous cowboy actor, John Wayne, essentially got his first big movie role filmed here ("Stagecoach"). Other than the impressive backdrop scenery, Monument Valley typifies an engaging geologic open textbook, mainly sedimentary rock formations. Additionally, numerous other igneous rocks decorate this wide, far sector, which is referred to as volcanic plugs, each marking so-called dike intrusions. The most famous is the volcanic diatreme, Agathla Peak, rising some 1,500 feet (457 m) from a somewhat barren desert buckled floor. This high-elevation sector (7,000 feet above sea level) of northern Arizona and southeastern Utah is also part of the sprawling Navajo Nation Reservation. When visiting Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, always treat the land, the people, and numerous res dog and cat homeless strays with respect. As the Navajos are fond of saying—Yá'át'ééh (Welcome)! Take lots of pictures but ask, first, before you take their photos.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
yáʼátʼééh (Welcome/Introduction)
Sandstone Sketch One: MONUMENT VALLEY'S VISTAS: A Tour
Sandstone Sketch Two: INDIAN COUNTRY
Sandstone Sketch Three: A BASIC GEOLOGY TUTORIAL
Sandstone Sketch Four: NATIVE AMERICANS OF THE COLORADO PLATEAU
Sandstone Sketch Five: THE POETRY OF MONUMENT VALLEY
Sandstone Sketch Six: A GUIDED ROAD TOUR OF SCENIC ICONS
Sandstone Sketch Seven: THE COLORADO PLATEAU--The Place, Not the State
Sandstone Sketch Eight: A BACKCOUNTRY SOJOURN.
Sandstone Sketch Nine: A CAUTIONARY HIKER'S GUIDE
Sandstone Sketch Ten: Tsé Bii' Ndzisgaii
Sandstone Sketch Eleven: MOVIES, MYTHS, AND HOGANS
Sandstone Sketch Twelve: THE DESERT'S QUID PRO QUO, OR. . .?
Sandstone Sketch Thirteen: AT 1ST SIGHT--MYSTICAL
Sandstone Sketch Fourteen: A FASHIONING OF A ZEN ROCK GARDEN
Sandstone Sketch Fifteen: THE LOOKOUT FROM EAST MITTEN
Sandstone Sketch Sisteen: THE ANASAZI (A Summary Account)
Given these chapter titles, all the essentials about this masterpiece of erosion are included in this replete and engaging publication.
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