About this city
Also known as: The Moonlight Water Outpost
Tucked inside the vast, high-altitude red sandstone mesas of western San Juan County directly adjacent to the Arizona border, Oljato-Monument Valley is an unincorporated historic rural census-designated place situated within the sovereign territory of the Navajo Nation. Formed geologically over millions of years by slow desert erosion that sculpted its majestic towering sandstone spires, the name 'Oljato' derives from a poetic native Navajo phrase meaning 'Moonlight Water'. Throughout its history, the community functioned primarily as a traditional indigenous grazing outpost and a vital trading camp, deeply isolated within the high plains wilderness. Today, the village functions as an elite global pilgrimage destination for raw cultural immersion and cinematic stargazing, offering immediate access to the sacred, uncommercialized backcountry formations of the western valley region.
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Suggested stay: 1 day
Embark on an open-air safari truck tour guided exclusively by native Navajo storytellers to explore the sacred canyons of Oljato. View rare handcrafted silver turquoise jewelry and native wool weavings at the historic Goulding's Trading Post Museum. Camp under a vast galaxy of stars directly on the sacred desert floor.
