It’s the day after a group of us all left a very sweet and satisfying nomad gathering along the beautiful expanse of Mexican Hat, Utah, just south of Moab, for the recent solar eclipse and my dog Ava and I are happily wiped out. There was endless socializing around many a wildly glowing campfire and we made friends with good people, some living and working full time on the road. This gathering was meant to bring nomads together to bond while under open skies in a vast undeveloped area bordering the Navajo Nation on BLM Land (Bureau of Land Management) where it’s possible to camp without cost.
I loved seeing the interior of others rigs and conversing about “where to next” along this adventure called life. And let’s not forget the joy of sharing food, especially homemade dutch oven bread baked over the campfire and of course the infinite different types of chocolate embedded in the s’mores. But the true highlight was the stars….the magnificent captivating stars that were visible from horizon to horizon.
We all felt lucky to be here with this mixed age group of “road dwellers” many of whom just met one another during this gathering. The spot where we parked our vans, RV’s and cars was along an incredible open high desert flatland ringed by rocky mountains. We were not the only ones here as it was a popular area since we were within the map boundary of the full eclipse but luckily other groups were gathered a good distance away so it felt private and thankfully quiet. Since we were fairly near the main road and along designated land we took careful measures to make sure that we left as minimal a trace as possible.
In the morning, we watched the eclipse go from partial to full, it was magic to see the moon slowly cover the sun to create an even ring of light that shone along the periphery. As we donned our glasses and listened to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” we marveled at what was happening in the sky above and shivered as the temperature dropped as it ever so slightly darkened minute by minute. When the moon uncovered the sun, a few of us, including my friend Juan and our new friend Ted and his dog Charlie walked down the road to look for arrowheads left by the Natives. In the end, we didn’t actually find any arrowheads which I would have felt hesitant about “taking” anyway, but enjoyed the search, the conversation and the mini-adventure towards a sandstone valley with red mesas aptly named “Valley of the Gods.” The wash we walked along was full of flint and jasper and exquisitely peaceful. We sat down on the hot rocks and took in the newly arrived sun and open sky.
We talked about what life might have been like years ago when the Native Americans fully inhabited this land, specifically the Navajo, Paiute and Ute tribes, and how there was most certainly more water but otherwise it might have not been much different. What a gift to be amidst these current Navajo borderlands with no buildings, traffic and barely a trace of human influence. Juan spoke of his heritage of being Mescalero Apache Indian (from New Mexico) and he shared that his tribe was connected to the Navajo. I’ve learned a lot about Juan from our many phone conversations over the past year but I was unaware of this fact. I really cherish learning about Indigenous history and feel reverence for Native American Indian culture and a deep respect for all Native individuals especially after so many years of mistreatment by this country.
On the way out of the gathering, as we left Mexican Hat and actually saw the infamous rock that looked like the namesake upside-down sombrero, with the top rock balancing gracefully, I learned that these ancient rock formations date back over 250 million years to the Permian Period where fossils of dinosaur ancestors can be found. As we edged closer to the view of the Navajo Nation land known as Monument Valley, we witnessed the buttes spring up like the city of Oz. It was truly otherworldly to see this very well documented spot in real life. A bunch of us took photos and video along the road to Monument Valley where the Forrest Gump scene was filmed. We laughed and dodged cars as we switched roles as to who would be Forrest in the front while the rest of the crew ran behind. It was no joke when massive trailers, RV’s and semi’s whizzed past with inches between us and them. Thankfully everyone stayed safe and we have some excellent footage that will keep us laughing for a long time. I said my goodbyes and then drove into the valley to check it out.
When I arrived at the gate I was told that my van was not allowed along the 17 mile drive so I changed plans and went to the lookout point and took it all in. Wide eyed and full of awe, I was captivated by the 3 famous massive rock buttes before me, a spot that has been revered by the Navajo for generations. I headed out on two different trails and then found a spot to sit and watch the buttes change from bright orange to a deep rust as the sun dropped. As I explored the trails around Monument Valley, it became crystal clear as to why the Navajo Nation have protected this land and have limited the amount of vehicles allowed on the interior roads. I was unaware that the Navajo people not only offer tours in the valley but also live there.
Last night, I did a bit of research online and found this: “While commonly referred to as Monument Valley Park, the area’s Navajo name, Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii, offers a more authentic reflection of its character, which roughly translates into the valley of the rocks. The site is not a national park, like nearby Canyonlands, in Utah, and the Grand Canyon, in Arizona, but one of six Navajo-owned tribal parks. What’s more, the valley floor is still inhabited by Navajo—30 to 100 people, depending on the season, who live in houses without running water or electricity. The valley boasts towering sandstone rock formations that have been sculpted over time and soar 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor. It also has the distinction of being the first-ever tribal park. It is an iconic symbol of the American West.”
Not being able to do the drive and tour into the valley were letdowns but also completely understandable given the importance of protecting this iconic land and the residents from dust/traffic/noise/crowding etc. so being on foot took a very excellent second place maybe even a first place! I truly respect and honor these choices and try my best to keep a small footprint whenever possible. Being on foot and taking it slow is truly magical.
As I entered the trail, the soaring and majestic cliffs loomed before me, curving inward with variated water markings in browns and oranges. There are worlds in these rocks and I am hooked! The trail out past the Navajo owned hotel, which I found by mistake as I was looking for the main trail that gets more traffic and overlooks the valley, was studded with curving juniper, manzanita with it’s distinctive crimson bark and twisting branches, and low lying scrub that were marked with their names along the way. There were even signs to grade the difficulty of the trail, similar to ski slope markers, with a black diamond and blue square.
As I made my way onto the butte side of the valley, I took off my shoes and let my feet sink into the warm deep coral colored sand that was just starting to cool down. It was like powder and walking barefoot in it is heaven, yet not without thorns. The prickly spiky bits from the desert plants that bury into the sand are murderous if you get nabbed in the heel and definitely will stab you along the very soft insole of your foot. I’ve let out quite a few load moans after this happened one too many times but somehow it was worth it. I just can’t resist letting my feet out on the earth, it’s a practice I do every day no matter where I am. To watch the the glowing buttes grow darker as the sun set was truly a memorable experience. They stood tall and proud and certainly felt iconic indeed.
It was hard to leave this sweet spot and I stayed until the first stars arrived. I stepped into my van to relax and peruse recent photos and read about the Navajo land I was stepping foot on. After being off grid for the past few days, Gouldings RV park and campground was my home for the evening and what a spot to sleep in! Set amidst the towering steep red canyons just miles outside of Monument Valley, it was beautiful. As I arrived, I was in for a surprise when I ran into a couple two spots away from me who I met in Moab at a water filling station as I was on my way to Mexican Hat. They remembered me from that spot and I realized how sweet it is to make connections along the way because you often see the same people down the road. This is one of the gifts of the nomadic life, making new friends along the way that sometimes turn into forever friends as it did with my friend Juan who I met on my first van trip through New Mexico. I am endlessly grateful to be able to take these adventures and experience part time nomadic life.
Right now as I write, the late morning sun is beating down on the van keeping the interior toasty, bright and cheery. I look around and red dirt is everywhere, the sheets, the floor, the rug. It’s ok though, I am resigned to the sacredness of the red sand. Ava and I set out on our last hike before leaving this breathtaking area feeling clear that this will not be our last visit. As I pulled my van out on the open road, I felt grateful to all those who have protected and tended to this part of our country and especially to the Navajo Nation to grant us access to this inspiring land.
AhéHee’ (Thank you in the Navajo language)
Marin Nomad 