In the 1920s, a family by the name of Goulding began operating a trading post in the area. The Navajo Tribe was the first group of people to establish themselves in the valley. Part of the Colorado Plateau, Monument Valley spans 91,696 acres. The largest of the freestanding formations measures 1,000 feet above the valley floor. Three main layers of Organ Rock shale, de Chelly sandstone, and Moenkopi shale are visible in many of the buttes.
The iconic rock formations that distinguish this iconic section of the Utah desert are eroded remains of their Rocky Mountain ancestors, formed by sandstone deposits and geologic uplift that then became shaped by years and years of wind and water. The land itself is ancient, rugged, and beautiful. Location: San Juan County, UT and Navajo County, AZ Monument Valley History
