Tear Drop Arch
Monument Valley, AZ
Tear Drop Arch is a small natural window in a sandstone formation that perfectly frames Monument Valley's distant buttes. The teardrop-shaped opening creates a natural compositional frame for landscape photography. It is located in the backcountry and requires a Navajo guide to visit.
Photography Guide
- Best Time
- morning
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Shot Types
- landscapedetailwide
- Best Seasons
- springfallwinter
Gallery
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Monument Valley, AZ
Monument Valley Dark Sky Area
The remote location of Monument Valley far from city light pollution creates exceptional dark sky conditions for astrophotography. The Milky Way can be photographed arching over the iconic buttes during moonless nights. The dark sky quality is enhanced by the Navajo Nation's minimal artificial lighting.
Monument Valley, AZ
Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei
The Totem Pole is a slender 450-foot sandstone spire standing alongside the Yei Bi Chei rock formation, which resembles Navajo spirit dancers. This area is located in the backcountry of Monument Valley and is only accessible with a Navajo-authorized guide. The spires are especially dramatic when backlit at sunrise or sunset.
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The Mittens Overlook
This overlook near the Monument Valley Visitor Center provides a direct, unobstructed view of the East and West Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. It is one of the most photographed viewpoints in the Southwest. At sunrise, the buttes glow deep orange and red against a lightening sky.