Goulding's Trading Post and "Fort Apache" (1948)

Yesterday, I toured the original Goulding's Trading Post building which consists of the store and upstairs living quarters of Harry and Mike Goulding.

The trading post building, near Monument Valley, was featured in two (maybe more) movies starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford. The first was Fort Apache (1948) and second was She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949). 

In Fort Apache, the building was used as part of a way station for a stagecoach stop of Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple while en route to Fort Apache.

Below are photos of the building in Fort Apache and what I took yesterday:

Above, the stagecoach of Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple arriving
 at the way station. Note the rock formations in the background.

Above, similar view from the front of the Goulding Trading Post building. The
 formations look a little different due to the angle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the stagecoach and the trading post building in Fort Apache.

Above, a similar view of the trading post building yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now Is The Time To Visit Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Above, the Mittens and Merrick Butte. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Right now is a good time to pay a visit to the famous Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park that straddles the border of Arizona and Utah.

Monument Valley was made famous by director John Ford and actor John Wayne beginning with Stagecoach (1939). 

From the Goulding's Lodge website:

When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the Navajo Reservation suffered immensely. Harry heard of a movie production company scouting out locations in the Southwest to use in films. He believed that bringing movie production to Monument Valley would help the local Navajos with much-needed income.

So Harry and Mike set out on a journey to Hollywood, California with their last $60. By luck and perseverance, Harry met the famous director John Ford. When Ford saw Harry’s photos of Monument Valley, he knew it was the perfect location for his next movie. The Gouldings received an advanced payment, and in a few days, John Ford and his crew began filming Stagecoach starring John Wayne.

Above, yours truly bundled up during the van tour.

The temperature during the day is in the 70s and the nighttime temperature is in the 40s. I went in November 2016 and the daytime temperature was rather brisk with nighttime temperatures dipping down into the 20s. 

Above, the Goulding's Tours tour van in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are numerous places to see in the tribal park and there are tours available to see them. Tripadvisor has posted a list of the ten best Monument Valley tours and excursions. I took a van tour from Goulding's Lodge (they do pick up passengers at the campground). To access their list, go here.

Above, my RV at Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with tours, there are several places to stay in the Monument Valley vicinity. They include hotels and campgrounds. I stayed at Goulding's Lodge Campground in 2016. Tripadvisor lists them here.

Since the best time to visit Monument Valley is in September-October, I am going there next week.

How To Visit The Navajo Nation

Above, a female Navajo hogan in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This year's summer vacation season is drawing to a close (although people can still travel during autumn) but the following is an idea for next year's summer vacation season.

The Navajo Nation is a vast area with plenty of recreational opportunities and historical sites of interest. There are hotels and campgrounds for overnighters.

Above, a male hogan in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Travel has posted a guide to visiting the Navajo Nation that will prove to be useful for vacation planning.

They begin it with:

The Navajo Nation is a very large area extending into the states of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona (mostly in Arizona and a great place to visit). It has a long history going back to pre-historic times and spans the arrival of the Europeans and the Spanish. Today it is the home of the Navajo people and has more than a dozen national monuments, historical sites, and tribal parks. The large Lake Powell provides the Navajoland with some 186 miles of shoreline. It is certainly worth exploring and the Navajo invite people to come and explore their lands through a range of guided tours to get a great understanding of this piece of America.

Above, Goulding's Lodge Campground near Monument Valley Tribal Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read the guide, go here. 

Monument Valley Is Open; Questions Answered

Above, The Left and Right Mittens at dusk. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Monument Valley Tribal Park is open at 50% capacity.

The tribal park straddles the Arizona-Utah border in the Navajo Nation and is best known for being featured in westerns starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford.

AZCentral has posted a gallery of photos and answers to questions on visiting.

According to the article, Monument Valley's campground and RV sites are closed. But nearby are Goulding's Resort RV & Campground and a KOA Kampground, which are both open. I stayed at Goulding's and they offer tours of Monument Valley. I took one of their half-day tours.

They begin with:

After more than a year of being closed during the pandemic, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has reopened. 

The park that straddles the Arizona/Utah state line opened in July after the Navajo Nation determined that the reservation has achieved the yellow status of its COVID-19 reopening plan. Under yellow status, businesses and attractions can open at 50% capacity.  

Other destinations on the Navajo Nation — Canyon de Chelly, Antelope Canyon, Navajo National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post and Four Corners Monument — also are open under the 50 percent capacity rule. Visit your destination's website for specific COVID-19 guidelines. 

Here is everything you need to know to plan a trip to Monument Valley. 

Above, a view of Goulding's Resort RV & Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Experience The Spectacle of Monument Valley

Above, Ear of the Wind arch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that Navajo tribal parks have reopened, although at 50% capacity, a visit to Monument Valley Tribal Park that is located at the Arizona - Utah border is now doable.

Above, yours truly at the left and right mittens. 

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has posted an article on the best way to experience the spectacle of Monument Valley. I last visited Monument Valley in November 2016 and stayed at Goulding's Lodge Campground.

The article begins with:

One of the most picturesque places in the world is practically at our doorstep — the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Located on the border of Utah and Arizona, the park boasts buttes, mesas, spires, pinnacles and arches, arranged in some of the finest panoramic views on Earth.

You’ve no doubt seen the photographs, or scenes from the movies that were filmed here, but seeing the place firsthand is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, well worth the six- or seven-hour drive.

The park was established in 1958 and encompasses 91,696 acres, all within the 16-million acre Navajo Reservation. The Diné, as the Navajo people refer to themselves, have called this region home for more than 400 years. Prior to that Ancestral Puebloans lived here.

You can get a few classic views just driving around the area or by taking in some popular viewpoints, but most of the real treasures are off-limits to visitors traveling on their own. The absolute best way to discover the place is by taking a tour with an approved Navajo guide. These Jeep tours run different lengths, and if you have the time I highly recommend doing a full-day trip.

I took a two-hour tour of Monument Valley with Goulding's Tours back in 2016. It was an enjoyable tour, although it was cold and windy that day. We were comfortable in the tour van.

Above, the tour van that took me around Monument Valley in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Treasures of the Navajo Nation: Monument Valley

Above, the Mittens and Merrick Butte. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and The Searchers all have one thing in common: Each were directed by John Ford and each used Monument Valley as a backdrop.

Five years ago, I visited Monument Valley and took a half-day tour by a tour company. It was an interesting tour, one I wouldn't mind taking again. I stayed at Goulding's Lodge Campground. (Goulding's Lodge Campground must've been impressed with my photography for they used one of my photos of my motorhome in their reservations website.) 

Unfortunately, Monument Valley and other Navajo Tribal Parks are closed to visitors due to COVID-19. But sooner or later, they will re-open again to visitors and I highly recommend a visit.

Cowboy Lifestyle Network has an article on Monument Valley that's loaded with all the information anyone needs once the tribal park reopens. It also includes a video on the Navajo Nation.

They begin with:

Welcome to the first article of our new “Treasures of Navajo Nation” series! Our first article, we are excited to cover everything about Monument Valley. Before we jump in, we would like to preface this article with the most current update regarding Covid and the Navajo Nation. As of May 10, 2021, most Tribal parks remain closed as a precaution to protect the Navajo Nation against Covid-19. We hope you enjoy this article and its information on Monument Valley but will respect the current closures. We hope to help the Navajo Nation spread the word when their parks do start to open up again. If you have questions or concerns about this, please visit the Navajo Nation’s Re-Opening website.

To read more, go here. 

Navajo Nation Popular Tourist Sites Opening

Above, the Left Mitten at Monument Valley. Goulding's Lodge is open but
the Monument Valley Tribal Park remains closed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Popular tourist sites on the Navajo Nation are going to be reopened on Monday.

According to the Washington Post:

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Popular tourist destinations on the Navajo Nation, including Canyon de Chelly, can welcome back tourists Monday under the tribe’s reopening plan. 

Much of the Navajo Nation has been closed since March as the coronavirus swept through the reservation that extends into New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. The tribe released a plan this week that allows hair salons and barber shops to open by appointment only, businesses to operate at 25% of maximum capacity, and the reopening of marinas and parks with safeguards. 

Overlooks and restrooms at Canyon de Chelly National Monument will be accessible to tourists. But visitor centers will be closed there and at Hubbell Trading Post National Monument and Navajo National Monument. Ranger-led hikes also won’t be available. All three sites are managed at least partly by the National Park Service. 

Goulding’s Lodge near Monument Valley also was getting ready for tourists. It has for months mainly hosted people traveling through the reservation who weren’t able to visit the tribal park known for towering sandstone buttes, marketing manager Monica Lafont said.

“We have never really shut down. We just jumped into the mindset of 100% precaution, and our policy and procedures are enforced,” she said.

To read more, go here. 

Planning For the 2020 Camping Season

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground near Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Recently, I've read that 80 degree temperatures kills off the coronavirus, much like cold and flu viruses we all "know and love". If that's the case, it won't be too long before those temperatures arrive.

In the meantime, it would be a good idea on preparing for the 2020 camping season. Do It Yourself RV has some trip planning tips for that long-awaited and overdue camping season.

They begin with:

While our country and most of the world stays put during the COVID-19 crisis, as campers we need to take this time to sit back and regroup. Whether you are a traveling camper or stationary, now is the time to re-evaluate what you need to do in order to prepare for the camping season. Dancing days will be upon us again before you know it, so now is the time to plan out what you want out of your camping experience. 

Do you enjoy the thrill of traveling and want to experience new places? Or are you just looking for a second place to call home that is a bit removed from the hustle of everyday life? Either way, taking the time to map out the upcoming 2020 camping season is a good idea.

To read more, go here. 

Monument Valley: Things To Know

Above, the "Three Sisters" formation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Monument Valley is a Navajo Nation tribal park, and like all of the Navajo Nation tribal parks, it is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the closure won't last forever and people will be able to visit it and the other tribal parks. I last visited Monument Valley four years ago.

Above, Navajo vendor tables. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's a few things people need to know before visiting and Travel Awaits has them in a posting.

They begin with:

Travel is not advised at this time. Our COVID-19-specific content addresses the pandemic and supports our readers. 

My first view of Monument Valley took my breath away. Since I’d seen the views so many times in commercials and movies, it felt curiously familiar and somewhat surreal. At the same time, the view in person was, well, monumental. The buttes are simply enormous. And stunning. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the red rocks against a bright blue sky. It was hard to stop taking pictures. Or to catch my breath.

Above, camping is available for RVs at Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

The Beast Featured In Goulding's RV and Campground Website

Above, the page that first caught my attention with The Beast featured.

A little while ago, I was perusing Goulding's Lodge RV and Campground (at Monument Valley) website for a visit I plan to make sometime this summer.

When I went to see what the current rates for RV campsites, I saw a familiar photo of The Beast. I took the photo when I was last in Monument Valley in November 2016.

Above, The Beast featured in Goulding's RV and Campground website.

I guess Goulding's liked the photo so much that they used it on their site. That's okay, I am actually flattered.

HeraldScotland Article On The Navajo Nation

Above, "The Mittens" at Monument Valley Tribal Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the things I'd like to do this coming summer is to take a trip up to Monument Valley. I was last there three years ago during the month of November. I stayed at Goulding's Lodge Campground.

During the day, it was cold and windy. At night, it got down into the 20s.

Still, I enjoyed my visit, which also included a tour of the area made famous by John Ford/John Wayne westerns.

Above, the lobby of the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is an article by the HeraldScotland about the Navajo Nation that is worth a read. It discusses Monument Valley (it is a tribal park in the Navajo Nation), Canyon de Chelley National Monument and the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico.

It begins with:

"Do you ever get tired of that view?" I asked, sitting in the cafe of the visitor centre. "How could I?" said the young Navajo waitress, "John Ford said Monument Valley was the place where God put the West. He was right." 

She is from a nation living in an area roughly the size of Scotland, and with a population of 300,000, which you will search hard for on the map – though you will possibly have been there in your celluloid fantasies. In that nation lies Monument Valley, scene of John Wayne and his director John Ford's films, such as Stagecoach and The Seekers, and of many other westerns. There is even a John Ford Point, a favourite film location of the director. But it is in reality far from being the home of cowboys.

On the contrary, this area stretching through much of northern Arizona, northern New Mexico and southern Utah in the American south-west, with its world-famous scenery is part of the Native American Navajo Nation, a self-governing territory, with its own education and legal system, and its own police force. Size and devolved political powers may be similar to Scotland's but similarities end there.

To read more, go here. 

RV Junk Drawer Items

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Do It Yourself RV has a good article on what 12 items to keep in a RV "junk drawer".

I have most of the 12 items they listed, although my "junk drawer" in The Beast is much more organized than that of the one pictured with the article.

They begin with:

No matter how organized you are in your own home, nearly every house has some sort of junk drawer. A junk drawer (or junk closet, box, room, corner) is not necessarily full of junk or trash. However, they do tend to hold items that just don’t seem to have homes in other locations.

Junk drawers tend to collect items such as small tools (all those darn Ikea Allen wrenches), rubber bands, eyeglass kits, pens, and other “just in case” items.

RVs also tend to collect items that end up in a junk drawer or random unused space. However, because RVers are usually organized folks, let’s call this space a “utility drawer” instead of a junk drawer. 

It’s just fine to have a catch-all space, but the key is to have only one of these types of drawers. If you have too many utility drawers or too many useful items, you won’t be able to find anything. 

Depending on your RV space, you might not have a drawer to spare. That’s okay, a plastic shoebox or tackle box will do the trick, and they are also portable. 

How many of these 12 items you can fit into that space will depend on the size of your rig and your junk…er…utility drawer.  Whatever you choose to get, make sure each of the items you keep in there are small, lightweight, and easy to handle, use, and store.

To read more, go here. 

End of First Come, First Served Campsites

Above, self check-in at Manzanita Lake Campground at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my 2016 cross-country trip to Metropolis, Illinois, I made reservations at only two campgrounds, the Graceland RV Park and Goulding's Lodge Campground. I just dropped in on the rest along the way.

The same went for the campgrounds during my 2017 Great American Eclipse. On that trip, I was lucky enough to get a campsite at Manzanita Lake Campground at Lassen Volcanic National Park without reservations.

There is an article on how "first come, first served" camping may be becoming a thing of the past at RV Life.

They begin with:

Spontaneous road trips are a way of life for many outdoor lovers. But the end of first come, first served campsites may dampen those adventures. All across the U.S., scoring that perfect campsite at a moment’s notice is becoming a thing of the past. Now, many of the mhe most popular public campgrounds require reservations just to get past the gate. 

Snow is still on the ground in many U.S. cities. But right now, campers are already booking their summer RV camping reservations for popular campgrounds. That’s because from California to Maine and everywhere in-between, the busiest public campgrounds have already made the switch to a “reservations only” system.

To read more, go here. 

Two Years Ago: Monument Valley

Above, Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two years ago, I was relaxing at Goulding's Lodge Campground at Monument Valley. It was near the end of my three-week vacation trip to Metropolis, Illinois.

Above, I saw many different rock formations during the tour. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The day before, I arrived at Monument Valley in the morning and took the Goulding's tour of the Navajo Tribal Park in the afternoon. This was made necessary as a marathon was being held the next day (November 18) and there would be no tours given.

Above, Ear of the Sun arch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I spent the day at the Goulding's Lodge and looked over the museum and gift shop and visited John Wayne's Cabin from She Wore A Yellow Ribbon.

Above, John Wayne's Cabin. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I can see why director John Ford was smitten over Monument Valley. I visited it back in the 1980s, but this was the first time I stayed there and took a tour.

Above, The Mittens at dusk. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If anyone needs a place to see during vacation season, I highly recommend Monument Valley.

For more on Goulding's Lodge, go here.

Winter RV Camping: Portable Space Heaters

Above, the Comfort Zone ceramic convection heater in The Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Three years ago, I was camping in Joshua Tree National Park. The nighttime temperatures dropped down into the 30s and I had to use my RV built-in propane heater to keep warm.

The heater, I found, kept me warm, but it was at a cost. It ate up propane and battery electric power (I was dry camping, so no hook-ups).

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground at Monument Valley. It got down into the 20s there,
but the ceramic convection heater I bought in Topeka, Kansas kept me warm. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A year later, I was camping at a RV resort in Topeka, Kansas and the temperatures there (and later at Monument Valley) dropped down to the 30s and below. Fortunately, I was near a Walmart in Topeka and bought a Comfort Zone ceramic convection heater for about $20. It worked great and I still use it. In fact, I bought two more of them for the house (one for my bedroom and one for the living room or den). They arrived in the mail yesterday.

As it happens, Do It Yourself RV has an article on three types of space heaters that will make winter camping much more comfortable.

They begin with:

Don't get left out in the cold this winter! Stay warm and cozy in your RV with these three portable space heaters that are guaranteed to take the chill out. 

The cold hard fact is that RVs and winter weather are not ideal companions. With little insulation and plenty of opportunities for chilly air to leak in, it can be difficult to keep an RV comfortably warm when the temperatures drop. That’s where portable space heaters come in handy. 

No matter how many times you vow to “follow the warm weather” while RVing, the truth is that you’re going to run into cold weather eventually. 

It could be a freak cold snap, the necessity of traveling through cold northern states to get to warmer states, camping at high elevations where the nights are almost always cold, living in your RV while working in a cold climate, camping in the spring and fall when temperatures go up and down—or maybe you just like to spend time in colder places.

To read more, go here.

Cold Weather Camping

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last February, I lived in the RV for 12 days while waiting for the movers to bring my furnishings. During that time, a few snow storms hit the area. But I was nice and warm in the motorhome as I had a good ceramic space heater to keep the inside warm. I bought it in Topeka, Kansas two years ago so I can save on propane (the motorhome has a built-in propane heater).

The heater came in handy while camping in Monument Valley in November 2016, where night temperatures hit the 20s. I stayed at Goulding's Lodge Campground. One night, I forgot to unhook the water hose and the water inside froze overnight. It was like a snake with rigor mortis. I had to thaw it out over a barbecue fire.

During the tour I took around Monument Valley, it was a very cold day. Thankfully, I had a wool coat.

Above, yours truly was kept warm in this wool coat in Monument Valley.

There are other ways to keeping warm whether one is waiting for movers to arrive or traveling around in the autumn.

RV Life has 8 ways to stay warm while autumn camping.

They begin their article with:

Don’t let the cool temperatures of the fall season keep you from getting out and camping.  There are great advantages to “cold season” camping, including fewer people, fall colors, and seeing areas in different seasons, to name a few. 

With some preparation, most people can stay comfortable in cooler temperatures and keep on adventuring!

To read more, go here.

Vacationing In The Southwest

Above, yours truly with The Mittens and Merrick Butte in Monument Valley.

If you are considering a vacation trip to the Southwest United States, an article on the region posted by the Hartford Courant is something that should be read.

They mentioned that "essentially" the only place to stay at (or near) Monument Valley is The View hotel. Not so, there is also Goulding's Lodge and Campground. But this is just a quibble I have with the article.

Monument Valley was a big highlight of my three-week trip two years ago.

The article begins with:

Standing along the rim of the Grand Canyon, it’s hard not to wonder what the first explorers of the area thought when they discovered the magnificent natural wonder.
Most likely: “Looks like we’ll have to turn around.” 

But like their modern-day counterparts, they undoubtedly were spellbound by the mesmerizing vistas, which even modern cameras seem incapable of capturing. 

To truly appreciate its splendor, the Grand Canyon must be seen in person, and there’s no better way to go than by setting a course for the open road, and visiting the natural wonder as part of a road trip through the Southwest.

On Monument Valley, they wrote:

Monument Valley (utah.com/monument-valley), a Navajo Tribal Park within the Navajo Nation in Utah, is a decidedly remote detour. Located four hours northeast of Grand Canyon Village, it’s not on the way to anywhere, and there’s not much there. Seriously. 

But the dusty, bumpy ride along the 14-mile dirt road through the monuments is unforgettable. Among the most notable are the West and East Mitten Buttes, Three Sisters, John Ford’s Point, Totem Pole and Ear of the Wind. Wild horses can be seen along the way, and locals often set up shop by the road, selling handmade jewelry and other items.

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are other places the article covers.

To read more, go here.

25 Ways To Save Big On RV Travel

Above, The Beast at Diamond Lake RV Park in Oregon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When going on the road in my RV, I usually plan out my stops before leaving home.

If necessary (depending upon the season, etc.), I will make reservations. When I went back east for three weeks two years ago to Illinois, I only made reservations at two campgrounds, Graceland RV Park and Goulding's Lodge Campground. I figured that of all campgrounds, those two might be the busiest.

TravelPulse has a photo article on 25 ways to save big on RV travel this summer.

They begin with:

Campgrounds vary dramatically in price, which is why you should choose your stops carefully and plan ahead of time. There are all kinds of affordable and scenic campgrounds throughout our great nation, but you’ll need to do some leg work to find them.

To read more, go here. 

Return To Monument Valley?

Above, a map of routes to Monument Valley from Gallup, New Mexico. Photo snapshot by Armand Vaquer.

One the way back from Metropolis, Illinois and Memphis, Tennessee, I stayed a couple of nights at Goulding's Lodge Campground at Monument Valley.

I have a "craving" to go back to Monument Valley this summer. When I was there in November 2016, it got down to below freezing at night and it was cold during the day with gusty winds. It was still enjoyable anyway as I took the half-day tour.

So far, the only planned camping trip is the 2018 UFO Festival in Roswell, New Mexico July 6 - 8. I made reservations some time ago.

Above, yours truly with The Mittens and Merrick Butte. Although an enjoyable
visit, it was very cold and windy in Monument Valley in November 2016. 

The advantage of going to Monument Valley in the summer, besides warm (sometimes hot) weather, the campground's pool would be open and the shuttle to all of the facilities at Goulding's Lodge would be operating. As it was too cold to venture out during my stay and no shuttle service was available, I was not able to take in the nightly John Wayne movies (one filmed in Monument Valley) at Goulding's Lodge or other programs and, perhaps, a meal at the restaurant.

Since I have air conditioning in The Beast, the summer heat won't be too much of a problem.

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to Google maps, Monument Valley is a little over a three-hour drive from Gallup, New Mexico.

While I am in the area, I am also considering heading further into the Four Corners to Durango, Colorado and ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. I stopped there during the Metropolis trip, but the trains were on hiatus in preparation to start their winter schedule. I haven't rode the train since the 1980s.

I just have to figure out when to go.

Monument Valley KOA Open For Season

Above, "Ear of the Wind" in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Monument Valley KOA is open for the 2018 camping season.

I have never stayed at this KOA as I prefer Goulding's Lodge Campground instead. However, if Goulding's is booked up, the KOA would be a good alternate choice.

According to Lake Powell Life:

The Monument Valley KOA Journey campground, located at MM2, US Highway 163 in Monument Valley, is now open for the 2018 summer camping season. 

“Campground owners at KOAs throughout the U.S. and Canada have been working hard to get ready for the season ahead,” said KOA President Toby O’Rourke. “They’re ready to provide outstanding experiences to their guests, and we are all looking forward to a fantastic season ahead.”

To read more, go here.