Route 66

"The Loop" in Monument Valley

It’s almost beyond comprehension that 300,000 years ago, a vast lake covered this entire region, with only the highest peaks jutting above the water’s surface. Over millennia, the lake receded and reappeared, shrinking each time, until it last emerged 10,000 years ago.

Today, the landscape bears the marks of that ancient water. It’s hard to imagine that the dust and stone before you were once submerged and wet.

The road shown here is known as "The Loop" a favourite filming location for director John Ford’s westerns, and carries a hidden legacy. Ford, not only showcased this dramatic landscape in many of his movies, but he also championed the cause of the local Navaho Indians. His efforts brought attention to their poverty and played a significant role in improving their conditions.

"The Loop" in Monument Valley

It’s almost beyond comprehension that 300,000 years ago, a vast lake covered this entire region, with only the highest peaks jutting above the water’s surface. Over millennia, the lake receded and reappeared, shrinking each time, until it last emerged 10,000 years ago.

Today, the landscape bears the marks of that ancient water. It’s hard to imagine that the dust and stone before you were once submerged and wet.

The road shown here is known as "The Loop" a favourite filming location for director John Ford’s westerns, and carries a hidden legacy. Ford, not only showcased this dramatic landscape in many of his movies, but he also championed the cause of the local Navaho Indians. His efforts brought attention to their poverty and played a significant role in improving their conditions.