2 Hour Monument Valley Horseback Tour
Description
Hop in the saddle for a two-hour horseback ride through the western spirit of Monument Valley! Gallop past towering mesas and red rock formations as the spirit of the Old West surrounds you. Your Navajo guide, a seasoned cowboy, with our well-trained loveable horses will share their spirit of the people’s land. Whether you’re a seasoned wrangler or an absolute beginner, this journey will leave you with memories as big as the valley itself. So, dust off your boots, feel the wind and join us for an unforgettable ride through this iconic frontier!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Drive or walk your way towards The View Hotel Premium Cabins and at the end of the road is a path leading to our horse stable. When you arrive at the Sacred Monument Tours Horse Stable location, you’ll meet your Navajo guide, sign a waiver and receive a safety briefing.
We’ll begin our journey with a scenic ride to The Mittens, also known as the West and East Mitten Buttes. Enjoy stunning views and learn about the geological significance of these iconic landmarks. When viewed from the south, the buttes appear to be two gigantic mittens with their thumbs facing inwards.
This butte was named after a well-known 19th-century prospector, Richard Merrick, who was one of the first to explore the area. The butte, standing 5,000 feet above sea level, is often seen in iconic Western films, making it a popular stop on horseback tours. As you ride through the valley, you’ll feel like you’re stepping into a classic Western movie scene, with Merrick Butte standing proudly in the background. Its striking silhouette adds to the rugged beauty of the landscape!
It’s often referred to as the “watchtower” of the valley due to its towering presence and strategic location. Standing at 6,200 feet, it has been a natural landmark for centuries, guiding both the Navajo people and early explorers. During horseback tours, riders can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding desert, and the mesa’s distinct shape often evokes the image of a lone sentinel keeping watch over the land. It’s a popular stop for photography, offering stunning vistas of the iconic red rock formations.
Your tour concludes at the Sacred Monument Tours Horse Stable location where you’re free to ask your guide any remaining questions and take last minute pictures with everyone including our horses!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(494)
Hands down one of the coolest experiences we've ever done. Our guide Dylan was fantastic leading us on trails that put us right in the midst of the beauty of Monument Valley. 10 out of 10 experience!
Wonderful tour and even better on horseback! The views of the monuments from up close were amazing! Highly recommend this tour!
What a wonderful memorable experience we had riding horses in Monument Valley. Nice small group of only four. We got to see the monuments up close and had views not many people can experience. If you are going to Monument Valley, we highly recommend this fantastic tour.
The tour was not done intentionally Because the condition of the horses was pitiful and we could not get a refund To be avoided Tourist trap
Dion took great care of us. Although we had a little bit of a late start, we got in our full 2 hours. We got lots of information and our horses were perfectly matched for our individual riding skills (I have ridden my whole life but my partner is a beginner). Loved this experience!
Poor condition of the horses, the staff has no empathy. Avoid!!!
ABSOLUTELY AVOID! If I could give 0 stars, I would do so without hesitation. We had booked a 2-hour horseback ride for nearly $200 per person. Upon discovering the horses, we were shocked by their condition. Several appeared extremely thin, some showed an obvious limp, and the overall impression was one of total disregard for their well-being. We mounted the horses and then immediately dismounted, refusing to participate in the ride under these conditions. When we expressed our concern about the condition of the horses, our comment was ridiculed. There was no listening, no questioning, and especially no refund offered despite our decision not to proceed with the service. Charging such a price for horses in this condition is unacceptable. The setting of Monument Valley is beautiful, but that does not justify the disrespect towards the animals in any way. Do not endorse this type of practice. There are certainly other providers who place greater importance on the well-being of their horses.
We booked a horseback ride with this company and paid in advance for three people. Considering the high price of the experience, we expected a professional service and horses in good working condition. We are experienced horse owners and have worked around horses for many years. Immediately after mounting, we noticed that one of the horses was clearly lame and showing obvious signs of discomfort. The horse appeared unwilling to move forward comfortably and displayed postural signs that, in our experience, indicated pain or significant discomfort. For both safety and animal welfare reasons, we decided to stop the activity immediately. We dismounted after approximately 30 seconds and never even left the ranch. We politely requested a refund since the horseback ride was never actually carried out. Unfortunately, our request was refused. What disappointed us most was the way the situation was handled. During our discussion and subsequent phone conversation, the manager became extremely aggressive, raised his voice, and showed no willingness to discuss a fair solution despite the fact that the ride never took place. This review reflects our personal experience. Charging customers for a horseback ride that lasted less than a minute, while refusing any refund and responding aggressively, is not what we expected from a professional horseback riding operation.
Horrible! The horses are mistreated and thin! The staff is very unpleasant! Avoid!
The tour was late in the day and the guide did not seem very interested in doing the tour. There was minimal information provided about the history of the area. The Guide was more interested in just taking us to photo stops and scrolling on his phone during the tour. It was a great experience and fun riding on horseback through Monument Valley but the lack of the guide providing information about the area was disappointing. I would probably do a different tour next time.
