Mystery Valley, Arizona
This area southeast of central Monument Valley contains
numerous arches, but only a few of these are normally included in the commercial
tours of Mystery Valley. It takes a half-day to visit all of these arches.
These arches are within the boundaries of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal
Park and a Navajo guide is required for any visitation. For larger images
and map locations, click on the thumbnail image.
STOUT ARCH is
pictured in our Stan Jones Gallery. Use the BACK button to return to this
page. It is a nice pothole arch eroded in DeChelly sandstone and located
about 200 feet east of Honeymoon Arch. Occasionally a tour will stop at
Honeymoon Arch but skip Stout Arch. If that occurs be sure to ask for it.
See this arch in 3D. |
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THE SPECTACLES are two pothole natural arches eroded in
DeChelly sandstone. The are located in a wide side canyon of Mystery Valley
which is now fenced off with a locked gate and is no longer included with
regular tours of Mystery Valley. If you wish to go into this side canyon
make sure you have a guide who knows how to get through the locked gate. |
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FULL MOON ARCH is a fin
type natural arch eroded in DeChelly sandstone. Notice the person below
the opening for scale. It is located in a wide side canyon of Mystery Valley
which is now fenced off with a locked gate and is no longer included with
regular tours of Mystery Valley. If you wish to go into this side canyon
make sure you have a guide who knows how to get through the locked gate.
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FOUR LEVEL ARCH is a pothole natural arch eroded
in DeChelly sandstone. Needle Eye Arch is very close by. This arch is located
in a wide side canyon of Mystery Valley which is now fenced off with a locked
gate and is no longer included with regular tours of Mystery Valley. If
you wish to go into this side canyon make sure you have a guide who knows
how to get through the locked gate. |
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NEEDLE EYE ARCH, also known as Eye of the Rabbit, is a
pothole natural arch eroded in DeChelly sandstone. It is located very close
to Four Level Arch. Both arches are on the top of the mesa and are inaccessable
from below. This arch is located in a wide side canyon of Mystery Valley
which is now fenced off with a locked gate and is no longer included with
regular tours of Mystery Valley. If you wish to go into this side canyon
make sure you have a guide who knows how to get through the locked gate. |
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PINE TREE ARCH is a pothole natural arch eroded in DeChelly
sandstone. It gets its name from a small, scraggly pine tree growing out
of a crack in the rock. This small tree can be seen in the left of this
photo. This arch is usually included in tours of Mystery Valley. It is close
to a significant ruin called House of Many Hands. |
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SQUARE HOUSE NATURAL ARCH (sometimes referred to as Cly Arch) is a small double pillar
arch eroded in DeChelly sandstone. It is number 10-14 in the Vreeland
catalog. It is not usually included in the Mystery Valley tours. |
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UNNAMED ARCH. This unnamed arch is a buttress
natural arch eroded through DeChelly sandstone. It has a span of about
10 feet and a height of about 10 feet. It is not included in the Mystery
Valley tours. |
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PARRISH ARCH. This arch is a good example of a caprock natural arch. The opening has eroded through multiple strata of loosely cemented sandstone. This very likely was the result of a recent and catastrophic collapse of these rock layers. The surviving lintel, in Shinarump conglomerate, is not much stronger than the underlying layers and will not last for long. Like many caprock natural arches this one will have a relatively brief lifecycle. The arch is occasionally referred to as Parrish Arch, after Frank Parrish who was a local rancher and medicine singer. It has a span of 13 feet, a height of 30 feet, and a thickness of 10 feet. It is clearly visible from US Highway 163 looking east from a viewpoint about 9 miles south of the turnoff to the Monument Valley Visitor Center. However, it is best seen from the other side. Visiting the arch on this side requires that you be accompanied by a guide. Although it is shown on the Mystery Valley USGS topographic map as "Natural Arch," that location is slightly off. The correct location is provided here. It is number 10-19 in the Vreeland catalog. |
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