Forrest Gump Point
Forrest Gump POINT (Mile marker 13)
Near Monument Valley, UT
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). This location is easy to get to, but the shot is taken in the middle of the highway.
You can see cars coming up the road for several miles. However, the road behind you will be closer, and it is easy to forget you are in the middle of a road. PAY attention when shooting this scene.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
5,096 ft Elevation
Photography Tips
If you will shoot at sunrise, arrive early and find your composition (as there are many places to shoot this up and down the hill). Pull off the road and park at one of the many pullouts along the highway (DO NOT PARK on the road or the shoulder).
The sun will begin to illuminate the distant buttes just after the stated sunrise time. However, the sky will most likely be blown out at this point, so be prepared to composite your sky from 5-15 minutes earlier. Try to center your shot with yellow road stripes and pay close attention to leveling your camera to keep the white side road stripes equal.
IMPORTANT - ALWAYS pay attention to the road in front of and behind you. Remember, you are on a highway while shooting this scene.
There are many road signs (and most likely some cars and people), so you will have to clone out these items if you don't want them in your picture.
Directions
From Monument Valley (circle) - drive north on US-163 N for 12 miles. Find a pulloff and your composition.
Google Earth
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 91 mm
Exposure – 45 th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Oct 26th
Time – 6:43am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Sunrise - as it provides a nice sidelight on the Monument Valley buttes and formations in the distance.
Best Time of Year
You can shoot at this location any time of year.
The above shot was taken on Oct 26th.
Lens(es) Needed
There are many ways to shoot this scene. Depending on where you stand (on the road), you may use lenses ranging from 70mm to 200mm.
The above shot was taken @ 91 mm.
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
There are no permits required at this location (you are NOT in Monument Valley).
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is southwest, around 240°.
Equipment Needed
You can shoot this scene with or without a tripod (depending on how high you push your ISO and what time of the morning you are shooting). Using a tripod to bracket your exposure might be best, as the scene has a wide dynamic range.
A polarizing filter will help to pop the bright reds as the sun hits the buttes in the distance.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
This is a trendy scene for people passing through Monument Valley. During the day, many folks are always standing on the road taking selfies. However, at sunrise, the crowds can be (not guaranteed) to be reduced. With that in mind, there will most likely be cars and people standing in your scene.
Weather
The Monument Valley area is in an arid part of the Arizona/Utah desert but has an elevation of 5,100ft. For the most part, the weather is modest, with highs in the summers of the upper 90s and lows in winter in the 20s.
Cell Service
The cell service at this location is spotty.
Lodging & Camping
Monument Valley is on the Utah/Arizona border, with the closest town 26 miles south (Kayenta, AZ). The town of Oljato-Monument Valley, UT is about 5 miles west of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ (which is the classic area for most visitors and photographers).
There are both camping and lodging in Oljato-Monument Valley and the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. I enjoy staying at either "The View" hotel or "The View Mitten" campground / RV park when I visit. The View is a very nice hotel, decorated in Navajo decor, with a pretty nice restaurant. But, the best part of the hotel is the incredible view of the classic Monument Valley Mittens. The campgrounds are just a few hundred yards away.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
The View Mitten Campground – Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Goulding's Campground – in Oljato-Monument Valley
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
The View Hotel
(435) 727-5555
Indian Rte 42, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ
Goulding's Lodge
(435) 727-3231
1000 Main Street, Oljato-Monument Valley, UT
Nearby Restaurants
There are not a lot of food choices in the Monument Valley area. Fortunately, there is a good restaurant right next to the visitor's center called The View Restaurant. When I visit, I usually enjoy a nice breakfast after a morning of photography, and for dinner, I almost always get the very tasty Green Chile Stew with blue cornbread.
There is also a pretty good steak restaurant 22 miles north of Monument Valley in the little town of Mexican Hat. The restaurant is called The Swingin Steak. But it is not open year-round, so call before driving there.
Beer and wine are not allowed to be sold within the Navajo Nation's borders since the Navajo Nation is a dry nation.
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
The View Restaurant
(435) 727-5555
Attached to the View Hotel
Goulding's Stagecoach Dining
(435) 727-3231
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT
Area Guides and Workshops
None