Traversing the Monument Valley Drive was great, and we saw so many wonderful views, but it isn’t quite close enough to some of the rock formations. We decided to go hiking and take the Wildcat Trail, the only self-guided trail in Monument Valley, to get a different perspective of some of the landmarks.

The Wildcat Trail starts where the Monument Valley Drive starts, just to the left of the dirt road leading down the ridge into the valley below. The Wildcat Trail is a moderate 4 mile hiking trail through Monument Valley. The trail heads west where it loops around the West Mitten Butte and merges back with the trail for the return. Most of the trail is fairly easy to hike and the only difficult part comes from the sandy slope that needs to be taken at the start and end to descend into the valley and then ascend back out of it.

Once the trail reaches the base of the West Mitten Butte it starts to circle around it. From this vantage point we had an up close view of the rock. As the trail circled around it we got to see the West Mitten Butte from every ground angle and even found the sliver of a window through the rock.

Nearby to the south we also got to see the northern face of Merrick Butte. It’s an impressive formation, but not quite as interesting as either of the Mitten Buttes.

The trail got us much closer to the East Mitten Butte, but not from a different angle since it’s still a few miles to the east.

There’s also great views of Sentinel Mesa to the north and the Stagecoach and Brigham’s Tomb beyond that.

A majority of the trail is an easy dirt and rock path that occasionally crosses dried out washes, all while having minimal elevation changes. Along the way there are many desert plants and gnarled trees to add to the beauty.

We hiked this trail in October when it was fortunately cool in the middle of the day. Even with the cooler weather we did warm up from the direct sunlight and physical activity enough to sweat slightly. Even though Monument Valley is in northern Arizona, it is still the high desert and can get hot, especially in the summer. There is also no shade at all on the hike unless the sun is low and one of the buttes casts a shadow. So make sure to be prepared and have the proper supplies like a hat, sunscreen, and most importantly, water.

Google Maps Link: Wildcat Trail