Starting April 1, the fee to enter Monument Valley will increase from $5 to $20, per their website.
It's one thing if the pass lasted a week, but this is a daily rate.
It was bad enough when fees doubled to $48 at Lower Antelope Canyon for a 2 hour photographer's pass (& $5/minute for anything over two hours!!! ).
John, your "$5.00 an additional min" past the initial 2 hr info conflicts with Doug K's recent Lower Antelope post speaking to having the choice to stay in the slot for an additional 2 hours for only $20.00. Sounds like Lower Antelope is a moving target right now....
Otherwise I'm taking the bait like a big mouth bass...
Posted by Bob Falcone on March 30, 2014 at 10:17 PM
Monument Valley going from $5 to $20 is bad enough, but every person over the first 4 is an additional $10??? WOW
Kane,
I just learned that about LAC on Saturday morning from someone who had visited just that week. He said that they told him that folks were 'abusing the privilege'. Imagine that....
Posted by Doug Koepsel on March 31, 2014 at 9:41 AM
It would be cheaper to pay the $48 twice, rather than $600 for another 120 minutes at $5/min. They could consider doing an all day photo pass for LAC to cover those wanting more than 2 hours (or some other hourly rate option)
Peter C was just at Monument Valley yesterday and said the campground was still under construction.
Posted by Pete Miller on March 31, 2014 at 6:00 PM
The increase to $20/carload at Monument Valley will NOT be paid by many!! The Navajo Nation will have to revert their pricing back after the 1st month!
I was planning to go for a night or two in May, but not if I have to pay $20 just to go drive a crappy dirt road to hike to where I want to shoot pics!
"The increase to $20/carload at Monument Valley will NOT be paid by many!! The Navajo Nation will have to revert their pricing back after the 1st month! "
I think it will take more than 1 month, could take more than 1 year! There is a large number of foreigners, especially from Japan and Germany who visit the Page area every year, and paying 20.00 would be an easy thing for them to swallow since they may never be back. Also tourists from other areas of the US might react the same way as all those foreigners. The only people this hurts are residents of the Four Corners states, since they could visit multiple times per year. Since the Navajos are not a wealthy tribe, this would probably help them a good deal.
" Since the Navajos are not a wealthy tribe, this would probably help them a good deal.
True, if the number of visitors do not decrease dramatically to offset the gains. And of course, most tribal members will be priced out of a visitation altogether.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on March 31, 2014 at 6:24 PM
Wow...I had no idea you had to pay this much to get to some of these locations! I would love to still go one day and expand my photography to include more landscape, but it sure sounds like it is getting to be an expensive proposition.
Posted by Bob Falcone on March 31, 2014 at 7:51 PM
Unfortunately, I think Don is right, although I completely agree with Pete's ire.
It's an iconic spot that most people will never get to ever visit. Vast majority of those who do visit, do so only once. $20 one time for a once in a lifetime opportunity? Who wouldn't pay it?
I fear it'll take a long time for any backlash to occur, since it'll take awhile for the lack of frequent return visitors to be felt.
What Kane said. Monument Valley is definitely cool, but once you've seen it 2-3 times.... just my opinion of course. Regarding lower Antelope, it seems like my buddy Brad and I paid $42 last November for the 2 hour pass. Still a great deal, but slight sticker shock from it, as it seems I paid $24 for 4 hours the time before. Its nowhere near the traffic as Upper, but its getting busier each time.
I agree wholeheartedly about Upper. That place is a total nightmare and not worth the time or money now, IMO. However, there is one specific shot in Lower Antelope that I'm after. I blew the crap outta the highlights on a shot 5 years ago, I want to go back on the same day and see about a rematch. :) Otherwise, I'm about done with it too.
I'm with Bret on this one, done both several times and no need to go back. I'll be driving through MV tomorrow afternoon on my way back to Steamboat and I'll just keep going.....
Discussion
14 repliesIt's one thing if the pass lasted a week, but this is a daily rate.
It was bad enough when fees doubled to $48 at Lower Antelope Canyon for a 2 hour photographer's pass (& $5/minute for anything over two hours!!!
Otherwise I'm taking the bait like a big mouth bass...
I just learned that about LAC on Saturday morning from someone who had visited just that week. He said that they told him that folks were 'abusing the privilege'. Imagine that....
Peter C was just at Monument Valley yesterday and said the campground was still under construction.
I was planning to go for a night or two in May, but not if I have to pay $20 just to go drive a crappy dirt road to hike to where I want to shoot pics!
I think it will take more than 1 month, could take more than 1 year! There is a large number of foreigners, especially from Japan and Germany who visit the Page area every year, and paying 20.00 would be an easy thing for them to swallow since they may never be back. Also tourists from other areas of the US might react the same way as all those foreigners. The only people this hurts are residents of the Four Corners states, since they could visit multiple times per year. Since the Navajos are not a wealthy tribe, this would probably help them a good deal.
It's an iconic spot that most people will never get to ever visit. Vast majority of those who do visit, do so only once. $20 one time for a once in a lifetime opportunity? Who wouldn't pay it?
I fear it'll take a long time for any backlash to occur, since it'll take awhile for the lack of frequent return visitors to be felt.
Now I'll stop before I get all political and OT.