North Window Overlook
Monument Valley, AZ
NORTH WINDOW OVERLOOK
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF NORTH WINDOW OVERLOOK
Monument Valley - is one of the truly iconic places to visit and photograph in the American Southwest. The magnificent landscapes are filled with never ending mesas, plateaus, and enormous sandstone monuments (known as buttes). It’s a landscape photographer’s playground.
The most famous monuments in the valley are the mittens (east and west), which you have seen many times in stunning landscape images, movies, and TV shows. The mittens themselves are worth the visit, however, there is so much more in this sacred Navajo valley.
This summary is specific to the shot above which is known as the North Window overlook. This part of the Monument Valley area provides a great view of the mittens and other buttes in the valley. This location is best photographed at the very moment the sun rises above the horizon.
I would suggest spending several days in the valley and explore the 5-10 other great photographic opportunities that exist here (both sunrise and sunset).
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Annual Subscription
Lifetime Membership
DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH NORTH WINDOW OVERLOOK SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The hike to the location of this shot is a moderate 200 yd. walk from the North Windows parking area. However, the dirt road “Valley Drive” can be VERY bumpy and full of pot holes in places.
This shot is fairly straightforward. After parking in the small parking area for the north window overlook, hike a few hundred yards around the bend and pick your composition.
The light from the sunrise moves VERY quickly and this shot only last for about 30 seconds. Make sure you have picked your composition and are setup several minutes before sunrise or you will miss the shot. The sun waits for no man!
This shot was taken with a 24mm lens.
5,339 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
