Photographing Monument Valley - Problem??

Hey folks,

I am heading over to Arizona/Utah this week with a friend - aiming to get some good shots of Monument Valley - Grand Canyon - Zion National Park, etc. I have just spoken to a member of staff at an Arizona outdoor/camping store and have been told that the Navajo Indians do not always allow people to walk around the Monument Valley park taking photos?? Surly hundreds of people do this every year?

He made it clear to me that you must at least hire a guide to do this. Is it possible that the guy I spoke to is just trying to earn some more money for the indians? Or is there some truth in this?

Anyone with any more knowledge about this please help!

Thanks!

There is a loop road you can drive but you need a local guide to do anything else. It's sacred land to the Navajo.

I'd do it unless they tell you to stop.

There are cultural issues with taking photographs of Navajos themselves, but I've never heard of any trouble taking pictures of the landscapes. Maybe it's something they've long believed, and now they're being vocal about it, but I suspect your source was speaking more of the reluctance of the people to have their pictures taken.

Juniors G7 wrote in post #6478001
=Junior's G7;6478001]There are cultural issues with taking photographs of Navajos themselves, but I've never heard of any trouble taking pictures of the landscapes. Maybe it's something they've long believed, and now they're being vocal about it, but I suspect your source was speaking more of the reluctance of the people to have their pictures taken.

Not true...

You simply can't just go off-road where ever you please in MV...

DStanic wrote in post #6477972
I'd do it unless they tell you to stop.

Now that's the right approach... There are limits as to where you can go on your own:

Monument Valley

SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL VISITORS AND TOURISTS
All areas on the Navajo Nation are closed to non-Navajos unless you have a valid camping, hiking or backcountry permit issued by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department or other duly delegated tribal authority. Failure to have a permit is considered Trespassing on a Federal Indian Reservation.

Navajos consider Navajo Mountain as a sacred area, and ascending it is forbidden.

AREAS CLOSED TO HIKING
Recently, the Kaibeto Chapter community has prohibited hiking and camping in the entire area of Upper Kaibeto, Navajo Canyon, Choal Canyon, (Kaibeto Creek), Peach Wash, and Butterfly Canyon. Also, the area around the Inscription House community and Tsegi Canyon, (Dowozhiebeto and Long Canyons) are closed. These Closures are due to trespassing across residential areas, NO PERMITS, DISTRUBING LIVESTOCK, LITTERING, AND THE POSSIBLE DISTRUBANCE OF FRAGILE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RUINS

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #6478196
Not true...

You simply can't just go off-road where ever you please in MV...

Nobody ever suggested you could - I certainly didn't.

The question posed was about whether it was permissible to take photographs in MV.

EDIT: Re-reading the OP's post, I see there was an inherent question about travel through the park - and I missed that the first time. Still, what's not true about the answer I gave?