Monument Valley Night Skies

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At a Glance

Location

Arizona, USA

Tuition

$6,495

Dates

May 3 – 7, 2027

Fitness Level

Moderate

Availability

Limited to 8 Guests

Collections

Short Escape
US National Parks and Wilderness

Monument Valley Night Skies Photography Workshop

Name: Monument Valley Night Skies
Start: 2027-05-03
End: 2027-05-07
Location: Monument Valley Night Skies

Monument Valley plus Hunts Mesa

May 3 – 7, 2027

Buttes and mesas rise against dramatic skies
Journey with Navajo guides who intimately know their land
Master layering, composition, and night sky photography with our pros

Monument Valley’s famous sandstone buttes rise up against the big desert sky. At sunrise, pinks and oranges paint the horizon and stretch shadows across the red earth. At night, the Milky Way is often visible above and the landscape takes on another dimension. This itinerary includes two early morning (2:00 AM) departures to get you to the right locations while the Galactic Core of the Milky Way is in the best position.

With local Navajo guides, you’ll have access to both the famous viewpoints and the quieter areas off the beaten path at any hour of the day. Throughout the workshop you’ll have time to photograph Monument Valley from different angles – whether it’s first light on the rim or quiet of night among the formations. We’ll help you refine your landscape and night photography skills, focusing on practical techniques like long exposures and dynamic lighting.

We’ll ride in two Suburbans provided by our Navajo guides to get you to and from all the locations over many rough roads. Our pros provide in-field assistance and suggestions, as well as image review sessions in our private meeting room. You’ll practice composition and contrast, turning sweeping vistas and unique details into strong images. Our image reviews include discussions of your images as well as post-processing lessons and suggestions.

A highlight of the workshop will be a full-day shoot-up on Hunts Mesa, with views of Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, lit by afternoon and sunset light. Throughout the tour, our Navajo guides will share stories about the land, culture, and history of Monument Valley.

At the end of the week, you’ll have a variety of images – from close-up desert details to broad landscapes under the stars. You’ll also have new techniques, inspiration, and a deeper connection to this special place.

Your Pros

Greg Vaughn

Joseph Roybal

Itinerary

This itinerary is subject to change due to weather, local conditions, and other factors.

May 3, 2027: Check into Gouldings Hotel, Sunset Photography Session

Meet at The Gouldings Lodge by 3:00 PM for check-in and orientation. Sunset shoot to follow.

May 4, 2027: Starlit Photography in Monument Valley, Warm Breakfast, Image Review

We plan to leave well before dawn and venture into Monument Valley to photograph the galactic core of the Milky Way over monuments. After our morning photography session, we’ll have a nice warm breakfast and downtime, before an image review. After lunch we’ll head out into the valley again to visit and photograph other great features of the park until sunset.

May 5, 2027: Early Morning Star Photography, Image Review and Afternoon Sunset shoot in Mystery Valley

We’ll head out very early again to photograph stars and monuments in the valley. Then we will spend more time capturing the morning light, turning the monuments pink, red, and finally orange until it’s time to head back to the hotel for breakfast.

We’ll hold another image review and spend time post-processing our night images. After lunch, we’ll head back out into the valley to photograph the sunset and blue hour.

May 6, 2027: Sunrise Colors at Hunts Mesa, Evening Photography with Navajo Guides

This will be an adventurous, long day exploring Hunts Mesa. We’ll ascend the rough road up the mesa and peer down onto the “Yei be Chi Rocks” and the “Totem Pole.” We’ll enjoy a great lunch and a hot meal for dinner, including corn on the cob over the fire and steak. Sunset from the rim of Hunts Mesa is spectacular, and the view across all the monuments offers many layers and compositions. After the final dusk light, we’ll head back to our hotel for a good long rest.

May 7, 2027: Final Image Review, Farewells in Monument Valley

After breakfast, we’ll hold our final image review and say goodbyes.

Testimonials

Art R.

Monument Valley '26

Marc and Greg were both excellent in the field and the image reviews. Greg provided real-time adjustments that significantly improved my results. The critiques were excellent. It was absolutely worth it!

Bruce T.

Monument Valley '25

Outstanding - would never be able to visit all the these locations on our own, even with a guide.

Pat D.

Monument Valley '23

Greg Vaughn was an amazing instructor, very patient and open for any questions. I appreciated his thought process of how to properly expose an image and as to how to think through setting that image up. Greg, kept that as a consistent theme every time we went out, what's the light like, what ISO are you using, what's your f stop etc. I liked Greg's teaching style.

Martha W.

Iceland Northern Lights and Ice Caves '26

Joseph always provided an overview of where we were going and what to look for. He was available to assist us as we shot and provided great suggestions for improvements. The critiques were interactive and effective.

Gallery

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, starry night sky, milky way galaxy, sand dunes, rock formations, arid desert environment, clear sky, few small desert plants

muench workshops photo, usa, gv21101793, monument valley arizona, landscape, desert, large red sandstone buttes, cloudy sky, open desert landscape, rock formations

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, rock formations, sunset, clear sky, silhouette

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, desert wildflowers, green shrubs, rock formations, distant mesas, clear sky, sunlit landscape

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, totem pole pinnacle, tall rock formations, red sand dunes, scattered desert vegetation, blue cloudy sky

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, mystery valley, red sandstone cliff, green shrubs, rock formations, blue staining on rocks, small cave or alcove

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, large red rock formations, desert landscape, sparse vegetation, clear sky, shadows on rocks

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park arizona, natural rock arch, night sky, visible stars, milky way galaxy, desert rock surface

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, totem pole pinnacle, red sand dunes, tall rock formations, desert shrubs, partly cloudy sky, sunset light

muench workshops photo, united states of america, suns eye arch, monument valley, landscape, desert, red rock arch, clouds, bright sun with sun rays, blue sky, rock formations

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, mitten rocks, red rock formations, buttes, desert landscape, sparse vegetation, cloudy sky

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tibal park, hunts mesa, red rock formations, desert landscape, scattered shrubs, sunset sky, wide valley, flat topped mesas, buttes

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, red rock formations, green tree, desert shrubs, blue sky, clouds

Behind the Scenes

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, people, hunts mesa, six people, tripods, cameras, rocky desert terrain, red rock formations, sunset light, backpacks, winter jackets, wide open sky, distant mesas, some clouds

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, two photographers, tripods, red rock formations, desert landscape, scattered bushes, cloudy sky

muench workshops photo breakfast at the san juan inn in mexican hat people

muench workshops photo gv mystery valley pion pine landscape people

muench workshops photo the road to hunts mesa landscape people

muench workshops photo sunset on hunts mesa landscape people

muench workshops photo the view from muley point landscape people

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley arizona, people, landscape, desert, red rock formations, desert terrain, group of photographers, tripods, clear sky, dry vegetation

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, people, two men, digital cameras on tripods, desert landscape, sand dunes, dry bushes, rocky cliff, clear blue sky

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, people, hunts mesa, three people with hats, tripods with cameras, red sandstone rock formations, desert vegetation, sandy terrain, clear sky with clouds, vast rocky landscape

muench workshops photo, usa, monument valley navajo tribal park, people, hunts mesa, white chevrolet suv, off road tires, rocky desert terrain, red rock formations, blue sky, desert shrubs, dirt on vehicle

Monument Valley requires a 3 hour drive from the nearest airport

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 3 hours from the nearest airport in Durango, CO. This requires you to rent a vehicle or ride share to and from Gouldings Lodge in Monument Valley.

Fitness

Moderate: You must be able to walk up to 1 mile on uneven surfaces and around cliffs.

Flights

Arrive at Durango La Plata County Airport (DRO), Durango before 11:00 AM on May 3, 2027. Flights out can be made after 3:00 PM on May 7, 2027. Air travel delays are common. Please arrive early, possibly even the day prior, so you don’t miss any of the workshop.

What to Bring

Please see our page How To Prepare For Your Workshop. We will send you a detailed information document 90 days before your workshop. This document will include specifics of where and when to meet, gear and clothing recommendations, and more.