Explore Four Corners Monument in 2 Hours: Visit Beautiful Navajo Nation

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As many times as I have been to Arizona, visiting Four Corners Monument was actually my first time in Navajo Nation! And – at that – I actually drove in from the Colorado side and not the Arizona side, haha. But I digress. Being only about an hour away from Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, it’s arguably a pretty easy add-on if you’re already in the area.

That’s what I did anyway.

However, for some reason, there aren’t THAAAT many blog posts on attractions in Navajo Nation (or if there are, they just say “Arizona”) so hopefully, this post will serve a little extra depth than the few out there. Plus, I think a little deeper insight makes the attraction a more interesting experience, no?

Okay, so let’s get into it, yuh?

What is Four Corners Monument

So what is Four Corners Monument anyway? Why do people go?

Well basically, it’s the geographical spot where the corners of four different states (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah) meet at one point. It’s actually the ONLY place in the country where four states meet, so it’s a pretty cool thing.

Yanno, if you’re into that.

If you don’t know what Navajo Nation is, no, it’s not a state. Navajo Nation is quite literally a sovereign nation within the United States (but no, you don’t need a passport), and is governed by the Navajo people, Indigenous to the Southwest corner of now-called America. While I won’t go too in-depth on the ins and outs of the Navajo Nation (one because I am not qualified, two because that’s probably better suited for another post anyway), it is an important distinction to be aware of because Four Corners Monument is located in the Navajo Nation.

Not in Arizona.

Not in Colorado.

Not in Utah.

Not in New Mexico.

Navajo Nation.

So when it pops up on the GPS, don’t worry, you ARE going to the right spot! Depending on which direction you are coming from, you may notice the road actually passes over one (or more!) state lines as it weaves through the desert to the Four Corners Monument. If you like to take pictures outside of state signs, now is your chance! You’ll even pass the super cool “Welcome to Navajo Nation” sign as well, right outside of Four Corners Monument!

Just another tidbit of information, Four Corners Monument marks the boundary between Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, one of three federally recognized Tribes of the Ute Nation.

How to Get to Four Corners Monument

Seeing that it is in the middle of a few states, there is definitely more than one way to get there.

I visited four corners monument arriving from the Colorado side. I was staying in Durango (which I surprisingly really liked, but that’s another blog post) and I woke up early to make the journey over. I had a rental car, and the drive took about an hour and a half. And it’s scenic once you start getting closer (if you’re a fan of desert landscapes – I am). Seriously not bad at all!

In theory.

I did get stuck behind slow trucks a few times, but even then, I consider Four Corners Monument to be an easy day trip from Durango, and you can quickly pop into Mesa Verde National Park either on the drive over or on the way back. I’d recommend in the morning because much of the park closes after 4pm.

You can also stay closer to the monument, the lodging options ARE there because Mesa Verde NP, but there aren’t as many shops and restaurants as Durango. As a reference, Denver is about 7.5 hours away.

From New Mexico, Utah, or Arizona

From New Mexico, the closest “equivalent” to Durango would be staying in Farmington, which is about an hour away. You could also stay in Shiprock, which is in Navajo Nation! I only spent about half a day in Shiprock, so I can’t speak much of it, but it seemed like a chill small town. There were some dope murals I passed, so I’m sure there’s more to Shiprock than I currently know. The bigger cities in New Mexico, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, are 4.5 and 4 hours away respectively.

In Utah, I would recommend staying in Moab as a “close by” city, though it is a bit further at 2.5 hours away. I really loved Moab though haha. White Mesa and Bluff are towns that are closer (one hour), but I haven’t been that far south in Utah so I have zero perspective on what that’s like. And, if you’re flying into Utah and driving from Salt Lake City, it’s a good 6 hour drive.

And finally, coming from Arizona. As of writing this, I truthfully haven’t traveled much through Arizona. I’ve literally only been camping in Havasupai Falls, and done the short route 66 drive from Seligman, Arizona towards Vegas. BUT, there are a lot of other incredible attractions on that side of Navajo Nation and Arizona that would put you close to Four Corners Monument anyway.

Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly, for example, are both about an hour and a half away. Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Grand Canyon National Park is 3 hours away. Flagstaff is 3.5 hours away. Even if you fly into Phoenix and drive, it is the closest major city at about 5.5 hours away.

Tons of itinerary wiggle room coming from Arizona. But in all four states, there are options to make the trip to Four Corners Monument a half-day/day trip and make it back to your lodging by sunset.

Is there Public Transportation?

Short answer – no.

Slightly longer answer – if you are not driving to Four Corners Monument, the only other way to get there is by taking a bus tour. I personally don’t have experience doing a tour bus trip to Four Corners Monument, but just from a quick search, it looks like it is usually combined with other nearby sites like Monument Valley.

However, when I visited, I didn’t see any tour buses the entire two hours I was there. Sooo….do your research I guess, but I’d honestly just recommend driving yourself in you can. It’s faster, cheaper, and more convenient – PLUS, you can come and go as you please.

Four Corners Monument Hours and Fees

Now that you’ve decided you want to visit and you know how you’re gonna get there…the next question on your mind is probably: is Four Corners Monument free?

It is not.

The entry fee for Four Corners Monument is $5 USD per person, ages 7 and over. Previously, I believe they used to be cash-only, but they now accept most credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express)!

THEY DO NOT ACCEPT US NATIONAL PARK PASSES. Again. This is not a US federal-operated site. Four Corners Monument is on the Navajo Nation and operated by the Navajo Nation. Please don’t embarrass yourself talbout how you paid for the America the Beauty Pass and you should be able to get in free blah blah blah.

Four Corners Monument is open pretty much every day, Monday – Sunday (so 7 days a week), 8:00am-5:45pm MST.

Note: the Navajo Nation recognizes Daylight Savings Time, the state of Arizona does not!!!!

During the colder months, October-March, they close an hour earlier at 4:45pm. I’ve heard some people report that the closing time is variable (meaning they’ll close later depending on guests), but these are the official times so I wouldn’t plan past it. There aren’t many lights on the way out of the site and to your next destination, so I wouldn’t recommend leaving past sunset anyway.

Four Corners Monument is closed for four specific holidays (in accordance to the Navajo Nation, not US federal holidays):

• Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Thanksgiving – November 25th
• Navajo Nation Family Day – November 26th
• Christmas Day – December 25
• New Year’s Day – January 1

All other days – you’re golden!

Where Does the Story Begin??

Aside from just…being the meeting point of where four states connect, how did the monument get started? Officially, Four Corners Monument opened back in 1931. But there is a lot to cover even before that.

Super quick glossary:

• Diné : the people
• Navajo: the English word for Diné
• Diné tah : the land
• Diné Bizaad/Diné : the language

Let’s get one thing straight from the start – Indigenous peoples have been in this area since time immemorial. They have been the shepherds and caretakers of Turtle Island (the continent of North America) since THE beginning. Turtle Island is their ancestral home. Specifically for Nations in the southwest, “genocide by any means necessary” was happening from multiple fronts – from the Spaniards to the south and other Europeans (French, British, what have you) from the east. I don’t want to get too deep into the atrocities the Navajo and other Indigenous Nations battled (and continue to fight to this DAY), but I do want to mention The Long Walk.

Many Americans have heard of the horrific Trail of Tears in the southeastern states, but similar brutalities happened all over the United States, including to the Navajo people.

Trigger warning – if you’re Navajo, you already know the story. Please feel free to skip over this.

Everyone else, quick overview.

Between 1863 and 1866 (with Mr. Lincoln as president), the federal MILITARY forced Navajo adults and children from their homeland at gunpoint. The United States of America invaded, seized, demanded over 10,000 Navajo (and Apache) people march to the Bosque Redondo Reservation at Fort Sumner, over 300 hundred miles away and even over 450 miles out depending on the route. In the middle of winter.

If they didn’t, they were shot.

Immediately.

If they were physically unable to make the journey, they were shot. Even if they “complied”, they could still be shot, among other horrible acts. Then on top of that, there was starvation, dehydration, exposure, novel diseases (from Europe), and soldiers actively injuring people along the way. After about five years at For Sumner, which was, for all intents and purposes, a concentration camp, a treaty was signed in 1868 to “allow” the Navajo people to return home. Mostly because they wanted a bargaining chip to protect more settler wagons headed west for the promise of *~*manifest destiny*~*

In case you’re wondering, no. The US has not apologized.

The United States of America is -violently- occupying this land. But before then, the name of the land was Diné tah. Remember that.

Who “Made” the Four Corners

Like literally every “border,” state lines are arbitrary. Before the land existed and thrived WAY before even the idea of a border was first muttered on Earth.

But…isn’t it kinda interesting how…Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado are the ONLY case of four states touching at the corner? Who decided that????

I’m going to give you a few facts and I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. Consider it a brain exercise.

1803 – The Louisana Purchase: the US government “bought” a bunch of territory from France (not that France even “owned” it to sell, but I digress).

1820 – The Missouri Compromise: any newly added *cough stolen cough* land to the USA would be divided by the 37 parallel. Any state above the 37 would be a free (of technical slavery) state, below the 37 would be a slave state. The exception was Missouri. It was done to maintain political balance in Congress.

1845 – Manifest Destiny: government propaganda decreeing that the USA was destined BY GOD (???) to expand and take over the entire North American continent.

God:

1863-1868 (and beyond) – The Long Walk/forced removal: See above section.

1865 – The Civil War ended: and the 13th Amendment, the technical abolishment of technical slavery *except in the case of punishment. Go figure.

1867 – Colorado Gold Rush: after mining for coal and gold for a few decades, settlers petitioned to become a state, but President Andrew Jackson shot that down because it would mean Black people in Colorado would be able to vote.

1876 – Colorado statehood: a bunch of settlers pooled their money together to build railroads that would bring more business (and settlers) to Colorado. The government was like “eh okay I guess you’re financially relevant enough now.”

The borders between what would eventually become Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona became a hot topic in Congress because New Mexico had the ability to become a slave state. And the territory of New Mexico was HUGE. Just before the Civil War, there was a PUSH to admit New Mexico into statehood immediately back in 1860 (as a slave state). It never really took off in New Mexico though, and disgruntled white settlers there who wanted slavery broke off to form the territory of Arizona and align with the Confederacy.

Even with the Missouri Compromise, slave owners brought the people they enslaved to the territories above the 37 parallel (like Utah). While Utah wasn’t a “slave state” federally, it was a local option as long as everyone else agreed.

And by everyone else, they only asked other white settlers.

Split horizontally by the 37th parallel, and vertically by the Colorado River and how lenient they wanted to be on “local slavery,” the four states battled over territory lines for political pull. But, after the Civil War, the borders eventually leveled out until they were on relatively equal footing by size, and then it didn’t matter as much anymore.

But hey, cool that they touch or whateva huh?

What to Expect

Whoops, you probably weren’t expecting to fall down a little rabbit hole. But I always like to think having a bit of background knowledge makes the visit more enjoyable – and that includes Four Corners Monument.

Now, there is a marker for the touching point of the four states, as well as a few dozen Navajo and Ute artisans selling their work at booths that surround the marker. So let me give you the rundown of what you should expect when you visit Fou Corners Monument.

Facilities

There is no gas or water at Four Corners Monument. The nearest market/gas station is 30 miles out, so make sure you are fueled up and hydrated before arriving. There is also technically no electricity, and service can be spotty. Just keep that in mind and don’t schedule any on-the-road conference calls on your visit.

There is a food cart-type building that sells small plates and snacks, but it was actually closed when I visited. So my personal recommendation is to eat before you come and bring snacks for yourself just in case.

There are also two bathroom buildings. Full disclaimer, I didn’t use them, so I can’t say for sure what they’re like, but I would assume similar to the compost toilets at National Parks. If anyone reading this has used the toilets at Four Corners Monument, please comment below what they’re like!!

Lines

One thing that isn’t necessarily obvious but maybe SHOULD be, expect a line at Four Corners Monument. And by that, I mean a line to the actual monument plaque on the ground. I mean…it’s the whole reason people visit, so of course they’re going to want to take a picture.

But what you might not expect is waiting nearly THIRTY MINUTES for that picture. IN THE BURNING SUN. And I came on a slow day. That said, despite the number of people in line, it did move along fairly quickly. There is a “suggested” 3 photo maximum per person, and unless someone was an influencer or blogger (I was the only one lol), most people don’t take more than that.

You can take the normal straight on shot – which is what I did – or there are elevated platforms that someone could take your picture from and you will get a slightly more bird’s eye view and see the plaque better. I get nervous around crowds and people watching me though, so I just got a straight-on shot and called it a day.

Shopping

As I mentioned before, around the actual Four Corners Monument are dozens of booths (maybe ten or so on each side) where artisans sell their goods. Unless you come on a weekend or a week around a holiday, maybe about half of the booths will be open, but there will still be a great selection of things to choose from.

I’m a super touristy person, so I picked up a magnet! I also picked up the most beautifullll necklace (I think it is specifically called a Jacla – did I get that right?) from a woman named Denise. I seriously get compliments all the time on it, and if I ever run into her again, I’m definitely buying more from her! (Does anyone have her IG???)

A few vendors (not all!) have card reader machines for credit cards, buuut they work very slowly. Don’t be alarmed. I would recommend bringing cash if you are just looking for a small souvenir like magnets or postcards. Try to bring small bills for magnets and whatnot so you don’t have to worry about breaking a $100 bill.

HEAT

Y’all. There’s no shade at Four Corners Monument. BE PrEPAREDD!!! Waiting in that line almost killed me, and I was hugging my body to the booths as I walked around so I could get even the tiniest sliver of shade on 0.1% of my face. I’d strongly recommend bringing a hat and loads of water. Make sure you have a cooler or something if you leave it in the car so it doesn’t get all warm and gross. Oh, and don’t forget to slather on some sunscreen as well!

If you are adverse to using sunscreen because it makes you look all ashy, I went through and tested a bunch and compiled a list of sunscreens for darker skin tones (and in general) that won’t leave a white cast. Pick some up and protect your skin bruv.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, Four Corners Monument was pretty cool. I literally had never ONCE thought about “oh hey, these four states touch each other, I wonder what’s there and the history behind it.” I also haven’t really heard many people talking about it, so I suppose my expectations were pretty low. Honestly, I just be excited to go places – I don’t need a reason.

Personally, I had a great time at Four Corners Monument. I spent about two hours total, then continued on my drive to Shiprock. I had a pretty fun conversation with some uncles and walked away with a dope necklace and the curiosity to learn more about the area. But honestly, two hours is like a SOLID chunk of time. If you only really want to take a picture and a quick loop around the vendors, you’ll probably only take an hour at Four Corners Monument before heading out. Plus, the weather is pretty unforgiving sometimes – you probably won’t want to dilly dally just for the heck of it.

My favorite part was seeing all the cool artisans, but I also love shopping. If you’ve read this far and you’re thinking “well…what else?” then, idk what to tell ya. There isn’t really much else. It’s a plaque and shops. If that doesn’t sound necessarily appealing, then I’d suggest pairing it with another cool nearby thing.

There’s a LOT to choose from. That way, you won’t hold it against Four Corners Monument for making you drive all the way out – turn it into a whole day adventure by tacking on Mesa Verde National Park or Monument Valley. It may seem out of the way, but if you’re down for pitstops, Four Corners Monument is worth it.

Yanno, just enjoy it for what it is <3

Four Corners Monument: Conclusion

Whew – we’ve finally made through y’all. Thanks for sticking with me to the end, I literally did NOT expect it to be so long. But, you know me.

If you don’t, hi. I’m Kay. I have a habit of talking a lot.

Hopefully this blog post has helped paint a picture of what it’s like visiting Four Corners Monument, as well as give a little insight on the backstory of the site. I implore you of course to do further research on Four Corners Monument and actually every site you visit. At the very least, you can find out some pretty interesting things!

On a note completely separate from Four Corners Monument, I got a TON of compliments on my shoes I wore. They are actually designed by Dwayne Dale, a Navajo designer and founder of Brand Fifth. The shoes are called the M.1 Trails, the first of many in his collaboration line with RockDeep, a Black-owned shoe and apparel company.

Dale reclaimed the modern moccasin in his design of the M.1. “I want to take the moccasin back, not for me, but for the sake of every person and every tribe that probably had some influence on it and never even knew about it,” Dale told Tribal Business News. In the words of Eight Generation, why buy Native-inspired knock offs when you can buy authentic products with stories and meaning behind them from people of the culture??

Anyways, they are legit the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. I cannot more highly recommend them – and honestly any and all shoes made by RockDeep! Definitely check them out and keep your eye out for Dale’s next releases!

OKAY – back to Four Corners Monument. Yanno, the whole point of this post. Have you ever been to Four Corners Monument? How was your experience? Let me know in the comments below!

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