Over the last century, Monument Valley has served as the backdrop for a wide variety of cinematic scenes. Envision a lone cowboy riding off into the sunset on his horse or a wild horse chase among men through a desert valley. Think of a favorite Western film starring John Wayne. Find one of the many movies John Ford has directed. Or watch some of the more modern film. Does something look familiar? You’re looking at Monument Valley.
Western films such as Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers, How the West Was Won, and many others have all used the backdrop of the Valley when filming. Legendary western actor John Wayne, along with the equally legendary director John Ford made utilized the Valley on multiple occasions in iconic films. In the 1994, the Oscar winning film Forrest Gump was filmed along the road that leads in and out of the park. Additional films, such as Back to the Future III and National Lampoon’s Vacation, also shot scenes in this location.