By Rod Kunkel
Monument Valley, UT
Weekend Getaway: Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5, 2025
Day Trip: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Our next weekend getaway for 2025 will be to Monument Valley, UT, from Friday, October 3 - Sunday, October 5. Mike McCann and I are organizing this as a joint event for Day Trippers and Weekenders. Day Trippers will join us on Saturday, October 4.
Here is the itinerary and some important information. Items in Blue are for day trippers.
Note that all times listed are Mountain Daylight Time (UT time), which is 1 hour later than Mountain Standard Time (most of AZ).
Friday 10/3
Weekenders should arrive at Monument Valley Airport (UT25) at your leisure on Friday morning. Monument Valley is a private airport that requires submission of insurance and pilot/aircraft information prior to arrival. Details will be provided for those interested in attending.
There is limited tie-down space, so attendance will be limited.
Due to high terrain south of the airport, the runway is one-way in (landing uphill on 16) and one-way out (take-off downhill on 34).
Airport elevation is 5,192 feet MSL, so density altitude will be high.
Tie-down anchors are provided but not ropes/chains, so please bring your own ropes.
There is no fuel available, so please plan accordingly.
All lodging, restaurants, and activities are within walking distance of the airport. No ground transportation will be provided, other than for the Monument Valley tour on Saturday.
Check-in to the villas at Goulding’s Lodge starts at 3:00 PM, so you’ll have plenty of free time to hike, eat lunch, take a swim, visit the museum, etc. during the afternoon.
We’ll meet for dinner at the Stagecoach Restaurant.
Then do some informal wine tasting while Mike McCann provides a guided tour of the sky after sunset. (Informal means I’m bringing the wine from home and will pour into plastic cups.)
Overnight at Goulding’s Lodge (Villas).
Saturday 10/4
Breakfast on your own.
Day trippers should arrive at Monument Valley Airport (UT25) no later than 10:30 AM Mountain Daylight time (1 hour later than most of AZ). Monument Valley is a private airport that requires submission of insurance and pilot/aircraft information prior to arrival. Details will be provided for those interested in attending.
There is limited tie-down space, so attendance will be limited.
Due to high terrain south of the airport, the runway is one-way in (landing uphill on 16) and one-way out (take-off downhill on 34).
Airport elevation is 5,192 feet MSL, so density altitude will be high.
Tie-down anchors are provided but not ropes/chains. So please bring your own ropes.
There is no fuel available, so please plan accordingly.
Monument Valley tour starts at 11:00 AM. The tour will be approximately 3 hours and will include a boxed lunch.
Day trippers should be back to the airport around 2:00 PM for departure home.
The weekenders will meet for dinner at the Stagecoach Restaurant.
Starting at 6:00 PM in the theatre, there will be a couple of historical slide shows plus a John Wayne movie (Stagecoach) at 8:00 PM.
Sunday 10/5
Breakfast on your own.
Depart for home.
For the day trippers, the cost of the Monument Valley tour and boxed lunch will be $100 per person.
For the weekenders, I’m estimating the cost for the villas (2 nights), Monument Valley tour, Saturday boxed lunch, and wine tasting to be $800 for singles / $925 for couples. Breakfasts and dinners are not included.
Contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested. I hope to see you there!
Cottonwood Recap
Our first weekend getaway of 2025 was to Cottonwood, AZ, from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27, and 23 people attended. We spent Friday afternoon in Jerome shopping, eating, and sight-seeing. Then a BBQ dinner and entertaining evening at the Blazin’ M Ranch.
Saturday, we took a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad which was a surprisingly scenic and informative trip up the Verde River from Clarkdale. We rode in first class comfort in a vintage rail car with our own bar, bartender, and guide (same person). We finished the day with dinner and wine tasting at Merkin Vineyards.
The weather was spectacular, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. It was a bit windy Saturday for the train ride, but calmer for flying on Friday and Sunday.