The saddest words of men, "What might have been". I agree with the last writer that this is a perfectly acceptable campground. But with a little wider street; very tight for or 38" motorhome; a patio pad, the red dirt will track all over your rig and lose the trees to see the view, this place could have been great. Yeah the shower thing is a problem for people who are not self-contained, but the staff was nice and I don't see a problem with Native Americans charging $5 to enter the Tribal Park. Ever try to get into Yosemite without paying? We camped here in a Motorhome.
Too dusty, watch out for the dust storms. We had two while we stayed here. Dust got everywhere. We are still finding dust in the weirdest places a month later. Laundry room to small especiallly if locals are using it also. Sites are dirt, no asphalt, gravel or concrete anywhere. Gets muddy when rains. Price too high for what you get. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We had a perfectly acceptable time here. Our experience with the office people was positive, our site was large enough for our truck and trailer and everything worked acceptably. The power was a bit worrisome, as the voltage dropped during the day to a dangerously low level, but we didn't have any damage and we just waited until overnight to charge computers and things that might be voltage-sensitive. The views are awesome and the location is great -- within a short drive of several attractions. Our major complaint wasn't with the campground but with the Monument Valley park itself -- be aware that there is a $5 fee to enter the park, even if you just want to go to the Visitor's Center for information. Also, the site access is a bit tight for big rigs, but we had no problem, although we watched a couple of large motorhomes and fifth wheels (38') having to maneuver carefully into sites. We'd stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Although this park had an amazing view, that was the only redeeming grace that we could find. Please be aware - the campground and the reset of the Gouldings facilities are completely separate. We did make a reservation ahead of time, yet received basically no services. We did not realize that you had to ask ahead of time to get the password for the wireless internet. We called the main number, which is the check in for the hotel, and were told they could not give us any answers as they are completely separate. If you arrive late, you do not get to use the bathroom because there is a password to get in. To get to the shower and the laundry, you must go through the store, which during off season - closes early. Yes, there were hookups, so we were not completely out in the cold; however, we were quite dissatisfied by the services provided here. When I went to the front desk in the morning with our concerns, we were told that things were the way they were and there was no flexibility at all. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Overall the campground is okay. The scenery is exception. The roads are paved and a little tight for a big rig, but can be negotiated. Sites are dirt and not exactly level. We would stay again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The previous review brings to mind the old adage "you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time." We have stayed at Gouldings several times and have always been very pleased with the accommodations. The setting is second to none and the office staff have always been friendly. I guess some people expect to be spoon fed and pampered. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The scenery in Monument Valley is so amazing, it's hard to even care about the campground. That said, here's what we found in October of 2008. Pros: reservations available online; campground and restrooms very clean; view of the world from the upper campground sites; lots of campground kitties who come around to visit. Cons: the showers can only be reached from insdie the store, which means they are only available during store hours, starting at 7am. As you may imagine, during the morning hours it is almost impossible to shower due to the crowds. We got smart and showered late in the afternoon, otherwise we would have been two dirty campers! The spaces are narrow and have no privacy. But since the view is so amazing it's hard to care about any of the above. We put our camp chairs up facing the valley and had our drinks while the sun went down. Fabulous. The next best thing about this place? Go over to the actual lodge and have breakfast - it's the best breakfast we've ever had on a trip - huge portions, great cooking (homemade biscuits and sausage gravy that is a miracle), and a view of Monument Valley while you are chowing down. Hard to beat. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Site #27 was barely long enough for our 40-footer and car. Also slightly out of level. No Verizon cell signal. It is a beautiful area. There is a full service grocery store nearby. Several Navajo-guided tours available. Wi-Fi is $3.00 per day. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Yes, there is a lot of blowing red dirt here. And the staff is not the friendliest ever. But you sure can't beat the view, it's really quiet and it's really the only option around Monument Valley. I don't think I'd like to spend a week here, but a couple nights would be just fine. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We had an enjoyable stay for three nights at Gouldings. Conveniently situated to Monument Valley and had all of amenities. Sites were clean and good size and the only negative was the red dirt and dust, but the dirt is everywhere. Restrooms and showers were neat and clean. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Neat park surrounded by amazing rocks, hills and a beautiful view at end of the RV park. Sites were nice, but you need to be careful about the red dust. I covered my rugs with throw rugs so they were not damaged. Very popular place for campers traveling in rented RV rigs, about 80% of sites ... mostly from other countries exploring the USA. It was neat to see them so excited about Monument Valley, cameras were clicking everywhere. You have to pay for your WiFi in the store. We enjoyed our stay. We camped here in a Motorhome.
As others have posted the dust is the big downer, but this is located in one of the earths most striking vistas. You are in the monuments. Service is on Navajo time. We could not use the pool, it was full with kids from around the globe who tour in tents traveling in large vans. But they were very respectfull of quite time. Poor quality electric (meter) 110 volts or less. Pull thru sites.They charge for showers ($1.50) with that many tenters, and it is in desert. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Scenic park in a scenic location. The spaces were a little tight, short, and dusty. While it didn't rain when we were there, I could see how it could be a mess if wet. There are shuttles that take you to the Gouldings hotel where a restaurant is available as well as tours to Monument Valley. There are a couple of trails that can be accessed from the campground. Dog walking is limited in the park but off park is fine. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is an excellent park with absolutely spectacular views. Yes, there is red dirt everywhere but that is to be expected. The paved interior roads help a lot but you still track in the red dirt. The sites were pull throughs and we had some shade during the day. We wish the pool had been a few degrees warmer. The laundry was clean but a little pricey. We enjoyed the 10 minute hike to the arch. The location and views make this park an excellent choice when you visit Monument Valley! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Great place to stay. Wish we could have stayed longer. Monument Valley itself is just awesome and the Goulding RV park is nestled in at the bottom of a couple of beautiful buttes. We took their full moon tour of the park and it was a wonderful experience. Park personnel were very friendly and helpful. My son locked the keys in our truck (while it was running), and the Maintenance crew had us unlocked in about 5 minutes. That's service! We would definitely camp here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Nice Park. Pleasant staff. Loved the INDOOR pool (no dust). Facilities clean and modern. The tour into Monument Valley with the Navaho guide was quite special. Wi-Fi worked well and worth the $3. Interesting museum and movie. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Very nice campground in great location. I was there in mid Dec. and practically had the place to myself. Cable TV wasn't working, not sure why, didn't bother to ask since the office was closed. (check in was at the store down the road) WiFi worked well at my site #22. Site was level. All sites appeared to have picnic tables and BBQ s. If you need propane, the gas station had it for only $1.95 a gallon (Dec. '07), the best price I have seen in several years. Be advised, some amenities are closed in winter. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Very nice park in a great canyon setting. Beautiful vistas. Sites are dirt with paved access roads. Modern and everything works well. Good Wi-Fi ($3 extra). Good satellite access. Nice shade trees. Best improved campground for miles We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
The sites are very narrow and unlevel. There is nothing but red dirt, blowing dust, and usually the wind is terrible. The stores and facilities are fine but I would never stay here again except for the fact that if you want to see Monument Valley it is the only place close by to stay. Very expensive for what it is, plus they charge for WI-FI. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Friendly staff, very slow registration process. Everything above two people per unit is extra, kids 7 and under are free. There is a Good Sam discount if shown prior to registration. Nicely equipped cabins are available, about the same price as RV sites. Tent camping available in separate areas. Some of the spaces need trees trimmed for pull thus. Ads state no slideouts, not the case, but some sites very tight. Beautiful location. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We were disappointed. The scenery is okay but the campground was hot and dirty. The road was pot holed in places and very narrow in places. All in all the desert is pretty but it seemed to be lacking here. We camped here in a Motorhome.
The park location is a 10. Asphalt paved streets, level red clay site. Patio is the same red clay. No grass - we are in a desert. Small trees offer some shade. Pull thrus face north affording afternoon shade from the coach. When it rains all sites and patios become red mud. We camped here in a Motorhome.
One of my favorite parks on our trip thru Utah. Maybe because of the Indian culture. Site is beautiful in a canyon that overlooks Monument Valley. There are trees that help to shade although the high canyon walls also block a lot of sun as well. Shuttle in the evening takes you up to the lodge. Tours available are also well worth the cost to get a good feeling for the area and cultures. Staff are Native Americans and all very friendly. Only complaint I would have is that the pool is indoor, (probably due to the desert fine red dust), and is more like a bath house, but our grandson didn't care. Would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Wonderful park in a spectacular setting. Well maintained facilities and efficient staff. The WiFi, which was $3.00, worked well for us. We used the nice indoor pool. The nearby Goulding's restaurant had good food and very efficient service during our visit. As mentioned in previous reviews, be aware that the grounds are fine red dirt. Be sure to wear old shoes because the soles of the shoes will stain. We enjoyed the two nearby hiking trails recommended by the manager. The sunrises and sunsets are to die for. We would return. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Nice park. Kind of dusty with red sand so be careful not to track it in to your rig. Wifi was not working when we were there so had to use the computer in the laundry room. Problem was young kids spending a lot of time surfing the internet. Had to tell them to get off. Tours are good but don't try the day long one unless you are really into Monument Valley. 3 hour tour is good. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Very nice facilities in historic trading post area with pull-through sites though they are a bit narrow and unpaved. Beautiful canyon setting with spectacular Monument Valley across the highway! Staff was courteous and competent; full grocery store nearby and nice indoor swimming pool. Wi-fi costs $3/day extra and was out for a several hours but then worked well. A bit pricey for what you get, but only other choice in this remote area is primitive so we would stay again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This is the only campground in "town" now that the Native Americans are redoing theirs. The office/store staff were efficient and helpful. They arranged for us to have two WiFi access codes, $3 per day each, so we could each download over 300 messages. The campground has dirt roads and dirt sites and a great view of Monument Valley through a rock "Window." Sunrises would be great if you get up early enough. The pool is indoors, which in midsummer and mid-winter is great. I have been here in August and at 104 degrees the pool was enjoyable to watch the grand kids swim. The campground also arranges tours of Monument Valley and has a very nice museum at the Trading Post next to the Lodge. They also run a restaurant, gas station, grocery store and small airport. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Gouldings campground is beautiful. The views are amazing. The Goulding tour bus conveniently picks up at the store next to the campground. We took the 3.5 hour tour and had an excellent time. Bring extra cash to tip as the area otherwise is not that commercial and they are trying to earn a living while maintaining and sharing traditions. The pool is indoor, clean, and great for the kids. We walked down to the restaurant and had an excellent meal. I had the traditional mini-taco on fry bread. It was fresh and delicious. We left for the Grand Canyon but wished we had spent more time here. We may return and do a longer or overnitght tour. There is red dirt. Just dont bring fancy white cotton shoes and you should be fine. Also, the laundry was nice and there is a PC in the laundry room. Enjoy. We camped here in a Motorhome.
I read the reviews on this place and I don't get it. We love this place. It sets in a canyon between two huge rock spires. No, its not real fancy, but this place exudes the essence of Monument Valley and they show a free John Wayne movie every night. We will stay here again. There is no cell service but the WiFi works well. And make sure you take the drive thru the valley from the visitors center. Best thing going. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Beautiful setting for somewhat mediocre RV park. Limited number of big-rig pull-through sites available so reserve ahead if you need one. Interior roads are paved but sites are dirt & gravel and not very level. Park very noisy one night as tenting area was occupied by large group of young people in a tour group. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Ya wanna go to Monument Valley, ya gotta stay at Gouldings. That is just the way it is. Gouldings is good but it may change. It was recently purchased by a larger company and you can already see the changes starting up. Tour operators (other than Gouldings) can't even pick you up or drop you off at your campsite anymore. They've been banned by the new parent company. What next? But it is a pretty campground, and it is the only game in town. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Offers a very close-up view of a long range vista. Staff was nice to us. All dirt sites, dusty at most times and mud if it rains. This is more than adequate for the time needed to visit Monument Valley. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Well, put me down as disappointed. This place has small sites, plain old dirty dirt, and trees that make pulling out of pull-thru's difficult for "Big Rigs." Staff was friendly. Narrow roads throughout. Lots of sites are not level. Other than that, it's all there is way out here in the "Boonies." If you want to spend some time around Monument Valley, this is where you have to stay (unless you want to drive for miles). Five is an accurate rating as far as I'm concerned. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 8 / 10 ]
2004
$35
All of the above reviews are correct. Take the half day tour, it should be enough.
Location is everything here. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 7 / 10 ]
2004
$28
Generally a nice park. Most of the downsides already mentioned above. Many sites require
extra leveling and are cozy for larger rigs. One of the biggest negatives is the road noise from reservation residents driving up and down the roadway outside the park. Staff was very friendly and helpful. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 10 / 10 ]
2004
$32
May be our favorite campground of all time. The setting is spectacular, the staff friendly. Our pull-through site was very spacious. It rained a bit and the indoor pool was a blessing for the kids. A word of caution: Don't try to walk down the hill from the campground to the restaurant/museum. It's further than it looks and is not a good place to get caught in a downpour. The campground does offer a free shuttle service. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 8 / 10 ]
2004
$25
A well maintained campground overlooking a very special area. The park has a "window" with a vista of Monument Valley. You need to ask for a site with a view when making reservations as they will not let you pick a site after arrival. Campground
does slope a bit, but leveling was not difficult at all. Nice store. Helpful and friendly staff. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Review Rating
[ 6 / 10 ]
2003
$23
Beautiful setting in heart of Monument Valley. Sites are just graded with no fill material
such as gravel. It rained all night leaving a red sticky clay mud to walk on and track all over. Friendly staff. Would have been a lot nicer if it had
not of rained. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2003
$24
This park is located in a canyon that opens onto Monument Valley. At the lodge there is a store, gas station, car wash, and tours can be arranged. The RV park has a small store in the office along with showers, laundry, and swimming pool. The interior roads are blacktop with dirt pads that are 29x54 ft. Be prepared for wind that will move some dust around. We found this park well maintained by a friendly staff. Also we were picked by a tour bus in front of the RV park office for a Tour of Monument Valley. We camped 2 nights in June We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Review Rating
[ 5 / 10 ]
2002
$26
Was not really happy with this campground. The "pull through big rig site" required me to back out. Impossible to pull through because it was only about 15 feet to the side of the class A parked directly in front of me. The sites with 50 amp service are in the lower part of the campground and are quite narrow. Forget about your awning. Our site was nowhere near level. Took several blocks to approach level. Interior roads are more like foot paths. On the plus side the staff is very friendly. The facility is very clean. The area is beautiful. Over all it was an adequate stop, but did not live up to the review given previously. I was quite disappointed as I based going to this park on the review in this forum. We camped here in a camper.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
2001
$24
A DEFINITE MUST STAY!! We stayed one night in this park which is in a beautiful area with some sites actually looking down into Monument Valley itself. (Site 54 is great as are some tent sites.) The people were helpful, the pool is inside and was clean, the sites were level, but the best was the 3-hour tour we took of Monument Valley itself...unbelievably beautiful. You can tour some of the valley yourself, but take the tour given by the Navajo Indians that goes into private areas where the public is not allowed. (The campground has the tours that seemed to be the best.) Make sure and take some dollar bills for "tip money" for some of the local Indians you will see demonstrating things on the way. We took the sunset tour which was wonderful. I would have liked to have spent another day going back into the valley on our own. We'll definitely
go back. We camped here in a camper.