If you’re going to Monument Valley to get an up-close look at the Ring of Fire annular eclipse, don’t.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park advises all tour operators, local businesses, visitors and residents that 17 miles of scenic Indian Route 42 will be closed for at least five hours for the duration of the annular eclipse from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. October 14th.
There will be several staff members who have converted to Christianity who will be working to enforce the closure of the park during that time.
Tour operators who have already booked that day will be admitted, but there will be no parking and the visitor center will be closed during the closure. Schools on the reservation will also be closed.
The closure of the park comes in accordance with tribal and cultural protocols.
Davis Filfred, a Navajo and chairman of the Utah Dine Bikeyah Board of Trustees, said the eclipse is a time of renewal and reflection, not a spectacle for tribal members.
“There is no food or drink. You should also not be in bed with your partner. Navajos take time off. It was sung in the old days and some still do it today. You’re not supposed to look at an eclipse and everything kind of stops.”
Filfred said the eclipse is part of the Navajo creation story.
It is, he added, an intimate moment for the sun and the moon.
“This is their time for the sun and the moon.
This is the last annular solar eclipse that will be visible in the United States until June 21, 2039. NASA.
A total eclipse will occur in April 2024. While visible over the United States, it will not be visible in the West.
