Posted: 4/15/2006 2:33:50 PM EDT
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Whats the closest one can buy land to the Monument Valley area? What are the prices per acre? What are the politics in that area? What is the property tax like? Is there utility access? How far down is the water table? How far down is bed rock? Whats the population Density? How bad are the illegals around there? Whats the state income, and sales tax? How are the gun laws? Anything else you can tell me about the area, or Monument Valley specificly? |
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The Monument Valley you see in Western Movies and car commercials is in the middle of the Navajo Indian reservation. The nearest non-reservation land is probably 25-30 mile, and that would likey be either BLM or US Forest land. Nearest towns in Utah are Mexican Hat and Bluff (both really small towns), Blanding and Montecello (small towns). Go southwest and you get to Flagstaff, AZ (approx. 175mi.) Jobs and economy are not to hot, mostly travel/tourisim. Here is a link to a regional visitor's information site. Notice there is a link on the lower-left portion of the page with relocation information. |
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How about the Canyon Lands, and Moab areas?.... Also it may be a stupid question but is it possibal for a non indian to live in a reservation?.... My goal here is to look out my window, and see something like this:  Even if at a distence, some Mesas on the horizon would be nice.... |
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All of the area is pretty remote and towns are small. Tourisum is the biggest industry, with oil and natural gas fieldwork probably coming in second. Probably the biggest town in southeast Utah is Moab, and there isnt much there. Bluff is a one street town. Mexican Hat is not much more than a truckstop. Very little water. Bedrock generally starts about where your feet touch the ground. Most of the land is BLM, National Forest, National Park, or State Parks owned. You wont likely find a way to live on an Indian Reservation unless you work for BIA. |
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Marry an Navajo and then you get to live in the remote areas. But you also need permission from the local Chapter government to build . So unless the Navajo you marry is from the local area you want to live in, you would a ice cubes chance in the desert of having that view. You could work for the .gov organizations(medical, educational, BIA) but if you are a non-Navajo you will be living in a compound, not in remote areas. We have found white guys living in caves sometimes but then they get they get their butts kicked before a call is made to Tribal police and then the FBI is called to haul them off. Besides unemployment is 70% on the resevation. And on reservation jobs are Indian preferance. ETA: grammer and sorry for bursting you dream. Just grew up about two hour ride from that view. Some of the poorest areas of the reservation are in that localtion. |
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Move to Moab or Green River, UT. You won't have the castles, but they aren't far away. You will, however, have a lot of sandstone. What kind of job would you be looking for. As previously mentioned, it is mostly tourism down there. Edited to add: Gun laws in Utah are really good. We got an F from bradycampaign.org i think. Most of the land is BLM or Forest Service managed. That means that it is legal to shoot on it, follow common sense of course. I do believe that shooting at geological formations is discouraged. |
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Personally, I would avoid Mexican Hat, but hey, you might like it, can't hurt to check it out. Bluff is about as close as you will get to Monument valley with reasonable prices and services. It is a very small, quiet town, plenty of such scenery in town and very near. Last time I looked, mobile home / prefab home lots were going for about $25k (I want to say they were 150x50'), and a half dozen were available (four were consecutive). Two of the older historic homes in the city center were for sale (400-500k). Unless one of the long time local farmer/ranchers sales, there will never be more here. The last two big farms to sale in Bluff were bought out at very steep prices by conservancy organizations, and pledged to never be commercially developed. Blanding is up the road from Bluff, and has plenty of this kind of scenery very nearby, but not in town (it is up on the mesa). There is quite a bit for sale in Blanding, old/new small/larger homes and land, and it is affordable. If you've got big $$$, there are a very few privately held pieces of property on Cedar Mesa that occasionally change hands. (Think Muley Point lookout down into the Valley of the Gods with Monument valley in the backgroud). There are also usually 1 or 2 expensive pieces of property for sell in Montezuma Creek. Get yourself a copy of the local paper (The San Jaun Record -- 435-587-2277) and check out the classifieds, and contact one of the real estate agents that list in the paper, they will know about plenty of deals that aren't advertised. The local economy is not so hot, but this can be a good thing, depending on what your looking for. |
| I used to be an Archeologist and lived in a tent all over southern Utah and Northern AZ. Wages are low in the areas mentioned above but the country is fantastic. I suggest a visit to Moad, Kanab, Blanding, Bluff, Green River, Hanksville, Escalantie and other small towns to get a feel for it. I will retire down in that country but I moved to the city to make more money. |