Hot air balloons flying over the Valley of the Gods? How cool is that? From Navajo Taco night at Bluff Elementary, to the magical “Glow-in,” to the spectacle of 15-20 hot air balloons floating gracefully around the majestic spires in Valley of the Gods at sunrise, you can’t help but love this event!
The festival, which began in 1998, is usually held the third week in January, so it’s cold. Dress appropriately! It’s not quite as big as the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta that features around 550 balloons, but the intimate Bluff International draws about 20 pilots each year.
Valley of the Gods, by the way, isn’t far from Monument Valley and the Navajo Tribal Park. You’ll recognize it even if you’ve never been here before. That’s because John Wayne has, and if you’ve ever seen one of his and John Ford’s westerns, you’ll recognize Monument Valley.
Check out a few of the sights in Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in this short video….