I cannot tell you how many questions I have received about the Epic Monument Valley photo at John Ford Point. Everyone has asked if that really is William.

The answer is YES.

Some people have asked me if it was a green screen picture. Some have asked why would a Navajo let William ride his horse. Some questioned if it was even a real horse. Some even doubted that the Navajo would loan William his hat.

Again the answer is every single bit of the picture is real and it did happen just as you see.

However I suppose I should share the “whole” story. William and I do lots of research about the sites we plan to visit months before we go. Since William is a big western movie buff he knew all about this point being a place where John Wayne had his photo taken.

In our research, we learned that at John Ford Point the Navajo’s have a small trading post. You can buy souvenirs, Navajo hand made jewelry, and even get some fry bread. We also knew in advance that you could ask the Navajo to take you out to this point on his horse for this epic shot. So the first thing we did when we got to John Ford Point on our tour was to go looking for the guy with the horse. It is important to note that the fry bread was after we got the picture we wanted.

There were so many people standing out there on that point but when William, the horse, and the Navajo rode out there, the Navajo told everyone that the horse had priority and he made everyone move out of the photo so that I could get the picture that I wanted.

William not only paid his asking price but he gave him a hefty tip as well because the picture would not have been as epic if William had been wearing his Glacier National Park baseball hat instead of the authentic Navajo Hat.

You may only pass this place once so make it EPIC.