Is Four Corners On Your Bucket List? Read This Before You Go!

A family of six line up across the four states and border lines.

Four Corners Monument – a spot on the United States map that has delighted children and adults for years with its perfect symmetry and the allure of being in 4 states at the same time. I mean, c’mon – what child doesn’t think that’s pretty dang cool?

I’ve been wanting to stop by Four Corners for yearrrrrssss, and we hadn’t managed to make it work, despite many, many trips to southern Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Finally, though, the stars aligned and we got to experience standing in four states at once.

Read on for what it’s like to visit Four Corners, what to expect, and whether it’s worth adding to your US road trip itinerary.

What is Four Corners Monument?

Four Corners Monument is the only point in the United States where four states intersect at one spot: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah – and they come together in one perfect, symmetrical point, marked by a small plaque.

The landmark offers the unique and rather quirky opportunity to stand in four states at once.

Located on Navajo lands, and managed by the Navajo Nation, the monument not only marks a geographical oddity but also celebrates the cultural significance of the surrounding Native American lands.

What is a National Monument? National monuments are areas federally designated to safeguard and highlight places of historic, cultural, or scientific significance. They differ from national parks by focusing more on preservation of specific historical or cultural features rather than on protecting landscapes and geological features.

Where is it Located?

Four Corners Monument is tucked away in the American Southwest (my favorite area of the entire country!), where the borders of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet.

This unique landmark is situated in a remote desert region located off US Highway 160, offering a vast, open landscape of pretty barren desert that stretches across the high Colorado Plateau. You will be driving in the middle of what feels like nowhere to reach the monument.

Here are some nearby cities and points of interest:

  • 45 minutes from Cortez, Colorado
  • 1 hour from Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
  • 1 hour from Farmington, New Mexico
  • 1.5 hours from Monument Valley, Arizona
  • 1.5 hours from Monticello, Utah
A man and woman kiss on the plaque representing the four corners in the desert with lots of cacti and sand.

Cost

Entry to Four Corners Monument is $8 per person, while children aged six and under are free.

It’s important to note that since the monument is run by the Navajo Nation, state park or national park passes are not accepted here.

There’s no need for reservations; visitors can simply pay the fee at the gate.

All proceeds from the monument fees are retained by the Navajo Nation, supporting the maintenance and continued preservation of this unique landmark.

Hours of Operation

Four Corners is open every day of the year, except for the major holidays of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, and New Year. Hours of operation change slightly throughout the year based on when the sun is up:

  • October 1 to March 31: 8:00 am – 4:45 pm 
  • April 1 to April 30: Sunday: 8:00 am –  5:45 pm 
  • May 1 – August 19: 8:00 am – 6:45 pm  
  • August 20 to September 30: 8:00 am – 5:45 pm 

Important: The Navajo Nation and Four Corners Monument is on Mountain Daylight Time, which is always the same time as Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Since Arizona does not participate in Daylight Savings Time, between March-November, they are one hour behind Four Corners.

These hours are accurate for when this article is being written, however, it’s a good idea to verify hours before you go.

What to Expect During Your Visit

You’ll pay at the fee station as you drive up to the monument, and then park in the gravel parking lot just outside of the monument plaza.

At the heart of Four Corners Monument, you’ll find a spacious plaza surrounded by flags. Four lines forming a cross mark the borders of the four states. Each side of the border is labeled with the state name and the state seal.

Four girls stand on a plaque in each of the four states.

The site is very well-designed – there are ramps leading up to a small platform on each corner, so you can get a good picture from any direction. Canopies offer some shade around the edge of the monument, especially where the line forms. This offers some much-needed relief from the intense desert sun.

Expect to join a line for your turn at the four corners – there’s a designated queuing area. Wait times vary, and there are signs warning that you may have to wait for a while. We were there towards the end of the day in the middle of July, and we had about a 10 minute wait in line.

A covered platform with a red umbrella and people in a line to the four corners.

Once it’s your turn, you’re free to snap your pictures from any angle around the marker.

To ensure everyone gets a chance, a sign prompts groups to limit themselves to three photos to maintain the flow of the queue. Since the line wasn’t long, we took a few pictures, and then got back in line to do another set of pictures (everyone in our family wanted one of themselves, and then we did a variety of group shots).

A woman lays across the four corners with her arms and legs spread out on the metal plaque.
My face, ha!

While the lying spread eagle on your back pose was popular to get your body officially in all four states, the ground was also extremely hot on bare skin in July!

Other Things to Do

A stone stall with jewelry and keychains

Along the perimeter of the plaza are stalls where Native Americans sell handmade arts and crafts, such as jewelry, dream catchers, handmade magnets, knives, figurines, etc. We really enjoyed browsing these stalls and choosing out a few things to purchase.

Outside of the plaza are a few food stands selling food and cold drinks, including Navajo fry bread! Navajo fry bread is so delicious, and you definitely need to stop for this authentic snack.

A soft bread with cinnamon and sugar on a white plastic paper.

There are also vault toilets on site in the parking lot.

How Long Do You Need?

If there’s a short line, you could spend as little time as 15 minutes if you just show up and take a picture. If there’s a longer line, you spend some time browsing Native American crafts, or enjoying some fry bread, you could spend around 1 hour here.

What Else to Do in the Area?

So, what other places are there to hit before or after your visit to Four Corners? Here are some ideas for nearby attractions:

  • Mesa Verde National Park: Known for its well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.
  • Monument Valley: With its towering red sandstone buttes, it’s a landscape photographer’s paradise and a scene straight out of a Western film.
  • Canyon de Chelly National Monument: Offering a glimpse into the early life of the Navajo people, with stunning cliff dwellings and rock formations.
  • Page, Arizona: Visit Antelope Bend, do some incredible hikes, or go boating or kayaking on Lake Powell.

Of course, you can also hit up Four Corners on your way to Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Denver, or Moab, Utah.

So, Is Four Corners Worth Visiting?

We enjoyed our visit to Four Corners Monument. However, I wouldn’t come to the region JUST for Four Corners. It’s cool, but not worth a visit all on its own.

However, if you are going to be within 1-2 hours of Four Corners, I definitely think it’s worth swinging down to stand in four states at once. It’s a quick stop, and is one of those experiences that’s just fun to say you’ve done.

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