Today, we visited 4 Corners National Monument, and while I feel like we should talk about 4 Corners I don’t think 4 Corners is comfortable with us talking about it.
To refresh your elementary school history, Four Corners National Monument is located where the only place in the country that four states touch each other, and you can literally lay with one of your limbs in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado simultaneously. Fifth grade me put this site on her bucket list with very little thought behind the actual logistics of getting there.
It’s challenging. And by challenging, I mean damn near impossible by the time you have figure out how to get to one of the most remote places in any of those four states and probably the 46 others as well with enough gas, food, provisions, rosé, and sanity while it’s open, during a pandemic and with no cell signals.
It’s located in the Navajo Nation near the “town” of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, which has a population of 730. There are no billboards, signs or markers other than the, “Is this it?” “Are you sure this is it?” “This absolutely doesn’t look like anything could possibly be here.” “Check the map,” chorus coming from your passengers.
If you persevere and ignore every bad travel movie thriller danger warnings and the sneaking suspicion you really shouldn’t be there, you are rewarded with the most sweeping breathtaking vistas of our beautiful country. You can peruse authentic Navajo art and trinkets. You can exhale that breath you’ve been holding since Shiprock, New Mexico and draw another one in the dry air of Arizona. Or Utah. Or Colorado. At the same time.
And you have the biggest flex amongst 10 year olds ever.
I miss your snarky, hilarious writing and am so grateful that you take the time to share your adventures! Give my love to everyone, except that hairy, muscley guy I used to know as Matty!