Four Corners is unique in that it is the only place in the United States where four states borders come together. The corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico come together at this single point.
Four Corners Monument Entrance Signage
My wife and I visited this place on September 28, 2015. It was a beautiful day with no weather issues.
Four Corners Monument Distant Scenery
It is located in the middle of a desert area and run by the Navajo Nation. There is an admission fee of $5.00 per person to go see this site.
Four Corners Monument Entrance Sign
I had been here before several decades ago (1980’s). At that time I was young and traveling by myself across country on a shoestring budget. I remember driving in around 9:00 or 10:00 at night. There was no gate (that I can recall) so I drove right in. The monument itself was approximately 20 feet in diameter with the natural ground surrounding the cement pad. It was also in a bit of disarray at that time.
There was a family of adventurers that were also there. I stood by and watched them do the standard rituals – stand in each state, lie down in all four states, each family member in each state while holding hands, and on, and on. So of course when they were finished, I did the same. It was somewhat comical to me at the time. I opted not to do all the “poses” this time. It was more fun to watch everyone else to do theirs.
One of my favorite memories was that of looking up into the night sky. Having grown up in a city this was my first experience of seeing the Milky Way galaxy in all its glory without ground lights interfering with the view. I was breathless in seeing this view. I highly recommend for anyone who has not seen this spectacular sight to go out to the middle of the desert at night and look up on a clear night.
Robert on Four Corners Monument
My wife is camera-shy so it’s just me above.
Four Corners Monument Area
Nowadays – as you can see above – it is quite different. The area around the center point is now surrounded by lots of landscaping, flags representing all four states and the Navajo Nation, and permanent booths for vendors to sell their wares.
Also pictured above is the reason people flock to this point. It is the point where these states come together… or is it? There has been lots of debate about whether the plaque is in the correct position. Part of this was reporting a few years ago that the monument was off by 2.5 miles. Even now if you look up on any digital map it will show that the plaque is off by some but well within the larger ring of flags.
The link below may help clarify this debate a bit. They do declare that the plaque is indeed in the correct place. They also state that “In surveying, monuments rule!” This means that the boundaries will likely be determined by the monument rather than other means. So there!
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/INFO/fourcorners.shtml
Four Corners Monument Flagpoles
All four sides of the monument have permanent booths were native Indians sell their wares. These are pretty much Indian crafts including dreamcatchers, arrows, lots of jewelry items, and t-shirts. Some very impressive work. We do not collect many souvenirs so we just window shop. They had some very nice items for those interested.
Four Corners Monument Info Plaque
In addition to the center marker, vendor booths, and flag displays, there are other plaques. Above is the main plaque describing some of the history surrounding the Four Corners Monument. The plaque explains a bit of history about the monument including the fact that it was rebuilt to its current configuration around 1992. There are also state plaques which give a bit of history for each state.
There is also food trailers nearby if you get hungry. I can only recall fry bread but I’m sure there was more food available.
Four Corners Monument Info Stone Utah
