Forrest Gump Monument Valley filming locations. The main reason most people come to southern Utah!

At least, finding the Forrest Gump filming locations was one of the main reasons I went to southern Utah.

My mom and I had just finished up in Page, Arizona and needed to head to Mancos, Colorado, so when I found out that the exact location Forrest gave up on his cross country run and decided to go home was on our way, I was ecstatic.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is a sacred (and gorgeous!) place that deserves a visit on any southwest road trip, so even if you think you’d just like to stop by Forrest Gump Point, try to budget an extra two or three hours to take it all in.

Here’s all you need to know about the movie magic in the area:

The Forrest Gump Monument Valley Filming Locations

Finding the Forrest Gump filming locations in Monument Valley is actually really easy. While the buttes look amazing up close, to find the perspective that’s in the movie, you want to be heading North on Highway 163 towards Mexican Hat, Utah.

If you type “Forrest Gump Point” into Google Maps, it will lead you to a spot on the highway that has a small dirt turnaround off the right side of the road (when facing North) so you can park your car.

There is usually a small crowd of people there, so as you approach the area make sure to drive slowly!

For some reason, Apple Maps and Waze were both not able to locate “Forrest Gump Point,” so make sure to have Google Maps downloaded before you head out.

Staying Safe at Forrest Gump Point

Much like Abbey Road in London (where the iconic photo of the Beatles was taken), Highway 163 is very much a real road and tourists have to kind of risk their lives to recreate an iconic shot. So be careful!

The speed limit on the highway is about 60MPH and the photo point in on the top of a small crest.

Because of this, you can see the cars coming from far enough away to safely clear the road for them, but it’s still a good ideas to have a dedicated lookout person, just in case.

Top Tips for Forrest Gump Monument Valley Locations

• Time of Day

I’ve heard that early in the morning is the best time to go for photos because of the light in the area, but I went in the middle of the afternoon (and it was actually kind of cloudy out as well) and my photos turned out fine, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

Just arrive when it’s convenient for you (but obviously before dark lols).

• Crowds

For such a remote location, the Forrest Gump Monument Valley locations are actually quite popular. There were probably about 15 – 20 other people there wanting to take photos when I visited, but the nice thing is that there are plenty of different angels and perspectives to choose from, so it’s quite easy to get a shot without anyone else in it.

The group of tourists there were also very willing to wait patiently for their turn for the perfect photo, so if you have a particular vision in mind,  just be kind and you’ll have your turn.

• The Forrest Gump Sign 

If you would like to take a photo with the Forrest Gump Sign as well, stand with your back to the buttes at Forrest Gump Point. About 500 feet up on your left you will see a small structure that local Navajo tradesmen sometimes use to sell their work. It may or may not be occupied, but the sign is right in front of it.

With your back to the buttes, you can’t see the engraving on it and it kind of just looked like a blank piece of wood, but once you get over to it, you’ll see the inscription.

• Run, Forrest! Run!

What’s the point of even going if you don’t yell this to the other people there at least once?

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Emily Kammerlohr

Emily’s all over the place. She’s an expert on working holidays, studying abroad, and turning your #GapYear into a #GapLife. Learn how here.