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Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde also star. After wandering into a nearby town, he discovers he is a wanted criminal-but soon a much greater threat appears, and he must team up with his enemies and unlock the secrets of his high-tech shackle to defeat the alien menace. The film, directed by Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau, is set in 19th century Arizona, where Jake (Daniel Craig) awakens with no memory and a strange device strapped to his wrist. Walpi was featured in many early historic documentary films about Hopi culture, including the famous Library of Congress footage of the Hopi dancers performing for Theodore Roosevelt, but filming like that wouldn't be permitted today.The cowboys fight for their lives in Cowboys & Aliens. While few families still live in Walpi year-round, many major Hopi religious and cultural events, such as the masked kachina dances, are held there each year, drawing members of the tribe back to Walpi from all over the state.
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The pueblo-style houses climb the hilltop in impossible stacks, connected by ladders, trapdoors, and rooftop terraces. Today by far the best (and only officially sanctioned) way to visit the village is with a guided walking tour provided by members of the Hopi Tribe, who take great pride in explaining the historical and cultural significance of the site.
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Located on the first mesa of the Hopi reservation north of Moenkoepi, Walpi dates to 900 AD, when a fortified settlement was built into the dramatic cliffs, chosen for it's commanding view of all approaching. The region is also known for its sought-after traditional weavers, potters, woodcarvers, and other artists, and you can spend an entire day going from studio to studio. There's no place to stay in Chimayó, but the area makes a perfect day trip from Santa Fe. Known as the Lourdes of America, Chimayó is believed to offer both healing and protection and at Easter the procession of pilgrims clogs the road from Santa Fe. for the reputed healing properties of the soil. Even more picturesque, though, is the chapel, El Santuario de Chimayó, which has become the most beloved and most famous pilgrimage site in the U.S. Robert Redford wanted to film scenes from The Milagro Beanfield War in the historic plaza, but local residents weren't comfortable with the attention. One of the oldest settlements in New Mexico, the village of Chimayó features the Plazo del Cherro, one of the last standing fortified Spanish settlements in the U.S.
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Forrest Gump visited Monument Valley, Back to the Future III landed its time-traveling characters there, as did Mission Impossible, the British Doctor Who, and Easy Rider. If you've ever seen a John Ford film, you've seen Monument Valley the iconic landscape of eroded rock towers features so heavily in The Searchers, Fort Apache, and Stagecoach it's practically a character in the drama. Prior to that, the area was the site of the famous opening scene of the original Planet of the Apes, as well as many scenes filmed among the space-age rock formations, some of which are now at the bottom of the lake. Most recently, Pixar/Disney was reportedly filming the Edgar Rice Burroughs sci fi thriller John Carter of Mars in and around Page and Lake Powell. Once supremely remote, it's now accessible by a short trail from a landing dock at the far end of Lake Powell. The star-studded night sky alone is worth the price of admission.) A deeply sacred site to the Navajos who live in the region, Rainbow Bridge is the world's largest natural bridge with a span of 275 feet. Your leisure and spend nights tethered to the shore. The famous Rainbow Bridge National Monument at the far end of Lake Powell (photo: Melanie Haiken)