(Very) Sunny Arizona

Our adventures of the US Southwest were completed by exploring Arizona. We did so on several different trips from New Mexico, when we lived in Santa Fe. We also have some great friends in Flagstaff and Phoenix, so we used the opportunity to properly explore this state. I was originally going to give this article the following subtitle: "50 shades of red", but that would be somewhat unfair, regardless of the fact that this indeed would be a very terrible pun. Indeed, Arizona is a typical example of the Southwest, it is so colorful and varied that it is almost impossible to truly describe all its faces.

Grand Canyon NP from the top of Bright Angel trail.

We made very many visits to this beautiful state. A lot of them were during transiting to other places like our California road trip or many shorter trips to Utah. Conveniently placed along the i40 interstate and the Four Corners area, many of the greatest treasures of this state are easily accessible and I very much recommend to stop by while you are in the area. I must stress here, Arizona is a lot more than just the Grand Canyon. Yes, the Grand Canyon is great, it is big and pretty, but I must say it is not my favorite destination in the state. Unless you go to very remote areas, it is a very popular spot and a lot of that commercial tourism reduces the enjoyment greatly. If you go here, make sure you take the proper hike down into the canyon, that definitely rids you of the crowds :) Or visit the less discovered Northern Rim. It is possible to camp inside the canyon, but that requires advanced planning as the campsite gets booked up quickly. Also it is very possible to do a loop hike up and down, the recommended route would be the South Kaibab/Bright Angel trail:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/South_Kaibab_Trail.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/Bright_Angel_Trail.pdf

http://www.kaibab.org/kaibab.org/maps/gc_3dmap.htm 

If you choose to do this hike, make sure you start very early with the first light to complete the hike in one day. There are NPS buses that take you around, so you can park at any of the parking lots inside the park and be taken to the trailhead. You should make sure to bring plenty of water even in the winter, but there are spots where you can top up at the campsite and at regular intervals along the Bright Angel trail. If you are short on time, you can go down and back up the Bright Angel trail, it is a very lovely walk that is not short of the challenge associated with the steep climb in scorching heat and sunshine. The more challenging trail is connecting the North and South rims along the North Kaibab trail. Just like the Bright Angel and South Kaibab it connects to the other trails at the campsite by the Colorado river. However, this trails a lot longer and more challenging and one should count on camping along the way. It might be advisable to avoid the hottest summer months if you wish to do a long hike.

Grand Canyon hiking.

While visiting the Grand Canyon area a good explorer should not ignore many other smaller parks and monuments nearby. An excellent scenic loop drive provides a great tour of several monuments at once. On our trip we started with the Sunset Crater NM near Flagstaff. It is a very exciting volcanic landscape that provides lots of nice little hikes. It also offers some monumental views of the monumental San Francisco peaks. These are also great to visit in the winter for skiing. If you continue along the Loop Rd. you get to the Wupatki NM, one of the many ancestral pueblo sites in the state of Arizona. This monument is a great example of combination of different city building cultures in the Four Corners area. The ruins are well preserved and the views are stunning. During my travels of Arizona, I found that this state is just like New Mexico excellent for those who love history as well as nature. 

Hiking in around the Sunset Crater NM volcanic landscape.

Rainy clouds (yes, it rains in Arizona!) over the San Francisco Mountains, AZ.

Wupatki NM, AZ.

Wupatki NM, AZ.

The very exciting part about the historical adventures in Arizona compared to New Mexico is that these ancient cultures are different, exhibit different building states and clearly belonged to a different ethnic group, although they obviously were in contact with the Chacoans. The other exciting part is that the various Native American cultures in New Mexico are indeed very different, you have the Zuni, Navajo, O’odham, Yaqui, Apache, but also other old cultures like the ancient Sonoran Desert people, which have their very distinct history. Later, the Spanish also brought their own culture with them and made a dent on the historical landscape of AZ, although their settlements did not grow to be as prominent as those in New Mexico, they left behind many beautiful towns, churches and missions. In this way, the historical exploration of this state is extremely rewarding. Most of the ancient native american sites are in the central area of AZ near Flagstaff and Phoenix, as well as near the Four Corners. One of the most stunning spots is the Navajo National Monument very close to the Monument Valley. It is a great spot for camping and half way between popular road trip stops in UT, CO, NM and AZ. The only challenge is the fact that this is a very remote site with virtually no option to stuck up with food or other supplies, so make sure you have everything with you. 

Navajo National Monument, AZ.

Probably my most favorite historical monument in Arizona is Canyon de Chelly, which I have visited more than once. It is an ancient Zuni pueblo, but now it is on the Navajo land. The rim of the canyon is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, which also runs a great campsite and provides one free hiking path down to the ruins by the cliff sides that can be accessed from the southern rim of the canyon. I very much recommend to take a guided jeep or horse tour into the canyon with a local Navajo guide. It is not only informative as you learn about this place from the local perspective, but also gives you a totally different views of the natural and historical beauty of this canyon than just from the rim view points.

Sunset over Canyon de Chelly, AZ.

Ancestral Pueblo ruins in the Canyon de Chelly, AZ.

Canyon de Chelly, AZ.

Canyon de Chelly, AZ.

The notable sites to visit in the Flagstaff area are the Tuzigood NM, Montezuma Castle and the Montezuma well and the Walnut Canyon. All of these monuments are relatively small, but offer great tour of the history, beautiful views and very rewarding hikes. The must see historical monuments in the Phoenix are definitely are Casa Grande NM and the Tonto NM. These two monuments are very different, while the Tonto monument provides great cliff views and hikes through cliff dwellings more similar to the pueblos in NM and CO, Casa Grande is a very large construction showing the sophistication of the city building of the Sonoran Desert culture. Arizona also can also give you a great taste of more recent exploration of the West by the Spanish and English speaking newcomers. A great display of the earlier spanish rule is the Tumacacori NHP, where you can explore a 17th century spanish mission. One should also try no to miss the much more recent history of the US expansion to the west witnessed by the Fort Bowie NHS, which was instrumental in the questionable fighting with the Apache tribe and the very famous Geronimo.

Cliff dwellings at the Tonto NM, AZ.

Montezuma Castle NM, AZ.

Hiking around Montezuma Well, AZ.

Casa Grande NM, AZ.

Tuzigoot National Monument, AZ

Walnut Canyon National Monument, AZ.

Tumacacori NHP, AZ.

While you find yourself in these remote southern parts of Arizona, do not miss the Chiricahua National Monument. This place is just wonderful, totally surreal and nothing like you would expect Arizona to look like. Here you can totally see the hiding spots of Geronimo and his Apache rebels. These stunning rocks look like a busy city from the distance, yet provide some of the most relaxing and remote nature hikes. This place is never crowded with tourists and it really gives you the feeling that you found a true hidden spot! It is not far from several other great sites in nearby New Mexico, so a greater exploration of this area is much recommended. If you continue towards Phoenix from here, definitely do not miss the Saguaro NM. This monument protects the massive Saguaro cacti. These are not just monumental in their size, but very stunning in the most aesthetic sense. The views and hikes here are stunning, but very hot and dry even in the winter, be prepared! 

Chiricahua NM, AZ.

Saguaro NM, AZ.

During our numerous trips we made lots of other short stops in other great interesting places all over Arizona. To name a few, a great and super easy top is the Meteor Crater along the i40 East of Flagstaff. You can access the private lands of the site by purchasing a ticket, they have a nice museum and some guided tours. Another popular place to stop by while traveling in the northern Arizona are is the Horseshoe Bend. It is free access with an easy short walk from the parking lot on the side of the road and offers really stunning views of the Colorado river canyon between Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon. The color contrast of the green water and red sandstone cliffs is stunning. It is worthwhile to also stop at the Glen Canyon Dam on Lake Powell and visit their visitor center, possibly take a boat from the town of Page, AZ to the nearby Rainbow Bridge arch. A very famous spot to visit is also the Antelope Canyon. As a very famous place loved by photographers from he whole world, it is also extremely crowded. One has to book tours with the local Navajo tribe using their website. You will be taken on the tours in their terrain vehicles. You must keep to the strict time slots and keep in mind that the Navajo nation observes the daylight saving time unlike the rest of Arizona! Although it is a truly beautiful place, the crowds ruin the experience a little. If you really want to explore beautiful slot canyons without distraction of massive crowds of tourists with huge cameras and no manners, go to Escalante, UT instead.

Meteor Crater, AZ. source: http://meteorcrater.com

Admiring a meteorite at the Meteor Crater Museum, AZ.

Meteor Crater, AZ.

Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ.

Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ.

When it comes to nature, Arizona truly is a gem. A very grateful area for those who love those Wild West views of red sand stone canyons is definitely Sedona. The town itself is tidy and well prepared for tourists with plenty of hotels and motels, as well as camp sites of all types and price ranges. Lots of restaurants and pretty friendly attitude. Although the place is touristy, it is not as crowded and oppressive as Grand Canyon as most international tourists do not know much about it. There are lots of hikes and outdoor opportunities and one could spend days exploring it. 

Sedona, AZ.

Sedona, AZ.

My personal favorite when it comes to natural beauty in Arizona must however be the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert NP. As a lover of geology as well as paleontology, this place with its wide open views really took my breath away. Once a lush forest, now it describes a fascinating story of Earth's history through colorful fossilized wood. Massive trunks and pieces are scattered around the colorful desert like gems. Especially in the sunset light this provides a very unique spectacle. There are plenty of nice hikes, camping opportunities as well as one of the best view spots of the old Route 66. It is right on the i40 interstate, so there is no excuse to miss this stunning place!

Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Painted Desert, Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Painted Desert, Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Old Route 66, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest NP, AZ.

Unfortunately, our time was as always limited and there were some spots we never made it to while living in Santa Fe like the Organ Pipe NP, the Titan Missile Museum near Tuscon or the Havasu falls in the Grand Canyon. As a nature lover I would love to see the Red Rock Country (Devil's Bridge, Cathedral Rock, Courthouse Butte loop). But we hope to be back to explore some more!

Sunset over the Canyon de Chelly, AZ.