Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon of River Colorado, in central north of the State, extends on 350 km of length and varies between 6 to 29 km of width.

Its estimated age is 230 million years, and undoubtedly one of the most fabulous Seven Wonders of the World.

The climate and the vegetation of its south slopes are typically Southwestern, very arid and dry. The north slopes seems like another world, about 400 m higher and resembles Canada in the matter of climate and vegetation.

You can go down to the bottom of the Canyon by riding mules, departing from Bright Angel Lodge on the South Slope. From the track, we can discover marvelous points of view.

Grand Canyon National Park is open lal year long, but snow blocks the pathways of North Slope from October to May. Tracks in the South Slope are in the other hand normally open and safe.

Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, in the northeast of Arizona, deploy its thousands of square meters populated by strange shapes carved in the stone and the Navajo Indian village. A landscape anchored in the imagination of Western lovers.

Sedona

A very appreciated destination attracting artists and writers, Sedona is located in the heart of an impressive ensemble of clay cliffs punctuating the desert of Arizona and the magnificent colors of Oak Creek Canyon. One of America's most beautiful landscapes, crossed by the North Verde River.

In the southwest of Sedona, a visit to the Red Rock State Park allows us to discover the dazzling rocky formation of Cathedral Rock, where many Western movies were shot.

New age philosophers think that Sedona there is a powerful flux of energy.

Phoenix

In the middle of a vast desertic depression surrounded by mountains, about 320 km south of Grand Canyon, Phoenix is a cosmopolitan city that strangely realizes a curious overlapping of the ancient Spanish and Indian civilizations mxied with the contemporary West.

With its sunny climate all year long (Phoenix is located in the middle of Sun Valley), Phoenix underwent one of the fastest development in the country. Irrigation system construction has allowed the city to be a real modern Oasis.

The Heard Museum, a great reference about everything concerning the American Indians, houses a big number of Indian arts collection, inside a superb colonial villa.

Since May 22, 2005, Heard Museum has opened its doors to a permanent exhibition devoted to the Indian art, presenting more than 2,000 pieces.

Composed of about a dozen galleries, it houses the Navajo, Eskimo, Apache, Zuni, Hopi and more artefacts of other Indian tribes, as well as the Goldwater collection of 400 kachina Indian dolls.

Between Phoenix and Mesa we arrive at the Superstition Mountain, which still keeps possessively the secret of Lost Dutchman's fabulous mine. Thousands of bounty hunters had tried to find the legendary treasure, but nobody ever succeeds to locate the mine, its precious content still sleeps somewhere underground, and perhaps will remain one of the Mysteries of the West forever.

Some of Arizona's most beautiful landscapes are located in this region, along the Apache Trail.

40 km east of Phoenix, the Apache Junction is famous through its Apacheland Movie Ranch, replica of a city during the "Conquest of the West", often used as TV or movie decor.

80 km southeast of Phoenix, you will find the ruins of Casa Grande, the Indian constructions having survived since 600 years. 

Flagstaff

In the north of Phoenix, the town of Flagstaff is located near Humphrey Peak (3,851 m), the State's peakpoint.

Located on 2,100 m of altitude (6,910 ft), the town is an authentic and picturesque city where freshness and calm reigns during the estival seasons.

Named after the event on which a tall ponderosa pine was used as flagpole, during the centennial of America on July 4, 1876, by some scoutboys, Flagstaff has a very diversified ecosystems.

Within proximity, Coconino National Forest offers its visitors interesting excursions to discover ponderosa pines and many charming small lakes.

The city is surrounded by mountains, covered with Bentham pines keeping the air soft and fresh, contrasting the heat. An ideal site for all departs towards the Grand Canyon, only 130 km away, as well as towards numerous special sites surrounding the city.

Flagstaff has a special connection to the astronomy world, most importantly with the Lowell Observatory which possesses a pair telescopes dating back in 1896 and 1928. Both of them, still in service, sometimes, in certain nights, we can still see the vault of heaven through its lenses, making the distance between you and the universe a little bit closer.

Situated around fifty km from the city, Meteor Crater is the world's largest meteoritic crater. Its 1,265 m of diameter and its 174 m of depth are the traces left by an asteroid made of nickel and steel crashing the earth about 50,000 km ago, with a speed of more than 60,000 kmh.

Every summer, numerous festivals are held, celebrating the arts of Indian tribes of Hopi, Zuni, Navajo and Pai.

This journey back in time might be lengthened by visiting the Northern Arizona Museum. The city is very frequented in summer, due to its soft climate and its annual Pow-Wow.

The Museum of Northern Arizona houses remarkable collections of Indian archaeology.

Montezuma Castle

In a sand-colored rock, a five-story village emerges. Constructed in the cliffs, its construction dated back from the 12th century. A masterpiece of the Sinagua Indians, Montezuma Castle is classified as a national monument, and it is one of the best preserved historical sites of America.

Montezuma Castle is located 80 km in the south of Flagstaff.

Painted Desert

Within the Painted Desert, near Holbrook, east of Flagstaff, you will be fascinated when seeing the vivid colors of the plateaus, clay hillocks and mesas. An ensemble of yellow, red and ochre, whose tones vary at every moment of the day.

Petrified Forest National Park

In the same territory, Petrified Forest National Park keeps its fossils of bones, plants and trees, petrified with vivid colors, aged more than 190 million years.

Navajo National Monument

130 km north of Holbrook, we will arrive at the Navajo National Monument where you will see the most impressive cliff dwellings of Arizona. On three zones of a total 240 hectares of surface, the Pueblo civilization still leaves its traces within the 13th century ruins.

Tucson

Tucson, a bit more than 160 km in the southeast of Phoenix, is one of the most ancient Spanish implantantions in the West. The city attracts many visitors with its fascinating architecture, including an ancient Spanish fortress of 18th century, el Presidio del Tucson.

The Arizona State Museum possesses excellent collections of Indian archaeology.

The Arizona Sonora Museum allows you to discover the wildlife in the desert.

The theme park Old Tucson, 20 km in the west, was built as a cinema decor and still serves for TV series until now.

A few kilometers away from the city we will find the San Xavier del Bac Mission, founded in 1700 by the Jesuite missionaries, then completed in 1797 by the Franciscans. One of the best preserved missions of Southwest and architecturally the most interesting. 

Tubac

40 miles south of Tucson, do not miss to visit Tubac. The oldest European establishment in Arizona, founded in 1752 by the Spanish establishing a garrison and constructed a fortress there, known under the name "El Presidio".

A little town with curvy streets, surrounded by forgotten desert lands, Tubac loves at most the summers, due to its elevated location, with a more comfortable temperature compared to Tucson.

About a few kilometers in the south, in Tumacacori (where Georges Simenon came to live in 1948), in Santa Cruz River Valley, discover the Tumacacori National Historical Park, grouping the ruins of three ancient Spanish missions, two of them are the most ancient missions in Arizona.

Tombstone

Known as the Wild West City, around 1880 Tombstone was once a mining camp famous for its saloons, its casinos and its duels.

In Tombstone we can visit the renovated Crystal Palace Saloon, the Bird Cage Theater, the Oriental Bar, and the office of Epipaph, a local newspaper.

Credits Photos : Arizona Office of Tourism - Dave Thayer

National Parks Service