Arizona

My travels to Arizona took me to the magnificent mighty Grand Canyon, through the sandstone formations of Sedona, into the Old West town of Tombstone, and past scenic desert landscapes topped with breathtaking big sky sunsets.

GETTING THERE

Most travelers arrive in Arizona by car, or by flying into Phoenix International Airport PHX, which has direct flights from major cities across the USA, Canada and Europe. At the airport, it's easy to rent a car or take a shuttle to other parts of the state. I have done it all.

The Camelback Mountains provided the backdrop and desert palm trees filled the neighbor cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale, both packed with resorts, golf courses, and yummy Southwestern food, much of it cooked over mesquite wood grills.

AMAZING EXCURSIONS

I drove north to the remarkable Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim. I needed a park pass to get inside, so I purchased an 'America The Beautiful' pass which also gave me access to other sites around the USA for 12 months, it was a great value. Grand Canyon Village was a tourist hub with a free shuttle system, historic lodges, and a range of restaurants. There were also cabins and campgrounds, but reservations for all was competitive, so I needed to book far in advance, the first day bookings opened. The south rim was also home to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, which offered interactive exhibits and free movies about the history of the area.

I took several hikes along the rim to see the canyon from different vantage points, and I went during different times of day so I could admire the changing light reflecting off the clouds and the rugged multicolored cliffs. I saw some people riding mules down the steep terrain, and some hiking down as well to get closer to the Colorado River. I felt confident I could get down, but I wasn't sure about getting back up, so I decided to stay on the rim.

After leaving the Grand Canyon, I drove southeast to the Petrified Forest. It had colorful fossils of trees, ruins of an ancient Native American village, and many locations with different petroglyphs to explore. I met people who ventured to stunning Antelope Canyon, with its swirling multi colored walls, but I didn't go because tickets were hard to get.

Instead, I drove to Sedona, a city nestled among incredible red rock formations. The sandstone sculptures were formed over millions of years and had a pink hue when the sun went down. There were many Jeep excursions into the terrain and a popular hike to Seven Sacred Pools, swimming holes which were carved into the sandstone. Sedona also offered clear skies which were very good for stargazing.

Further south, while driving to Tucson and Tombstone, the tranquil earth tones were livened with pops of purple or pink flowers on bushes, tall majestic Saguaro Cactus, other unusual looking cactus and rocky hills. The desert seemed barren but it was actually full of life! I saw fast moving Roadrunner birds, with their long tails and crests on their heads. During a hike, I was lucky to see a Gila Monster, on a rock, basking in the sun. I also saw Jackrabbits, Hawks, and found a Scorpion under a rock!

Tucson had mostly low rise buildings that blended into the desert landscape. It had hiking, horseback riding, hot air ballooning, and more of that great Southwestern food. It even snowed now and then, and there was skiing at Mount Lemmon.

Tombstone retained some of its 1880's Wild West small town streets and buildings. It was interesting to visit because it was the site of the iconic Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, immortalized in many movies. The town thrived on tourism and even offered reenactments.

Arizona had a wide range of weather, that could change rapidly. Blue sunny skies could quickly turn to dust storms, thunderstorms, or flash floods. Also the state had a monsoon season, so it was important to keep my wits about me when driving and I always kept an umbrella handy.

While Arizona may be called 'the Grand Canyon state' it offered that natural wonder and so much more. From red rock sandstone formations, to spectacular sunsets as light bounced off the dusty desert terrain, to stargazing under clean clear skies, the sights were etched in my memory forever.