The state of Arizona has natural places of great beauty and others of historical relevance that can be visited by travel lovers at any time of the year thanks to the diversity of its climate and vegetation.
A few hours from its modern capital there are extensive forests, archaeological sites, monumental stone formations, meteor impacts, ancient religious missions and the vestiges of the so-called “Old West”, which marked the Sonoran Desert with numerous battles.
Montezuma Castle
Discover the mysteries surrounding the archaeological site that was declared a protected area by the government of Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, due to its preserved construction based on sharp stones and its foundations on the side of the mountain.
The enigmatic place named after the first Spanish explorers who arrived in Arizona, has 20 rooms and is the center of historical speculation about its origin attributed to the Sinagua Indians. It is located north of the state, passing the Prescott Valley on I-17 and 90 minutes from the city of Phoenix.
Magic Sedona
Observe a sunset or sunrise reflected on the red stones of Sedona and live a mystical experience, the place is one of the most visited destinations in Arizona since Paleolithic times. The native tribes perform their religious ceremonies there.Its beauty has attracted numerous artists who project their color in the paintings displayed within the numerous galleries that exist. Hiking among its steep canyons, having a refreshing drink in the dozens of restaurants or enjoying a massage in its numerous spas, can be part of an unforgettable memory. It is located north on I-17, less than two hours from Phoenix.
The Historic Route 66
Drive along a part of the historic road that went from Chicago, and that ended in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1926, the route was an important means of communication and was deprecated in 1985, replaced by the US Interstate Highway Network.This route was the first to be completely paved and generated the first fast food restaurants and hotels that are still visited. In Arizona, the stretch through the Black Mountains is full of sharp bends with a spectacular view.From Holbrook to Kingman, Route 66 was replaced in some sections by I-40, a road that connects at the end of I-17, to the north.
The Flourishing Flagstaff
Live Flagstaff in any of the seasons of the year and discover a different city on each visit, with a winter full of snow lovers in Snowbowl, the colorful landscape during spring, tourism fleeing heat in summer and autumn of festivals framed by beautiful hues in the leaves of their trees.
Appointed by hikers from Boston who raised a mast to commemorate the centenary of July 4, the city has flourished first by the timber industry that took advantage of its large pine forests and then grew by the arrival of the railroad, livestock production and tourism . It is the third largest city in Arizona and is located to the north, at the confluence of I-40 and I-17.
Barringer Crater
Learn about the fragility of life on earth, sometimes threatened by the many pieces of rock that pass through its atmosphere, as the Canyon Diablo meteorite did more than 50 thousand years ago.
The impact of this racing car about 50 meters long and 300 thousand tons in weight, generated a crater more than a kilometer wide and 750 meters deep, ranked among the 10 most important hollows on earth. The geologist Daniel Barringer was the first to suggest in 1903 that the crater was the product of the impact of a meteorite and his family still owns the place. It is located about 40 minutes from Flagstaff, east on I-40.
Grand Canyon
Immerse yourself in the immense chasms of the Grand Canyon, an ancient formation worked by the Colorado River and some telluric movements that occurred thousands of years ago. Although it is located in Arizona, being also known as the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, many mistakenly relate it to that state. Ancestral peoples such as the Anasazi were located at their limits and left part of their history embodied in some areas of this vast region.With a depth of more than 1,500 meters and a length of 446 kilometers, thousands of tourists come to what is considered one of the Natural Wonders of the World to enjoy the descent through its mighty river and hiking. It can be reached by I-17, following route 180 and then 64.
Monument Valley
Enjoy the most watched scenes in Hollywood movies about Arizona, which include formations that look like tables and are located within the Navajo Indian reservation, on the borders of the state of Utah. The region called the “four corners”, has in its stones the characteristic red color due to iron oxide that has been exposed by the erosion of thousands of years.The diligence, My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache, Wagon Master, Rio Grande, The Searchers, Sergenat Routledge, The Comancheros, Rio Conchos and Thelma and Louise, among many other films, have had this landscape as the background. It can be reached by following I-17, then Route 89, 160 and then 163; It is 3 hours from the entrance to the Grand Canyon.
Mission of San Xavier del Bac
Make a prayer on one of the first missions that the Jesuit order founded in its expansion into Arizona territory in the 18th century, claiming more territories for New Spain. San Xavier del Bac is currently considered a National Historic Landmark, and was founded in 1700 by Father Eusebio Kino.The historic white stucco church has a decorated interior with meticulously painted and carved religious images that cover the walls and vaulted ceilings, rising to the limits of the Tohono O’odham indigenous Nation southwest of Tucson. Thousands of Catholic parishioners visit the so-called “white dove of the desert”, located about 15 minutes from the Old Town, on I-19.
Tombstone’s Duel
Relive the great shooting of the OK Corral, starring Sheriff Wyatt Earp and his brothers, who faced alleged cattle thieves the afternoon of October 26, 1881, in the town of Tombstone. The duel that lasted 30 seconds and in which 30 bullets were fired, left two thugs dead and two officers injured and a fugitive thief.The history of the battle has been taken to the cinema on multiple occasions and for many historians, the consequences of this fact marked the beginning of the decline of the “Old West.” Representations of the fight are made for tourists who enjoy the historic place, which they arrive on 1-10 south of Tucson, then on Route 80, heading to Agua Prieta, Sonora.
The Picturesque Bisbee
Stroll through the narrow and picturesque streets of the town of Bisbee, a place that was named in honor of Judge Deitt Bisbee, who was a partner of the โLa Reinaโ mine, one of the largest copper producers in 1880. For many years the Metal deposit left multiple profits to the Arizona economy and was considered one of the richest in the world.
Bisbee preserves the architecture and its mining landscape, with tours that take visitors to the bowels of the old mine facilities.
In the 60s it became a place that attracted artists and hippies, printing a very unique atmosphere to the town that is visited by people from the United States and nearby Mexico. It is reached by 1-10 south of Tucson, then by route 80, heading to Agua Prieta, Sonora.