Arizona
is blessed with many beautiful, unique, scenic and historic
spots.For more information and pictures aboutthese wonderful
places in Arizona, take a virtual tour of Arizona
State Parks and visit the Arizona
Department of Tourism.
GRAND CANYON OF ARIZONA
One
of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand
Canyon is an unbelievable spectacle of nature.
It is a great, huge slash in the surface of the earth
- 217 miles long, 4 to 18 miles wide and a mile deep,
with
the Colorado River flowing at the bottom.  Standing
at the edge, it is possible to imagine the turbulence of
the earth millions of years ago when its crust was being
formed. As far as the eye can see are great pinnacles of
stone and rock with colors as varied as the rainbow and
which change in hue with every passing hour.
At the bottom is the Colorado
(Spanish for red) River, which is still so swift and turbulent
it carries half a million tons of silt in a single 24 hours
past any given point. Along side the river is Phantom Ranch,
where many people stay overnight.
In small side canyons are
beautiful water falls and shimmering pools of turquoise
water. The Havasupai Indians have lived for hundreds of
years in one of these spectacularly beautiful but remote
canyons. One of the Havasu waterfalls is higher than Niagara
Falls.
Grand
Canyon is a National Park, and rangers have telescopes
and strong field glasses
mounted on the rim so visitors can see various magnified
sections of the Canyon.There is also a model which shows
the Canyon in its entirety. The rangers show movies and
give lectures and answer questions for anyone who wants
to know more about “America's Seventh Wonder of the World“-one
of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring sights to be seen
anywhere on earth.
 NATIONAL
PARKS: With two National Parks (Grand Canyon and Petrified
Forest) and sixteen National Monuments, Arizona leads
the nation, but there are fifty or more areas which are
worthy of such recognition. The Monuments include the
prehistoric Indian ruins; Tumacacori Mission; Pipe Spring,
an early Mormon fort built around a spring; Chiricahua,
with the Wonderland of Rocks, where Cochise, Geronimo
and their Apaches roamed; Rainbow Bridge, a huge natural
rock bridging Rainbow Canyon; two cactus forests, Saguaro
and Organ Pipe; and Sunset Crater, a 1,000 foot high
volcanic cinder cone.
These historic and spectacular
sights, plus others of equal beauty and significance, were
familiar to our Indian predecessors and pioneer ancestors
and today draw thousand of visitors.
OAK CREEK CANYON: Unusual
red rock formation in cool mountain country with running
streams. Favorite fishing spot and scene of many movies.
Between Prescott and Flagstaff.
GLEN CANYON RECREATION AREA:
Mighty Glen Canyon Dam impounds 187 mile long, red-cliffed
Lake Powell, offering excellent fishing and other water
sports.
JEROME: A restored mining
town, hanging perilously to the side of Mingus Mountain,
bordering the Verde Valley.
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN: Legend
has it that in the heart of this dark and formidable mountain
just southeast of Phoenix, lies the famous Lost Dutchman
Gold Mine. Prospectors still search for it.
APACHE TRAIL: A beautiful
mountain road winding through territory where Apache Indians
lurked to harass pioneer wagon trains. Winds to Roosevelt
Dam, which irrigates the Salt River Valley.
CORONADO TRAIL: A road following
the trail of the famous Spanish explorer through parts
of the White Mountains, a popular fishing and hunting playground.
MOUNT GRAHAM: The geological
phenomenon of a mountain rising from the desert floor to
a height sufficient to support Alpine animal life and plants.
Near the town of Safford and a former hunting ground for
the Apache Indians.
TOMBSTONE:“The Town Too Tough
To Die,“ once the roaringest, wealthiest mining town
of the West.Many of the old buildings still stand,
including
the Bird Cage Theatre, St. Paul's Church and Schieffelin
Hall. Its residents re-enact some of its historic episodes,
a favorite being the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral.
YUMA TERRITORIAL PRISON:
Now a museum of relics of early frontier days; once housed
the most dangerous desperados of the Wild West.
MOUNT LEMMON: A mountain
just outside Tucson, rising over 9,000 feet to Alpine fishing
streams; ponderosa pine-shaded picnic areas and skiing
in season.
LAKE MEAD RECREATIONAL AREA:
The Colorado River harnessed behind Hoover Dam forms a
huge lake north of Kingman where fishing, swimming and
boating draw millions of vacationers.
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