Arizona’s attractions include vast canyons, dramatic places like Monument Valley, Native American lands, cowboy country, and the wild Sonoran Desert. The Grand Canyon is only the start of Arizona’s natural attractions.
If you come to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon then you should stay to see a lot more of this south-western state’s many attractions. There are other dramatic canyons, landscapes like Monument Valley which you will see nowhere else on earth, and in the south and west of the state is the Sonoran Desert, one of the most beautiful and intriguing deserts in North America.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is the number one attraction, of course, and one for which you should allow a few days. Most people visit the South Rim and stay in Grand Canyon Village, but if you want a little more adventure you can also visit the North Rim. In winter this can be closed when the weather gets bad, and accommodation is only available there from mid-May to mid-October. The South Rim is easier, though access here can also be closed in the worst of the winter. If planning a visit you should stay overnight, preferably for two nights at least, and book your accommodation well ahead.
Canyon de Chelly
The Canyon de Chelly is another impressive canyon, but with fewer visitors. This also needs planning ahead as if you wish to visit the canyon floor you must be accompanied by either a park ranger or an authorized Navajo guide. Guides can be hired through the Visitor Center, or you can arrange to do a private jeep tour in advance. If you are unescorted you can still drive along the North Rim and the South Rim from the Visitor Center.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is north of Canyon de Chelly but also on the land of the Navajo Nation and straddles the Arizona-Utah border. The Navajo have lived here for centuries, and still do, and any visit here is not only to see the startling rock formations but also to discover the lives of the Navajo people. You can arrange a tour with Navajo guides at the Visitor Center.
Photo by James Randklev – Courtesy of Tucson CVB
The Sonoran Desert
You don’t need to be accompanied to visit the Sonoran Desert in the south and west parts of Arizona, but you do need to be careful, especially if traveling in summer and if planning to explore the back roads. Check your car and take plenty of water, in case of breakdowns. In the fierce heat of summer, and even in spring and fall, it is very easy to get dehydrated if you’re not used to the heat. The most emblematic inhabitant of the Sonoran Desert is the saguaro cactus, and you will see these all over the desert, in many strange and almost human-like forms.
These are the main natural wonders of Arizona, although on top of this there are the city attractions of Phoenix and Scottsdale, the Red Rock Country around Sedona, rugged old Route 66 towns like Flagstaff, and a link to the old west in places like Tucson and Tombstone. Arizona is indeed far more than just the Grand Canyon.