ARIZONA

Travel America, Nov, 2000 by Judy Wade

STATE OF THE MONTH

Natural splendors steal the show on vacations in the Grand Canyon State

Some states attract visitors to their historic sites: others magnets for culture lovers. Arizona's undisputed claim to fame is the abundance of its natural wonders. From the desert floor to lofty peaks higher than 12,000 feet, the beauty that nature has bestowed on the state is unusual and undisputedly the reason for the desert Southwest's distinctive personality.

Here is a sampler of Arizona's best as created Mother Nature's impartial hand:

Ask any non-'Zonie the first thing that comes to mind about Arizona. and the answer is almost always the Grand Canyon. It offers the same dramatic, awe-inspiring experience that it has for centuries.

Carved by the Colorado River on its 1.450-mile journey from the Rocky Mountains to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, the canyon dazzles visitors who gape from Mather Point, Hermit's Rest, and other spectacular overlooks. A lucky few may glimpse a California condor. The endangered vulture has been reintroduced into its native habitat in the nearby Vermillion Cliffs, and sometimes strays into the canyon.

The Grand Canyon has been much in the news recently for the changes regarding the five million visitors who come each year. Although most proposed changes won't be implemented for at least another year, visitors should call first to be sure what's already in place. The most important change involves limiting the number of private vehicles that enter the park.

Not far from the Grand Canyon, in the state's far northeast corner on the huge Navajo Indian Reservation, Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley are treasures rich in the legends and lore of ancient people. In a land given to Native Americans because it was believed to have no value, these two marvels attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The magnificent red sandstone mesas and buttes of Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border, are genuine television stars, having appeared in many commercials with autos poised on their tops. Don't try that yourself. You can, however, drive along a 17-mile dirt road that winds among easy-to-identify formations called Left and Right Mitten, Elephant Butte, and John Ford Point, another film "star." You also can also ride with a Navajo guide in an open-air tram for a narrated tour.

Just to the south of Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly has been chiseled over the course of 50 million years by waters from the nearby Chuska Mountains. Within the dramatic chasm is White House Ruin, a cliff dwelling left by the ancient Anasazi. Their presence also is marked by carefully carved petroglyphs that are amazingly well-preserved. Guided tours on horseback and in environmentally friendly butane-powered 4WD vehicles may be booked at the visitor center. Or you can hike 2.5 miles down from the canyon rim to White House Ruin. Remember, you do have to hike out again. Private cars are not allowed in the canyon.

Don't look for the trees at Petrified Forest National Park, southwest of the Navajo Reservation. The 146-square-mile park is a rainbow forest of petrified logs. The forces of nature have replaced woody pulp with jasper and quartz crystals as well as iron and manganese, creating dusky red, pink, and coppery yellow logs. The northern reaches of the park are known as the Painted Desert for the multicolored formations pigmented by minerals that reflect light. A 27-mile drive through the park has a number of stopping points. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to catch colors at their most vivid.

More red rock splendor is the backdrop for the city of Sedona, which is widely considered one of the most beautiful places in Arizona. Popular for its art galleries and upscale restaurants as well as its wind-sculpted landscapes, it also is known as a place of healing and rejuvenation, encouraged by electromagnetic energy sources called vortexes. Tlaquepaque (say "Tlocka-Pocky"), looking like a Spanish Colonial village, is a favored spot for browsing among galleries and crafts shops. Lunch at Rene at Tlaquepaque is a time-honored shopping break.

Just north of Sedona, Oak Creek has worn a 30-foot water slide between steep, slippery red rock walls. Slide Rock State Park protects the area for hikers and, during the summer, those who don a pair of old jeans and brave the cold waters to let the creek's rush push them down the slippery rocks. The 24-mile drive along Oak Creek Canyon follows Highway 89A, affording glimpses of the creek trickling between massive rock walls.

Farther south, on the eastern edge of Phoenix, the Superstition Mountains are among Arizona's most legendary markers. It is said that the Lost Dutchman, Jacob Walz, discovered a cache of gold in the mountains, which to this day is still sought by fortune seekers. Lost Dutchman State Park, at the base of the shadowy Superstitions, has picnic tables and camp sites. To truly experience the eerie spell of the Superstitions, hook up with rangers who lead monthly full moon hikes during the winter.