Showing posts with label AZ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AZ. Show all posts

Friday, May 23, 2014

Four Corners Monument: AZ, NM, CO, and UT


In the Southwestern US there is a quadripoint where the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah all meet - this is the only instance in the US where four states share a boundary point. The actual monument where the four points come together is run by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department - they charge an entry fee and there are many Navajo vendors set up in booths that surround the monument during the daytime hours.

We arrived at the monument just as they were about to close for the night - we got out of paying the fee, we weren't inundated by the vendors (most had already left for the night and a few more were packing up their final wares), and we had to wait in line behind only a few people to get a picture of our feet on all four points. So if you can manage it, try to come here just before closing time!


See more Arizona posts here, more Colorado posts here, more Utah posts here, and more New Mexico posts here!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ


The Canyon de Chelly National Monument encompasses a landscape in Arizona that is one of the longest continuously inhabited areas in North America. For almost 5,000 years, people have occupied these canyons on the Colorado Plateau. Even today, the Navajo families live and farm in the canyons, working together with the National Park Service - we were able to see some of the Navajo farm areas, and there were many locals selling their homemade jewelry and pottery at the scenic stops.

The national monument includes the floors and rims of three major canyons: de Chelly, del Muerto, and Monument. This area also preserves the pueblo ruins of the early indigenous tribes. The scenic outlooks were truly breathtaking. And while we didn't get very close to any of the pueblo ruins, it was definitely cool to see them from afar.


See other Arizona posts here and other National Park posts here.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ


Petrified Forest National Park was remarkable. The park has so much to see: beautiful, open landscapes (part of the park extends into the Painted Desert); eroded badlands; pueblo remains; petroglyphs; and plenty of petrified wood and crystallized logs. It seemed that every few miles we drove through the park, we came upon a new landscape or new historic remnant. The history of the park's fossils is fascinating and definitely worth a read.


See more Arizona posts here and more National Park posts here.

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