Los paisajes desérticos de Arizona, puestas de sol majestuosas y aventuras al aire libre atraen visitantes de todo el mundo. Sin embargo, el Estado del Gran Cañón ofrece mucho más que solo naturaleza impresionante.
Las emociones al aire libre se igualan con indulgencias interiores, encuentros con la historia y vecindarios modernos y de moda. Puedes elegir entre una escapada a la naturaleza, o estaciones de esquí concurridas; la vida en una gran ciudad, o espacios vacíos ideales para una contemplación tranquila.
Junto con las ciudades desérticas que emiten una sensación del Viejo Oeste, Arizona cuenta con pueblos fantasmas atmosféricos y maravillas naturales en abundancia, incluyendo (por supuesto) el Gran Cañón, pero también el bosque de pinos más grande del mundo, que también es una zona de esquí.
Sigue leyendo para ver un resumen de los 10 lugares que mejor capturan todo lo que Arizona tiene para ofrecer.
1. El Gran Cañón
Ideal para contemplar la majestuosidad de la naturaleza
El Gran Cañón es, con razón, el lugar más famoso de Arizona. Colosal y espectacular, atrae a grandes multitudes en verano; números que podrían disuadir a los novatos o a aquellos que buscan una escapada tranquila. Sin embargo, sin importar cuántos visitantes encuentres, este es un lugar que realmente cumple con las expectativas.
Mientras que la mayoría conocen este enorme sistema de cañones esculpido por el río Colorado como una entidad única, en realidad hay cuatro áreas separadas que puedes visitar. El Parque Nacional del Gran Cañón se divide en el Borde Sur (abierto todo el año) y el Borde Norte (cerrado de mediados de octubre a mediados de mayo) – y estas dos zonas están a una distancia total de 210 millas. Junto con vistas hipnotizantes y senderos para caminatas, el más concurrido Borde Sur cuenta con un servicio de autobús gratuito, un museo de geología y algunos alojamiento decentes en el lugar. Alcanzando los 8000ft de altitud, el Borde Norte entrega más panoramas monumentales y tiene un clima más suave y menos personas en los senderos, contribuyendo a una atmósfera menos turística.
También vale la pena explorar los Bordes Oeste y Este del Gran Cañón, aunque estas áreas caen fuera del parque nacional. La zona turística del Gran Cañón Oeste en la Reserva India Hualapai es famosa por su Skywalk de fondo de vidrio, que se extiende 70 pies sobre el borde del cañón. El Borde Este es más tranquilo e ideal para caminatas pacíficas.
Consejo de planificación: Para ver lo mejor del Borde Este, echa un vistazo al Cañón del Río Pequeño Colorado en el Parque Tribal Navajo, a unas 11 millas de Cameron. Aunque hay una tarifa de $5 para acceder a dos impresionantes miradores, y necesitarás un permiso de campo de $12 para caminar por los senderos, la soledad está prácticamente garantizada.
2. Monument Valley
Ideal para aprender sobre la cultura indígena
Para explorar la cultura indígena de Arizona entre torres de arenisca de 1000 pies, corre hacia el Parque Tribal Navajo de Monument Valley. Reconocerás de inmediato los monolitos del paisaje, que han sido fotografiados en películas y series western desde la década de 1930.
Las formaciones emergentes se llaman se’Bii’Ndzisgaii en el idioma Navajo, y la mejor forma de apreciar completamente esta tierra sagrada es viajar con un guía local que le añadirá contexto a la experiencia mientras caminas a la sombra de mesetas como East Mitten y West Mitten.
Consejo de planificación: El amanecer y el atardecer son los mejores momentos para fotografiar las imponentes mesetas de Monument Valley. Para fotos sublimes al atardecer, busca un lugar cerca del centro de visitantes del Parque Tribal Navajo de Monument Valley o en el View Hotel.
3. Phoenix
Ideal para el arte y la arquitectura
La capital de Arizona, Phoenix, es el mejor lugar para alimentar tuenthusiasm for culture and edifices in Arizona. The eminent designer Frank Lloyd Wright imprinted his touch throughout the metropolis – primarily at Taliesin West situated in the outskirts of Scottsdale. Wright’s arid innovation, the site’s flat surfaces appear to blend with the stony environment – an architectural marvel that has garnered the location National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage recognitions. Further immerse yourself in Wright’s heritage at Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa: the structure was crafted by Albert Chase McArthur, with Wright serving as an advisor for a period of four months in 1928.
The Phoenix Art Museum is another premier establishment, showcasing exhibitions of pieces by both renowned and budding artists. A notably admired piece is Yayoi Kusama’s infinity mirror room titled, You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies. From the art museum, it’s merely three blocks to Roosevelt Row, where one can appreciate the murals that have rightly brought fame to Phoenix’s street art landscape.
4. Tucson
Ideal for ancient attractions and trendy atmospheres
Sheltering half a million inhabitants, Tucson stands as Arizona’s runner-up in terms of city size, artfully marrying metropolitan amenities with outdoor pursuits – also boasting a burgeoning culinary scene. While nestled in the core of the Sonoran Desert – neighboring Saguaro National Park flaunts numerous old, hefty cacti – Tucson challenges the desert-town conventions. A brief trek from the city center along the Sky Island Scenic Byway, the 9000ft Mt Lemmon crowns the Santa Catalina Mountains, marking the southernmost locale in the continental US where skiing is possible.
Central Tucson offers a blend of historic scenes and trendy vibes. The Turquoise Trail serves as a self-directed walking circuit connecting 22 historic sites. In close proximity, storied Fourth Ave teems with youthful vitality; its murals, tattoo parlors, and vintage shops draw scholars from the University of Arizona.
Hint for planners: Tucson earns extra credits for its eco-friendliness, courtesy of the Sun Link Streetcar and The Loop, a 131-mile vehicle-free path for cycling enthusiasts, joggers, and strollers. Secure a bike from Tucson Bike Rentals on The Loop.
5. Verde Valley
Ideal for vineyard routes and time-honored towns
Featuring its age-old ruins, frontier settlements, abundant fauna, and a wine route meandering around rivers and peaks, Central Arizona’s Verde Valley remains an understated destination. To appreciate its rugged allure, navigate the 30-mile roadway weaving through the vale, beginning in the atmospheric Jerome, once celebrated as the “wickedest town in the West.” Erected by a mining tycoon during the 19th century, this once-infamous frontier is presently regarded as a ghost town (albeit still inhabited by around 500 individuals).
Jerome’s Cleopatra Hill once generously gave gold, silver, and copper to enthusiastic miners. The town today is a collage of quirky eateries, artists’ ateliers, and eccentric shops, all nestled within Victorian structures seemingly ready to cascade into the vale below. Within the fertile terrain beneath Jerome are the likewise historic towns of Clarkdale, Cornville, and Cottonwood – housing Dead Horse Ranch State Park, a serene locale for outdoor pursuits.
Advice for planners: While adventuring through the Verde Valley, you might also visit Tuzigoot National Monument and Montezuma Castle National Monument, where you can witness the vestiges of pueblos (villages) crafted by the Sinagua people around 1050 CE.
6. Horseshoe Bend
Optimal for capturing photos
What distinguishes this 270° curve in the Colorado River from the various other bends along this powerful riverway? Perhaps it is the manner in which the deep blue currents of Horseshoe Bend mirror the imposing sandstone escarpments encircling it. This awe-inspiring sight leaves you marveling at the colossal forces of nature that sculpted this locale near Page, Arizona.
The vantage point in Glen Canyon Recreation Area offers the top spot to capture the quintessential Horseshoe Bend snapshot. An even more fulfilling way to appreciate the vastness of the canyon is aboard a raft. Guided rafting excursions journey downriver to Horseshoe Bend, making a stop at a shoreline for swimming featuring ancient Puebloan petroglyphs.
7. Grand Canyon Caverns
Optimal for an unusual Route 66 layover
Route 66 extends across a significant portion of Arizona, and we encourage a halt at the eccentric and at times peculiar Grand Canyon Caverns. Situated in Peach Springs, this eccentric location consists of a hotel, a restaurant with four tables and the largest dry cave in the United States, lying 210ft underground beneath the Grand Canyon.
In keeping with this site’s quirky past, local woodchopper Walter Peck stumbled upon the caves in 1927 after tumbling from his horse en route to a card game. Nowadays, you can venture through them on a range of tours, comprising a ghost walk.
Planning tip: Arizona boasts 401 miles of Route 66, making it an excellent hub for succinct road trips along this historic pathway. Must-visit spots include Holbrook (the site of the Wigwam Motel), Winslow (celebrated by The Eagles in “Take it Easy”) and Williams, the starting point for the Grand Canyon Railway.
8. Sedona
Optimal for spirituality and wellness
Although technically a metropolis, Sedona comes across more as an upscale village embraced by natural majesty. Wherever you may roam, you’re greeted with formidable red-rock formations and 5000ft monoliths like Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock – cited as centers for natural energy fields known as vortexes.
Today’s Sedona has transformed from a ranching and apple orchard outpost into a renowned center for spirituality, wellness, and supposedly UFO sightings; this land also holds sacred significance for numerous Indigenous communities. Additionally, it serves as an excellent destination for art aficionados and outdoor adventurers, boasting over 80 galleries and 400 miles of trails weaving along Oak Creek through clusters of prickly pears and ponderosa pines.
9. Meteor Crater
Optimal for ancient history
Among Arizona’s many notable locations, Meteor Crater near Winslow is a landmark for the ages. Nearly a mile wide and 550ft deep, this vast hollow is regarded as the most well-preserved meteorite impact site globally. The site has an intriguing backstory: it was formed about 50,000 years ago when a massive iron-nickel meteorite collided with the earth at 26,000 mph, creating an impeccable impact crater. More insights about the site can be discovered at the visitor center and 4D theater.
10. Flagstaff
Optimal for stargazing
Located at an altitude of 7000ft, Flagstaff delivers the finest of both mountain vistas and urban attractions. Nestled within the globe’s largest ponderosa pine forest, “Flag” hosts Northern Arizona University, adding to the city’s youthful and energetic feel. Streets are lined with coffee shops and craft-beer venues, ready for exploration on the Flagstaff Brewery Trail.
For a communion with the natural world, venture to the Arizona Snowbowl, a year-round playground located just outside Flagstaff, offering 40 ski trails and three terrain parks. Chairlifts ascend to 11,500ft, revealing breathtaking views of Sedona’s red landscapes, the Grand Canyon’s edge, and expanses of cinder cones as you journey up the western face of 12,637ft Mount Humphreys.
A significant destination for astrotourism, Flagstaff is prominent in this realm. In 1930, astronomers at Lowell Observatory here identified Pluto, and all American astronauts who have walked on the moon trained in Flagstaff. Years later, Flagstaff achieved the status of the world’s first International Dark Sky city, attracting countless visitors seeking to gaze at the stars.
Planning tip: Flagstaff makes an excellent starting point for exploring the wider region. Meteor Crater lies just 42 miles away, with easy road access to Grand Canyon National Park, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Volcano National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument.