This drive also happens to be one of the best for stargazing due to the absence of light pollution and the remote nature. Tombstone is a delightful town in southeastern Arizona that is known throughout the United States for its Old West-related attractions, including the famed O.K. Pro Tip: If you plan to camp in Utah, make sure to check out our car camping post for the ultimate night under the stars! If you happen to be staying in Tucson or traveling anywhere in Southern Arizona, its worth a look. Coxhead, who discovered silver deposits within the area's beautiful Castle Creek Valley. When reflecting the suns rays, the formations look as if theyre on fire. It would be such a fun trip!! Aug 1, 2020 - Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Texas. Must-do activities include hiking Angels Landing, The Narrows, and taking the shuttle for the entire scenic road. Im so happy we could inspire you Greg! Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. View of the surrounding mountains add a bit of excitement. Cities like Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Phoenix, and Albuquerque are home to unique museums showcasing exhibits on topics like indigenous and Southwestern art, and the history of the region's nuclear missile testing and development. The museum, which was originally developed as Sandia Atomic Museum in 1969 on the grounds of Kirtland Air Force Base, moved to its current location under its current name in 2009. The southwestern U.S. is home to many beautiful national parks, and Bryce Canyon is surely one of the most awe-inspiring of all. While the bridge looks very narrow from afar, its actually quite wide at about 5 feet. We ended up sleeping in our van at Devils Gate based on the advice of an employee at Stove Pipe Wells Village. Places Of Interest in Southwest Hbr on YP.com. This one is jam packed with red rock views although it does not offer the respite from the heat, nor the leafy trees and swimming holes of Oak Creek. The natural 180-degree river curve is a beautiful sight to see! Utah's Zion National Park offers some of the most beautiful vistas and hiking opportunities in the southwest, with spectacular rock formations, towering cliffs, magnificent waterfalls, valleys and deserts all just waiting to be explored. 3198 State Rte 2001, Alamogordo, NM 88310, Phone: 575-437-2840, Free points of interest close to me: Best Places to Visit in USA, Frankfort, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Cadillac, CA Hot Springs. People can walk along the paths or take boat rides down the river! Free of humidity, the desert air also increases visibility. 01 of 13 Horseshoe Bend TripSavvy / Kathleen Messmer The cliff above Horseshoe Bend near the northern border of Arizona offers a look at one of the most iconic views of the southwest where the Colorado River bends around a massive rock formation. Beyond the . Read More: Discover Secret Locations In Capitol Reef National Park. I wouldnt be surprised if the ruins are now haunted. Top Attractions in Southwest Region See all 1. Petroglyphs carved by Ancestral Puebloans date back as far as 300 B.C., located at several sites that can be accessed via hiking trails. Who knew such gorgeous natural scenery could be found just a half hour from the man-made entertainment extravaganza of the country known as The Strip? The park was originally established in 1933 and is home to a 275-square-mile dune field within the beautiful Tularosa Basin. There is a high Hispanic population in the area. A long time ago the desert area that stands today was covered by a lake in which layers of gypsum sand were deposited at the bottom. The well-preserved Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings are the most intriguing. Here, you are allowed to walk across a natural sandstone bridge with incredible views of the vast desert in the distance. We camped at Santa Rosa State Park and swam at Blue Hole. We went through so many State and National Parks!! ), there are so many amazing Joshua Tree Airbnbs to choose from! Despite the crowds and oftentimes insane wait to get in, the trail is incredibly scenic, peaceful, and the perfect shady escape from the heat of the desert. Location: 30 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona on Hwy 180. Many gorgeous natural areas are located within the region, including Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Canyon, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Today, visitors can explore both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons, which are commonly referred to as "The Crack" and "The Corkscrew." This gorgeous well-maintained state park is a great place for new tourists as there are a number of easy-moderate well marked trails which all offer surprisingly gorgeous views for so little effort compared to many of the harder treks in town. Garden of the Gods is often ranked as one of the top parks in the United States, where you can hike, ride horses, picnic or just relax and watch the rock climbers. Grand Canyon National Park is home to one of the most well-known natural wonders in the world, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you will find strange and beautiful round rock formations, lots of climbers and most important FREE CAMPING! On this incredible drive, very diverse landscapes including ponderosa pine forests, colorful cinder cones, and the sparse desert plains come into view. Connections are offered to other area trail systems, including the Nature Conservancy, Atalaya, and Dorothy Stewart Trails. The museum, which is located just 40 minutes south of the city of Tucson, is overseen by the Arizona Aerospace Foundation and preserves a three-level underground Launch Control Center facility, along with an eight-level missile silo that is home to an inert Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile. With towering rock formations, lush plant life, and the serene Virgin river flowing through the park, the name Zion (which translates into a place of peace in Hebrew) really rings true. Wupataki is a 100 room, very well preserved pueblo ruin found just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, this is an iconic stop on any American southwest road trip. The gorgeous red sandstone color of the pueblo stands out brilliantly amongst the blue skies of the Arizona desert. Several restaurants and stores line the banks. While hiking Camelback Mountain is often touted as the must-do in the Phoenix area, in all reality, this hike is very difficult and also very crowded much of the time. The annual festival is the world's largest hot air balloon festival, originally established in 1972 for the 50th anniversary celebration of local radio station 770 KOB Radio. Eons of wind and rain carved the gargantuan red-sandstone monoliths into fascinating formations, many of which jut hundreds of feet above the desert floor in a scene thats remained untouched for centuries. This impressive sandstone arch can be reached with a two-mile roundtrip hike from the Devils Garden parking area. Depending on what time of year you visit, refer to our Sedona packing list to make sure youre packing the correct layers for the weather. The American Southwest is home to some of the world's greatest natural wonders, including the red-rimmed walls of the Grand Canyon, the stunning sand dunes of White Sands National Monument, and the unique underground features of Antelope Canyon. The payoff for your effort is a mesmerizing vista of the pine covered canyons. Its a pretty exhilarating experience definitely one for the bucket list! Arches is another very unique destination where youll find balanced rocks teetering on pedestals and more than 2,000 sandstone arches framing the sky with peek-a-boo windows as well as fascinating formations dotted across this colorful landscape of fiery red, brilliant orange, an array of purples, pinks, browns and even shades of aquamarine. Read More: Conquer Zions Dangerous Angels Landing Hike. Romantic resorts & ideas: Things to Do in Austin, Best Things to Do in Columbus, Italian restaurants NYC, Things to Do in Las Vegas, Best Things to Do in Baltimore. The city, which is located just half an hour from the United States-Mexico border, thrived throughout the mid-19th century, once home to 110 saloons, 14 gambling halls, three newspapers, and a number of infamous brothels and dance houses. The park is anchored around the stunning show cavern of the same name, which is open to the public throughout the year and can be explored as part of self-guided or guided tour experiences. Location: 6.5 miles up Snowbowl Rd. Visitors can access the falls via a 10-mile hike and enjoy opportunities for picnics and relaxation at its quaint day-use picnic areas. Along with this picturesque walk, there are many amazing hikes in Joshua Tree National Park to explore. Above ground, the park's visitor center showcases exhibits on its cavern systems and natural terrain development. If you arrive here early in the morning before the crowds hit, it really is an exhilarating experience to stand alone on top of a sand dune, seemingly millions of miles away from any civilization. Credit. The organ mountains were named as so for their steep, needle like spires which resemble organ pipes. The Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad takes you on an exhilarating 45.2 mile route through the beautiful San Juan National Forest by way of a historic, coal-fired, steam powered train. Endeavoring to improve your knowledge and understanding about the Greater Western Region of the US, Scottsdales Museum of the West (a Smithsonian affiliate) is well worth a visit. An unplanned stop was in Santa Rosa NM. The trek to the Upper Falls is 3 miles round-trip, however, if you are looking for something a bit easier you can go out to the middle falls which is just 2 miles. There are also some nice moderate hiking trails which overlook the lake. Buffalo Park is a beautiful year-round recreational park in Flagstaff, Arizona. Capitol Reef National Park is quite possibly the least accessible national park in Utah, but dont let that deter you from paying it a visit. Places to visit near me: Arlington,