Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for arizona
A Desert Laboratory in Arizona
By Linda Tancs
Widely considered to be the greatest American architect of all time, Frank Lloyd Wright designed his winter home in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the desert foothills of the McDowell Mountains. His intention was that the home be “of the hill” rather than on it. That’s the meaning behind the locale’s unusual name, Taliesin. It’s a Welsh name meaning “shining brow.” Known as Taliesin West (to distinguish it from his home in Wisconsin known as Taliesin), the National Historic Landmark is built below the hillcrest, on its brow rather than its crown, prompting Wright to call it “a look over the rim of the world.” The property is open to the public with a variety of walking tours where you’ll experience this unique complex terraced into the landscape.
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The Hall of Flame
By Linda Tancs
Home to the National Firefighting Hall of Heroes, the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting in Phoenix, Arizona, is dedicated to the historical preservation of firefighting equipment used through the years around the world. The museum’s artifacts were originally the private collection of George F. Getz Jr., who opened the original Hall of Flame in Wisconsin in 1961. Today’s collection includes fire alarm systems, extinguishers, helmets, firemarks (tin decals used in advertising) and a variety of hand, horse-drawn and motorized apparatus. The museum is conveniently located near the borders of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe and within walking distance from the light rail station at Priest Dr. / Washington Street.
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The World’s Sunniest City
By Linda Tancs
Sun worshippers, take note. The sun is mostly always shining in Yuma, Arizona. In fact, the locale has been designated the World’s Sunniest City by Guinness World Records! To put that in perspective, the annual average of the possible hours of sunshine is 91 percent (a mean of 4,055 hours out of 4,456 possible hours in a year). Thankfully, there’s much to do to take advantage of that. The area boasts nearly a dozen golf courses, for starters. Or maybe you’d like to off-road on the dunes or spot desert critters at one of the three national wildlife refuges. And then there’s the Colorado River and lakes, which offer tubing, canoeing and boating opportunities. About 15 miles south of Yuma is another bit of terrain worth exploring although it requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Known as the Valley of the Names, it’s a remote desert in California (Yuma being the nearest city) comprising 1,200 acres of land filled with signatures, dates, messages and drawings made from rocks. Legend has it that the practice started during World War II, when soldiers stationed in the area for desert warfare training wanted to leave a memento for loved ones. If you go, stay on the trails, and don’t be tempted to add your own messages or take any rocks from the site.
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A Wonder in Navajo Nation
By Linda Tancs
Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument was authorized in 1931 by President Herbert Hoover to preserve important archaeological resources that span more than 4,000 years of indigenous occupation, longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. The monument encompasses approximately 84,000 acres of land located entirely on the Navajo Nation with roughly 40 families residing within the park boundaries. It’s prized for its colorful sheer cliffs, sporting scenery like ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings (called the White House ruins due to a white band across the nearby cliffs) and the 800-foot sandstone spire known as Spider Rock. One of the best ways to experience these and other features is to drive along the north and south rims along the canyons, each offering several overlook points. Also, a wide range of free ranger-led programs are available between May and September, including talks and guided hikes into the canyons.
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Red Rocks and a Railroad
By Linda Tancs
Arizona is defined by canyons presenting unforgettable views. One of those treasures is Verde Canyon, where a distinctive confluence of high desert and wetland provides enviable wildlife viewing opportunities. You can do that on a four-hour return train ride aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad between Clarkdale and the historic ranch town of Perkinsville. Using 20 miles of heritage track built in 1912 to serve the copper mines out of Jerome, the well-appointed vintage train cars journey through a red rock canyon that follows the curves of the Verde River, offering spectacular views of unusual geology, abundant wildlife, lush greenery and Native American ruins. The climate-controlled cars run year round.
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A Limestone High-Rise in Arizona
By Linda Tancs
When you think of a high-rise apartment, you’d naturally imagine lots of steel and glass. But in ancient times, they would’ve made do with much less. That’s evident at Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde, Arizona. The third national monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture, the so-called castle is a 20-room, high-rise apartment nestled into a towering limestone cliff. The Sinagua people began construction of the structure around 900 years ago and abandoned it about 600 years ago. It isn’t structurally stable enough to accommodate tourists but you can admire the ingenuity nonetheless.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Passages in Arizona
By Linda Tancs
The Arizona Trail is an 800-mile scenic trail traversing the entire north-south length of the State of Arizona, connecting deserts, mountains, canyons and wilderness. Whether on foot, mountain bike or horseback, that’s a lot of ground to cover, so it’s a good thing the route is divided into passages to help you conquer it in pieces. There are 43 passages, categorized into southern, central and northern sections. You’ll even find volunteer trail stewards should you need assistance. You might be tempted to go during the summer months, but the desert heat is legendary. Likewise, winter months are fraught with heavy snow. The best times to visit are October/November and March/April. A good walk through the entire route will take six to eight weeks.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Rim-Side at the Canyon
By Linda Tancs
A canyon that is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep is what comprises Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Don’t be challenged by its immensity; there are ways to take in all that grandeur. One option is the Grand Canyon Greenway Trail, a 13-mile, paved pathway for biking and walking, offering a rim-side view of the canyon and providing access to numerous scenic viewpoints and landmarks in the park. One of those attractions is Grand Canyon Village, a historical landmark boasting sites like Hopi House (built like a Hopi pueblo), the old railroad depot and Buckey O’Neill Cabin, considered the oldest continuously standing structure on the South Rim.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Desert Conservation in the Southwest
By Linda Tancs
The Desert Botanical Garden is a 140 acres-wide botanical garden in Phoenix, Arizona. A pioneer in desert conservation, it’s an indispensable resource in the Southwest for helping individuals learn about Sonoran Desert plants as well as desert plants elsewhere in the world. One of only 24 botanical gardens accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, it boasts over 50,000 plant displays showcased in beautiful outdoor exhibits. The garden includes five unique desert trails as well as temporary exhibits and seasonal events highlighting desert life and its preservation.
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Symbol of the American West
By Linda Tancs
The nation’s largest cacti reside in Tucson, Arizona. In particular, that’s the giant saguaro—a large, tree-like columnar cactus that finds protection in Saguaro National Park. A universal symbol of the West, these Sonoran desert sentinels are only found in small portions of the country. The park is uniquely situated around the 500 square miles that make up Tucson. Its two districts—the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east—are separated by the city’s 1 million residents. The western district boasts large stands of saguaro cacti. November through March is the park’s busiest season, when temperatures are cooler and range from the high 50s to the mid-70s.
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