Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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preserves “forests” of saguaro cactuses
and is the very essence of the desert as
so many people imagine it. You can
hike it, bike it, or drive it. See p. 375.
•
Desert Botanical Garden
(AZ): There's
no better place to learn about the plants
of Arizona's Sonoran Desert and the
many other deserts of the world. Dis-
plays at this Phoenix botanical garden
explain plant adaptations and how
indigenous tribes once used many of
this region's wild plants. See p. 434.
•
Zion National Park
(UT): At the Nar-
rows in Zion, sheer 1,000-foot-high
walls enclose you in a 20-foot-wide
world of hanging gardens, waterfalls,
and sculpted sandstone arches, with the
Virgin River beneath your feet. This is
one of the park's many awe-inspiring
experiences. See p. 567.
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THE BEST OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
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Hiking
(throughout the region): What's
unique about hiking in the Southwest is
the variety of terrain, from desert to
alpine forest to badlands to canyons. In
Utah, you can hike right past all three
stone formations at Natural Bridges
National Monument (p. 95) or explore
the hoodoo formations in Bryce Can-
yon National Park (p. 573). Some of
our favorite places for a hike in New
Mexico are the El Morro National
Monument (p. 279), the hauntingly
sculpted rock formations at Abiquiu
that artist Georgia O'Keeffe made
famous in her paintings (p. 164), and
White Sands National Monument
(p. 304).
In Arizona, a hike down into the
Grand Canyon or Havasu Canyon is not
for the unfit or the faint of heart, but it
will take you on a journey through mil-
lions of years set in stone. This trip takes
plenty of planning and requires some
strenuous hiking. See “The Grand Can-
yon South Rim” and “Havasu Canyon
& Grand Canyon West,” in chapter 16.
•
Ballooning
(NM and AZ): With the
International Balloon Fiesta in Albu-
querque bringing more than 750 bal-
loons to the area, Albuquerque has
become the sport's world capital. Fortu-
nately, visitors can let loose the tethers
and float free, too. Most of the opera-
tors are in Albuquerque; see p. 75 for
recommendations. Ballooning is also
popular in Arizona; see “Organized
Tours,” in chapter 12, “Organized Tours
& Excursions,” in chapter 13, and
“Organized Tours,” under “Sedona &
Oak Creek Canyon,” in chapter 15, for
information on companies in Tucson,
Phoenix, and Sedona.
•
Horseback riding
(NM and AZ): New
Mexico's history is stamped with the
hoof, dating from the Spanish conquis-
tadors' introduction of horses to the
New World. Riding in New Mexico still
has that Old West feel, with trails that
wind through wilderness, traversing
passes and broad meadows. Some of the
best rides are near Santa Fe, on Taos
Pueblo land, and in Southern New
Mexico. See p. 176, 229, and 300.
Cowboys still ride ranges all over
Arizona, and so can you, if you book a
stay at one of the state's many guest
ranches (formerly known as dude
ranches). You might even get to drive
some cattle down the trail. After a long
or short day in the saddle, you can soak
in a hot tub, go for a swim, or play ten-
nis before chowing down. See chapters
12, 14, and 15.
•
Mountain Biking
(NM and AZ):
Almost anywhere you go in New Mex-
ico, you'll find trails. We've hooked
onto some fun single-track near Cloud-
croft down south and explored sage
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