Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun - American Southwest - page 434

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5 SEEING THE SIGHTS

THE DESERT & ITS NATIVE CULTURES
Deer Valley Rock Art Center Located in the Hedgepeth Hills in the northwest
corner of the Valley of the Sun, the Deer Valley Rock Art Center preserves an amazing
concentration of Native American petroglyphs, some of which date back 5,000 years.
Although these petroglyphs may not at first seem as impressive as those at more famous
sites, the sheer numbers make this a fascinating spot. The drawings, which range from
simple spirals to much more complex renderings of herds of deer, are on volcanic boul-
ders along a .25-mile trail. An interpretive center provides background information on
this site and on rock art in general.
3711 W. Deer Valley Rd. & 623/582-8007. www.asu.edu/clas/shesc/dvrac. Admission $7 adults, $4
seniors and students, $3 children 6-12. Oct-Apr Tues-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; May-Sept Tues-
Sun 8am-2pm. Closed major holidays. Take the Loop 101 hwy. west to 27th Ave., go north to Deer Valley
Dr., and go west 2 1 / 2 miles to just past 35th Ave.
Desert Botanical Garden In Papago Park adjacent to the Phoenix Zoo, this
botanic garden displays more than 20,000 desert plants from around the world, and its
Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail is the state's best introduction to South-
western ethnobotany (human use of plants). Along this trail you can make your own
yucca-fiber brush and practice grinding corn as Native Americans once did. On the
Desert Wildflower Trail, you'll find colorful wildflowers. Each spring, there's usually a
butterfly pavilion filled with live butterflies. If you come late in the day, you can stay
until after dark and see night-blooming flowers and dramatically lit cactuses. A cafe here
makes a great lunch spot; and during the cooler months, there are concerts. From late
November to late December, during Las Noches de las Luminarias, the gardens are lit at
night by luminarias (candles inside small bags).
In Papago Park, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy. & 480/941-1225. www.dbg.org. Admission $15 adults, $14
seniors, $7.50 students 13-18, $5 children 3-12. Oct-Apr daily 8am-8pm; May-Sept daily 7am-8pm.
Closed July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Bus: 3. METRO light rail: Priest Dr./Washington St.

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Heard Museum The Heard Museum is one of the nation's finest museums
dealing exclusively with Native American cultures and is an ideal introduction to the
indigenous peoples of Arizona. From pre-Columbian to contemporary, if it's art created
by Native Americans, you'll find it here. If you're interested in the Native cultures of
Arizona, this should be your very first stop in the state. The Home: Native People in the
Southwest exhibit examines the culture of each of the major tribes of the region.
Included in this exhibit are more than 500 kachina dolls. In another gallery, you'll find
fascinating exhibits of contemporary Native American art. Guided tours are offered daily.
The annual Guild Indian Fair and Market, held the first weekend in March, includes
arts, crafts, and traditional dances.
The museum also operates the Heard Museum North, 32633 N. Scottsdale Rd.
( & 480/488-9817 ), in Carefree. This gallery features changing exhibits and is open
Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Admis-
sion is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students, and free for children 5 and under
(free for all on the second Sun of each month). A third museum— Heard Museum
West —is in the city of Surprise at 16126 N. Civic Center Plaza ( & 623/344-2200 ).
This museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm (free for all on the