Mention Arizona to someone, and you will get the same responses: Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Desert, Hot! But Arizona is so incredibly diverse, with so many hidden surprises.
It is a good thing we checked our list of National and State Parks before we traveled. Otherwise, we would have missed out on some great side visits.
Our first stop after the Grand Canyon was Walnut Canyon National Monument, located just east of Flagstaff. Little did we know that this was the home of some amazing ancient cliff dwelling societies. The hiking around this area was incredible, and even though we had limited time, we enjoyed the scenic climb down to see the cliff dwellings, and the strenuous hike back up to take in the majestic views. I suspect this is not one of the most visited areas in the Flagstaff area, but we sure are glad we drove just a bit out of the way to experience it.
A very short drive away we found two adjacent National Monument sites: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument. Sunset Crater is home to an ancient lava flow that looks like it may have happened just a few years ago. Long stretches of volcanic rocks lead off into the distance. The size and scope of the lava flow shows just how powerful a blast this must have been. The hillsides are still barren, but there is so much life between and within the lava flows.
Directly adjacent to Sunset Crater is Wupatki National Monument, home to ancient civilizations. The rock dwellings are in incredible condition, and are very impressive. A short walk around the site shows just how large it is, and how important this site must have been to these people.
While these surprising visits were so worth the time, we were in a race with time. We were rushing towards the Utah border in time to catch sunset at Monument Valley . . .
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