Arizona

Patricia Lamb

Arizona became the 48th state on Valentine's Day 1912 and has maintained its territorial spirit ever since. Less than 1/5 of the state is privately owned; the balance is Indian land, as well as federal- and state-owned forest, park and wilderness. Spanish, Mexican and Native American cultures blend together and are reflected in Arizona's history, cuisine, entertainment and architecture. And you can still get your kicks on Route 66-portions of the historic "Mother Road" can still be found here.

Arizona offers an abundance of outdoor activities year round. The nation's golf capital is a duffer's paradise with nearly 300 courses. Arizona also leads the nation in the number of new courses developed each year. Humphrey's Peak near Flagstaff climbs to 12,643 feet and is home to Snowbowl ski resort. Tucson has Mt. Lemmon, the southernmost ski area in the country. Horse lovers can ride at guest ranches or on wilderness trails. And you can go boating, water skiing, tubing or fishing on Arizona's many lakes and rivers.

President Theodore Roosevelt wrote of the "wonder and splendor of the Grand Canyon" and called it "the one great sight every American should see." No wonder the canyon is the state's top tourist attraction. A United Nations World Heritage Site, the canyon has been called "One of Seven Natural Wonders of the World."

No artist could improve on the Canyon's ever-changing array of scenery. Millions of years of climatic and geologic changes are recorded on canyon walls, in buttes, bluffs and chasms. Incredibly, almost half the earth's history is on view here. But don't forget that you're observing a work in progress; the Grand Canyon is still under construction by geologic forces. The Canyon measures over a mile deep, more than 200 miles long and up to 18 miles wide. The mighty Colorado River has eroded its way through the canyon over eons. Today's visitor can experience exquisite views from dizzying heights. Light and shadow play on the sheer cliffs and towering spires. The canyon's remarkable color is at its most intense at sunrise and sunset.

The South Rim is most accessible and attracts the majority of visitors. The North Rim is cooler and wetter; it is home to Bright Angel Point viewing spot. The base of the canyon is desert, with temperatures up to 120 degrees and fewer than 10 inches annual rainfall. Free shuttle buses run year round in the South Rim's Grand Canyon Village from March to November.

You can explore the canyon via mule train, tour bus or even small aircraft. Those who enjoy whirling rapids can also raft down the Colorado from Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch and all the way to Lake Mead. Hiking the canyon is a good way to get a sense of its vastness, beauty and variety.

The Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim features exhibits on the area's history. The West Rim Drive stretches for eight miles and boasts 10 magnificent overlooks. The Powell Memorial honors Major John Wesley Powell, a brave, one-armed Civil War hero who explored the Canyon by dory in 1869.

Phoenix and surrounding cities make up the Valley of the Sun, now one of country's largest metropolitan areas. State capital Phoenix is a modern, bustling city of skyscrapers, cell phones, museums, theaters and art galleries, set in the fertile Salt River basin with the Superstition Mountains to the east.

The original Phoenicians were Hohokam Indians who built a series of irrigation channels here. Phoenix developed as a supply point for the north central Arizona territory and grew into a frontier town complete with stagecoaches, cowboys, soldiers and miners. The area really began booming with the invention of air conditioning, a necessity during summer's blistering heat.

The Heard Museum, with 100,000 Southwestern Indian works of art, is a must-see. Among the collection are hundreds of kachina dolls once owned by Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. Other exhibits feature Southwestern Native basketry, pottery and jewelry.

In Papago Park, visit Pueblo Grande, a 13th-century Native American ruin within the city. Here you can observe remains of the Hohokam's sophisticated irrigation and farming skills. In the same area, you'll find the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden and the unusual Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting, the latter featuring ornate hand- and horse-drawn pumpers, hook-and-ladder wagons and other firefighting equipment.

Scottsdale is known as "the West's most Western town." Old Town Scottsdale comprises four square blocks of buildings dating from the early 1900's. The Little Red School House, built in 1909, is now home to the Scottsdale Historical Museum. Rawhide is a recreated 1880's town, complete with small shops and Western shows. Scottsdale is also home to Taliesin West, the studio and part-time residence of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Tempe, home to Arizona State University, is a lively college town. On campus is the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Grady Gammage Auditor-ium. Mill Avenue has great shops and sidewalk vendors selling everything from soap to sculptures. Nearby Glendale, with its red-brick sidewalks, white picket fences, shade trees and gaslights, has a real old-time charm. If you like antiques, do not miss Historic Catlin Court Shops District and Old Towne in this "Antique Capital of Arizona." Mesa has the excellent Mesa Southwest Museum featuring exhibits on Arizona history. Highlights include an animated dinosaur display and an exhibit about the Lost Dutchman's gold mine.

Sagebrush and saguaros, margaritas and mariachis: sunny Tucson lies only 64 miles from the border and has over 150 Mexican restaurants. The city is also known for spas, golf, bird watching and baseball-three major league baseball teams practice here every March. Rock hounds also congregate here annually for the world's largest gem, mineral and fossil show.

The Sonoran Desert wraps around the city like a serape. The towering saguaro (pronounced suh-WAR-oh) cactus grows only here. This fascinating plant can live for 100 years; it can also weigh up to seven tons. Tucson's Saguaro National Park has the world's largest concentration of these amazing plants.

Tucson, first settled in 800 B.C., prides itself on being the longest continuously inhabited region in the Northern Hemisphere. Later, settlers built a walled Spanish fortress, or pueblo, for defense against Indian attacks, giving Tucson the nickname "Old Pueblo."

The modern-day city was founded in 1775. In 1867, Tucson became the wild and woolly capital of the Arizona Territory (the capital was moved North before statehood.) Over the course of its history, five different flags-those of Spain, Mexico, the U.S. Confederacy, the Union and Old Glory-have flown over Tucson.

Sentinel Peak Park, referred to as "A" Mountain because University of Arizona freshmen annually whitewash that letter on the mountainside, is an excellent view spot, especially at night. The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum features native birds, reptiles, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, small mammals and plants in their natural desert settings. Another popular attraction is Old Tucson Studios, built in 1940 as a movie set. Now, it is a combination theme park and movie lot, complete with steam train, pony rides, gold panning, stage shows and stunt-show shootouts.

Mission San Xavier del Bac, south of the city, was built by Spanish missionaries 300 years ago as part of a chain of churches stretching from Northern Mexico throughout the American Southwest. The church, which still serves the Tohono O'odham Indian community, is sometimes called the "Sistine Chapel of North America" because of its hand painted frescoes on ceiling and walls.

Of all rough-and-tumble Wild West towns, Tombstone was the most notorious. "The Town too Tough to Die," has survived numerous disasters since its boom years, when its mines produced millions of dollars in silver and gold. Stroll along the wooden sidewalks, ride a stagecoach,and visit the old Bird Cage Theater. At the original OK Corral, watch a reenactment of the famous shootout between Wyatt Earp's lawmen and the Clanton gang. Then read the epitaphs of departed souls in the Boothill graveyard.

Fewer than two hours north of Phoenix, about 4,300 feet above sea level, lies picturesque Sedona. Erosion and faulting in the soft, red sandstone created Sedona's scenic canyons. Native people believed this land was sacred. Some people still associate the area with energy and spiritual awareness. You can hike, bike or take a jeep tour to see the unusual rock formations and buttes. Oak Creek Canyon, especially glorious in Autumn, meanders for miles along a rushing steam lined with cypress, pine and juniper trees. Tlaquepaque, an upscale market modeled after a famous Mexican shopping village, displays the work of over 100 artisans.

Prescott (pronounced presskit) is known as "Everybody's Home Town." The former state capital boasts a mild four-season climate and five nearby lakes. Here are 500 Victorian and brick buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The town's notorious Whiskey Row is lined with dozens of historic saloons once haunted by miners and cowboys. The Sharlot Hall Museum, named for the first woman to hold territorial office, consists of several restored 19th-century structures.

Lake Powell, in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, is a favorite with houseboaters because of its hidden inlets and dramatic landscapes. Houseboating is also available on the Colorado River,at Lake Mead, Lake Havasu (current home of London Bridge) and Lake Mohave. You can also rent other watercraft.

Arizona is home to 23 Native American tribes, the largest Native population of any state. The Navajo have the largest reservation, covering 25,000 square miles. The Hopi reservation lies within the Navajo reservation boundaries. Hopis live on mesas and are known for their brightly painted kachina dolls. Apaches now live on reservations in Eastern and Southern Arizona. Other Indian lands worth visiting are Canyon de Chelly (pronounced shay) and Monument Valley, of Western movie fame.

Few states offer as much beauty and variety as Arizona.

Patricia Lamb is a Newport Beach-based writer and photographer. She also writes for AAA Going Places, MotorHome and Travel World International.