With our family in town we plan to take them on a tour of the north of Arizona for a few days and hope that the weather will be with us - and it is from the point of view that it does not snow during our visit however it can be bitter cold and we have to avoid staying outside too long most days unfortunately. That is not the case at our first stop as Montezuma Castle is still in a relatively warm area and even though we have been here before we enjoy seeing the well preserved ruin again while walking the short loop trail.
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| Montezuma Castle in the distance | From the front |
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| Close up of ruins | Very well preserved |
There are also a few smaller ruins that we visit this time but similar to the major one you cannot enter it and can see it only from the outside. There is even one well preserved metate inside that we can study from a distance while looking for swallows at the swallow nests we see farther up on the cliffs (there are none).
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| Second ruin - less well preserved | Smaller ruin |
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| Stabilized wall | Metate |
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| Swallow nests near the ruin | Verde River is flowing nearby |
Next we drive towards Sedona where we stop a bit to look at the rocks and to visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is nicely tucked into the landscape. We also stop downtown to look at the small artist shops which are quite expensive before moving on.
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| Sedona - Red rocks view | Sedona - Chapel of the Holy Cross |
From here we continue on through the Oak Creek Canyon which is a bit scary due to the possible snow and ice but there is none on the road even though the sides of the road are quite snowy. We stop at the top at the overlook 5 minutes before closing so we run to the overlook to take a few pictures before returning to the car.
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| Oak Creek Vista View | 89A climbing - we already did it:) |
We stop as usual at Two Guns to show our relatives the abandoned gas station and ruins. This time we even enter the gas station and it looks as we expected inside - lots of trash and graffiti.
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| Abandoned gas station at Two Guns | Inside the gas station |
The ruins of the zoo as usual are quite impressive and we wander around entering some of the cages but it is getting late and soon we have to leave towards Holbrook where we will stay the night.
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| Two Guns view and bridge | Overall view of Two Guns |
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| Animal pens at the zoo | We even entered this one |
After check in we decide to go out for dinner and find a steak restaurant nearby where we get some steak and chicken fried steak which are both quite good before going to sleep.
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| Our dinner - quite substantial | Chicken fried steak |
We stayed in Holbrook so we can be close to the Petrified Forest National Park and after breakfast that is where we are going today. It is quite cold this morning so we start with the museum where at least we can be inside for some time while we hope it gets a bit warmer outside. The museum while small is quite interesting, exhibiting the many fossils found in the Petrified Forest area. One of the more interesting fosssils (even though it is just a copy) is the first crayfish that was found in the fossil record - funny. There are also lots of dinosaurs and huge crocs bones so we have a lot to explore before finally going outside on the short trail near the visitor center.
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| Petrified Forest NP Museum | Two well restored skeletons |
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| Lots of fossils were found here | Ancient fern |
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| Earliest crayfish found (only a copy though) | Looks scary even now |
The trail is paved and it soon passes some very well preserved petrified trees that from a distance can actually pass for real trees. However when you get close you can easily see the colorful minerals that have substituted the food in this trees (and if allowed you could try to see how much one weights which would be a surprise).
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| Huge petrified tree | Smaller petrified tree |
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| Very colorful | Petrified wood with a bit of snow |
The trail is actually a loop trail and we enjoy seeing quite a few more petrified trees on the way and especially the colors in the tree bits - they can be quite varied from one tree segment to another.
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| Some trees are more broken down | Build a tree from the boulders... |
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| Another colorful tree part | Lots of colorful minerals |
After returning to the car we drive to the parking lot for the Crystal Forest trail - we plan to walk the full trail even though it is still cold. The amount of petrified wood on the trail is impressive and the trail passes quite close to some nice colorful fragments that we stop for some time to admire.
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| On the Crystal Forest trail | There is snow on the ground and bitter cold |
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| Tree fragments by the trail | Broken down petrified tree |
The trail continues through the featureless landscape - likely the fact that there are no real trees or grass makes the petrified trees much more impressive as they are clearly visible and not hidden in the grass or between trees.
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| Impressive how the petrified tree has broken down | View of petrified wood area |
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| Tree segments by the road | Another segment by the trail |
On the way back we start to feel the cold much stronger because the wind picks up and it is a very cold wind. We start to run a bit towards the car which doesn't help so we take it slow enjoying the views and the trees on the way before returning to the heated car.
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| Area is quite desolate with some snow | Tree fragments are everywhere we look |
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| Fragments on the way back | Soo many |
In fact the only animals that seem to not be bothered by the cold are the crows which are everywhere and following everyone for some scraps of food - the sounds that they make, you could swear they are communicating something very profound.
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| Very common - looks cold | And intelligent |
Our next stop is at the Agate Bridge, a natural rock bridge which for a change in this case is accessed from above so the view is a bit different than usual. You could actually walk over it some time back but now that is forbidden for obvious safety reasons.
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| Agate Bridge in the distance | Close up of Agate Bridge |
We continue stopping at different overlooks along the way but we choose not to do any more long hikes just for safety as we do not want our relatives to catch a cold or get sick. Most overlooks on this stretch show us different formations including the aptly named Teepee rock formations.
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| Stopping on the way | Lunar landscape |
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| The teepees | Close up of one of the teepees |
The next time we exit the car is at the Newspaper Rock - in fact there are at least a couple of them - which are large boulders covered with petroglyphs. There are lots and lots of petroglyphs including some of ETs(:)) but they are quite distant and you have to use the provided scopes to see them which takes a bit from the fun as they are freezing cold to use and difficult to focus.
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| Newspaper rock detail | Another part of the Newspaper rock |
Next we pass the railway line and suddenly the views change with the featureless landscape being replaced with some beautiful views of the painted desert. There are a few vistas that we stop at and each of them have a different view of the desert and each of them are interesting and worth stopping at.
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| First view of Painted Desert | Close up of Painted Desert |
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| Another view from a different viewpoint | There is a river flowing in the distance |
We find that the best viewpoints are the ones where the beautiful colors of the painted desert mix with the white of the snow - the contrast is breathtaking. We enjoy it until the cold drives us back to the car and we continue on to the visitor center.
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| Beautiful contrast | Lots of snow in the distance |
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| Even more contrast - spectacular | Can't get enough of the view |
At the visitor center we visit the gift shop but more importantly for us we stop at the self serve restaurant and eat a late lunch - just some frybread and a few hotdogs but it feels good to have something in the stomach for the rest of the day.
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| Eating at the visitor center | Indian fry bread |
From Petrified Forest NP we have about a two hour drive in front of us to Flagstaff where we will stay two nights. While on the way we see a store selling petrified wood and we decide to go and see the prices. Interestingly enough the store is going out of business and therefore there are lots of slashed prices and in the end we and especially our relatives actually buy some petrified wood.
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| Maybe we should stop here | The store - closing |
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| Ostrich in an enclosure | Our souvenirs |
We also stop at the Twin Arrows casino to show our relatives a casino and they play a couple dollars and just study the casino culture (which is much less glamorous than they expected) before continuing towards Flagstaff. On the last stretch, right before Flagstaff to our surprise we pass the Oscar Meyer hot dog car - we didn't even know it existed so it is exciting.
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| Twin Arrows casino | Surprise on the road |
We find the hotel relatively easy and because our relatives are tired and cold after the long day we decide to go out to find something to eat and to take as takeout.
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| Our hotel room in Flagstaff | Flat TV screen |
We find a pizza place close by that has good reviews and but a couple pizzas and a few appetizers. The food is a success and quite tasty and filled we go to bed (and we even have some leftovers for the next day).
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| Pizza as dinner | Calamari rings |
Today we are taking our relatives to see the Grand Canyon - we are a bit scared because the roads are going at high altitude and might be icy. However while there is a lot of snow on the side of the road and some slush on the road there is no ice as we go through the pass between Kendricks Peak and the San Francisco Peaks and then descend towards Grand Canyon.
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| Snowy road to the Grand Canyon | Kendricks Peak covered in snow |
Entering the Grand Canyon takes a bit of time as it seems like everyone decided to come to the Grand Canyon today. After entering our first stop is at the visitor center where even finding a parking space is very difficult. From there we walk to Mather Point for a first look at the Grand Canyon (for our relatives) and wander a bit around the rim until retreating to the visitor center to get some warmth as it is quite windy and cold on the rim.
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| Mather Point View | There is a trail going down here |
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| Rock outcropping on the rim | Colorado River far far away at the bottom |
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| Beautiful colors in the canyon | Beautiful formation |
From the visitor center we try to find another parking spot in the developed area however it is impossible so in the end we admit defeat and we start driving towards Desert View hoping that the viewpoints along this road are less busy. And they are, we can stop at almost all of them starting with the Duck on a Rock viewpoint. It is named this way because a rock formations looks exactly like a, what else, Duck on a Rock.
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| Duck on a Rock viewpoint | Close up of Duck on a Rock |
Next we stop at Grandview Point which is one of the major Grand Canyon viewpoints especially with one of the more popular Grand Canyon trails descending from here up to the river. We are actually planning to go down the trail sometime but today certainly is not the time as the trail is closed due to ice and snow on it.
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| Grandview Point view | There is a trail going down - not open now due to snow |
Continuing we arrive at Moran Viewpoint which again has some fabulous views of the canyon, we especially like the interplay of the red rocks of the canyon with the white snow and the fact that it seems that the view goes on forever.
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| Moran Viewpoint | Wonder if people are climbing that rock tower? |
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| View far in the distance | There is a river somewhere down there |
Our next stop is a short diversion from the canyon viewpoints and is on the other side of the road. It leads us to a very small Anasazi ruin, named Tusayan Ruin. It is not that impressive for us which have visited many Anasazi ruins but it is more exciting for our relatives for which it is something different.
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| Tusayan Ruin kiwa | Low wall at Tusayan Ruin |
The Lipan viewpoint is next with some beautiful views including some of the Colorado river which are quite rare from the viewpoints as the river is usually hidden from view.
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| Lipan Point crest | Close up of crest and view of canyon |
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| Beautiful view | You can see the river down below |
Our last stop is at the Desert View Watchtower where we walk to the famous watchtower for a close view and enter it (it is choke full of people) before taking in the views and retreating to the car due to the extreme cold.
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| Desert View Watchtower from a distance | Getting close to the tower |
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| Inside the tower | View from outside |
This evening we decide to eat out and finally settle on a Vietnamese restaurant after a few other choices are so full that we have to wait at least 1/2h before getting a table. The food is acceptable and warm (which is important) and filled we go to sleep for our last night in Flagstaff.
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| Shrimp eggroll dinner | Vietnamese food - we think |
Today is our last day in Northern Arizona and we decide to visit Sunset Crater Volcano NM and Wupatki NM which are close by to Flagstaff before returning to Phoenix. We start our visit with the visitor center which has some interesting exhibits including one where you can create measurable earthquakes while jumping up and down which is quite fun to use. After that our next stop is at the Bonito Lava Flow overlook which has a great view of the contrast between the dark hardened lava and the white snow which can be quite mesmerizing.
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| Bonito Lava Flow View | Lots of volcanic rock |
We continue on to the Lava Flow Trail which we decide to walk for a while at least until we encounter an icy portion. There is no one else on the trail which makes for an eerie experience as we walk on the lava imagining how it might have looked for the Anasazi during the eruption a few hundreds of years ago. There are also some great views of the Sunset Crater from where the lava flow started - even now after hundreds of years there is still almost nothing growing on the hillsides a reminder of the power of the eruption.
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| On the Lava Flow Trail - no snow on the pavement | Lava canal near trail |
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| Sunset crater in the distance | Small colorful volcanic vent |
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| You can see the lava flow | Returning back on the loop trail |
After warming up in the car we continue towards Wupatki NM stopping along the way at different viewpoints. The first one, Cinder Hills Overlook, is close to the Lava Flow Trail and has a slightly different view of Sunset Crater than from the trail. It seems that there is a lot of snow in this area, much more than we have seen from the trail.
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| Sunset Crater from Cinder Hills Overlook | Cinder Hills Overlook view |
The next viewpoint is is the Painted Desert Vista however it is a bit underwhelming especially after we have seen the Painted Desert from the Petrified Forest Np but we use the opportunity to play a bit with the snow - it is quite rare to touch snow in Arizona after all.
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| Painted Desert Vista - not that impressive | Still you can see far in the distance |
Soon we arrive at Wukoki Pueblo, the first pueblo that can be visited in Wupatki NP, and decide to explore it from the short hiking trail that goes around it. It is actually quite impressive both from a distance and close up almost like a medieval castle as it sits on the rock in the middle of the plain.
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| Wukoki Pueblo from a distance | Getting closer to Wukoki Pueblo |
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| Interesting foundation | Looks like a castle |
We enter the pueblo and it is surprisingly well preserved especially the tower where you can even see the old beams which supported the upper floor inside the tower. It was a small pueblo and it seems it was a defensive fortification in case of attack at least to us.
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| Inside the castle | Old beams in the wall |
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| Inside the fortress | Impressively preserved |
After exploring the ruin inside we decide to walk around it to see it from all angles, there are some impressive views from the other side of the tower perched precariously on the rock. After taking lots of pictures we return to the car and drive a short distance back to the main road to stop at the visitor center.
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| Low doors | Very fortificated |
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| Going round - like an European castle | A miniature one though |
AFter checking in at the visitor center and visiting the short interesting exhibit we go outside to an overlook of the Wupatki Pueblo but decide to not descend to it as it is cold and our relatives had enough of pueblos and cold for the day:).
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| Wupatki Pueblo view | Wupatki Pueblo kiwa |
On the way we see a few more pueblos from the road that we intend to visit maybe later during the year but today we drive through mostly all the way back to Phoenix and to relative warmth. It was a great trip overall with some great views marred by an unfortunate spell of cold weather (it was the coldest week of the winter!).
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| Citadel Pueblo | Nalakihu Pueblo at the bottom |
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