Arizona Travel Guide

The state has much to recommend it but lets not beat around the sage brush here, the reason to visit Arizona is to see the Grand Canyon.

The climate is sunny for most of the year round, there is great natural beauty all over the place, there is a lengthy but still lively Native American tradition and echoes of the Wild West are everywhere. Above all else, it is the Grand Canyon people come to marvel at.

Arizona was the 48th state of the union, formally coming in to being in 1912. It had been a US controlled region long before that and, earlier still, it had been a Mexican and Spanish domain. Native Americans, who still comprise a large part of the non-urban population first settled the region 11,000 years ago.

The population of Arizona has shown rapid growth since WWII with the advent of air conditioning making living tolerable. Recently this growth has gone into overdrive with a 40 % rise in the ten years between 1990 and 2000.

Despite the high prominence given to its weather and natural attractions, Arizona's prosperity is solidly grounded. Copper production here accounts for half that of the rest of the US and is just one of many minerals, including Gold, wrested from the ground. Agriculture is also a significant contributor to State wealth, cattle have traditionally been reared here but advanced irrigation systems have made the growing of arable crops possible.

The ever-increasing population has put a great burden on the water supply and whilst growth continues, this problem will only get worse. This is probably the greatest single challenge facing the state today.

Frankly speaking the resort towns and cities do not have a lot going for them. The sun shines, the tennis courts and golf courses are well cared for and the sun shines, the towns' sprawl unconstrained into the desert, the sun shines, swimming pools proliferate and naturally, the sun shines. Use the towns to explore the state away from the urban areas.

Navajo, Hopi, Pueblo

The tribes including the Hopi, Navajo, Pueblo and the feared Apache amongst others fought protracted wars against the US, which only ended in 1886 when Geronimo surrendered. Today 250,000 Native Americans occupy 20 reservations covering 25 % of the state.

The Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the States, occupies a large part of North Eastern Arizona. Contained within the wider Navajo nation is the Hopi Indian Reservation. This is a vast area, the locals speak in their own language and there is a real sense that you are no longer in the USA.

The Hopi Mesas (large steep sided flat topped plateau) are a symbol of the resilience of Native Americans. The Hopi have lived and farmed this arid area for the best part of a millennium, they have not wandered in the way many tribes have. Their lifestyle is still a very tribal one and they have no use for the outside world. They earn money from mineral wealth found on their lands and they eat what they grow. As with all the other reservations, visitors should be careful to respect the way of life of these people.

Throughout the state, there are signs of other native settlement. There are cliff dwellings and ancestral Pueblan sites all across the state. Again, visitors to these older sites should be sensitive to the fact that they retain a spiritual significance to more recent Native Americans.

Lake Havasu City

At the far western edge of the state lies this odd place I have really only included it because every time I think of it, I laugh. This is the home of London Bridge.

The lake itself is a magnet for water sports fans but the bridge was dragged out into the desert to augment the other attractions in 1968. It was brought, piece by piece, from its original site straddling the River Thames in London. Apparently, the man who bought it thought he was getting the more spectacular Tower Bridge and was mightily disappointed when he unwrapped his new toy.