Arizona

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Its magnificent landscapes, greener and less dry than the surroundings, attract almost as many visitors as the Grand Canyon. It is an authentic village, which inhabitants are close to nature. The road between Flagstaff and Sedona is superb, in the middle of very deep high mountains covered with conifers.
Red mountains of Red Rocks rise with a thick layer of vegetation in a remarkable contrast. The greenery of Verde Valley covers mountains, making it look like Provence. The area abounds in picturesque viewpoints.

It is an authentic and atypical mountain town. Its city center (photo), half-Mexican half-European, is interspersed with red sandstone small buildings and brick façades with Spanish style pediments that give it a certain charm. Murals are splendid. Cafes and restaurants proudly display their originality, as well as western hotels and outdated cinemas from the 1930s. Saloons line the famous Route 66.

Nestled in altitude in the middle of a ponderosa pines forest massif, it offers a pleasant coolness in contrast to the desert furnace. Known as «the crossroads of Arizona», it is much more than a simple stopping-off point to visit the exceptional natural sites, sights and monuments nearby. Many travellers pass by all year long, but it attracts as much hikers and skiers as tourists and nature lovers.
Taken by time and the length of the road between Sedona and Grand Canyon, we were hesitant to go there. Then, we finally decided to make a simple stop. But as in Hollywood Boulevard, we were caught by the atmosphere and the heat of the moment, and we spent the evening there. And once again, it was memorable. Yet another happy unexpected event.
It was Saturday night and the atmosphere was cheerful and festive, sometimes good-natured, sometimes completely unbridled with a display of eccentricities. People from different backgrounds mixed there in perfect harmony and completely carefree. There too, we had good vibes. We were always in the right place at the right time. Furtive but striking meetings, small hilarious events, everything was linked together in a positive series. We did not care about the road we had to drive, nor the very short night of sleep waiting for us before visiting the Grand Canyon at sunrise. We just thought about the present time.

        

It is one of the most visited sites in the U.S.A. Its dimensions are gigantic. It is divided in two parts: the North Rim, which is wilder, and the South Rim, more developed for tourism. Desert View Tower is a replica of a prehistoric Indian Tower. Point at the top of the South Rim, it offers an unrestricted view of the canyon, Painted Desert and the San Francisco Peaks. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a huge glass and steel gateway located on Eagle Point.  The drop is impressive. The disadvantage is the unreasonably high price. Yavapai Point offers sublime views. There are also photos, exhibits and 3D reproductions. Yaki Point has one of the most beautiful panoramas. To get there, take the bus in Grand Canyon Village.

So, we visited that extraordinary site for the first time at sunrise at Mather Point (photo). We arrived in advance and the night was drawing to a close. We could somewhat make out rock formations in the thick darkness. Then, the sun showed its first rays, and the canyon began to be revealed little by little into shapes, outlines, and perspectives, titillating our curiosity and our impatience to see more. But that expectation was fabulous, giving way to everyone's imagination in a moment of sharing. The place was out of time, and we had the impression of having our whole life ahead of us.
The clearest rocks appeared, then vegetation, and finally red and brown rocks. The light was beautiful, the moment was magic. Then, once the day rose, we were able to admire with wonder the cliffs sculpted through thousands of years of erosion, which stretched away as far as the eye could see in irregular reliefs under a blue open sky.
We felt so small, totally captivated by those fantastic rocks lost in the infinite abyss, tinted with changing colors. Condors and swallows were wheeling in the depths in complete tranquility. Many squirrels were gamboling cheerfully, which some seemed to deride photographers through their vivacity.
Then, we ventured within the gorges, getting as close as possible to the edge. That breathtaking feeling was exhilarating. We had a feeling of fullness and rebirth.
Beyond the beauty of the place, the incredible sensation it provides deeply makes a lasting impression on us, as well as the multitude of very strong emotions that run into each other inside our soul. We did not think that a natural site could move us so deeply. We must live it to realize it.
The friend who was with us knows someone who had tears in his eyes the first time he saw the Grand Canyon.
We understand him.

That is a very narrow canyon, which cannot be seen from the surface of the plateau. It is separated in two parts (Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon). Its very high red rock faces sculpted by erosion form cavities and waves. The ground is covered with very soft sand. The best time to visit it is around midday, when the daylight gets into it vertically in thick rays that bring an extraordinary mix of warm colors. The site is located in Navajo territory so you have to pay for the entrance, and the pass for national parks is not accepted. You must pay off a $26 or $30 right of access, according to which part of Antelope Canyon you wish to visit. In addition, groups of 15 or 20 people are made and must be taken on by a Navajo guide. The length of the visit is limited because groups succeed one another, especially on busy days. Nevertheless, we have time to enjoy that fabulous and surprising place, even if we are inevitably tempted to stay a little longer.

Located 15 kilometers away from Antelope Canyon, it is a viewpoint from above to one of the meanders of the Colorado River which is horseshoe-shaped. The place is really worth seeing: indeed, its visit takes a very little time, but it leaves unforgettable images in your mind.
The river is incredibly deep blue, sometimes tinted with green, creating a stunning contrast with the ocher rock faces. In places, rock at the surface is built in oblique and composed of thin stratum, differing from the rest of the plateau with a smoother form.

Stretching out lengthways, it is one of the most beautiful and largest artificial lakes in the U.S.A. It is mostly located in Utah, but if we set it in the «Arizona» subsection, it is because we visited its southern part, which is located in that state, notably Wahweap Beach (photo).
It stretches within a steep and jagged rocky landscape. The contrast between its deep and clear blue, and the bright red and white of the cliffs rocky walls is breathtaking. It is very pleasant for bathing, but it is strongly inadvisable to dive from rocks.
The site is made up of multiple canyons, coves, caves, islands and Indian ruins, without forgetting the Rainbow Bridge, huge natural arch made of rock.
Glen Canyon Dam offers an impressive view of the Colorado River. From Scenic View, you can admire the marina, the lake and three chimneys. Lone Rock has a pleasant long sandy beach and a superb viewpoint of a branch of the lake and on the imposing rock emerging from the water which gave the place its name.

Grandiose and magical landscape, its colors are beautiful at sunrise and sunset. Located in the Navajo reserve, it is one of the strangest sites created by nature. From that vast valley of earth and pink sand rise mesas, flat-topped monoliths with vertical rock faces, as well as «cathedrals of the desert», impressive rocky peaks. Some of those extraordinary formations are erected skyward at a remarkable height, and sculpted into fantastic vertical shapes.

Moreover, the place is legendary because many movies were filmed there. Of course, we think of westerns, including those from John Ford. But we had especially «Thelma & Louise» in mind, which among other things made us want to visit Monument Valley and Western America in general
The Valley Drive track (photo) threads its way through those huge rocky blocks dotted about the desert. It takes about 2 hours or 2 hours and a half to cover the loop. It is preferable to venture there with a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The use of an ordinary car is allowed and possible, but requires the utmost caution, and a slow and smooth driving.
As we did at Grand Canyon, we visited Monument Valley at sunrise. Even if the site is less grandiose and does not bring the same emotion, the sight is magic, with a breathtaking beauty. We stayed in the View Hotel, which is located inside the site. From the balcony of our room, we had the impression we could touch the «cathedrals of the desert» with our fingertips. The entrance hall is a patio with a fabulous and very typical decoration: magnificent photographs and paintings on the Wild West theme, rugs and Navajo art objects. Finally, an important detail: be aware that in Navajo territory, mostly located in Arizona, there is a + 1 hour time difference compared to the rest of the state.