The world knows Arizona as the Grand Canyon state. But there’s far more to its natural beauty than just one landmark. The state has many spots that people outside the state may never hear about – or they may reject them for the more famous landmarks. These are four of my favorite overlooked Arizona travel destinations.
Sunset Crater Volcanic National Monument
I lived in Arizona for more than 20 years before my first glimpse of Sunset Crater. A 60-mile bike tour took me straight through the middle of it. As I rounded a corner, I glimpsed the grandeur of the Bonito Lava Flow – hundreds of acres of hardened magma frozen in time. Then I saw the crater itself. It erupted just 1,100 years ago, creating the landscape that unfolded before me. I’ve since been back to hike the lava flow. Unfortunately, the slopes of Sunset Crater are closed to prevent erosion. Still, anyone with Arizona travel plans should drop by.
Barringer Crater
Some people say the Grand Canyon is a “hole in the ground.” They’ll likely say the same about northern Arizona landmark Barringer Crater, which is a mile across and nearly 600 feet deep. But deep-thinking travelers will appreciate that this is no mere hole: It’s here because a boxcar-sized hunk of space rock crashed into Arizona with devastating force, creating the crater and spraying the landscape with displaced earth and fragments of extraterrestrial material. The heat and pressure also created the rare mineral moissanite. All this adds to mystique to the spectacular view and epic scale.
The Lava River Cave
In the forest outside Flagstaff, there’s another great example of the volcanic forces that shape the world. The Lava River Cave stretches about a mile underground; in some points, hikers must slither between the ceiling and floor. At other times, you’ll feel like you’ve entered a post-apocalyptic subway station. This is an unguided hike, so be prepared: That means at least three sources of bright light. It’s also chilly year-round once you enter the cave. Finally, pack out everything you bring in.
Colossal Cave
In the southern part of the state, Kartchner Caverns are the big Arizona travel draw. It’s a living cave, still evolving and growing. This makes Colossal Cave an overlooked landmark. It’s a dead cave, with all moisture gone from the limestone. It’s not as colorful and beautiful – but it’s incredible fun, with tours for all fitness levels and degrees of derring-do: You can stay on the brightly lit path, or sign up for the Wild Cave tour. If you opt for the latter, be prepared for obstacles like the Nutcracker, for encounters with bats and squeezing yourself through some tight passages. The guides are experts at navigating and at telling great yarns about the cave’s history.
SOURCES
What is Moissanite?
Localhikes.com – Lava River
Meteorite.com – Meteor Crater
NPS.gov: Sunset Crater National Monument
VisitTucson.org – Colossal Cave