Arizona’s nickname may be the Grand Canyon State, and this namesake national park attracts nearly five million visitors a year and ranks as one of the most popular in the country. But the canyon is just one of the many natural wonders of an unusually rich state.
National parks and monuments are spread across the state, from the far north all the way down to the Mexican border. Fortunately, many of them are grouped relatively close together near major cities, so it’s easy to visit more than one in a day.
10 Best National Parks and Monuments in Arizona
Should you fancy a little luxury, stay at one of the best resorts in Arizona in Tucson and take day trips to Saguaro National Park or places like the Organ Pipe Cactus and Chiricahua National Monument.
Here’s a guide to 10 of Arizona’s best national parks, the ones that are world famous and still waiting to be discovered by the public. Plan your adventure with our list of the best national parks and monuments in Arizona.
1. Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is the greatest canyon in the United States and one of the largest in the world, measuring 277 miles in length. Numbers don’t do the location credit; not only is its vastness mind-boggling, but it also represents a stunning record of time. The Colorado River carved the landscape into steep rock walls over millions of years, exposing various stratified colours, each denoting a different geologic epoch. You get the impression that you are peeping deeply into the mysteries of the earth whether you climb one of the famous trails like Bright Angel, Hermit, or Kaibab or watch a sunrise or sunset from the rim.
2. Petrified Forest National Park
The ancient tree trunks, which are preserved by minerals they acquired after being submerged in a riverbed over 200 million years ago, are what most visitors to Petrified Forest National Park come to see. They’re a beautiful sight, too: The enormous logs eventually transformed into solid, dazzling quartz in a spectrum of hues, including the yellow of citrine, the purple of amethyst, and the reddish-brown of jasper.
The fossils are the park’s main draw, as implied by its name, yet they only tell part of the tale. Along with painted deserts and striated canyons, this environment is coloured by minerals. The pastel-hued badlands of Blue Mesa, where a paved hiking track winds around the blue-white rock, shouldn’t be disregarded.
3. Saguaro National Park
The stately saguaro, known across the world as a symbol of the desert, may grow so slowly that a 10-year-old plant might only be two inches high. It can live for up to 250 years and reach heights of 50 to 60 feet. Only found naturally in the Sonoran Desert, which spans the southwest of the United States, these old survivors flourish in their namesake park.
There are two sections of Saguaro National Park, one on each side of Tucson. The Tucson Mountain District, on the west side, is home to the densest saguaro stands and offers expansive views from the Valley View Overlook Trail. The park’s well-known Cactus Forest Loop drive and striking mountain silhouettes can be found in the Rincon Mountain District on the east side.
4. Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Nearly 5,000 years have passed since the Ancestral Puebloans first made their home in this maze-like system of three constricting gorges known as Canyon de Chelly. More than 800 old archaeological sites can be found between Canyon del Muerto, Canyon de Chelly, and Monument Canyon, which are all highly revered by the Navajo and other tribes. Even now, Navajo families still live and work in this isolated region in Arizona’s northeast.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is unique in that it is maintained by the National Park Service (NPS) yet is wholly within the Navajo tribal territory. It was established as a national monument in 1931 to safeguard fragile archaeological sites and artefacts.
5. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Monument Valley is the only American landscape that has a stronger connection to the Wild West. Both completely unfamiliar and uncannily familiar, it is. In Stagecoach and The Searchers, John Wayne rode out from between The Mittens, the park’s renowned red granite buttes; Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly flew by them in a time-traveling automobile; and the Transformers tore through them. Even here, Thelma and Louise finished the last leg of their journey running.
In the lobby of the park’s View Hotel, you’re just as likely to hear German, Italian, Japanese, Hebrew, Portuguese, Korean, Hindi, Spanish, and Chinese as you are to hear English. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park may attract many tourists from outside of the United States due to its fame in film.
6. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
In the far southern part of Arizona, along the Mexican border, you’ll find one of the most unique national monuments in the country. Spread over 516 square miles, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is considered one of the best examples of the undisturbed Sonoran Desert.
As the name suggests, the national monument is home to the unique Organ Pipe Cactus and is the only place in the United States where they are found in any significant numbers. These attractive (and large) cactus bloom only at night in May and June. You’ll see more of the bright red fruit coming in early July.
7. Sunset Crater National Monument
Only a short drive from Flagstaff is a wonderful world of volcanoes, lava tubes and cinder cones. This area, known as Sunset Crater National Monument, shows how at one time the surrounding area, known as the San Francisco Volcanic Field, was home to more than 600 volcanoes.
As you look toward Flagstaff, the towering mountain towering over Flagstaff at 12,637 feet is actually a dormant volcano known as Mount Humphreys.
8. Wupatki National Monument
A short distance south of Sunset Crater National Monument along Highway 395 is the culturally significant Wupatki National Monument. Home to several dozen ancient, and now partially restored, Puebloan villages, the monument is a fascinating place to visit.
It is a hostile land of hot days, cold nights and long winters. When you visit the pueblos, it’s hard to imagine how the ancient people who lived here were able to survive.
9. Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument is an often overlooked national monument near Flagstaff. Geared more towards those with a little taste for adventure, the national monument is home to two spectacular hikes showcasing ancient dwellings.
Take a stroll through the Visitor Center before deciding which hike you want to conquer. For those in reasonable physical condition who can handle the 736 stairs, the Island Trail is the best option. This one-mile hike descends 185 feet into the canyon and winds its way past 25 ancient dwellings that are at least 700 years old. In addition to the residences, the path also offers good views across the valley floor to additional residences.
10. Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle National Monument is located near the small town of Camp Verde, not far from the tourist destination of Sedona. It is here that you will find the well-preserved remains of an ancient settlement over 900 years old. Strategically tucked under massive rock overhangs, the cliff dwellings occupy a strategic location, allowing former residents to escape floodwaters, keep an eye on incoming visitors, and escape the harsh desert weather.
