When people think of the Southwest, they most often think of Arizona. In fact, the heritage of the entire Southwest, from West Texas to New Mexico to Arizona, is rich, the combination of the lands and the people who have lived on them. The aborigines of Mexico, (as well as those who have mixed that culture with the influences of the Spanish), the Hopi, Navajo, Apache and other Native American tribes, the animals of the region, the desert and mountainous terrain, and even the recently arrived. cowboys, these have all contributed to what we think of when we say “southwest.” However, no place represents that better than Northern Arizona.

The Grand Canyon is a major attraction in northern Arizona. One of the true seven wonders of the world, it embodies the vastness as well as the richness of color of the rocky Southwest. The view from Cape Royal, to name just one of many from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, is quintessentially Southwestern. The entire Kiabab Plateau shares that beauty.

Navajo Mountain (appropriately called Naat’tsis’aan by the natives) is another facet of the magnificence that is Northern Arizona. The sandstone formations are exquisite, the heritage of the place equally vivid. No visit would be complete without seeing the Corkscrew sandstone formation in Antelope Canyon.

There’s another side of northern Arizona that some have overlooked: the alpine areas. From Flagstaff to Sedona to the White Mountains, northern Arizona breaks its water fast and grows in dense, beautiful forests. The views from Oak Creek Canyon, for example, rival those found on the side of the mountains near Aspen, Colorado (though few will know this). Slide Rock State Park, a part of Oak Creek Canyon, offers a natural water slide. that delights young visitors every year. Perhaps it is a good thing that relatively few venture out and discover the wonders of this area.

Although there are literally no amenities, if you can add Tse Nikani and the Flat Mesa Rock Scenic Byway (Highway 191, south of Highway 160), you’ll enjoy overwhelmingly unusual rock and land formations, including sites that are sacred to the Navajo people. Make sure you have enough fuel and bring plenty of water and maybe a lunch with you, but be sure to take this awesome detour as you explore Northern Arizona.

A must-see trail on your Northern Arizona experience is called Diné Tah (meaning “Among the People”). There he will find Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation, and a landscape as surreal as Arizona has to offer. There, starting near where I-40 crosses the Arizona-New Mexico border, you’ll find a wealth of history and heritage, as well as everything from rugged rock formations to lush forests. Those who see these wonders firsthand will understand why the natives were willing to fight and die for this land. The Lukachukai Mountains alone are reason enough to visit, but the rest of the story, the battles with the Spanish that raged for two centuries, long before the United States became part of the scene, and long before of that, with the Anasazi ruins. from ten THOUSAND years ago… all this and more are waiting to be seen and found in Northern Arizona.

Arizona has always been so much more than the abandoned movie studios of Tucson and the golf courses of Prescott. Do yourself a favor and discover the rest of Arizona, the much larger portion that very few see. You’ll be thrilled and amazed at this one of America’s greatest secrets, lying in the shadow of one of the seven wonders of the world.

© 2007 Right Now Communications