Arizona

Four Corners Monument – Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico

After leaving Colorado I headed towards the Grand Canyon.  I couldn’t drive by the only spot in the US were four states meet and not stop.  It is out in the middle of nowhere, about 21 miles or so from the turn off.  It was a nice warm, but very windy day, and the sand would kick up little dust devils every once in a while.  There were quite a few people there and I actually had to stand in line to take a picture of the circle.  I walked through 4 states in a matter of seconds… On all four sides of the main square there were people from the Navajo and Ute tribes selling mostly hand made souvenirs.  They ranged from very intricate necklaces and jewelry to arrows of all sizes, and then there was the pottery.  All of it was very beautiful and I ended up with a few very cool trinkets.

Navajo National Monument

As I continued west, I made a point to stop at the Navajo National Monument in Northeastern Arizona.  Home to Ancestral Puebloans, the Tsegi Phase Villages dates back to AD 1250-1300.  Driving along the back road that leads to the Welcome Center, I was greeted by two free range burros that were taking a dust bath on the side of the road.  As I drew closer they stood up and looked at me as if to say “Hey there, welcome”.  One of the best parts about this place, was the free camping.  It’s a first come first serve type of set-up, but the area is beautiful from all angles so there wasn’t a bad spot in the loop.  After setting up my tent, I drove back to the Welcome Center, and started out on one of the trails that leads to the best viewing area of the village.  It was a nice paved trail out to the overlook, with lots of little lizards running around and tons of different flowers, bushes and trees.  I liked the fact that there were informational plaques along the way, telling how they were used as medicine or crafted into tools and such.  It was not overwhelmingly hot that day, and the walk out and back had been very relaxing, I decided to take another trail that went partway down into the canyon and offered different views of the canyon.  Yep, about half-way down as the trail (which was not paved) became steeper and steeper, it suddenly occurred to me that for every step down, I had to climb back up.  I had my water, and a long sleeve shirt over my t-shirt, so I knew I was ok in that aspect.  However, looking back and seeing just how far down into the canyon I was, made me laugh at the long walk back up that I had to look forward to.  I had been passed on the trail by a couple who I guessed was from Germany.  They flew by me as if they were on a leisurely jog in the park.  I continued on a little way and then decided to head back after taking in some of the awesome views.  Ok, so anybody that knows me, knows that Hobbit runs in my family and my legs are not very long at all. With that being said, the trail going back up is comprised of rocks and boulders that are strategically positioned in areas to produce steps. They are not to standard construction code!  Let’s just say that by the time I reached the trail head, my little hobbit legs were pretty wore out……lol.  Back at my camp site, I staked out my spot for viewing a gorgeous sunset.  I talked with a couple who had been there previously, and we all agreed that this area was beautiful secret, where not many bothered to stop.  If you find yourself in Northeastern Arizona be sure to stop even for a little while.  You won’t be disappointed.

Little Colorado River Gorge

If you are headed for the Grand Canyon from the East, stop at Little Colorado River Gorge.  The entry fee is a simple donation of your choosing.  The views down into the gorge are amazing.  The railing goes right up to the edge, so you are basically looking straight down.  The gorge walls are grey, brown and almost look black in spots, compared to the colorful Grand Canyon. It doesn’t take much imagination to envision the wonder early settlers felt when they stood on the precipice on their trek west.  Again, there were Native Indians selling their wares, and I had a very nice conversation with a couple ladies about the area and their culture.  I spent maybe 30-40 minutes there and then hit the road again towards the Mother of all Canyons, The Grand Canyon ! !