Yes, we were standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona, and it is a site to see! Yes, it’s just a tourist trap, but it one of those things where if you travel across I-40 thru Arizona, you just have to stop, take some pictures, get a burger, and buy a souvenir. Now, start singing the song!

About 50 thousand years ago, a nickel iron meteorite about 150 feet in diameter blazed thru the atmosphere at almost 26,000 miles per hour and struck the ground here with the force of 10 to 20 million tons of TNT. The resulting crater is over 700 feet deep and just under a mile across. Many have come here as it is one of the best preserved meteor craters in the world. The cost of admission gets you access to the museum and a guided rim tour. Some call the $20 admission fee steep, but a portion of the proceeds go to science and education. Notice in the selfie we are in winter coats as it is in the low 60s with a 30+ mph wind.

This amazing place was one of the places we missed last year due to the Covid shutdowns, but we got there this time! Over 200 million years ago, a flood carried many, many downed trees down into this area. Here they rested under water rich in minerals for eons. During that time, the organic material in the trees was converted into solid quartz. When the water receded, the trees were still deep under the soil. 60 million years ago, the Colorado Plateau began upheaving and the brittle quartz cracked. Once the earth washed away, the trees were exposed and appear to have been chainsawed into pieces. In the northern part of the park lies the Painted Desert. More beautiful scenery formed over eons.

Just outside of Prescott Az is this lovely little lake. It has been formed and framed by boulders and is one of the most unique lakes that I have seen. There is a beach area where you can launch a boat, kayak, or canoe to enjoy a close up view of the rocks. There is also a lot of wildlife that make their home here. Bonus pic – Which RSC is this?

Located near Payson Az is the Tonto Natural Bridge, a natural arch. The tunnel under the arch is 400 feet long and the arch reaches 185 feet above the ground. Almost all of the trails here are a half mile long or less, yet they are moderate to strenuous as they descend from the rim to the floor.

On the side of Cleopatra Hill in central Arizona lies the town of Jerome. Born in the late 1800’s as a copper mining camp, it grew to a population of 15000 in the 1920’s and had a total output of over 2 billion pounds of copper, gold, and silver. After the price of copper dropped during the Great Depression, the town shrank as did the copper output. In 1953, all mining was stopped and Jerome became a ghost town of less than 100 people. Today, Jerome is a home to 500 residents, eateries, galleries, shops, and history.

In the center of Arizona lies the town of Camp Verde. The elevation here is 3100′ and mountains mix valleys and canyons for some beautiful scenery. Montezuma Castle was home to the Sinagua people about 700 to 1000 years ago. Their 20 room apartment was built in a rock wall high above the ground. An amazing bit of construction for the time. A few miles away is Montezuma Well, a natural limestone sinkhole fed by a spring. There are several species of wildlife here that only exist here.
Near Cottonwood lies Dead Horse Ranch State Park. The lagoons here attract both birds and people. You can enjoy a leisurely stroll around the lagoons or hike the trails between the cliffs and the river. Near Dead Horse is the Tuzigoot National Monument. Here, the same settlers of Montezuma Castle built homes along the Verde River.

Far east of Phoenix is the sleepy little town of Apache Junction, and east of there we found Lost Dutchman State Park. Here at the base of the Superstition Mountains, we found some beautiful scenery as we hiked the the park. Our hiking was limited due to the heat (90s) but it still was a worthwhile trip. The name, Lost Dutchman, refers to a legendary gold mine here. There actually was a gold mine across the street and today is within the Goldfield Ghost Town, a tourist attraction and fun place to visit. Take a train tour around the site, tour the mine itself, and stop in the saloon for a cold one.

Phoenix is a true oasis in the desert as outside of the metro areas is nothing but sand, rock, and cactus. But where the people live, there are tall green trees, palm trees, and even some grass. Normally, the temperature here at this time is 81, but there have been several days flirting with the 100 degree mark and new records. Despite the heat, we have been out to see the sites. One day, we drove up to the Penske Racing Museum. This was the smallest of all the auto museums that we have seen so far, but still interesting to see. Making it more interesting yet was that it was in the center of a horseshoe shaped cluster of the highest end cars in production. Billions of dollars worth of Lambos, Ferraris, Rolls Royces, Maseratis, Bentleys, BMWs, Audis, Land Rovers, and more. Our first hike here was at Picacho Peak. One of the most iconic sites in AZ, the park offers camping and a number of trails to hike.Because of the heat, we are sticking to the easy trails. About a mile past the park is the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. Here there are some of the happiest, most well fed deer, sheep, donkeys, ducks, birds, and ostriches.

Just north of Tucson is Biosphere 2, a science research facility. Here they study closed life system like you may need on another planet. Very informative and really a must see in the area. Another day trip was to Sabino Canyon in the foothills northeast of Tucson. We took a tram ride 4.5 miles up into the canyon and the scenery is awesome. We had to stop at one point to allow a young gila monster to cross the road. Our point of interest in Tucson was the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. This place is a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, and history museum all in one place. Inside are the Earth Sciences Center and the Reptile and Amphibian Hall. Outside is a Mountain Woodland, a desert loop trail, and a Desert Grassland. Among tour trail javelinas, mountain lions, wolves, mule deer, bobcats, and birds. Viewing things in the reptile house can leave you a bit uneasy, but otherwise, this place is a great stop.