BUCKET LIST ADVENTURES OF A LIFETIME Whether you’re a nature lover, a foodie, a weekend warrior, a parent, a spiritual seeker or all of the above, Arizona has epic and unforgettable experiences waiting to be crossed off your dream list. BY KERIDWEN CORNELIUS WELL-LIVED WILD WANDERERS The ultimate life-changing wilderness experience is rafting the Grand Canyon , and there are numerous ways to choose your own adventure, from three-day motorized outings to 18-day oar odysseys. In addition, look for specialty trips: Multisport fans can mix whitewater kayaking with hiking the Canyon’s peaceful North Rim . And lovers of craftsmanship can paddle the Colorado River in an elegant, handmade dory. If you prefer hiking poles to paddles, head to the Canyon’s western side and trek to Havasu Falls* —a paradise of cascading water and teal-hued travertine pools. Shutterbugs can go on quests to the state’s most stunning photo-ops, such as Coyote Buttes* and The Wave* —a mesmerizing swirl of striped sandstone. On the other side of the Vermilion Cliffs is photogenic Antelope Canyon* . Photographers make 12 VISITARIZONA.COM pilgrimages to this slot canyon to capture shafts of sunlight piercing through walls weathered into corkscrew shapes. In Sedona, you can hike to Huckaby Trail , which follows along Oak Creek and rewards with panoramic views of red rock buttes and peaks. When the sun goes down, Arizona is still spectacular. Designated an International Dark-Sky Park, Petrified Forest National Park is a celebrated stargazing spot. Backcountry campers can marvel at this lunar wilderness beneath the light of the Milky Way while tapping into humanity’s timeless connection with the cosmos. FUN FAMILIES Bucket list experiences are typically once-in-a-lifetime, but families who visit Sprucedale Guest Ranch in Alpine often return year after year. Adults are drawn to dawn horseback rides, when mist rises from the meadows and antelope and elk scamper into the forests. Kids enjoy going free-range, riding in the children’s rodeo, crafting fishing poles to catch crawdads, milking cows and laughing with newfound friends on hayrides. For extra good old-fashioned bonding time, ride in a 1923 Pullman car on the Grand Canyon Railway . Open the windows and let the pine-scented air blow through your hair as the train chugs from Williams to the South Rim. Combine your journey with a stay at the plush Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, designed to re-semble the 1908 hotel that’s now part of the Williams train depot. If unique transportation is your thing, rent a houseboat at Lake Powell’s Wahweap Marina and cruise a watery wonderland between cliffs the colors of rust and ivory. Rev up a powerboat and waterski in sheltered can-yons, or clamber among arches and caves. Then anchor on a Photos: (clockwise from top left) Lake Powell, Page ; Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel, Williams ; The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale ; Sprucedale Guest Ranch, Alpine *BACKCOUNTRY PERMITS To preserve some of Arizona’s more popular—and fragile— wilderness destinations, visitation is limited via a permitting system. To visit Havasu Falls, make a reservation well in advance ( havasupaireservations.com ). In the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) and Coyote Buttes South require a day-use permit, granted through a lottery system ( recreation.gov/permits/274309 ). Permits are also required to visit Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, which are issued by licensed guides and tour operators ( discovernavajo.com ). LAKE POWELL RESORTS & MARINAS
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2021-22: Page 12
