Hi Ho Silver! Adventures in Arizona + Utah
Monument Valley rock formations are absolutely incredible!
UPDATED: 2/4/2023
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This trip is special to me in that it was the first real solo trip my then-boyfriend, now-husband, Dustin, and I took. At that point (April 2007), we had been dating 6 1/2 years and had lived together almost 4 of those years, most of which were as impoverished, no-travel-funds college students biding our time until the student loans would come due :-/. Later in the year – on Christmas Day – we would get engaged. I’d traveled to many of Arizona’s key landmarks during elementary school, but Dustin hadn’t been before.
We flew in to Phoenix, whose downtown strikes me as a modern day, over-sized town from the old west. Replace the stereotypical saloon with a high rise, and you’ve just about got it, or at least that is how it seemed in 2007. It had a resurgence and more growth after then, so it may look different now. There was a desolation about the flatness, the desert, the deserted strip malls. Even having grown up in southern California and as a lover of deserts and desert beauty, the city of Phoenix and the surrounding residential areas just seem out of place. (Perhaps a sign I've lived in the east coast too long now!)
Because who wouldn’t want their picture taken in front of a giant cactus cluster.
Lindsey poses in front of her new home. There is something about cliff dwellings that really captures the imagination.
Check out some of our other blogs on botanical gardens:
We spent the night in Phoenix after visiting the Desert Botanical Garden , which we really enjoyed. This was my first foray into a botanical garden as an adult (i.e., by choice), and I realize I’ve now made it somewhat of a habit on many of my trips to different cities. I don’t remember exactly where we ate for a dinner – a Mexican restaurant situated off the beaten path that came recommended, and we ordered an appetizer of freshly made guacamole, which was amazing. At that stage in our lives, ordering an appetizer was a complete splurge – funny to think back on that now. (But quacamole is always worth it.)
The next day, we headed north towards Sedona. We were impressed by the way house colors in Sedona blended in with the landscape so that they didn’t distract from it. Urban planning at its finest!
From there we headed towards Flagstaff and stopped for some hiking along the way at Sunset Crater Volcano. Along the way we climbed up in elevation from the desert of Phoenix (1,000 feet above sea level) to Flagstaff (about 7,000 feet above sea level). Here’s a photo taken during our hike at Sunset Crater Volcano. Check out the color of the soil:
This poor tree has had a rough life at Sunset Crater volcano.
Next, we selected Cameron, AZ, as our stopping point to visit the Grand Canyon. The area is relatively isolated – the hotel, Cameron Trading Post Grand Canyon Hotel, had a large touristy ‘trading post,’ which was fun to wander through. When looking for lunch one day, we happened upon a small all-in-one gas station/grocery store/restaurant (the ultimate trifecta!) that had the best fried chimichangas. We ate there at least twice for quick, cheap, and delicious food. We visited the Grand Canyon on a clear day, less crowded since it was early April and off-season.
When you catch the light just right, the Grand Canyon is even more stunning.
We then spent a night near Kayenta, AZ, and crossed the Utah border for some hiking in Monument Valley, which you likely recognize from photos and movies as the two rocks that look like hands in mitts facing each other. This photo was taken from before we hiked down and around that first mitt, called West Mitten Butte (of course). Needless to say that trail, called Wildcat Trail, is a lot longer than it looks (3.2 miles), there are no port-a-potties along the way, and the desert has nowhere for crouching behind a tree. The path is easily accessible from the visitor's center parking lot. Later, we took a night ride in a Jeep with a local Navajo guide to watch the full moon rise above the desert, which was amazing. We almost missed the trip because we didn’t realize that the reservation doesn’t follow daylight savings time – who knew?!
This Monument Valley spot is famous for the two mitts waving.
After Monument Valley, we visited Canyon de Chelly (pronounced like “shay”), which is somewhere I would have enjoyed having more time to hike. The area we stayed in nearby was Chinle and while it did have great food, there was not much else there.
Our next stop was the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, where we did more hiking including to some early abodes made of the beautiful petrified wood.
On our return to Phoenix, we spent a night in Winslow, AZ, a song made famous by The Eagles song “Take It Easy,” that sings:
Well, I’m a standing on a corner
In Winslow, Arizona
And such a fine sight to see
It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford
Slowin’ down to take a look at me
The hotel we stayed at is easily the most eclectic, unique place we’ve ever stayed: La Posada . Part hotel, part restaurant, part garden, part museum. Situated on Route 66 from the golden era of cross-country (pre-Interstate) American travel, the hotel has hosted many well-known visitors belied by its current off-the-tracks location. If you ever find yourself in the area, it’s definitely worth a stay – there is plenty to explore just within the hotel’s walls!
Since we like to pair reading with our travels, if you’re looking for a book that evokes the desolation of the west one of my favorites is Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men. (You can check out books we have read by destination here.)
Here’s an approximate route we took:
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Check out our other posts about Arizona and Utah:
Ready for another road trip out west?
Read about our 11-day honeymoon trip around California