2018 Arizona Official State Visitor's Guide - 12

SCIENCE ON A WHIM

features. Try the Ringtail Trail, a 2.4-mile loop that
offers exquisite vistas at the Lost Dog Overlook-
an ancient tool-making site-and meanders
among spring wildflowers. Or join a Discovery
Hike, where guides share information about native plants, human history, geology and wildlife.
visitarizona.com/business/
mcdowell-sonoran-preserve

METEOR CRATER
First, take an awestruck moment to consider the
meteorite that thundered into the Colorado Plateau at 26,000 miles per hour, blasting a cavity
some 2.5 miles around and nearly 600 feet deep.
Then feel relief that the cataclysm occurred
roughly 50,000 years ago. Today, the crater is
flush with observation trails and activities. Stand

Verde River Valley, Cottonwood
PHOTO BY NICK BEREZENKO

DON'T MISS IT
Make the most of your trip to the
Grand Canyon State with our handy list
of Arizona's must-sees at VisitArizona.
com/uniquely-az/must-see.

Meteor Crater, east of Flagstaff
PHOTO BY NICK BEREZENKO

on an air-conditioned viewing deck to take it all
in. Then stop at the Interactive Discovery Center
for IMPACT, Mystery of Meteor Crater, a gripping
re-creation of that long-ago collision through
3-D modeling and animation.
visitarizona.com/business/meteor-crater

VERDE RIVER VALLEY

McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Scottsdale
PHOTO BY R SILBERBLATT

12 Arizona 2018 Official State Visitor's Guide

In the desert, rivers are precious, and the Verde
River Valley, north of Phoenix, is among the
most precious of all. This winding waterway,
with its lush canopy of sycamores, cottonwoods
and willows, sheltered human inhabitants for
a millennium. Today, it provides a habitat for
a rich variety of wildlife, from Gila woodpeckers and belted kingfishers to the Colorado pike
minnow. Grab a good guidebook, and explore
the river by foot or by kayak. And mark your calendar for the annual Verde Valley Birding and
Nature Festival in April, where you'll find workshops, field trips and a deep passion for this
cherished ribbon of life.
visitarizona.com/uniquely-az/
unique-communities/verde-valley



http://www.visitarizona.com/business/ http://VisitArizona.com/uniquely-az/must-see http://VisitArizona.com/uniquely-az/must-see http://www.visitarizona.com/business/meteor-crater http://www.visitarizona.com/uniquely-az/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2018 Arizona Official State Visitor's Guide

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg18
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg16
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg15
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg14
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg13
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg12
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg11
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/madden/az_ovg10
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com