Canyon Country

     We spent a bit of time exploring the Navaho and Hopi Reservation in Arizona and the surrounding area.  Our daughter and her husband who live on the reservation are knowledgeable guides and were able to steer us to some out-of-the-way gems of natural wonder.

     Arizona is much about mountains, high desert, and the inside-out counter parts of mountains, known as canyons. At the northern edge of our exploration was the Mother of all Canyons, the Grand Canyon.  The higher elevation of the southern rim afforded us a unique, snow-etched look at the canyon on a breath-taking winter day; a spectacular time of the year to experience this wonder.  Traveling over to Page Arizona via changing elevations of high desert to snowy plateaus we arrived at Horseshoe Canyon where we found it well worth the hike to view this unique gash on the earth’s surface.

  South of Tuba City on the reservation we searched off the highway traveling the sagebrush plain.  Following a fence line we burst out upon a unique multi-colored natural cut etched in snow.  Coal Mine Canyon is indeed worth the search with its colossal colors and rugged terrain.  Last but not least in our canyon exploration we viewed Walnut Canyon near Flagstaff.  The walls of the canyon contain caves where Native Americans lived with the everyday, spectacular view of this amazing sight.