“As my husband and I drove through the Texas Panhandle, the bobbing and clacking of the pump jacks, oil derricks, greeted us...We hadn’t realized previously that Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States. We drove down to our primitive campsite in the Cactus Camp Area for the night.”
Our Tour of National Parks Service Sites in Northern Arizona
Now is a great time to start planning a trip to northern Arizona. The snow will be melting soon, and the weather will be temperate. Our tour covers one thousand miles of desert landscape in one week — though it can be modified based on your timing! The 1.25 million acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Canyon de Chelly National Monument — a network of canyons shared by the NPS and the Navajo Nation — Petrified Forest National Park, and of course Grand Canyon National Park, are all spectacular highlights. The region is best toured in the summer, now is the time to start planning!
Heartbreak and Enduring Love: Two Valentines
For Valentines Day, Parks and Points is proud to publish the two Honorable Mention winners from our Fall 2016 Essay Contest. Allyson Whipple's "Heartbreak on a Hill" describes putting oneself back together after a breakup in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, in Texas. Jean Jackman's "50th Anniversary in the Wilderness" set in the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado National Forest, gathers nine family members together in celebration of fifty years of marriage.
Heart Lake, Olympic National Park photo by brewbooks / CC BY
Explore All 5 of Utah's National Parks in One Week
Cover 1,000 Miles of Desert Landscape in a Week on our Tour of Northern Arizona
Cover 1,000 Miles of Desert Landscape in a Week on our Tour of Northern Arizona
The 1.25 million acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Canyon de Chelly National Monument — a network of canyons shared by the NPS and the Navajo Nation — Petrified Forest National Park, and of course Grand Canyon National Park, are all spectacular highlights of our recommended itinerary for touring NPS sites in northern Arizona. The region is best toured in the summer, now is the time to start planning!
On the Road with P and P in Southern Arizona
Take a look at our spotlight on Southern Arizona, a week-long exploration of the NPS sites in and around the Sonoran Desert, many which also preserve the history of early cultures. With so many geologic and cultural treasures, it's worth allotting more than a week, to explore at your own pace.