GRAND CIRCLE ARIZONA COLORADO NEVADA NEW MEXICO UTAH - 2019 OFFICIAL TRAVEL PLANNER OF THE GRAND CIRCLE ASSOCIATION - ESSENTIALLY AMERICA
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Grand Circle
Arizona • Colorado • Nevada • New Mexico • Utah
2019 Official Travel Planner of the Grand Circle Association
www.grandcircle.org
2 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.org
The Grand Circle® Travel Planner is
the official guide of the Grand Circle®
Association. The Association is a non-profit
member organization dedicated to the
promotion of visitation and travel within
Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico
and Utah.
Grand Circle® Association
Board of Directors
Ed Spear, President
Ely, NV
Jeff Lyman, Vice President
Sky Ute Casino and Resort
Ignacio, CO
Jason Murray, Treasurer
Southwest Adventure Tours
Cedar City, UT
Michelle Kien, Director
Forever Resorts
Scottsdale, AZ
Debbie Kovalik, Director
Grand Junction, CO
Robin Marquis, Director
Aramark Corporation
Page, AZ
Arden Redshirt, Director
Antelope Canyon Tours
Page, AZ
Wilann Thomas, Director
City of Aztec
Aztec, NM
Phyllis Veale, Director
Grand Vista Hotel
Grand Junction, CO
To learn more about the
Grand Circle® Association or to join, please
contact:
Laurie Frantz,
Executive Director
info@grandcircle.org
505-920-1346
Front cover photos, from top clockwise:
Zion National Park, UT; Grand Canyon National
Park, AZ; Lehman Caves, NV; Chile Ristras, NM;
Mesa Verde National Park, CO.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 3
WELCOME to the GRAND CIRCLE Antelope Canyon
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Dear Fellow Explorers,
On behalf of the many members of the Grand Circle
Association, I invite you to explore the best of America’s
Southwest — the Grand Circle. This is a diverse land of
magnificent natural wonders, rich cultural traditions and
colorful history. It is a joy to visit at any time of the year.
From the depths of Arizona’s Grand Canyon to the lofty
mountains and mesas of Western Colorado; from the dramatic
pinnacles of New Mexico to Utah’s soaring stone arches, a varied
terrain will surprise you at every turn with its diversity. Traveling
here is an adventure you will find nowhere else.
The Grand Circle is covered with National Parks and Monuments,
laced with National Scenic Byways and dotted with archaeological
wonders. As you tour through this wonderland of scenic attractions,
experience Native American culture, both ancient and modern,
rejuvenate yourself in welcoming communities and get outdoors for
some adventure and exercise.
Please join us in discovering just a bit more of what makes the
Southwestern USA so great! Whether visiting for the first time or
returning, you will find that there is more to explore at every corner of
the Grand Circle.
Happy Travels,
Ed Spear, President
Great Basin National Park
Canyons of the
Colorado
River Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
The Colorado River
has carved a score of canyons, but none so aweinspiring as
Glen Canyon and, of course the most awesome of all, the
Grand Canyon. They are a study in contrasts: to early
explorers of the Grand, its tumultuous waters “work
on the nerves, there is no repose in it, nothing that is
soft.” Glen Canyon, though, was “almost absolutely
serene, an interlude for a pastoral flute.”
That is still true today, especially with most of
Glen Canyon sleeping below the surface of
Lake Powell. However, the upper sandstone
walls of Glen Canyon are as seductive as ever
— and they are more approachable. Now
we can boat, float, ski, fish, sail, or kayak
amongst sheer cliff walls and billowing,
towering domes. As for the Grand
Canyon, most of us simply stare with
incomprehension. It’s too vast, too
old, too grand to grasp But for those
of us who do hike or ride or raft
into its depths, the Grand Canyon
truly can transform our lives.
North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park
6 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.org
South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park
Havasu Falls
Grand Canyon National
Park — South Rim
This year, the nation celebrates the 100th
anniversary of designation for Grand Canyon
National Park. The Canyon is an awesome
example of Mother Nature’s finest engineering.
Ten miles wide, a mile deep. A silvery ribbon
of water still relentlessly continues to slice
through billion year old rock. From the best
vantage points on the rim, you see less than a
quarter of the Canyon, yet even this inspires us
to silence. Hike down Bright Angel or Kaibab
or Hermit Trail, and you’ll begin to understand
the enormity of these vertical walls. At 7,000
feet, the South Rim glistens with snowclad
buttes in winter, shimmers with heat mirages in
Lake Powell
summer. On the Canyon floor, temperatures can
easily reach over 100 degrees in July and August.
Hiking, riding mules to Phantom Ranch, and
flight-seeing all offer unforgettable moments in
the Canyon. You can even raft (no rapids) for just a
day below the Glen Canyon Dam in serene Marble
Canyon (see Page, AZ). Be sure to visit the Canyon
View Information Plaza located at Mather Point
to find out about shuttle schedules, interpretive
programs, and hiking conditions. From the eastern
entrance of the Park, a spectacular road winds along
the rim, offering turnouts and scenic overlooks of the
Canyon. The South Rim is open year-round.
www.nps.gov/grca; for Park lodging and concessions,
www.grandcanyonlodges.com,
Horseshoe Bend
www.visitgrandcanyon.com.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 7
Glen Canyon Helicopter Tour
NEARBY COMMUNITIES (South Rim)
Tusayan is just a few miles south of the Canyon’s southern
entrance, and has a wide variety of hotels and restaurants. The
National Geographic IMAX theater offers stunning and fascinating
perspectives of the Canyon on its giant screen. Grand Canyon
flightseeing, by helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft, is available from
Tusayan’s airport. At the Park’s east entrance, the town of Cameron
has lodging, restaurant and a beautiful trading post. Williams has
numerous hotels and restaurants, and is the origination point for the
Grand Canyon Railway, a historic ride to the South Rim, complete
with strolling musicians and a mock train robbery.
www.GrandCanyonCVB.org,
www.williamschamber.com
Flagstaff has a great historic district, many accommodations and
restaurants, and several additional attractions, including Lowell
Observatory and the Museum of Northern Arizona. Vestiges of
Historic Route 66 are found in both Flagstaff and Williams. To the
south, eclectic and bustling Sedona is set amid tall red rock buttes.
www. flagstaffarizona.org
HISTORIC ROUTE 66
Stretching from New Mexico to Arizona, visitors find many reminders
of the glory of the “Mother Road” across Northern Arizona. Winslow,
Holbrook, Flagstaff, Williams, Peach Springs and Kingman all have
vestiges of the motels, diners and gas stations that made Route 66
the epitome of highway travel. Even today, wanderers travel here
from around the globe to experience the nostalgia of those days.
Walnut Canyon National Monument. South of
Flagstaff, the monument offers a steep trail into the canyon to view
the high limestone alcoves where the Sinagua built their homes from
1100 to 1250. www.nps.gov/waca
RED ROCK SCENIC BYWAY
Red Rock Scenic Byway winds through Sedona’s Red Rock Country,
often called a “museum without walls.” Travelers are amazed by the high
desert’s power, diversity, and sense of intimacy with nature. Inhabited
for thousands of years, the stunning red rocks are alive with a timeless
spirit that captivates and inspires. 7.5 miles / 12.1 km I-17 to Sedona.
Sunset Crater and Wupatki Grand Canyon
National Monuments. This area
is part of a 2,200 square mile volcanic
National Park
field near Flagstaff with more than — North Rim
400 cinder cones. Sunset Crater is the A different world greets
youngest volcano; it exploded in AD visitors to the other rim of the
1065 and blanketed the entire region in Canyon. Higher in elevation,
thick, moisture preserving ash. Different lower in visitation, the North
prehistoric societies moved here to take Rim offers splendid moments
advantage of the suddenly rich soil, so the of solitude on the cool, green
area became a trading crossroads. More than Kaibab Plateau. But the vistas
800 ruins – the homes and villages of the across the Canyon and into its
Sinagua and Ancestral Puebloans – have depths still stun and inspire, and
been found in this immediate area, and trails still beckon hikers down
are now protected as Wupatki National below the rim. Visitor facilities,
Monument. including accommodations,
www.nps.gov/sucr or www.nps.gov/wupa are open from mid May to mid
October. Once it snows, access
to the North Rim is closed for
the winter. www.nps.gov/grca; for
North Rim lodging and concessions.
www.GrandCanyonForever.com
10 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgNorth Rim Grand Canyon
Colorado River
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 11KAIBAB PLATEAU Pipe Spring
NORTH RIM PARKWAY National
Travel through the Kaibab Plateau’s Monument. Native
meadows and forests of dense ponderosa Americans used this area
pine and mixed conifer to the brink of the for at least a thousand
spectacular north rim of the Grand Canyon, years before the Mormons
1,000 feet higher than the south rim. Watch arrived in the 1860s to
for the abundant wildlife and experience begin cattle ranching. Made a
breathtaking views of the canyon. 42 mi. national monument in 1923,
/ 68 km Jacob’s Lake to North Rim. it offers excellent living history
demonstrations, an old fort,
and interpretive trails that offer
Nearby Communities a glimpse of American Indian and
pioneer life in the Old West. 15 miles
(North Rim) SW of Fredonia, AZ.
The closest community to the North Rim
www.nps.gov/pisp
of Grand Canyon National Park is Jacob
Lake. Located at the junction of Highway
89 and the Kaibab North Rim Parkway,
Jacob Lake has a lodge, cabins, restaurant, Lake Powell/
campground and other services. They Glen Canyon National waters lap at sculptured red sandstone —
are renowned for their cookies. Centrally Recreation Area water meets desert, the best of two worlds.
located to visit many Parks, Kanab is the “Glen Canyon is for pure delight.” So spoke
largest town north of the Grand Canyon. It explorer John Wesley Powell of this rare Millions of visitors now splash and play here
offers dozens of activities — horseback and section of the Colorado River that did not in every conceivable way — houseboating,
jeep tours, mountain biking, photography terrify nor torment his men. They frolicked jetskiing, bass fishing, skin diving, kayaking,
workshops, flight-seeing, the world’s largest in its warm waters and gawked at its parasailing, and water skiing. Take a boat
animal sanctuary, and an old west town sculptured side canyons, just as people do tour uplake from Wahweap Marina or
created around Hollywood’s movie sets. today. Lake Powell is, without doubt, one Antelope Point Marina to Rainbow Bridge.
www.kaneutah.com of the most sublime places on earth. Blue Rent a houseboat for a week to explore the
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12 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgLake Powell thousands of channels braced by high rock walls and lined with soft sandy beaches. Hike from the lake into Glen Canyon’s magical backcountry, following undulating rock for miles. Tumble down sand dunes and lose yourself in slot canyons. Simply… enjoy. www.nps.gov/glca; for Park lodging, boat tours, or rentals, call 800-528-6154, www.lakepowell.com or call 800-255-5561, www.LakePowellHouseboating.com Antelope Canyon. Slot canyons are magical crevasses in rock, split and polished by water and time, a favorite subject of photographers. Guided jeep and photo tours are available from Page, AZ. The most expensive photograph ever sold was of Antelope Canyon. Phantom, by Peter Lik sold recently for $6.5 million. www.visitpagelakepowell.com. Enjoy a relaxing alternative to hiking the canyon. Take a leisurely 1 hour guided boat tour through the towering cliffs and slot canyons. www.antelopepointlakepowell.com/boat- tours/ Glen Canyon Dam. Construction began in 1960 and the gates closed in 1963, backing up waters that now lap 1,900 miles of shoreline. Informative tours of the dam typically are offered daily. Check at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center for schedule. www.nps.gov/glca Marble Canyon. Icy waters gush into the Grand Canyon from below the Glen Canyon Dam, creating a flat stretch of emerald water perfect for mellow float trips and world class fly fishing. Call 928-645- 2741 for rafting and guiding companies. www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 13
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Rainbow Bridge National Monument.
“Sheer cosmic poetry” is how one writer describes the
world’s largest natural bridge. Accessible by boat (half-
and full-day tours from Wahweap Lodge & Marina and
fulldays from Bullfrog and Halls Crossing Marinas) and
via a strenuous trail from Navajo Mountain. The towering
Bridge is a sacred site to neighboring tribes, so visitors are
asked to treat the Bridge with the respect they would use in a
cathedral. For tours: www.nps.gov/rabr
Nearby Communities: Glen Canyon / Vermillion Cliffs
Page, on the shores of Lake Powell, was founded as the company
town for construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. Today, it has
grown into a tourism and recreational center offering great golfing,
sightseeing and lake and backcountry access. It is a perfect base Petrified Forest National Park
for exploring all of the attractions the area has to offer with lots of Multihued badlands of the Painted Desert, 225 million-year old
options for lodging, meals and entertainment. Visit Page Lake Powell fossils, and one of the world’s largest and most colorful concentrations
can help with activity reservations. www.visitpagelakepowell.com of petrified wood make this a fun side trip. Visitors often drive one
way through the Park to connect between I-40 and Hwy 180.
John Wesley Powell Museum. A small museum featuring www.nps.gov/pefo
the famed explorer of the Colorado and Green Rivers, canyon and
river geology, and the making of Lake Powell. Located in Page, AZ. Bullfrog & Hall’s Crossing Marinas
www.powellmuseum.org A ferry crosses the lake daily; check schedules.
Navajo National Monument Communities nearest Upper Lake Powell are Blanding and
Three beautifully preserved cliff dwellings (only one is visible by most Hanksville, providing access to Bullfrog, Hall’s Crossing and Hite
visitors) are protected here. Exhibits focus on Ancestral Puebloan and Marinas. Each offers boat rentals. Bullfrog offers half-day tours
Navajo culture, and uses for native plants. Between Page and Kayenta. to Rainbow Bridge and has a small lodge, restaurant and other
www.nps.gov/nava amenities. www.lakepowell.com
14 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgwww.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 15
The GRAND
STAIRCASE
Bryce Canyon National Park
Grand Staircase / Escalante National Monument Capitol Reef National Park
16 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgIn the northwest arc
of the Grand Circle,
a wondrous geologic ladder steps from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to raised
tablelands of southwestern Utah. This Grand Staircase — the Chocolate, Vermilion,
White, Gray, and Pink Cliffs — spans five different life zones from Sonoran desert to pine
and spruce forests. It is a masterpiece of geological and biological diversity, encompassing
Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef National Parks plus many other attractions.
Within the Grand Staircase, you Zion National Park. Nature at its most eloquent, Zion is a
travel between totally unique, place of towering sandstone cliffs, narrow slot canyons, spectacular
contrasting landscapes. Zion’s main arches, intermittent waterfalls and seeping springs. Originally inhabited
canyon is a green oasis fed by waterfalls by both Ancestral Puebloans and Paiutes, Zion received most of its
cascading down 2,000-foot sandstone colorful place names from early travelers and settlers. Gentle strolls or
cliffs. Bryce “Canyon” is actually one face strenuous hikes allow exploration of the main canyon, with its emerald
of a plateau that is slowly eroding away, pools and wooded valley, its upper reaches of sandstone and open
leaving behind amphitheaters with thousands of desert, or nearby Kolob Canyon, where a 14-mile hike (round-trip) will
delicate spires and minarets. Vast oceans of red- take you to the world’s second largest stone arch.
gold rock undulate through both Grand Staircase-
Escalante National Monument and Capitol Reef. Zion is most definitely a photographer’s paradise. Shuttles run into the
And enormous tracts of lush national forest weave Park from Springdale from April through November; private vehicles
among the Parks offering welcome respite from the heat allowed off-season. www.nps.gov/zion; for Park lodging, 303-297-2757.
of lower elevations. www.zionlodge.com
This is one of the Grand Circle’s finest year-round Cedar Breaks National Monument
playgrounds. The National Parks offer hiking trails up icy A miniature Bryce Canyon, this amphitheater spans some three miles,
streams and into slot canyons, through arid amphitheaters of and drops 2,000 feet off the plateau toward the town of Cedar City. In
crumbling stone and beneath fabulous arches, over geologic folds summer, the high rim of the canyon is dazzling with verdant forests and
in rock and across bristlecone-studded forests. National forests brilliant wildflowers. Hiking trails along and below the rim. Open late
and BLM lands offer other ways to explore these lands as well: May through mid October.
mountain biking, backpacking, and ATV activities abound in summer; www.nps.gov/cebr
nordic skiing and snowmobiling in winter. Thin ‘Scenic Byways’ snake
between these points, twisting up hogbacks, across alpine meadows, Nearby communities:
and plunging down into small communities along the way. Springdale is within walking distance of Zion’s visitor center;
in fact, shuttles run from town into the Park much of the year. Fun
motels, hotels and B&Bs, some excellent small restaurants, and an
IMAX film theater make this a comfortable community year-round.
Zion National Park
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 17Bryce Canyon National Park
St. George, 45 minutes from Zion is Shakespeare, Broadway, and more from mid
a resort community and golf haven with June–late October.
over 10 courses. It has numerous hotels and www.scenicsouthernutah.com
restaurants, and some wonderful historic
architecture. Brian Head Resort.
www.atozion.com Challenging mountain biking in summer
and fun skiing in winter, Brian Head also
Kanab, also listed on page 9, is a small, offers some of the finest views in western
southern-Utah town located just north of Utah. For serious bikers, begin at the Brian
the Arizona/Utah state line. The area became Head Lookout Tower and bike down
known as “Little Hollywood.” Producers to Panguitch Lake, a descent of several
and actors proceeded to flood the little town thousand feet. Shuttles available from bike
for decades to follow in order to satisfy the shops in both Cedar City and Panguitch.
growing popularity of Western movies in the www.cenicsouthernutah.com
United States. www.kaneutah.org
Bryce Canyon National Park.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Bryce’s original inhabitants, the Paiutes,
Park. Red rock walls give way to a wide believed that the rock figures here were
plain of bright reddish-pink sand dunes, people turned to stone by angry gods.
dotted with wildflowers and wind-swept, Delicately colored spires, fins, and mazes
low-clinging shrubs. Hundreds of off haunt our imagination and beckon us to
roading trails in the vicinity. 24 miles west explore them more closely. Hiking and
of Kanab, UT. horseback trails wind through the Park,
www.stateparks.utah.gov both along the rim and down amongst the
towering rock formations called “hoodoos.”
Cedar City, near Zion, is a bustling A shuttle system (late May through mid
college town best known for its Utah -September) connects all major natural
Shakespearean Festival. Winner of the “2000 amphitheaters along the eastern rim; private
Tony Award for Outstanding Regional vehicles are allowed off-season. Evening
Theater,” the Festival delights audiences with rodeos, flight-seeing, mountain biking, cross
18 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgZion National Park www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 19
SCENIC BYWAY 143:
UTAH’S PATCHWORK
Pkwy.
Utah’s newest National
Scenic Byway crosses the
Dixie National Forest from
Panguitch to Parowan, near
Cedar City. Cresting the 4,500-ft
(1,372-m) pass at Brian Head,
the highway passes through six
distinct life zones in 51 miles (82
km). It skirts Panguitch Lake and
Cedar Breaks National Monument.
By day, there are abundant outdoor
recreational opportunities and, by night,
some of the darkest star-filled skies found
anywhere on earth. 51 mi. / 82.1 km
Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Red rock chimneys jut upward from the
valley floor, perhaps originally springs which
eventually filled in. As softer surrounding
sandstone eroded, the chimneys remained.
Grand Staircase / Escalante National Monument www.stateparks.utah.gov
Grand Staircase-Escalante National
country skiing trails on outskirts of Park. The Lodge inside the Park Monument. Extending across a breathtaking 1.9
will remain open with limited services beginning Sunday, November million acres, the Monument represents a unique combination of
3, 2018. It will close for the winter on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 and archaeological, geological, paleontological, and biological resources.
reopen on March 8, 2019. Limited Sunset Motel rooms available. These strikingly beautiful and scientifically important lands
www.nps.gov/brca; for Park lodging and concessions, 877-386- are divided into three distinct regions: the Grand Staircase, the
4383, www.BryceCanyonForever.com Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante.
Red Canyon. Just minutes from Bryce, a new visitor center Nearby communities
showcases the Dixie National Forest. It offers an excellent hiking Escalante and Boulder border the sprawling National
and biking trail that loops from the top to the bottom of this Forest Monument and Dixie National Forest. They offer excellent
Service canyon. The trail runs along the recently designated Scenic access to both. Small and friendly towns, they each have motels,
Byway 12, an All American Road. Shuttles, bike rentals available fine B&Bs and several restaurants. Torrey and Bicknell, right off
nearby. www. fs.fed.us/dxnf/recreation/redcanyon/ Capitol Reef, are slightly more developed, with numerous hotels
www.brycecanyoncountry.com and some fun dining.
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Monument is a
SCENIC “multi–use area” allowing hiking, mountain biking, horseback
BYWAY 12 riding, and backpacking/camping. Permits required for overnight
Scenic Byway 12, Utah’s first AllAmerican Road takes you to the heart use are available at offices in Cannonville, Escalante, Boulder,
of the American West. This exceptional 124-mile route negotiates an Big Water and Kanab. www.ut.blm.gov/monument
isolated landscape of canyons, plateaus, and valleys ranging from
4,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level. You’ll encounter archaeological, Fishlake National Forest. Located north of Dixie
cultural, historical, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities while National Forest, Fishlake is particularly noted for hunting, fishing,
driving this exhilarating byway. 124 mi. / 199.6 km Panguiych to Torrey. and its 250-mile long Paiute ATV trail. Richfield, UT offers easiest
access for the trail. www.fs.fed.us/r4/fishlake
Nearby communities: Capitol Reef National Park. The Waterpocket Fold,
Tropic and Panguitch are friendly towns with motels, casual an enormous wrinkle in the earth’s crust known as a monocline,
restaurants, and campgrounds, situated near Bryce National Park. forms the 100-mile long backbone of this Park. Early explorers
www.brycecanyoncountry.com described it as an “impassable reef ” of rock, coining the park’s
20 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.org22 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.org
Zion National Park Bryce Canyon National Park
name. The Park’s Visitor Center is located Anasazi State Park Museum.
in an oasis enjoyed for millennia — One of the largest Ancestral Puebloan
preEuropean rock art and early settlers’ communities west of the Colorado
orchards grace the area. Scenic driving, River, the site was occupied from A.D.
hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, 1050 to 1200. The village remains
and horseback riding allowed in the Park. largely unexcavated, but many artifacts
www.nps.gov/care have been uncovered and are on display.
www.capitolreef.org Boulder, UT. www.stateparks.utah.gov
Goblin Valley Sate Park.
NEBO LOOP Whimsical rocks eroded into what appear
SCENIC BYWAY to be “goblins,” and these and other fanciful
From Nephi to Payson, this Scenic Byway creatures greet visitors in this vast sandstone
have instead breathtaking views of the bowl. Near Canyonlands National Park. Great Basin National Park
Wasatch Range and 11,877-foot Mt. Nebo, www.stateparks.utah.gov
its tallest mountain. See flat bottomlands,
high-alpine conifers, red rock formations, gray Great Basin National Park.
sandstone cliffs and salt flats all in the same Located west of the Grand Circle in
day. Sights include Devil’s Kitchen, Walker Flat Nevada, the Park offers incredible diversity: LAS VEGAS
and Mt. Nebo Wilderness. 37 mi. / 59.5 km, 4,000-year old bristlecone pines; 13,063- STRIP
Payson to Junction, Highway 132 (near Nephi). foot Wheeler Peak; star-studded night skies Las Vegas Boulevard is America’s only
(astronomy programs May-Sept.); and the nighttime Byway and possibly the most
spectacular Lehman Caves (year-round concentrated collection of neon and lights
Nearby communities: tours). 775-234-7331. www.nps.gov/grba, in the world. A trip down the Strip is an
Bicknell and Torrey, right off www.greatbasinheritage.org all-inclusive way to experience the heart of
Capitol Reef, has numerous hotels and Las Vegas — an adventure that captures
some fun dining. www.capitolreef.org 75 years of history, glitz, and roadside
charm. 4.5 mi. / 7.2 km in Las Vegas.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 23NEVADA
1 LAS VEGAS STRIP
UTAH
2 NEBO LOOP SCENIC BYWAY
3 THE ENERGY LOOP:
HUNTINGTON / ECCLES
CANYONS SCENIC BYWAY
4 FLAMING GORGE-UINTAS SCENIC BYWAY
5 DINOSAUR DIAMOND
PREHISTORIC HIGHWAY
6 SCENIC BYWAY 12
7 SCENIC BYWAY 143
UTAH’S PATCHWORK PARKWAY
8 TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS SCENIC BYWAY
Bickne
COLORADO
5 DINOSAUR DIAMOND
PREHISTORIC HIGHWAY
8 TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS SCENIC BYWAY
Esc
9 GRAND MESA Brian Head
SCENIC AND HISTORIC BYWAY
10 SAN JUAN SKYWAY
ARIZONA
11 KAIBAB PLATEAU-NORTH RIM PARKWAY
Jacob Lake
12 HISTORIC ROUTE 66
13 RED ROCK SCENIC BYWAY
NEW MEXICO
12 HISTORIC ROUTE 66
14 JEMEZ MOUNTAIN TRAIL
15 EL CAMINO REAL SCENIC BYWAY
16 TURQUOISE TRAIL
NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY
MAP LEGEND
26Gateway
ell
Boulder
Ticaboo
calante
Bull Frog
Pagosa Springs
Ignacio Chimney
Rock NM
T
Holbrook
Eagarmonuments
and mesas
Mesa Arch Canyonlands National Park
Snow fed rivers drain from the western
the canyons of the Colorado River Basin
Extending from Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Each canyon and season offers unique treasures —
Gunnison National Park and Colorado National graceful cottonwoods blazing yellow in the autumn
Monument on the Grand Circle’s eastern fringe through months, canyon wrens calling in spring. Sitting quietly
Utah’s famed Parks — Canyonlands, Arches, Monument on a smooth sandstone ledge next to a centuries old
Valley — is an empire of astonishing cliffs and canyons, site and absorbing the afternoon sun (hot in summer,
mountains and mesas. It is a land that invites us to welcomingly warm in winter), you’ll understand how
wander and wonder, hike, bike, boat, float, jeep, ride, fly, people felt a thousand years ago: completely at peace.
climb, ski, photograph, or just sit and absorb its timeless Bike across slickrock, testing your nerves and muscles,
beauty. continuing on for miles because it’s just too beautiful to
turn back. Join a dinosaur dig. Jeep into the cool green
mountains of the La Sals or the Abajos, or onto Grand
Mesa. Visit a vineyard. Raft the rivers — splash and play
under the Grand Circle’s stunning blue skies.
28 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgDELICATE ARCH, ARCHES NATIONAL MONUMENT
n slope of the Rocky Mountains to carve
n — polished works of geologic art.
Colorado National Monument. Nearby Communities:
Celebrating 100 years since designation, this National Grand Junction makes a wonderful central point
Monument is comprised of towering red sandstone from which to explore these monuments, mesas and
monoliths and deep, sheer-walled canyons offering museums. It’s known as a paleontologist’s playground,
beautiful driving and hiking along the 23-mile Rim Rock home to the greatest diversity of prehistoric bones
Drive. Trails also meander down into the canyons. Just ever recovered. Full of restaurants, accommodations,
west of Grand Junction. www.nps.gov/colm shops, even vineyards. Dinosaur Journey Museum is
a wonderful stop for adults and kids alike—robotic
Grand Mesa National Forest. The world’s largest flat- dinosaurs, bones and skeleton casts, a working lab, a
topped mesa laced with small lakes, excellent fishing kids’quarry, and 1-3 day adult digs.
streams, and hiking, biking, and riding trails. 45 miles www.visitgrandjunction.com
northeast of Grand Junction on I-70 and Hwy 65.
www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 29MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK
camp for exploring the heart of Southwest the Continental Divide for a railroad. The
DINOSAUR DIAMOND Colorado and incredible outdoor recreation. present Forest consists of over 1.7 million
PREHISTORIC HIGHWAY www.ridgwaycolorado.com acres of public land and over 100,000 acres
The Dinosaur Diamond runs through of private land within its boundaries. There
the best land in the world to learn about Black Canyon of the Gunnison are 2 peaks over 14,000’ and another 20
dinosaurs. Numerous sites are available National Park. One of our newest that are over 13,000’ in elevation. People
to the public where bones and tracks are national parks was formed slowly by water are also still finding undiscovered Anasazi
still visible in the ground. Many museums and stones scouring down through hard, ruins in the Forest. If you come across
along the way add to the opportunities dark crystalline rock. No other canyon ruins, please leave them undisturbed and
to see and learn about dinosaurs. 480 in North America combines the narrow report your discovery to the appropriate
mi. / 772.5 km Circle – Grand Junction, opening, sheer walls, and startling depths Forest Service personnel. In this area, we are
CO to Moab, UT to Grand Junction, CO. offered by this gorge. Rim drives and hiking learning much about our Native American
trails with scenic views; trails to the bottom heritage through the study of previously
only for the very experienced hiker. 15 miles unknown and undisturbed sites and
GRAND MESA SCENIC AND east of Montrose, CO, off US 50. artifacts. www.nps.gov/azru
HISTORIC BYWAY www.nps.gov/blca
This “playground in the sky” climbs Arches National Park More than
from the rugged Plateau Canyon floor The small, friendly town of Montrose is two thousand natural sandstone arches,
to the cool evergreen mesa forests, close to the Black Canyon, and has more including the world-famous Delicate Arch,
11,000 feet up. Featured are hundreds than a dozen motels to choose from. There’s frame this area’s amazing beauty. In some
of sparkling lakes, wildflower meadows
also an excellent small Ute Museum with areas, faulting has exposed millions of years
and forests of shimmering aspen and
pine. Take a side trip to Lands End
information about this indigenous Western of geologic history. An 18-mile paved loop
Overlook where the Grand Valley unfolds Slope tribe. 970-249-5000. road introduces visitors to a brilliantly
below. 63.0 miles / 101.4 km. I-70 to www.visitmontrose.com colored landscape littered with fins,
Cedaredge with spur to Lands End. pinnacles, faults and fossils; hiking trails
Gunnison National Forest wind under arches and around windows in
was named for Captain John Gunnison, stone. 5 miles north of Moab on Hwy 191.
Ridgway, also near the Black Canyon a man who came through this area in www.nps.gov/arch
of the Gunnison, serves as a great base- 1853 in search of a feasible route across
30 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgGrand Junction, Colorado
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 31Canyonlands National Park. Countless canyons, mesas and buttes comprise the three separate districts of this Park —
Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze (very difficult access). Each is special. Near Moab, short hiking trails loop through
Island in the Sky as raft trips float thousands of feet below to the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Grand View Point,
about 30 miles from Moab, offers a 360 degree panoramic view of the deep canyons below. Off road vehicles and bikes are permitted
on the 100-mile White Rim Trail. The Needles District north of Monticello offers a very different beauty with remote loop hikes to
spectacular red rock gardens. www.nps.gov/cany
Dead Horse Point State Park. On the same
mesa as Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky, 2,000 feet
directly above the Colorado River, Dead Horse Point
provides a breathtaking panorama of Canyonlands’
sculptured pinnacles and buttes.
www.stateparks.utah.gov
NEWSPAPER ROCK STATE PARK, UT
BIKING NEAR MOAB, UT
32 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgManti-La Sal National Forest.
Home to the La Sal (near Moab) and Abajo
(near Monticello) Mountains, this Forest
offers outstanding recreation in cooler
temperatures. Wonderful scenic drives snake
through these two different ranges, offering
views of the surrounding desert floor.
THE ENERGY LOOP:
HUNTINGTON/ECCLES
CANYONS SCENIC BYWAY
The Energy Loop: Huntington/Eccles Canyons
Scenic Byway winds across the Manti-La
Sal National Forest, rising up to 10,000 feet
above sea level. Explore the rich history of
industrial development as you view coal
mining operations, historic mining towns,
and coal-fired power plants. Nearby Sanpete
Valley contains some of the best-preserved
Mormon Pioneer settlements in existence.
86 mi. / 138.3 km Colton to Huntington.
Newspaper Rock National
Recreation Site. One fabulous wall
of Ancestral Puebloan and Ute petroglyphs
(art chiseled and pecked into stone) is
located on the road into Needles District of
Canyonlands.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 33Nearby Communities: Goosenecks State Park. A biking (controlled by BLM). 12 miles south
Moab is a vibrant town known for its stunning overlook views an “ancestral of Bluff, UT.
world class slick rock mountain biking. But entrenched meander,” deep, looping S-curves
there’s more — rafting, boat tours, aerial carved by the San Juan River. 18 miles south Nearby Communities:
trams, flight seeing, golf, and glorious, of Bluff, UT off Hwys 191 & 261. http:// Historic Goulding’s Lodge,
solitary hikes, and one of the best breweries parks.state.ut.us/parks/www1/goos.htm known as a western fort or town setting
in Utah. Lots of lodging and restaurants, of many John Wayne movies, is one
some campgrounds. For the southern Bears Ears National mile from the rim of Monument Valley.
entrance to Canyonlands’ Needles District, Monument. Divided into two tracts of It offers accommodations, a restaurant,
Monticello is close and is nestled at the SE Utah, Bears Ears National Monument campground, a museum, grocery store,
foot of the lovely Abajo Mountains. It has has numerous natural rock formations fast food, and flightseeing. Twenty five
a multi-agency visitor center, motels and and valleys. Abundant rock art, ancestral miles south of the valley is Kayenta, AZ,
restaurants. www.discovermoab.com dwellings ceremonial sites and other assets on the Navajo Reservation, with several
of cultural significance to Native American hotels and small restaurants. North of the
Monument Valley Navajo peoples are found through the monument. valley, in Utah, are Mexican Hat, Bluff,
Tribal Park. Perhaps the most www.fs.fed.us/visit/bears_ears_national_ and Blanding. Blanding is the largest,
photographed landscape in America, this monument with several motels and restaurants. A
valley of monoliths and buttes has been a recently opened visitor center offers
favorite Hollywood backdrop for 80 years. Natural Bridges National area information. Bluff, though small, is
Still a traditional Navajo homeland, the Monument. Unlike arches, bridges are charming with historic Mormon homes,
valley is accessible by private vehicle and formed when streams cut through canyon lots of outfitters and rafters, and a few
guided tours on limited roads. Horseback walls. Three lovely bridges in one canyon, outstanding trading posts to complement
tours are also available. No backcountry all accessible by short, steep hiking trails, are its three motels and several B&Bs.
hiking or biking is allowed. Goulding’s, protected here. 36 miles west of Blanding, Mexican Hat has three small motels and
the area’s first trading post, has a fine small UT, off Hwy 95. www.nps.gov/nabr restaurants and is located on the San Juan
museum on early trading days. River. Sheltered by the Abajo Mountains,
www.utahscanyoncountry.com Valley of the Gods. A landscape Monticello has several hotels and motels
www.navajonationparks.org that rivals Monument Valley, but is more and has a full range of dining options.
accessible for driving, hiking, camping, and www.southeastutah.org
34 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgLand of the ancients
Human history seeps from the The best-known treasures here are Mesa Verde, Chaco
pores of this land — generations of Canyon, and Canyon de Chelly. Mesa Verde first caught
explorers’ attention because it’s so well preserved: whole
nomads, farmers, builders, warriors, explorers, traders,
towns protected from weather because they were built
miners, and ranchers have traipsed the Colorado Plateau
in high, dry cliff alcoves. Brooms and sandals, grinding
and called it home. Nowhere is this more evident than in
stones and dog-hair weavings capture images of life 800
the southeast corner of this Grand Circle where remote
years ago. Archaeologists thought for years that Mesa
canyons have nurtured civilizations for hundreds of years.
Verde was this society’s nucleus but, as it turns out, that
high plateau was merely a satellite of a far more organized,
Tens of thousands of people once lived here, building
far more powerful community: Chaco. Apparently the
villages along every creek and near every small, life-
trading and religious center of the Ancestral Puebloan
giving spring. Travel for a day in this part of the Grand
world, Chaco’s trade spread from the Pacific to the
Circle and you’ll see their traces: small granaries tucked
Mississippi to Meso America. Over hundreds of years,
inconspicuously up under rock outcroppings, circles
Chacoans created enormous villages and ceremonial
of sunken stones still noting kivas, places of ceremony.
structures, as well as precise solstice markers and elaborate
Remnants of their homes litter sage-covered plains and
irrigation systems. On the western side of the Chuska
mesas. But time and water — those same sculptors of
Mountains, Canyon de Chelly was less developed, less
the canyons — wreak havoc on ancient walls. One of the
populated during Puebloan times, but has been occupied
Grand Circle’s newest national monuments, Canyons of
since by other native peoples. The Navajo still farm and
the Ancients, was recently created to help protect some of
raise sheep in this magical canyon through a unique
these fabulous sites.
partnership with the National Park Service.
36 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgMesa Verde National Park
SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, CO POW WOW DANCER
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 37SKY CITY PUEBLO, NM
FIRE HOUSE ANCETRAL RUIN, UT
HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT
Where did the builders of these sandstone 1539 — is a simple town surrounded by Arts are a part of life for the different
cities go? It appears that, by 1300, all fields tended for centuries. a wonderful Pueblos. The Hopi Arts Trail allows visitors
the Ancestral Puebloans of this area blend of Catholicism and Pueblo beliefs. to connect with the wonderful artists and
had migrated south to join with other Two additional National Monuments are galleries on the Hopi mesas in northern
communities of kin — the Rio Grande near these villages: El Malpais, with Arizona. Visitors are welcome to drive
Pueblos, the Acoma, Zuni and Hopi wonderful volcanic lava flows and cinders across the Hopi reservation using the Arts
peoples — possibly forced from this area by and El Morro, which commemorates Trail map as a guide to visit the galleries
cooling weather and dwindling resources. Inscription Rock – centuries of rock art and and contact artists.
Their traditions live on today though, in European explorers’ signatures. www.HopiArtsTrail.com
the arts and rituals spread throughout New www.nps.gov/elmo
Mexico and Arizona. Utes were undoubtedly the contemporaries
Learn more about NATIVE New Mexico of the Ancestral Puebloans, though their
65 miles west of Albuquerque is Acoma through the New Mexico Tourism small clan, hunter and gatherer style left
Pueblo and the Sky City Cultural Department/Indian Tourism Program. only scant traces of their centuries old
Center. Dating to the 13th century, www.newmexico.org/native_america/ habitation of the southwest. After the
Acoma Pueblo is the oldest continuously Ancestral Puebloans moved away, Utes
inhabited settlement in North America and The Hopi live furthest west, isolated continued to live along the western slope
the 28th Historic Site designated by the on the southern rim of the enormous of Colorado and in the San Juan River
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Black Mesa, the driest place chosen by basin. In the mid 1600s, after they acquired
Its’ rich history is on display at the Haak’u any Pueblo people. Able to coax corn and horses from the Spanish, Utes flourished,
Museum, features exhibits of a wide beans out of parched earth, ecologists becoming fearsome warriors, raiders, and
array of art and artifacts of the Acoma call them “environmental wizards.” One buffalo hunters. But by 1880, the group
and other puebloan tribes of the area. is not born Hopi, one aspires to become now known as Southern Utes were only 500
Native American jewelry and the work of Hopi. Being Hopi is a state of being, of people; the Ute Mountain Utes numbered
contemporary Pueblo artists who create grace, peacefulness, and honesty. Their 650. Today both tribes earn revenues from
world-renowned pottery are available at the sacred dances invoke the rains, but also oil and mineral leases, casinos, and tourism.
museum. pray for peace and happiness for the entire
www.officialbestof.com/features/ world. Today, visitors are still allowed to The Ute MountainTribal Park,
newmexico/2013.php. view some dance ceremonies, but not all wrapped around the base of Mesa Verde,
Should you be lucky enough to attend one, contains worldclass archaeological sites for
Zuni — thought to be the famed city of no photography or recording devices are visitors to tour with Ute guides.
gold, Cibola, the Spanish searched for in allowed. www.utemountaintribalpark.info
38 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgSPIDER ROCK, CANYON DE CHELLY NM, AZ
Of all the tribes, the Navajo dominate the glimpse into America’s pre-European past. Cultural Programs, or the outdoor drama
political and physical landscape. With more Self- guided interpretive trails on the mesa’s Black Shawl during the summer months.
than a quarter million tribal members, and surface, ranger-guided tours of some cliff The Center also features exhibits of pre
more than seven million acres of reservation dwellings, concessions-guided tours and historic and contemporary Native tribes, as
land spread across three states, the Diné are lodging. www.visitmesaverde.com well as rotating art exhibits.
a powerful nation. Relative newcomers to www.nps.gov/meve www.cortezculturalcenter.org
the southwest — they are believed to have www.mesaverdecountry.com
migrated here in the 1400s — the Navajo Canyons of the Ancients
language is similar to Canadian-Athabaskan. TRAIL OF THE ANCIENTS National Monument. Newly
Masters of adaptation, the Navajo quickly SCENIC BYWAY designated to protect thousands of
picked up agriculture, sheep-herding, and Explore the long and intriguing occupation of unexcavated archaeological sites,
weaving for profit from traders. Unlike the Four Corners region by Native American this Monument still lacks significant
the Pueblos though, most traditional Diné peoples. Travel through the archaeological infrastructure. So far, there is just one
families choose to live apart from their heartland of America while crossing the interpretive site and two hiking trails. Lowry
neighbors. Hogans — one roomed earthen beautiful and diverse landscapes of the Pueblo, just north of Cortez, is a self-guided
structures that originally served as homes — Colorado Plateau. World-renowned Mesa tour. Sand Canyon, off McElmo Canyon
often sit next to modern houses, but they’re Verde National Park, Monument Valley Tribal Road, has a nice canyon hiking trail that
still used and appreciated. Notice how every Park, Four Corners Monument, Chaco Canyon, passes several cliff dwellings and Painted
hogan faces east, to greet the dawn. Zuni Pueblo, Bisti Badlands, Aztec Ruins Hand Pueblo, a backcountry site, has a
National Monument, and Natural Bridges
beautiful standing tower and pictographs.
National Monument are highlights on the
The traditional arts of the Navajo — sand trail. The Trail of the Ancients is a loop route For information on how to reach these
painting, basket weaving, jewelry making, that may be started at any point along its hiking trails, visit the Anasazi Heritage
pottery and rug weaving — have experienced length. You can begin the loop in Cortez, Center. www.co.blm.gov/canm
a revival in recent years and are valued by CO, Monticello or Blanding UT, or along the
visitors and collectors. Today the Nation has way. Total length is 480 mi / 772 km. Durango & Silverton Narrow
its own unified government and a strong Gauge Railroad. In the 1880s a
view of the future. www.discovernavajo.com Anasazi Heritage Center. A narrow rail line was strung along the Animas
wonderful, interactive museum and River, a twisting river gorge, to connect
Mesa Verde National Park. information center introduces visitors to Silverton and Durango. Authentic coal fired
Repeatedly cited as one of the world’s top artifacts and pre-European ruins. The Center steam engines still pull passengers in narrow
cultural attractions, Mesa Verde was home to is also the headquarters of Canyons of the gauge cars on an incredibly scenic journey. In
the Ancestral Puebloans for more than 700 Ancients National Monument. 10 miles Durango, CO. 970-247-2733.
years. Many of the best-preserved dwellings north of Cortez off Hwys 145 & 184. www.durangotrain.com
were built high on cliff walls in alcoves, www.co.blm.gov/ahc
well-protected from the elements. Complete Four Corners Monument. Four
homes and entire villages have survived with Cortez Cultural Center. A forum states meet at this Monument, surrounded
many artifacts amazingly intact, providing for arts, education, and Native cultures, by the Ute and Navajo Nations. Here you
visitors a unique and thought-provoking the Center offers free Indian Dances and can have your photo taken touching four
40 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgstates at one time. 38 miles southwest of
Cortez, CO, off Hwy 160.
Hovenweep National
Monument. Five beautifully built
ancient towers cluster at the heads
of spring-fed canyons in this small, Plan your Visit at www.GallupRealTrue.com
undeveloped park. Their use is still
unknown – was it for storage? Solstice White Mountain Apache Crown Dancers at the Summer Nightly Indian Dances
observation? Defense? Facilities include a
Vistor Center and self-guided interpretive
and hiking trails. Travel 3 miles south of
Cortez, CO. on Hwy 160, then west 39
miles on County Road G (McElmo Canyon
Road). 970-562-4282.
www. nps.gov/hove
SAN JUAN
SKYWAY
Travel the “road to the sky” which offers
views of the towering 14,000-foot San
Juan Mountains to rolling hillsides speckled
with ancient Indian pueblo ruins. Victorian
towns offer both excitement and relaxation.
Soak in hot springs, ride the narrow-gauge
railroad, and sleep under the stars or in a
cozy lodge. This byway can be traveled in a
Experience Culture
loop. Total distance: 236 miles / 379.8 km.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 41Turquoise Trail National
Scenic Byway
Linking Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the
byway is surrounded by a Scenic and
Historic Area encompassing 15,000 Square
miles. From the views atop Sandia Crest,
travel through the historic mining towns
Golden, Madrid and Cerillo, alive with
art, crafts, museums and restaurants.
50 miles / 81 km along Highway 14.
Aztec Ruins National Monument, NM ANCESTRAL PETROGLYPHS Bandelier National Monument.
Bandelier’s human history extends back for
Nearby Communities: Salmon Ruins & Heritage Park. over 10,000 years when nomadic hunter-
Sizeable towns nearest Mesa Verde are Another large “greathouse,” or small gatherers followed migrating wildlife across
Cortez and Durango, Colorado. Cortez village, believed to have been a community the mesas and canyons. Around 1150,
(8 miles west of Mesa Verde) makes a connected to the people of Chaco Canyon. Ancestral Pueblo people began to build
wonderful base for exploring more of the 8 miles east of Farmington, NM on permanent settlements here, but by 1550 the
area’s archaeology and offers free Indian Hwy 64. www.farmingtonnm.org Ancestral Pueblo people had moved from
dances nightly. Durango (36 miles their homes to pueblos along the Rio Grande
east) offers the historic silver boom-town Shiprock Peak. The name Shiprock (Cochiti, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa
feel with the famous Durango & Silverton was first applied to this solidified lava core Clara, Santo Domingo). Reminders of these
Railroad, and Victorian architecture. Both in the 1870s on U.S. Geological Survey past times are still evident in the monument.
have numerous hotels, restaurants, and maps for its resemblance to a nineteenth
other entertainment. century clipper ship. Its Navajo name is JEMEZ MOUNTAIN
www.mesaverdecountry.com Tsé Bit’ A’í, “rock with wings”. It is very TRAIL
www.durango.org important in Navajo mythology and
Jemez Mountain Trail takes you through
religion. time, past amazing geological formations,
Chaco Culture National ancient Indian ruins, and an Indian pueblo.
Historic Park. Unlike most of today’s Nearby Communities: The area is rich in logging, mining and
well-known, well-preserved Ancestral Sizable towns near these popular ranching heritage. Sites include Jemez
Puebloan sites, Chaco is not comprised of wilderness areas and Ancestral Puebloan State Monument, Bandelier National
cliff dwellings. Instead, a broad, shallow Monument, Soda Dam, Cabezon, Battleship
destinations in northwest New Mexico
Rock, and the Spence and Jemez
canyon cradles the spectacular public include Aztec, Bloomfield, Farmington
Mountain Hot Springs. 163 mi. / 262 km
architecture of this ancient urban center, the and Shiprock. Loop Road near Albuquerque, NM.
hub of the Puebloan world for religion, trade, www.aztecnm.com;
and administration. Hiking only; mountain www.bloomfieldnm.com; Canyon de Chelly National
biking on the one loop road around the www.farmingtonnm.org Monument. This Monument shelters
canyon floor. 76 miles south of Farmington, over 1,600 years of Native American history.
off of Hwy 550. www.nps.gov/chcu The Farmington / Gallup / Four Early Ancestral Puebloan basketmaker
Corners Area are the hubs of Navajo home sites built high into cliff alcoves grace
Aztec Ruins National Country in New Mexico that include spectacular red rock canyons where Navajo
Monument. Nestled on the edge of the Red Rock State Park, museums, lodging, farmers and sheepherders still live. One
free-flowing Animas River in Aztec, N.M., restaurants and outdoor recreation. hiking trail; jeep and horseback guided
this 450-room UNESCO World Heritage www.Navajonationparks.org tours. Near Chinle, AZ, off Hwy 191.
site was occupied by ancestral Pueblo www. discovernavajo.com www.nps.gov/cach
people from 1100-1300 A.D. The largest
ceremonial chamber within the Pueblo Petroglyph National Hubbell Trading Post
is the only reconstructed Great Kiva in Monument. Although traces of Native National Historic Site. The
North America. Self-guided interpretive American culture can be found throughout trader John Lorenzo Hubbell introduced
trail, visitor center, museum, picnic area. the Monument, it is of course best known for rug patterns popular on the East Coast
Located in northwest New Mexico off U.S. the over 20,000 petroglyphs (images pecked (imported from China and Persia) and
Hwy. 550 just 10 minutes south of the or carved into rock) that can be viewed there. locals began weaving them to create the
Colorado/New Mexico state line. Five volcanic cinder cones on the West Mesa distinctive regional style of Ganado. Today,
www.nps.gov/azru of Albuquerque produced the basalt boulders the trading post looks as it did a century
that were the rough canvas for these amazing ago, stocked with excellent rugs for sale.
Bisti Badlands & De-Na-Zin petroglyphs. The Visitors Center, once a Weaving demonstrations also done. 36
Wilderness Area. This wonderland homestead-era traditional adobe home, is the miles south of Chinle, AZ (Canyon de
of soft clay and sandstone formations can best place to start your visit. Chelly) on Hwys 191 & 264.
be reached from state road 371 on US 64. www.nps.gov/hutr
42 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgNearby Communities:
The small town of Chinle, and the capital
of the Navajo Nation, Window Rock,
both in Arizona, have a few motels and
restaurants for visitors. Gallup, NM,
located on I-40 about 100 miles south of
Canyon de Chelly, is a busy trading center
for all southwestern arts, particularly jewelry.
It’s estimated that 80% of Navajo and Pueblo
jewelry passes through wholesalers there.
www.discovernavajo.com
HISTORIC ROUTE 66
SCENIC BYWAY
In its glory days Historic Route 66 was
a symbol of freedom and opportunity to
travelers across the nation as it stretched
across Northern New Mexico and Arizona.
History lovers have preserved many of the
attractions so unique to the “Mother Road”
in places like Albuquerque and Gallup. Relive
the glory days of one of America’s most
historic byways by visiting the restored
quirky restaurants, gas stations, motels and
other sites all along the Historic Route 66.
www.grandcircle.org Grand Circle Association 2019 43grand Circle Directory
Arizona
Colorado
Nevada
New Mexico
Utah
Region wide areas of wilderness, majestic canyons, deserts and blue org. Follow us at: Facebook.com/ArizonaThingsToDo.
skies characterize the land of the Navajo people. We 930 N. Switzer Canyon Dr., Suite 102A, Flagstaff, AZ
America 4 You L.L.C. preserve, protect and manage tribal parks, monuments, 86001. 928-526-1144. www.arizonaexposure.com
Receptive tour operator specializing in “soft” adventure and recreation areas to promote economic and social
travel like ranch vacations, cattle & horse drives, river opportunity for the Navajo people, and to welcome the Arizona Office of Tourism
rafting, Native American culture, snowmobiling excursions many visitors who come to experience the wonders of Arizona – Experience the Grand Canyon, old west
and self-drive itineraries. P.O. Box 2214, Fullerton, the Navajo Nation. P.O. Box 2520, Wnidow Rock, AZ, legends, Native American and Hispanic heritage, sun-
CA 92837. 714-447-3826. www.america4you.net 86515. 928-871-6647. www.navajonationparks.org drenched adventures, resorts to ranches, shopping &
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Proudly “TripAdvisor” recommended. P.O. Box 911772,
resorts and hotels. Whether on a self-guided tour or with
St. George, UT. 886-263-3191. www.utahscenictours.com
Canyon de Chelly
a group, we will provide you with quality service at a
very competitive price. We arrange accommodations, Thunderbird Lodge
show tickets, travel packages, transport, concierge, Southwest Adventure Tours With all the majesty and history Canyon de Chelly has
and incentive services. 3525 West Hacienda Avenue, As a Destination Management Company, we provide to offer, it’s easy to spend more than a day exploring
Las Vegas, NV 89118. www.CHDestination.com individuals and groups with scenic, photography, and its’ grandeur. Historic Thunderbird Lodge is the only
adventure tours throughout the Southwestern US. We hotel in Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Navajo
Detours American West offer a wide range of day tour and multi-day tour options owned & operated, the charm of the 69-room lodge,
Detours offers scheduled day tours, multi-day tours from and activities and can customize tours to meet your needs. adds to your Navajoland exploration. Thunderbird
Phoenix and Las Vegas to Sedona, Grand Canyon South Tours departing from Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sedona, Salt Cafeteria and the1896 original Trading Post feature
Rim/West Rim, Apache Trail, Antelope Canyon and other Lake City and other local areas adjacent to the National regional specialties. Tours of the Canyon are offered daily
Southwest highlights. Unique tours to National Parks and Parks. Contact us to start planning your adventure today! from the Lodge. Canyon de Chelly, Rte.7, Chinle, AZ
Native American lands are operated out of Phoenix, Las 382 East 650 South Circle, Cedar City, UT 84720. 86503. 928-674-5842. http://thunderbirdlodge.com
Vegas, and Albuquerque. Group size is generally 8-12. 435-590-5864. www.southwestadventuretours.com
Our Platinum programs offer private tours in luxury Flagstaff
SUVs for 2-6 people. We can custom design anything! True West Incentive Travel
Specializing in custom incentives, groups, corporate Meteor Crater & RV Park
722 S Perry Lane, Tempe, AZ. 85281. 480-633-9013, Explore the best-preserved meteorite impact site on
fax 480-633-8687. www.detoursamericanwest.com retreats, and high-end individual travelers throughout the
Rockies and the Southwest. We serve foreign and domestic Earth! See where Apollo Astronauts trained prior to their
clients from all industries and special industries. Thirty historic 1969 moon landing. Guided rim tours (weather
Joy Holiday permitting), observation trails, interactive Museum &
Established in 1995, Joy Holiday was the first tour years of experience and an extensive network of the best
local suppliers give us the edge in providing our clients Discovery Center, gift/rock shop and Subway® restaurant
company offering the complete Grand Circle experience are located at the Visitor Center. Group discounts available.
to Chinese tour groups since 2004. We are a full service with the best possible experience and service. Adventure
is our specialty! 1107 twin Peaks Circle, Longmont, NEW 4D Simulator Ride coming in Spring 2019! Big-rig
travel operator catering to clients from North America, friendly RV Park (top-rated by Good Sam). 35 miles east
Asia and around the world. JH offers tour packages, CO 80503. 757-453-3357. www.truewesttravel.com
of Flagstaff on I-40 at Exit 233. Meteor Crater: 800-289-
air ticketing, hotel accommodation, bus rentals and 5898, RV Park: 928-289-4002. www.MeteorCrater.com
customized travel based on your interests. Our drivers
are certified and we have experienced American and Arizona GILBERT
Chinese guides. Joy Holiday strives to provide you
with the ultimate vacation 199 California Drive #199, Arizona Exposure Marketing Visit Gilbert
Millbrae, CA. 650-259-9599. www.joyholiday.com We are a full service agency with 30 years of tourism Voted Phoenix’s Coolest Suburb in 2016, Gilbert, Arizona
marketing and advertising experience. We also publish the boasts an array of attractions not found anywhere else in
Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation popular Northern Arizona Exposure Map, which has been the Valley. Name a Top Five Food Neighborhood in Metro
The Navajo Nation encompasses the NE quarter of providing visitors with information for 25 years. For a full Phoenix, home to the world’s 2013 Best New Brewery and
Arizona and portions of New Mexico and Utah. Vast list of our services, see our member listing on GrandCircle. a thriving agritainment community. 30-minutes southeast
44 G r a n d Circl e Associat i o n 2 0 1 9 www.grandcircle.orgYou can also read
