Desert city – a hot patch
According to Ehuacom, Phoenix is the largest city in the state capital of Arizona in the United States. Phoenix, located on the Salt River, is within the hot Sonoran Desert region in the ” Valley of the Sun “. About 1.4 million people live in the city itself, and 4.2 million people call the extended region their home. Phoenix is framed by the mountain ranges of the McDowell Mountains, Sierra Estrella, South Mountains, White Tank Mountains and the Superstition Mountains. As in Florida, large numbers of northern Americans flock to Phoenix, Arizona during the winter months to escape North America’s cold climate. Playing golf is a popular pastime for the mostly affluent guests from the north of the USA.
Sunshine and little shade in downtown Phoenix
University and high-tech region
In Phoenix, Arizona, there is sunshine almost all year round with very high temperatures in summer. Only the low humidity and the invention of air conditioning makes life in the desert and desert-like region of Phoenix somewhat tolerable. Winter snowfall is a very rare phenomenon in Phoenix. In 2014, Phoenix was hit by record rainfall, with severe flooding. The second largest university in the United States, the “Arizona State University”, is located in the desert city. The region lives economically from resident electronics companies, solar companies and other large corporations in the USA, tourism and agriculture. Phoenix is very well developed and supplied in terms of transport.
Made the desert fertile
Evidence shows that the Hohokam Native Americans lived on the site of present-day Phoenix for a period of about 2,000 years before the arrival of the white man. The Hohokam converted the desert-like region into arable land with an intelligent irrigation system. The Hohkam left the region in the 15th century, and living conditions probably became increasingly difficult for them. Other Native American peoples migrated to the region and also farmed using the irrigation systems.
High-rise office buildings in downtown Phoenix, Arizona
The People of Phoenix – Past and Future
In the mid-19th century, white settlers arrived in the region and stayed. Numerous prehistoric excavation sites around the metropolis make the history and pre-settlement of the city of Phoenix and the surrounding region understandable today. The city’s museums display archaeological finds from the Phoenix region in southern Arizona, as well as telling the story of the Native Americans who once lived here. Today, in addition to English-speaking Americans, the Hispanic population is very numerous in Phoenix, Arizona. The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people who immigrated to the United States along with their culture from Mexico and other Central American countries.
Attractions in Phoenix
- Alice Cooper’stown
- Arizona Biltmore
- Arizona Science Center
- Desert Botanical Garden
- Camelback Mountain Recreational Region
- Encanto Park
- “Hall of Flame” Fire Department Museum
- Heart Museum
- Hole in the rock
- Musical Instrument Museum
- Papago Park
- Phoenix Art Museum
- Piestewa Peak Leisure Region
- Pueblo Grande Ruins
- Ro Ho En
- South Mountain Park
- Squaw Peak Recreation Area
- St Mary’s Basilica
- Tovrea Castle
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Enchanting stone worlds
Vemilion Cliffs National Monument is located in central northern Arizona – USA, near the Utah border. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is located on a high plateau. There is a desert-like climate. The sanctuary was established in 2000. The size of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is about 1,200 km². Vermilion Cliffs National Monument can be reached via Highway 89 and 89A from Page. The sanctuary is also easily accessible from Kanab in Utah.
Toadstool Hoodoos – Vermilion Cliffs near Coyote Buttes North
The site is not economically usable and is not inhabited; nevertheless, the Anasazi – Native Americans – settled in the region 12,000 years ago. Settlement finds are available in the protected area. Typical of the region is the strong red rock, which comes from a mineral in the stones.
The nature of the Vermilion Cliffs
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument consists essentially of high cliffs, spectacular sandstone formations and deep canyons. The National Monument includes the Vermilion Cliffs, Coyote Buttes, Paria Plateau and Paria Canyon. The sanctuary is home to pronghorn, mouflon, numerous species of birds of prey, reptiles and smaller mammals. The California condor has been reintroduced to the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument area.
“White Pocket” region in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Recreational activities in the protected area
Recreational activities within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument are limited to hiking, backcountry backpacking, camping, and wildlife and bird watching. A permit is required to hike in the sanctuary. The danger when hiking is the loose rock on steep slopes and the extreme heat during the summer months. Therefore, autumn and spring are the most pleasant seasons for visitors.
Campsites in the protected area
- Stateline Campground
- Whitehouse Campground
Vermilion Cliffs – Hiking Trails
- Buckskin Gulch Trail
- Coyote Buttes Trail
- Paria Canyon Trail
- Soap Creek Trail
- Whitehouse Trail
- Wire Pass Trail
Cold Water National Monument
In the wake of the metropolis Phoenix
The Agua Fria National Monument was only established in 2000. The establishment of the national monument became necessary because the nearby city of Phoenix was exerting increasing pressure on the region from settlement and tourism. The sanctuary is north of the Arizona capital. The area is 288 km².
Large prickly pear in the semi-desert of Agua Fria
The Agua Fria Conservation Area is located just southwest of Arizona, in the southwestern United States. The National Monument is characterized by canyons, mesas and settlement finds from Indian cultures.
The Agua Fria River flows through the Agua Fria National Monument area before emptying into the artificially dammed Lake Pleasant. The closest town to Agua Fria National Monument is Camp Verde. The terrain of Agua Fria is quite high. In summer it gets very hot in the grounds of Agua Fria National Monument. When hiking through the area, it is important to ensure that there are sufficient water supplies.
Unique flora and fauna away from civilization
The protected area is about 50 kilometers north of the metropolis Phoenix. A functioning infrastructure in and around the Agua Fria National Monument is as good as non-existent. Despite this, many hikers and wildlife watchers are drawn to Agua Fria National Monument for its abundance of wildlife. The natural landscape in the protected area is diverse. There are both humid regions (riparian forest) and very dry areas (semi-desert) within the Agua Fria National Monument.
Trees in fall foliage – Agua Fria National Monument
The most conspicuous plant of the region is the saguaro cactus, which is allowed to grow undisturbed in the dry and hot areas of the protected area. Small forest areas can also be found. In addition to a variety of small mammals and bird species, there are mules, lynxes, coyotes, antelopes, eagles and other species of birds of prey within the Agua Fria conservation area. Numerous species of fish are at home in the Agua Fria River.
Settlements of the Pueblo culture in North America
Prehistoric Native American peoples called the Agua Fria National Monument region their home. Including the Anasazi and Sinagua. There are around 450 prehistoric sites to be discovered in the protected area. The visitor learns there a lot about the way of life of the prehistoric, American natives up to the Pueblo culture. The Anasazi were the last people to leave the region in the mid-15th century. Pueblo la Plata is an uninhabited Pueblo settlement in the Agua Fria area.
Camping am National Monument
There are no comfortable campsites within Agua Fria National Monument, but there are in close proximity at Cordes Lakes and Black Canyon City. Recreational activities within the sanctuary are limited to hiking and bird and animal watching.
