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Experiences - Wildlife - Arizona

Southern Arizona is for the Birds

Cave Creek. Madera. Ramsey. Sonoita. Patagonia.

By gowestusa Staff

The southeastern portion of Arizona is well known to birders not only for its year-round residents, but also because of its geographic position along key migratory routes. Say Cave Creek Canyon, Ramsey Canyon, Madera Canyon, Sonoita or Patagonia to a birder, and you will be playing a symphony.

Portal makes up the eastern border and Tucson is at the northwestern tip of the prime birding preserves. Some are official preserves. Others are s ... [continued]

Trails | Hike - Take an elevator 750 feet beneath the surface. [more]

Treads | Drive - Pebble Beach. Clint Eastwood. The Lone Cypress. [more]

Experiences | Adventure Sports - Well, at least for sixty miles.... [more]

Cowboys | Indians | Ghost Towns and Forts | It Happened Here

Utah's Rock Art Canvasses

The American Southwest is full of rock art. Colorado, Arizona, California and New Mexico all have sites that are either preserved on their own or as part of a larger ruins area. But Utah probably has a greater variety than any other state.

Although pictographs and petroglyphs are often used interchangeably, there are key differences between them. Pictographs are painted onto stone using colors made from local vegetation. Petroglyphs are carved into the rock. Pictographs are much more fragile, and usually painted in places where they ar...[continued]

Old West | It Happened Here - Remembered forever at Little Bighorn Battlefield. [more]

Old West | Cowboys - More than 300 Westerns shot here in seventy years. [more]

Old West | It Happened Here - Ancients, Spanish, soldiers, settlers left a mark. [more]


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	Heads Up! Big Savings on Lake Powell Houseboats: If you're looking for a family vacation that suits everyone from Pipsqueak to Grand Dude, gowestusa recommends pooling the family bucks for a houseboat on Lake Powell. Between now and March 31, discounts from 15% to 25% off are being offered on almost all 2010 bookings. Related Story: Six Marinas, 96 Canyons, 1800 miles of Shoreline Snowshoe Yellowstone National Park: Guided snowshoe trips are offered in Yellowstone National Park till mid-March. They begin either from the West Yellowstone Visitor Center, or from Upper Terrace Drive in Mammoth Hot Springs. Shoes can be rented at the Bear Den Ski Shop next to the Mammoth Hotel, or bring your own. Related Story: Mammoth Hot Springs Elephant Seal Rookery on the California Coast: Huge elephant seal bulls, up to 16 feet long and weighing as much as 5,000 pounds, are all back in the rookery at Piedras Blancas. Births continue and females are starting to leave. The peak of mating happens around Valentine's Day. :) Related Story: The Amazing Elephant Seal Looking for a Unique Winter Experience?: Ride the Durango Silverton Winter Steam Train and then enjoy a snowmobile experience with Outlaw Tours. Packages include a train trip, fireside lunch break on the banks of the Animas, and a two-hour snowmobile tour. You'll be back in Durango for plenty of time for dinner. Related Story: Durango and Silverton Railroad Hike the Fiery Furnace with a Ranger: One of the best hikes in Arches National Park in Utah is into the Fiery Furnace. This amazing area is like a maze, so ranger-guided hikes are strongly recommended and fill well in advance. Two hikes a day are offered from March through October and reservations can be made online. This is a strenuous 3-hour hike. The terrain includes narrow ledges, cracks in the rock, and places where you must hold yourself off the ground by pushing against the sandstone walls with your hands and feet. There is no turning around once you're in the maze. Related Story: Driving Arches National Park [more Heads Up!]


	Qs and Tips Q: I've taken some of the more popular hikes in Zion and Bryce National Parks, and there are always a lot of people on the trail. Especially in peak season. Are there hikes in the same area that are more peaceful? I am looking for something with moderate difficulty and distance. --John F., Santa Ana, California TIP: The Grand Staircase Escalante Wilderness is a spectacular area just northeast of Bryce. One of the m... [read] ASK