The American Wild West

(Colorado, Utah,Arizona, New Mexico, Texas)

[page references are to the South Western USA Rough Guide]

This is from our five week trip to the region starting mid-September 1997. Sights in bold are the 'must sees'. Those included in [square brackets] are from variations that we considered for our route (it isn't possible to cover all of these without a lot of backtracking).

Colorado; rg678

1. Denver; rg679

Free buses on 16^th Street pedestrian mall
State Capitol. View from 13^th step (1 mile up) looking back west; rg682

2. Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods; rg696
NORAD. Tours Saturday morning (generally booked well in advance); rg698

3. Cripple Creek. Scenic narrow gauge railway, daily 10.00-17.00, $6; rg699

4. Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road, succession of views. Free shuttle bus from Glacier Basin parking area to Bear Lake; rg685

5. Silverton. Daily shootout 17.30; rg700

6. Mesa Verde National Park; rg703, lp769

Best months May, September, early October

Wetherill Mesa. Mini-train tours of plateau from visitor centre (see Step House there). Hour long ranger tour of Long House.

Far View. Can be seen on way back from the visitor centre.

Balcony House. Ranger tours every half hour. These involve climbing three large ladders and crawling through a tunnel; omit if you have a fear of heights

Utah; rg807

1. [Dinosaur State Monument; lp226]

2. [Salt Lake City.

Temple Square; lp124
Mormon Tabernacle Choir; lp126
Beehive House; lp 126
First Presbyterian Church; lp128
Utah State Fair. Mid-September; lp140]

3. [Fairfield. Pony Express Trail; lp234, lp543]

4. [Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Lehman Caves; lp238]

5. [Price. College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum; lp256]

6. Four Corners Monument; lp556

7. Monument Valley. Two hour jeep trip, $15, daily 7.00-sunset, $2.50; rg806, lp353, 558

8. Hovenweep National Monument. Remains of small Anasazi community, difficult to get to; rg822, lp356, map lp321

9. Blanding. Trail of the Ancients - check in Edge of the Cedars State Park; lp 350, map lp 321.

10. Natural Bridges National Monument. One of prettiest highways in Utah, Hwy-95; rg820, lp 351, map lp321

11. [Grand Gulch Primitive Area. Canyon, Anasazi cliff dwellings, pictographs; rg821]

12. [Rainbow Bridges National Monument. Boat tours from Wahweap, daily 07.30 and 13.00, $50; rg823, lp439]

13. [Arches National Park. Daily 8.00-16.30, 4,000 feet; rg818, lp326, map lp321]

14. Canyonlands National Park. Utah’s largest, most magnificent, and least visited park. Difficult to get around. Best views on White Rock Rim Overlook and Grand View trails; rg816, lp330, map lp321

15. Capitol Reef National Park. Daily 8.00-19.00, free in parts, 5,400 feet; rg814, lp 316, map lp265

16. Boulder. Anasazi Indian Village State Park. Daily 08.00-18.00, $1.50 each or $6 per car; lp314

17. Kodachrome Basin State Park. 5,800 feet; lp312, map lp265

18. Bryce Canyon National Park. Photos at sunset/sunrise, best from Bryce Point (at southern end of amphitheatre). Two campgrounds in park. 8,000 feet. Daily 8.00-17.00, $5 per car; rg812, lp307, map lp265

19. Cedar Breaks National Monument. Point Supreme gives best view. 10,400 feet - very cold at night. Daily 8.00-18.00, $5 per car; rg812, lp272, map lp265

20. Zion National Park; rg810, lp293; map lp265, lp294 4000 feet

southern entrance (Mt Carmel to Springdale) steep, twisting and narrow; $10 for ‘big’ vehicle escort
Zion Canyon, daily 8.00-21.00, $5 per car
Kolob Canyons, daily 8.00-16.30

21. Kanab. Film locations; lp 303, map lp265

Arizona; rg771

1. [Navajo National Monunent. Betatakin Ruin. Most days, 09.00 and 12.00, 7,300 feet, free tour (no advance booking), hike can be strenous, allow 5/6 hours roundtrip; rg 805, lp558]

2. Monument Valley. Two hour jeep tour $15. Daily 7.00-sunset, $2.50; rg806, lp353, 558

3. Pipe Spring National Monument. Historic monument to cowboy life: ranch, fort, etc. Daily 08.00-16.00, $2; lp430

4. Grand Canyon.

North Rim

North Rim Campground campsite reservations recommended, 1-800 283 2267; lp429

Excellent views from the lodge but take the turnoff three miles north to Point Imperial and Cape Royal for the best views, 8,800 feet; lp427

Bright Angel Point has great views at sunset; lp428

Cameron Trading post has good selection of Native American crafts; rg797, lp426

South Rim

Rim Trail, East & West Rim drives. Bright Angel and Kaibab Trails (short walk down these is worthwhile); lp412

Mules. Day trip $102, Phantom Ranch $250 (overnight); lp417

5. Hopi Detour (3 days)

6. Hopi Mesas; lp561

First Mesa. Walpi at very end of mesa is the most dramatic of Hopi villages. Most unchanged of the mesas. Half hour tours, ask to see the steep stairway that drops down to the cornfields, daily 9.00-17.00, donation; Several artisans live there; rg804, lp564

Second Mesa. Hopi Cultural Center. Mon-Fri 9.00-17.00, Sat-Sun 9.00-16.00, $3. No form of recording permitted; lp565

7. [Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Thefts from cars are a major problem here; rg801, lp553.]

8. Painted Desert; rg784.

9. Holbrook. Navajo County Museum. Daily 08.00-17.00, free; lp543.

10. Fort Apache. Apache Cultural Centre, Mon-Fri, 08.00-17.00, small charge; lp580.

11. [Springerville. Casa Malpais Ruin. Via tour only; lp583.]

12. Meteor Crater. Daily 8.00-17.00, $7; rg783, lp531.

13. [Williams. Grand Canyon railway, $49, lp533]

14. Flagstaff. Lowell Observatory. Tours 09.00-17.00, $2.50; stargazing sessions, 20.00-22.00, every Friday, $2.50; rg785, lp516

15. Sedona. Oak Creek Canyon. Like small Grand Canyon but it’s possible to drive through it; rg787

16. [Scottsdale. Rawhide - western town theme park; lp376]

17. Phoenix

Biosphere 2. Guided tours, 2½ hours, daily 9.00-16.30, every 30 minutes, $12.95; rg775, lp630
Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum. Wed-Sun 09.00-17.00 $5.75; lp378

18. [Globe. Apaches Days, third weekend in October; rg783.]

19. Tucson area

[Tucson

Centre for Creative Photography; lp607

Arizona State Museum. Paths of Life exhibition - past & present of several tribes, Mon-Sat, 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00; lp608

Old Tucson Studios, currently closed (1996); lp630

Amerind Foundation Museum. Off I-10. Daily 10.00-16.00, $3; rg778.

Mission San Xavier del Bac. Highlight of trip to Tucson; lp629]

20. Kitt Peak National Optical Observatory. Daily 11.00, 13.00, 14.30 (and 09.30 Sat), $2. Steep road; lp638.

21. Green Valley.

Titan Missile Museum. Daily 09.00-16.00 hourly (closed Mon-Tue May-Oct), $5; lp641
Whipple Observatory. Mon, Wed, Fri by reservation, $7; lp641

22. [Nogales. Chance for a brief taste of Mexico; rg777, lp643]

23. Tombstone. Wild West Bunch shootouts first and third Sun, Tombstone Vigilantes remainder 2.00, Daily at Helldorado stage 2.00 rest of week. Helldorado days, third weekend in October; rg778, lp653

24. [Douglas/Agua Prieta. More leisurely & relaxed than Nogales; lp661]

25. [Hoover Dam; lp449]

26. [Prescott; lp482

Historic buildings; lp483
Sharlot Hall Museum. Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-17.00, $2; lp486]

27. [Montezuma Castle National Monument. Daily 08.00-17.00, $2]

28. [Lake Havasu City. Colorado Indian Reservation. Daily 8.0-sundown, $3; rg791, lp456]

New Mexico; rg744

1. Aztec Ruins National Monument (NM). Aztec Museum & Pioneer Village, Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-16.00, $1; lp770

2. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. More realistic atmosphere than Mesa Verde. Mile from visitor centre to caves. Note the pictographs near the cave entrances; rg771, lp854, 861

3. Pancho Villa State Park; lp853

4. Las Cruces. State Fair, late Sept; lp844

5. [Magdalena. Very Large Array Telescope. Daily 08.00-sunset, free; lp837]

6. El Paso, Texas. Trolly into Mexico, $10; rg617.

7. Carlsbad Caverns National Park. National Geographic March 1991. Walk down the 3-mile ‘blue tour’ (return by elevator). Bring stout shoes and a torch. Check which ranger-led tours are on (from $6.50). Batwatching; lp904; rg766, lp901

8. [White Sands National Monument; lp868]

9. [Alamogordo. International Space Hall of Fame; lp870]

10. [Cloudcroft. Episcopal Church of the Ascension; lp873. Oktoberfest, first weekend in October; lp874]

11. Roswell. International UFO Museum (run by the army press officer who made the original announcement), daily 13.00-17.00, free. Outa Limits UFO Enigma Museum, Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, $1; rg768, lp888. Rocks for Cathy, Dermot, Karen, Me.

12. Lincoln. Frontier-era town. Lincoln County Courthouse (museum). Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00; rg769, lp887

13. Trinity Site. First Saturday of April and October only, call 678 1134; lp867

14. [Fort Sumner. Grave of Billy the Kid. Old Fort Sumner Museum, daily 9.00-17.00, $2; rg761, lp919]

15. [Portales. Jack Williamson Science Fiction Collection; lp911]

16. [Clovis. Buddy Holly museum, irregular hours; rg 761, lp914]

17. Salina Pueblo Missions National Monument. Three abandoned pueblos; lp703

18. Albuquerque; rg761, lp676

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Dances Sat-Sun 11.00 and 14.00, free; rg763, lp680
Petroglyph National Monument. Daily, 09.00-18.00, $1; lp682
Baloon Festival, between first and second weekends in October; lp685

19. [Gallup. Zuni Pueblo.Atsinna ruins, mile long trail; rg766, lp799]

20. [Grants. New Mexico Museum of Mining, Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm, $2; rg765, lp793 I40]

21. [Acoma Pueblo. Mesa-top community. Hour long guided tours, daily 8am-7pm, $6 plus $5 camera; rg764, lp792. I40 55 miles west of Albuquerque]

22. Sandia Pueblo. Bien Mur Indian Market Centre. Mon-Sat 09.00-17.30, Sun 11.00-17.00; lp699

23. Los Alamos. Bradbury Science Museum, Tue-Fri 9.00-17.00, Mon, Sat, Sun 13.00-17.00, free; rg752, lp784

24. Bandelier National Monument. Good overview in visitors centre. Most important features along Frijoles Canyon drive. Nice campground on Frijoles Mesa. Entry $5 per car; rg750, lp787

25. Santa Clara Pueblo. Puve cliff dwellings, daily 9.00-17.00, $4 ($5 with guide); rg749

26. Tesuque Pueblo. Campground. Free admission; g749

27. Sante Fe; rg755, lp704

Historic city centred around central plaza
State Museums. Covered by a three day ticket, $5.25; rg757, lp710
Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00; lp710
San Muguel Mission, Mon-Sat 09.00-16.30, Sun 13.00-17.00, free; lp711
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-17.00, free; lp712
Palace of the Governors; rg757
Museum of Fine Arts. Housed in attractive adobe; rg757
Canyon Road. Galleries.

28. Chimayo. Sanctuario de Chimayo church, May-Sep, daily 9.00-18.00, Oct-Apr 9.00-16.00; rg754, lp734 (the high route, during sunset if possible, beware of crazy drivers (lp755); rg754, lp734)

29. Taos; rg747, lp736

Few specific sights
San Francisco de Asis. Splendid architecture; rg748

30. Taos Pueblo; lp738

San Geronimo Day, Sept 29 & 30. One of most spectalur Indian celebrations; lp739
Historical homes. Blumenschein Home & Museum, get free guide $4 ($6 for two museums, $8 for all three). Mattinez Hacienda, daily craft demonstrations; lp739
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge; lp741

31. Chama. Rio Grande bridge. Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, bring warm clothes, $50 day trip; rg750, lp777

32. [Chaco Canyon. Large pre-Columbian city. Isolated (two hours along unpaved road), daily 8.00-18.00; rg753, lp774]

33. Capulin Volcano National Monument. Daily, 08.00-20.00, $3; lp827