Pictures of Grand Canyon

	Pictures of Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert in Arizona

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Beautiful vistas and wonderous sights abound in north east Arizona. Attractions in Arizona include the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon. Click on the category to view more pictures of scenic Arizona attractions.

Grand Canyon Photos-Petrified Forest

Grand Canyon- Arizona Attractions


The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world. Carved through the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona, the canyon is one mile deep and up to eighteen miles wide. In addition to the awesome size of the canyon, the many layers of rock strata that appear in the steep rims, and the isolated towers of eroded rock catch the light of the sun in a rainbow of colors. From the rim of the canyon, the Colorado River can be glimpsed snaking through the bottom of the canyon. The canyon was first seen by a European explorer when the party of Spanish explorer García López de Cárdenas arrived there in 1540. The first person to lead a party through the Canyon by boat on the Colorado River was the American explorer John Wesley Powell in 1869. In 1908, the canyon was declared a national monument by the US Government, and in 1919, the monument was expanded to include a larger area, which was designated the Grand Canyon National park. Another expansion was completed in 1975, when Marble Canyon, Glen Canyon, and Lake Mead were added to the park, Finally, in 2000, the park was expanded again—to-nearly double its previous size—by the addition of the Canyon-Parashant National Monument. Today, tours of the Grand Canyon can be taken on both the North Rim and South Rim of the Canyon. The South Rim is the most accessible part of the canyon, and from there, visitors to the park can walk or take mule rides to the canyon floor. In addition boating and rafting tours of the Colorado River are also available. There are many lookout points along the rims from which the different parts of the canyon can be viewed, and there are also many hiking paths along the rim. There are several lodges in the park, where visitors can find accommodation. The Historic Grand Canyon Railroad also has a station in the park at the South Rim. The native Havasupai people still live in a part of the canyon, and hundreds of ancient Native American pueblos can be found along many parts of the lower canyon walls, and along the canyon rim.

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Painted Desert -Arizona Photos

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Petrified Forest - Arizona Photos


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Visiting the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park in Arizona

There are three visitor centers in the national park. The Painted Visitor center, the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark and the Rainbow Museum. The Painted Desert is included in the tour by car you can begin or end your tour at the Painted Desert and begin or end your tour by car through the Petrified Forest.

When you begin your tour of the 28-mile park road there are a number of overlooks with vistas of the Pained Desert. Stop at designated parking areas to access picnic areas, trails you can hike and areas where you can take a closer look at the wondrous landscape.

Stops along the Petrified Forest Tour include the Tawa Point and Rim Trail, The Kachina Point and Rim Trail, Puerco Pueblo, Newspaper Rock, The Tepees, Blue Mesa and Blue Mesa Trail, Jasper Forest, Crystal Forest and Trail, Long Logs Trail, Agate House Trail and the Giant Logs Trail.

You can view ancient petroglyphs throughout the Petrified Forest. There are picnic shelters but no camping in the petrified forest or the painted desert.

Petrified Wood Warning-Be advised that Federal law prohibits collection or removal of petrified wood or any natural, archeological or historical object from the Petrified Forest what-so-ever. You will be fined imprisoned or both. The park maintains stations that will stop and check your vehicle. There are a number of shops that sell petrified wood outside of the Petrified National park.

For more information contact:
Petrified Forest National Park
P.O. Box 2217
Petrified Forest, Arizona 86028-2217
Website: www.nps.gov/pefo

National Parks Monopoly

National parks are America's special places -- the soul of this country. Since 1916, the National Park Service has been the steward of what now number more than 380 special places set aside to protect the nation's most precious natural and cultural resources. This rich national heritage offers people from every nation incomparable opportunities for recreation, appreciation of natural beauty, historical reflection, cultural enrichment and environmental education. Within parks, and working among communities on preservation and recreation projects beyond park boundaries, the National Park Service brings together the landscapes, places, people, and events that contribute to the shared national heritage and values of a highly diverse people. Every year, more than 287 million national park visitors learn more about the American experience. In addition to encountering the American experience, visitors also gain a deeper understanding of the ecological, historical and cultural values which are part of that experience. This National Parks Edition of the Monopoly game was created in cooperation with the National Park Service to share the beauty and grandeur of America's national parks, and to provide a unique -- and entertaining -- way to learn more about a system of national parks that has set the standard for the rest of the world.A portion of the purchase price of this game will be used by the National Park Foundation, the official national non-profit partner of the National Park Service, to support priority national park projects. Game includes: game board, property cards, play money and banker's tray, 2 dice, 6 custom pewter game tokens (bear, cannon, ranger hat, hiking boot, tent, and canoe), package of tents, package of ranger stations, Chance and Community Chest cards.

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PhotosofCalifornia.com provides photos and pictures of California, New Mexico and Arizona for the web. Pictures include Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Attractions such as the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon Observation Tower, The Petrifed Forest and The Painted Desert. Visit us again as we add more pictures of Arizona soon.