Alternative Arizona:

One of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders, Arizona’s epic Grand Canyon demands to be seen, but be warned: even then, it may still not be believed. While exploring this monumental geological feat of engineering deserves the prime spot on any bucket list, the state has plenty of other action-packed experiences, from hiking, biking and horseriding through its forests, mountains and deserts, to kayaking or rafting its rivers and lakes. Whether you’re after a wildly remote glamping stay under the starriest of skies, or a road trip through some of the most mesmerising landscapes on the planet, Arizona is the perfect destination to lose yourself in an adventure. 

Horseriding is the perfect way to explore Arizona’s incredible desert landscapes, foothills and forests  – after all, this is the land of the Navajo Nation. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, with its soaring 1,000-feet-high sandstone mesas, is a stunning place to ride, with tours for all levels of rider. Join a Navajo trail ride with an indigenous guide, who can offer authentic interpretations of the land and the tribe’s cultural history. Want to live out your Wild West dreams? Arizona offers a range of guest ranches, from working cattle farms to luxury resorts, where you can head out and explore on horseback. For a deeper dive into cowboy culture, check in to the Arizona Cowboy College and master essential ranching skills, including how to saddle up, lasso and round up the herd, before testing your mettle on a ride to Seven Springs Mountain. 

Thrill-seeking rafters will find plenty of white water beyond the Grand Canyon’s mighty Colorado River. Spring snow melt in Arizona’s mountains fills the state’s waterways, and signals its time to start riding the rapids through ancient gorges and cacti-covered desert-scapes. In the Upper Salt River Canyon, a couple of hours from Phoenix and Tucson, you’ll find half-to-five day Class III and IV guided rafting adventures along more than 80km of rumbling river, with longer trips offering the opportunity to camp out under Arizona’s star-studded skies and hike to explore waterfalls, pools and other side canyons along the route. The Verde River, which drops 20 feet each mile, has a short but exhilarating spring rafting season in the canyon, and this designated “Wild and Scenic” river is a great place for watching wildlife as you bounce on by. Check for closures and water depth before you go, and always raft with a recommended outfitter.  

Whether you’re up and out in time for the desert’s dawn chorus, trekking the sandy trails as the sun sinks to purple, turning the giant Saguaro cacti into dancing silhouettes, or walking through heavenly scented groves of Ponderosa pine, a trek through Arizona’s awe-inspiring wilderness is a must. Think there’s nothing to see in the desert? Think again. The Sonoran Desert is bursting with life, from bobcats and coyotes to blooming prickly pears and wildflowers, making any foray into its technicolour realm one to remember.

The state’s mountain ranges and high country offer challenging trails that reward trekkers with epic views. Schedule a sunrise hike on the Echo Canyon or Cholla trail to the top of Camelback Mountain in the Phoenix Valley, which soars to 2,704 feet, or head to the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which protects precious wetland habitat north of Yuma.

The legendary Colorado River, which winds along the Grand Canyon floor, draws nature-loving kayakers from around the world to soak up its rugged and raw beauty, but the state has many other worthy waterways to explore. The Verde River offers a unique Water To Wine experience, combining an inspiring paddle that ends on a sandy beach, with a tour and outdoor wine tasting at the Alcantara Vineyard. Arizona’s lakes are put to good use by adventure lovers, with opportunities for boating, canoeing and kayaking. A short journey from Phoenix or Scottsdale, Saguaro Lake offers relaxing paddling from October to May, while a visit to the Lower Salt River, 40 minutes from Phoenix in Mesa’s lush Tonto National Forest, yields the chance to try tubing, or kayaking from May to September, to see wild horses that come down to the river to drink.  

The iconic 3,860km Route 66 runs through northern Arizona, and this classic highway passes the Petrified Forest National Park, Native American landmarks and the cool, cultural mountain town of Flagstaff, where several historic Route 66-era hotels, including Motel DuBeau Travelers Inn, can still be found. Here, you’ll find one of the Route’s gems in The Museum Club, a former taxidermy emporium, now a live country music venue and bar.

The community sits within the largest stretch of Ponderosa pine in the world, the Coconino National Forest, which offers incredible high-country hiking, camping and swimming in spring and summer, a firework show of colours in the autumn, and excellent winter skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl. The perfect road trip adventure, Route 66 has all the makings of your own movie, with nostalgic neon signs and fascinating mining-boom ghost towns including Jerome providing the backdrop. 

Take your wild swimming game to another level with a dip in one of Arizona’s refreshing natural pools and waterfalls. The gateway to Arizona’s Mogollon Rim (known as “The Rim”) on the Colorado Plateau, Payson has plenty of high-country spots to make a splash in, including Ellison Creek, which is a popular swimming hole at the weekend, and a tranquil oasis during the week. Also nearby is The Jug, a pink granite slot canyon carved over millennia by Salome Creek, where fit and adventurous canyoneers can wade, slide, rappel or jump their way through on a guided course, while in Sedona, Slide Rock provides a natural waterslide for bathers who don’t take their swimming too seriously, and are happy to slip and slide their way down the chute, created by the water coursing over the deep, red rocks.

Arizona has some of the best resorts and hotels in the USA, but its wilderness areas and natural beauty tempt even the most comfort-seeking of travellers to get back to nature with a stay at one of the state’s unique glamping or camping spots for a night or two. Ravens Nest Nature Sanctuary, near Patagonia Lake in the spectacular Sky Islands of Southern Arizona, has two secluded glamping sites with safari-style tents, and offers bird-watching tours, astronomy programmes, and survival workshops. Shash Dine Eco-Retreat, set on Navajo land south of Page, offers stays in a traditional log hoghaan (Hogan), bell tent or an antique sheepherder wagon, while staying at one of the simple, fantastically located campsites within Arizona’s state parks, like Dead Horse Ranch State Park, is a great way to get even closer to nature’s heart under a blanket of stars.

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