When we think of Arizona, geography is what comes to mind, so that is what the kids wrote about this time around. And being that we live 2 miles from Arizona as the hawk flies (we can see Arizona rock formations from our kitchen window), the kids stated that we had to take an AZ roadtrip before they finished this post. Well, I'm never one to turn my nose up at a day trip, so off we went on mini whirl-wind adventure, through sandy deserts, ponderosa pine forest, and red rock magnificence. Thanks kids!!
Lee’s Ferry by
NovaLee
In the Glenn Canyon region of northern Arizona, at the very
beginning of the Grand Canyon, is a place called Lees Ferry. With the mountains
rising around it, and the Colorado River rushing through, Lees Ferry is an amazing
place full of history.
Historical Buildings |
Lees Ferry was established in 1871 to help settlers and
supplies cross the Colorado River, and was named after John D. Lee, the Mormon
settler who set it up. With the Grand Canyon walls rising steeply on both
sides, it is almost impossible to get across the river for hundreds of miles. Lees
Ferry is one of the few places that could be crossed.
Rafters getting ready for the long ride down the Grand Canyon! |
Today it is a campground,
a fishing spot, a historic sight, and a launch for those of you who would like
to raft down the Grand Canyon (wow! That would be really fun!)
The drive down to Lees Ferry was a lot of fun; one moment
there were trees, and the next moment it was just sand everywhere. Half way
through our trip we stopped in the Kibab National Forest town of Jacob Lake.
The funny thing about Jacob Lake is that there is no actual lake; we were so
confused!
just hiking around! |
Then, once we got there, we were amazed; red rocks seem to be jumping
out of the earth, the river glinted in the sun, and lizards scurried over the ground
begging to be chased with a net. It was so hot that we had to take a dip, but
the water was freezing even with the sun beating down on us. The beginning of the
Grand Canyon is magnificent! Lees Ferry is a place that you have got to visit.
Saguaro Cactus by
Vega
Would you like to see a Saguaro Cacti? If so, you will have
to travel to the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona (and Northwestern Mexico)
because that is the only place they grow.
Saguaros can live for two hundred years, grow up to 60 feet
tall, and have over more than 25 arms.
But Saguaros grow very slow; it takes 35 years for them to start making
flowers. Another thing about Saguaro
cacti is that they are very heavy. They
can weigh 6 Tons or more when they are full of water! Saguaro Cactus are pleated like an accordion so
that when it rains they can stretch out to store the extra water.
Many animals, such as the Gila Woodpecker and Elf owl, make
I think that the Saguaro is an important plant to the
Sonoran Desert.
Arizona Fun Facts:
*Phoenix is the capital of Arizona, and it is the only capital named after a mythological creature. Cool!
*Arizona is home to the only poisonous lizard in the US, the Gila Monster.
*There are 21 Indian Reservations in Arizona, the largest belonging to the Navajo. There are also many ancient Native American sites throughout the state.
*Do you know where the London Bridge is? In Lake Havasu City, AZ of coarse! The Bridge was bought, shipped across the Atlantic, and then re-built brick by brick in the AZ desert. Lets go for tea and cucumber sandwiches!
*Pluto was discovered from Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Also, Tucson is considered the Astronomy capital of the world.
Happy Trails, we'll see you next time in Arkansas!