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Exploring Arizona: The Grand Canyon State Is One You Won't Want To Miss

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Overview

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The Grand Canyon in Arizona with the Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River at its center

(Photo By Christian Mehlführer)

Introduction

You might think of Arizona as an endless desert, home to snakes, lizards, and coyotes. While it’s true that this colorful state has an arid climate where these creatures feel comfortable, it’s home to some surprisingly good scuba diving despite the fact that average rainfall is just about 12.7 inches each year. 

Arizona is a fantastic place to visit any time of year, and once you arrive, you may find that there’s so much to do that you’ve got to plan another trip in the future.  There are hotels and motels in all major cities as well as in smaller towns, and other types of accommodations are readily available. Whether you prefer to stay at luxury resorts or are more into roughing it at a primitive hike-in campsite, you’ll find Arizona has plenty to choose from. 

Plan your trip around activities and attractions if possible. Because Arizona’s weather varies from one part of the state to another, various sites are at their peak during different parts of the year. The Grand Canyon, for instance, is very crowded during the summer months, but that’s also when the weather is best in that part of the state. Travel during spring or fall and you could risk running into inclement weather; at the same time, you’ll beat the crowds. There are definitely pros and cons to both strategies. This is just one example- be creative in planning your trip to Arizona and you’ll enjoy it as much as possible.  

Geography

Arizona borders California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, and is also part of the US-Mexico border, where it lies north of the Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora. It is the 48th state in the Union and was the last of the contiguous United States to be granted statehood, which occurred on Valentine’s Day of 1912.

Less than one-half of one percent of the state is covered by water; in fact, Arizona is just 0.35 percent water, much of which is contained within a series of scenic lakes. The stunning Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon, offering rafters and kayakers the opportunity to see one of the seven wonders of the natural world from a completely different perspective. As most of the state is public forest, state trust land, and park land, there are many places to explore. Just about 15 percent of the state’s land is privately owned; a significant portion of it belongs to Native Americans.

History

Spanish explorers first came to Arizona in the mid-1500s, encountering original native inhabitants, opening missions, and converting some of the natives to Christianity. By the middle of the 1700s, Spain founded fortified towns called presidios at Tubac and Tucson. In 1821, Mexico achieved independence from Spain and Arizona was officially part of Mexico’s Nueva California territory. 

The United States occupied Mexico City during the Mexican American War of 1847, at which time it pursued a claim to much of Northern Mexico. Later, in 1853, a significant portion of land was purchased from Mexico as part of the Gasden Purchase. Arizona was then administered as part of the United States Territory of New Mexico until the War Between the States, when southern New Mexico joined the Confederate States of America and declared itself the Confederate Territory of Arizona on the 16th of March, 1861. 

On February 24th of 1863, the western half of New Mexico Territory was declared Arizona Territory, and this territory’s new boundaries later formed that basis for the state we recognize today. During the middle and latter portions of the 19th century, Mormons founded several towns throughout Arizona, forming important farms and paving the way for statehood. Copper mining and cotton farming became major industries, but suffered greatly during the Great Depression. 

Arizona’s tourism industry was popularized beginning in the late 1920s and 1930s, when dude ranches, upscale resorts, and fine hotels were opened; during the second World War, the state hosted Japanese-American internment camps as well as German POW camps. After WWII and the invention of air conditioning, the state’s population enjoyed a sudden boom. It continues to grow, though wide open spaces are prevalent. Retirees and sun-seekers enjoy the state’s climate, with snowbirds from other states arriving each winter to seek refuge from winter’s chill.

Economy

Construction, mining, and manufacturing are major contributors to Arizona’s economy, and leisure and hospitality are rapidly growing sectors within the state. Despite growth in the private sector, the state government is the largest employer, with workers maintaining highways and bridges, caring for public spaces, and handling other important tasks such as administrating and teaching in Arizona’s schools and state colleges. 

Location:
  • North America
  • United States
  • Arizona
Keywords: diving guides, north america dive travel, united states dive travel, us dive travel, arizona dive travel, arizona diving Author:
Melissa Gwaldis
Related Tags: Diving Guides