A
astrostu
Guest
Last year I had a 24-hr period after my conference in Flagstaff was over for fun. I ended up going on a blitzkrieg sight-seeing tour of: Walnut Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Slide Rock State Park, Red Rock State Park, and Sedona. In the past, I've been to Grand Canyon (twice, photos only once), Meteor Crater (twice), Painted Desert / Petrified Forest (no photos), Sunset Crater National Monument (twice), and Wupatki National Monument (once, no photos).
So, I'm trying to figure out where to go this year. I'm flying in on a Sunday early afternoon, my conference is Monday and Tuesday (though I think it'll end around noon on Tuesday), and my flight out is late Thursday. So I'll have a good half day on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and a full day on Wednesday.
The only things that I really want to do again are walk through Walnut Canyon and do Petrified Forest / Painted Desert and get good photos this time on a decently sunny day (the one time I was there, it was a drive-through and was raining). I was also thinking Sunset Crater would be a nice place to visit again. In addition, my advisor wants me to peruse I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix because he says that it has some good rock formations.
So I have three questions questions, one specific and one general.
Question 1: Is Agua Fria National Monument worth visiting?
Question 2: Is there anything worthwhile on the way to Petrified Forest / Painted Desert? I know Walnut Canyon is, so I'll probably do that on Wednesday morning on the way there, but is there anything else?
Question 3: What else is good to visit in the area? Have I left anything out? Is there anything specific between Phoenix and Flagstaff that I should visit?
So, I'm trying to figure out where to go this year. I'm flying in on a Sunday early afternoon, my conference is Monday and Tuesday (though I think it'll end around noon on Tuesday), and my flight out is late Thursday. So I'll have a good half day on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and a full day on Wednesday.
The only things that I really want to do again are walk through Walnut Canyon and do Petrified Forest / Painted Desert and get good photos this time on a decently sunny day (the one time I was there, it was a drive-through and was raining). I was also thinking Sunset Crater would be a nice place to visit again. In addition, my advisor wants me to peruse I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix because he says that it has some good rock formations.
So I have three questions questions, one specific and one general.
Question 1: Is Agua Fria National Monument worth visiting?
Question 2: Is there anything worthwhile on the way to Petrified Forest / Painted Desert? I know Walnut Canyon is, so I'll probably do that on Wednesday morning on the way there, but is there anything else?
Question 3: What else is good to visit in the area? Have I left anything out? Is there anything specific between Phoenix and Flagstaff that I should visit?