Infos querbeet zu NPs, NMs, SPs, etc.

Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument Becomes World's Fourth International Dark Sky Sanctuary

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At a Glance

Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument is one of the darkest, most remote places on Earth with light-pollution-free views of the night sky.

It becomes the fourth dark-sky sanctuary in the world, as named by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Cosmic Campground in western New Mexico's Gila National Forest is another IDA sanctuary.

Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument has been named the fourth international dark sky sanctuary in the world, distinguishing it as one of the darkest, most remote places on Earth with unparalleled, light-pollution-free views of the night sky.
The United States National Parks Service and the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) announced the designation last week in a joint press release, noting the quality of the 160-acre site's "naturally dark night skies" and cultural heritage, according to a press release.
“This designation is an important step to ensure we protect the entirety of the landscape at Rainbow Bridge National Monument, which is sacred to many of the Native American Tribes in the area,” said William Shott, Superintendent of Rainbow Bridge National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. “We’re thrilled to be the first National Park Service unit to receive this specific designation, as this will only fuel our night sky preservation efforts.”

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'Fire rainbow' spotted over Pinnacles National Park in California

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A runner spotted a “fire rainbow” over Pinnacles National Park in California, the National Weather Service, Bay Area announced on Wednesday.
A fire rainbow, more formally known as a circumhorizontal arc, occurs when the sun is more than 58 degrees above the horizon. The sun must be higher than this in order for the arc to form, according to Atmospheric Optics.
Then, as the sun’s light is refracted off of the ice crystals in cirrus clouds, “you get pretty colors,” Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS), told SFGate.
"It's an optical illusion,” he added.
If you live in North America, you have a good chance of seeing the phenomena, especially during the summer months. In fact, depending on where you live in the states, a fire rainbow can be spotted five or more times during the summer, according to Atmospheric Optics.
Fire rainbows are extremely uncommon in Northern Europe, however, and are “impossible to see north of Copenhagen,” the weather site says.

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
VIDEO: Time-lapse Captures Sprawling Volcano Lava Overflow

USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor Closed Indefinitely

Engineers say damage to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu was worse than expected and it will remain closed indefinitely.

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Damage to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu was worse than expected and it will remain closed indefinitely, officials said.
Boat transportation to the attraction was suspended May 6 after one of the vessel operators noticed a crack on the outside of the memorial, Hawaii News Now reported .
Tourists were allowed to disembark at the memorial after crews completed interim repairs. But the cracks reappeared hours later, indicating a more serious issue.
"There is a brow or an edge where the visitor ramp meets the memorial, and at that point, there's been some fissures located on the exterior," said Jay Blount, a spokesman for the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. "After further investigation on the interior, it was determined that the structure is not supporting the loading ramp the way that we need."
Engineers are working to figure out possible long-term solutions.
"The amount of time needed to implement the repairs is unknown, but the (National Park Service) will continue to provide information to the public as our team of specialists works together to restore access as soon as possible," memorial staff said Friday in a news release.
Other areas of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center remain open.

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Das Meiste dürfte eigentlich bekannt sein:

Lotterie: US-Nationalparks verlosen Eintrittskarten

Um die Besuchermassen im Zaum zu halten und die Natur der Nationalparks in den USA zu schützen, musst du jetzt bei manchen Parks auf Losglück hoffen. Denn: Nur wer ein Ticket gewinnt, darf rein.

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Die Preiserhöhung für etliche der Nationalparks der USA ist bereits im April beschlossen worden – ab heute tritt sie in Kraft. Einige Nationalparks sind aber so überlaufen oder ihr Ökosystem ist so empfindlich, dass die Besucherzahlen extrem beschränkt wurden. In sechs Nationalparks musst du an einer Verlosung teilnehmen, um überhaupt eine Eintrittskarte kaufen zu dürfen.

Diese Nationalparks verlosen ihre Tickets
Teils gilt die Verlosung für den Eintritt in den gesamten Park, manchmal aber auch für ganz bestimmte Touren und Führungen in den Parks. Wer dabei sein will, muss sich schriftlich bewerben und eine Gebühr bezahlen. Wer gewinnt, zahlt dann noch Parkeintritt und die Kosten für die oft vorgeschriebene geführte Tour.

Für diese Naturerlebnisse musst du in Zukunft an der Lotterie teilnehmen:
Coyote Buttes North (Bewerbungsgebühr: 5 Dollar, Eintritt: 7 Dollar)
Denali Road im Denali-Nationalpark (Bewerbungsgebühr: 15 Dollar, Eintritt: 25 Dollar)
Rafting-Trip durch den Grand Canyon (Bewerbungsgebühr: 25 Dollar)
Bärenbeobachtung im McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge (Bewerbungsgebühr: 30 Dollar, Eintritt: 525 Dollar)
Half-Dome-Wanderweg im Yosemite-Nationalpark (Bewerbungsgebühr: 10 Dollar, bei Gewinn noch mal 10 Dollar, Eintritt: 35 Dollar)
Unterkunft Phantom Ranch im Grand Canyon

Für all diese Attraktionen musst du vorher auf der Seite des jeweiligen Parks über die offizielle Website der US-Nationalparks ein Bewerbungsformular ausfüllen. Außerdem musst du schon für die Teilnahme eine Gebühr bezahlen. Wenn du gewinnst, musst du trotzdem noch den Eintrittspreis oder die Kosten für die Tour zahlen.

US-Nationalparks werden teurer
11,6 Milliarden Dollar – das ist die Summe, die für Wartungen, Instandhaltung und Straßenarbeiten der 417 Nationalparks, historischen und kulturellen Stätten und Denkmälern benötigt werde, teilt die Bundesbehörde National Park Service mit. Der Plan, um die umgerechnet rund 9,4 Milliarden Euro aufzutreiben: Die Eintrittspreise in mehr als 100 Parks erhöhen.

Neue Preise ab Juni 2018
Ab 1. Juni, wird der Eintritt in 66 Parks erhöht. Bis Januar 2020 sollen alle 117 kostenpflichtigen Parks ihre Preise angezogen haben. In der Regel werden alle Eintrittskosten um 5 US-Dollar (rund 4 Euro) erhöht. Eine Liste mit allen kostenpflichtigen Parks inklusive alten und neuen Kosten findest du auf der Website des National Park Service.

Die beliebtesten Parks werden noch teurer
Weltberühmte Naturgebiete wie der Grand Canyon, die Rocky Mountains, der Yellowstone- oder der Yosemite-Nationalpark, die ohnehin schon die höchsten Eintrittspreise verlangen, ziehen ab Juni 2018 noch mal ordentlich an. Hier kostet der Jahrespass dann 60 statt bislang 70 Dollar.
Das Geld werde in erster Linie für die Verbesserung der Infrastruktur benötigt, erklärt die Bundesbehörde. Neue Straßen sollen gebaut werden, um die Anreise zu den Parks zu erleichtern, und etliche Gebäude, Toiletten und Wege in den Parks sollen erneuert werden.
Falls du nicht bereit bist, Eintritt für ein Naturerlebnis zu bezahlen: Zwei Drittel der Parks bleiben auch weiterhin kostenlos.

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Florida hunters with shotguns to go after Burmese pythons

The war intensifies against the giant snakes that have devastated the Everglades National Park's wildlife.

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The roar of shotguns will sound in Everglades National Park, as the war intensifies against the Burmese pythons that have devastated the park’s wildlife.
The park announced Thursday that for the first time it will allow state-contracted python hunters to pursue the giant snakes within its boundaries. And for the first time, it will allow the use of firearms – shotguns only – to kill them.

Although the park already uses more than two dozen of its own volunteers to catch pythons, the new initiative will triple the maximum number of snake hunters from 40 to 120.
The decision follows years of resistance by the national park, where hunting is prohibited. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission previously had been rebuffed in attempts to get state-authorized python hunters to work within its boundaries.
“We’ve gotten to the point where we’ve realized that this is a significant problem that requires us to be open-minded and flexible in the way that we approach it,” said Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades National Park.
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, an enthusiastic hunter whose department includes the National Park Service, has pressed for more federal land to be opened up to hunting. During an October visit to the park, Zinke expressed interest in “finding ways to invite citizens that want to be part of the solution to come into the park, partner with us and help us tackle the problem,” Ramos said.

But Ramos said the new initiative to go after the pythons shouldn’t be considered a hunt, in the sense that hunters come on other land to kill deer or ducks.
“It’s important to note that this is not a hunt that we’re introducing in Everglades National Park,” he said. “We’re inviting people that are interested in helping us tackle this problem come into the park and help us remove as many of these animals as we can out of the landscape.”
The state’s contribution to the park’s effort would come from the state Python Removal Contractor Program, in which specially trained snake hunters are paid to go after the snakes on state land, which includes portions of the Everglades outside the national park.
They earn $8.25-$15 and hour, plus $50 for each snake, $25 for every foot of length beyond four feet, and $200 for each python nest.
So far, about a year into the program, they have killed more than 100 pythons, said Kristen Sommers, section leader of the state wildlife commission’s Wildlife Impact Management Section.
There are currently 27 snake hunters in the program. Although applications are currently closed, the wildlife commission soon will be seeking applicants for the python hunting program. Applicants must have some snake-catching experience, an absence of wildlife violations and undergo training.
Natives of southern Asia, the pythons arrived in the Everglades from the exotic pet industry, escaping their enclosures or being released by pet owners.
Capable of killing a wide range of wildlife, they kill alligators, birds, deer and especially small mammals.
“The population of mammals, small mammals in particular, in Everglades National Park, has essentially collapsed,” Ramos said.

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Wer eine Entscheidungshilfe braucht:

What's the best park in every U.S. state?

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Summer is that time of year when people are itching to go on vacation, and most will spend hours on the internet researching the best places to visit and reading reviews to help them make a decision.
Yelp is a popular website where people can write reviews on various tourist attractions across the United States and around the world. The company recently created an algorithm to determine the most popular parks in each state based on positive reviews and business star ratings. Yelp partnered with MONEY, which factored in travel, lodging and food costs for a three-day vacation.
From national parks to city walking trails and even conservatories, here are some of the best parks across the U.S.

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

National park’s closure, drop in visitors hurt Volcano businesses

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As Hawaii Volcanoes National Park continues into its fourth consecutive week of closure, the hospitality industry in the hamlet of Volcano faces unprecedented lean times.
Park spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane said the closure of the park, which has gone on for 30 days as of Saturday, has so far cost Hawaii Island more than $12.3 million in visitor spending — park visitors last year spent $455,000 each day at Big Island businesses, not counting park entrance fees.

Volcano ordinarily would be a significant beneficiary of that visitor spending, located within a mile of the park entrance. Without the flow of visitors, however, many businesses have seen income dry up.
“We used to get between 40 and 60 visitors here for dinner,” Tom Smith, owner of Ohelo Cafe, a popular restaurant in town, said on Monday. “Last night we had six.”
Janet Coney, office manager at the venerable Kilauea Lodge, is running what she called “plume specials” until Monday: discounted deals on rooms and meals. However, the lodge still has seen “hundreds” of room cancellations.
Smith said he had to temporarily lay off some employees until the situation improves, although the cafe is remaining open for the time being. Not all businesses have that luxury: Smith said another restaurant, Thai Thai Bistro and Bar, has closed until June 22.
Coney said she is trying to keep Kilauea Lodge open for the sake of its employees, but the business has taken a “very hard hit:” only 13 diners visited the restaurant Monday afternoon, compared to its usual 80-90 guests.
The many bed-and-breakfast establishments in Volcano have months of uncertainty ahead of them, as reservations continue to drop off the calendar. Kathleen Golden, co-owner of the Volcano Rainforest Retreat Bed and Breakfast, said her business’s four cottages have fallen to 62 percent occupancy for June, a sharp decline from the 95 percent occupancy in early May, before the volcano erupted.
“We’re trying to make people more aware of how it is here,” Golden said. Many people canceling their reservations have cited air quality as a reason, although Volcano has been largely spared significant ashfall or vog.
Shannon Fisher, owner of the Aloha Crater Lodge, said canceled reservations at her business are slowing down somewhat after a frenzy of cancellations following the closure of the park — Fisher said she would get three cancellations in a day when she would typically get three a week — but the situation remains precarious.
Although Fisher said May is commonly a slow month for bed-and-breakfast places, the month is typically balanced by full reservations throughout the summer months. However, Fisher said her bookings throughout the summer are still patchy.
“I think a lot of us here need to think about reinventing ourselves,” Fisher said. “As soon as the national park is closed, no one wants to come.”
Fisher said she is offering temporarily discounted rates during the crisis in order to entice worried visitors back to the island.
Two private businesses on park land have faced even greater challenges. Volcano House and Kilauea Military Camp have been indefinitely closed since the park shut down.
While representatives from Volcano House and KMC could not be reached despite repeated requests, an employee of Volcano House said she and her approximately 80 co-workers were permanently laid off about two weeks after the park’s closure. The parent company of Volcano House, Ortega National Parks LLC, offered employees alternative positions at other Ortega locations throughout the country, the employee said.
“This is the first time I’ve ever seen this sort of decline,” said Ola Tripp, owner and proprietor of Kilauea General Store and the Lava Rock Cafe. Tripp said his businesses have seen between 85 and 90 percent fewer customers since the eruption started. Like Smith, Tripp has had to temporarily scale back his workforce from 35 to “just a handful” until the situation improves.
Of course, knowing when the park will reopen is impossible. Ferracane said conditions in the park are unsafe, with daily explosions at the summit spreading ash and vog throughout the area and frequent earthquakes causing structural damage to park buildings and infrastructure.
Cracks have appeared on the deck of Jagger Museum, Ferracane said, while much of the park’s facilities are without power or water. Ferracane added that damage from the quakes cannot be easily assessed because of the general unsafety of the park.
The 30-day closure is historic, Ferracane said. At no other time in history has the park been closed for such a long period, she said. The previous closure record was set in 2013, when a federal government shutdown closed all national parks for 16 days.
Before that, Ferracane said the only comparable closure was in the 1940s.
“We were closed a lot during martial law in World War II,” Ferracane said.
Meanwhile, the park’s Kahuku Unit — located approximately 40 miles away from the main park, and the only part of the park to remain open — has seen a vast uptick in activity since the rest of the park’s closure.
Ferracane said the Kahuku Unit has seen triple its usual visitors and had its hours of operation increased from three to five days a week.
Ferracane said the park has not had to lay off any employees. Most of the park’s 134 employees have been temporarily relocated to different offices on the island — for example, some customer-facing roles have been transferred to Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo for the time being.
The park will remain closed until the U.S. Geological Survey determines it is safe, Ferracane said.

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Die Abzäunungen am Horseshoe Bend bei Page sind fertig.
Und man plant, für den Eintritt eine Gebühr zu erheben.

New barrier to protect people and environment at Horseshoe Bend

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Horseshoe Bend is beautiful, but potentially deadly, and now, a new barrier is going up to protect the land, as well as the people who go there.
The unique site, located about four hours north of Phoenix, has grown tremendously over the past five years, and now, it's time to take action on public safety.
"It's one of those kind of experiences that grabs every one of your senses," said Mary Plumb, the Public Information Officer for Glen Canyon National Recreation Center. "It's on people's bucket list now. This is a place they have to see."

Hundreds of people make the trip out to see it. In fact, for the last few years, about 1.4 million people per year have stopped by. With all those people comes that many more pictures, but it's the kinds of photos being taken that may have people you on edge.

Quite literally on edge.
"I like the height, so I like being as close as I can to the edge," said visitor Keith Piesco.
The bold and brave step right up to the rim to snap a photo. Sadly, one man got too close to the edge and fell to his death. That happened back in May.
"He was trying to take a picture at the time of his accident," said Seth Cutchen with the Coconino County Sheriff's Office.
Plumb says the last time something like that happened was eight years ago.
"We had one in 2010, where a visitors was standing on the edge of a rock that overhung and broke off, and the visitor went off with the rock," said Plumb.
It's been years in the making, but now, the City of Page and the National Park Service are switching things up by adding a new trail that will be ADA accessible, and eventually getting rid of the current path. They are also adding a viewing platform that is equipped with a protective railing, for those who prefer a barrier between them and the cliff.
"Small safety platform for viewing, and also really great with people with families with small children standing at the end of an 800-foot cliff," said Plumb.
The viewing platform is expected to open up in June, and the new trail in January. A visitor facility will be built near the entrance, with some shade structures along the way. Lastly, the city will expand the parking lot.
Plumb says the additions will help protect the environment, and improve visitor experience.
"Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is now becoming known as a world-class destination for people all over the world, and Horsehose Overlook is one of those things dragging that visitation," said Plumb.
For those who like the thrill of toeing the brim of a cliff, that will still be an option, as the railing only covers 100 feet.
The City of Page is working with the National Park Service to come up with a fee to pay before entering the park, but that has not yet been set in stone.

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Red Fleet State Park

Ahnungslose Touristen werfen einen unbezahlbaren, wissenschaftlichen Schatz weg

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Der Red Fleet State Park in Utah lockt Jahr für Jahr Tausende von Touristen an. Das in den USA gelegene Reservoir hat eine faszinierende Geschichte und eine atemberaubende Geologie zu bieten und ist daher nicht nur für Historiker und Archäologen interessant.

Fußspuren von Dinosauriern sind 193 Millionen Jahre alt
Rote Felsformationen, zahlreiche Wanderwege, Bootstouren und Campingplätze bieten den Besuchern jede Menge Möglichkeiten, die Natur zu genießen, Fotos zu schießen und auf das ein oder andere Relikt der Jura-Zeit zu stoßen. Denn: Touristen können im Red Fleed State Park auf einzigartige Fußspuren von Dinosauriern treffen, die in etwa 193 Millionen Jahre alt sind. Allerdings könnte dieses Vergnügen bald ein Ende haben.

Immer mehr Relikte aus der Jura-Zeit verschwinden
Wie die US-amerikanische Nachrichten- und Presseagentur „Associated Press“ berichtet, verschwinden immer mehr der wichtigen Fußspuren - innerhalb der vergangenen sechs Monate sollen allein zehn Relikte von acht bis 43 Zentimetern Länge abhanden gekommen sein. Schuld daran sind nicht etwa Naturereignisse, sondern genau diejenigen, die sich eigentlich daran erfreuen sollten: Touristen.
„Es ist mittlerweile zu einem großen Problem geworden“, so Devan Chavez, Sprecher des Parks gegenüber der „Associated Press“ und fügt hinzu: „Die Besucher wollen Felsen ins Wasser werfen. Was sie aber nicht wissen ist, dass auf den Felsen wichtige Dinosaurierspuren zu sehen sind.“ Während einige der Dinosaurierspuren nämlich deutlich sichtbar sind, erkennt man andere mit dem bloßen Auge kaum. Viele Besucher haben keine Ahnung, was sie überhaupt in den Händen halten, wenn sie Felsen und Steine anheben.
Der Manager des Red Fleet State Parks Josh Hansen erzählte der Tageszeitung „Salt Lake Tribune“ sogar von einem Vorfall, bei dem er ein Kind dabei erwischte, wie es wichtige Relikte in den See warf. „Ich rettete eines. Allerdings hat es schon einige ins Wasser geworfen“, so Hansen.

Taucher konnten einige der Fossilien retten
Die Fußspuren, die höchstwahrscheinlich zur Gattung des Flugsauriers Dilophosaurus zurückgehen, sind Wissenschaftlern zufolge etwa 193 Millionen Jahre alt. Der Dilophosaurus zählt dabei zu den größten fleischfressenden Dinosauriern des frühen Jura-Zeitalters vor etwa 193 Millionen Jahren. Taucher konnten bisher einige der wichtigen Fossilien bergen, allerdings wurden zahlreiche Relikte bei dem Wurf beschädigt oder zerfielen sogar ganz.

Park will in Zukunft härtere Strafen verhängen
Mittlerweile sollen Warnschilder Parkbesucher davon abhalten, die Sandsteine zu berühren. Allerdings bringt diese Methode nur mäßigen Erfolg. „Man würde denken, dass der normale Verstand die Menschen von solchen Taten abhält, das ist aber nicht der Fall“, so Hansen. Sollten sich Parkbesucher auch künftig nicht an die Anweisungen halten, müssen sie mit Strafen rechnen.

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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Video: 2018 Kīlauea Eruption Update

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5 of the Coolest Wheelchair-Accessible Trails to Visit at US National Parks

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Our National Parks are for everyone. They’re big, beautiful parts of the public domain. However, many parks, with their steep trails and limited access can perhaps feel physically exclusive.
In 1990, after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), parks started to build wheelchair-accessible trails, campgrounds, exhibits and accommodations. These days, there are certainly some amazing options on offer.
Here are five of the coolest wheelchair-accessible trails at U.S. national parks. And remember, U.S. citizens (or permanent residents) with permanent disabilities can get a free access pass to National Parks.

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An Insider's Guide to America's Best National Parks

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If you want to feel really good about America, pack your bags and take a trip to one of its parks. “The National Park System is one of the first great American inventions,” says QT Luong, who has spent 25 years photographing all 60 parks. “We had a unique opportunity to preserve pristine land before it saw any development.” Luong and others who know the parks well—writers, rangers, photographers, scientists and conservationists—gave us the inside info on what author Wallace Stegner called “the best idea we ever had.” They helped us pick the park that delivers what you’re looking for, whether it’s wildflowers, wildlife, waterfalls or a big dose of peace and quiet.

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Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road open

‘No Arby’s, not even a McDonald’s’: 10 bad reviews of iconic Southern Utah outdoor destinations

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Southern Utah is famous for its bright red cliffs, winding slot canyons and spectacular landmarks many of which adorn the backs of postcards in gift shops. But among the millions of tourists who visit Utah each year to check some national parks off their bucket lists or take pictures for Instagram, there are a few people who didn’t have anything nice to say about some of Southern Utah’s most iconic outdoor destinations.
While the majority of the state parks, national parks and landmarks in Southern Utah are flooded with hundreds of raving 5-star and 4-star reviews remarking how breathtaking these places are, here are 10 reviews from Google and TripAdvisor users who found something to criticize.

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Cedar Breaks National Monument

Thirteenth Annual Wildflower Festival Blooms and Family Discovery Center Opens at Cedar Breaks

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This July 7-22 in celebration of its colorful wildflower displays, Cedar Breaks National Monument is hosting its thirteenth annual Wildflower Festival and introducing its new Family Discovery Center, located in the yurt at the north Alpine Pond parking area.

During this spectacular display, visitors to the Monument will be able to see paintbrush, primrose, lupine, larkspur, and a spectrum of other flowers in meadows, woods, and marshes. Guided wildflower walks will begin at the Point Supreme Visitor Center every day at 10 am and 1pm. The walks, approximately one-half to one hour in length, will cover what is currently blooming or basic wildflower photography.
Friday - Sunday, a variety of family-friendly activities will also be available including “Wildflower Bingo,” flower and pollinator crafts, solar scope viewing, games and more.

Visitors can participate in these activities at the Point Supreme area and at the newly opened Family Discovery Center located at the north Alpine Pond trailhead inside the yurt. The Family Discovery Center will be open to the public during the festival and throughout the summer season. All ages are invited to join a ranger and explore numerous hands on activities and exhibits about park animals, bugs, flowers, geology and more! Visitors can also pick up a junior ranger booklet and earn their badge.

To round out the schedule, Cedar Breaks will also host Zion Natl Park Forever Project Field Programs. These in-depth classes include “Cedar Mountain Wildflowers” on July 13, “Wildflower Photography” and “Wildflower Journaling” on July 14 and “Cedar Breaks Geology” on July 21. Please contact Zion Forever at 435-772-3264 for more information or visit their web page at https://zionpark.org/programs/

Before you come to Cedar Breaks, consider downloading the “Wildflowers of Cedar Breaks” app. It is great for identifying flowers found at Cedar Breaks National Monument and the surrounding area. The app features over 100 common wildflowers with general information, traditional uses, and fun. The app is available as a free download from iTunes and Google Play. Internet and cell service is limited at Cedar Breaks, so make sure to download the app before traveling up the mountain.

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Tuzigoot And Montezuma’s Castle: Ancient Cultures In A Fertile Arizona River Valley

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In the center of Arizona lies the fertile Verde River Valley, one of the longest free-flowing rivers left in the state. This area has long supported human habitation, and the remnants of these ancient cultures are protected and preserved at Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle national monuments. I was recently there to learn about these early residents and score a couple more stamps in my national parks Passport.
The original inhabitants were hunters and gatherers who thrived in the rich environment supported by the year-around river. The first permanent structures in the valley appeared between 700 and 900 CE (Common Era). The Southern Sinagua people started building the region’s large pueblos in about 1000 CE, and it is the remnants of one of those hilltop pueblos that drew us to Cottonwood, Arizona, just three short miles away from Tuzigoot. Tuzigoot is the largest and best-preserved of these Sinagua Pueblo structures in the whole of the Verde Valley.
I was traveling with my sister Sandy and my girlfriend Craig, and after a good night’s rest at the Cottonwood Hotel in Cottonwood’s historic district we found ourselves birding in the Verde River Greenway State Natural Area, a 6-mile stretch of especially rich riparian habitat set aside between the towns of Clarkdale and Cottonwood by Arizona State Parks, and easily accessed on the short drive to Tuzigoot. It is easy to imagine the entirety of the river supporting this rich habitat, and this habitat, along with the agriculture made possible by the river, supporting a large indigenous population.
Interestingly enough, it was not the river’s agricultural potential that drew large numbers of non-native peoples to the region. It was copper. The population in the valley took a big jump in the early 1900s with the growth of copper mining and smelting. Cottonwood grew from the copper boom, but it was not a company town, unlike neighboring Clarkdale and Jerome, and that independent vibe still exists today.

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The All-American Bucket List: 50 Iconic Adventures for Each of the 50 States

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If “visit all 50 states” is already on your list, here’s what to do, see, and experience while you’re in each one.

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