Recently, as an assignment for my English 102 class, I read the book
The Dark Wind, written by Tony Hillerman. This book is a mystery/suspense thriller involving murder, drugs, and a Navajo "witch," or Skinwalker. Every moment is interesting, and it is a very well-written and historically significant, with much taught about. Native American folklore and customs.
Hillerman grew up in Oklahoma, surrounded by Native American tribes, although he writes about Arizona tribes in his stories. Most novels take place in northeastern Arizona. I was totally intrigued by the way Officer Jim Chee, a Navajo Tribal Policeman, used his abstract, quiet way of taking in all the facts, and then letting them sort of move around in his mind until they began to fit together. It was really fun to try and figure out what would happen next.
As our essay assignment from reading this book, we were supposed to take something from the book that inspired us, and write about it. I loved the mental images and compelling descriptions of the landscape of Arizona. This brought to mind some of the VERY MANY travels I've taken around Arizona, from the time I was so small I don't remember, up until now. We have a most beautiful state. If Arizona residents haven't been out around the state to see how beautiful it is, they need to change that. Here is the essay I wrote. Enjoy!
Getting Out in Arizona
Arizona is a place of diverse terrain, amazing vistas, and easy access, with a spectacular array of grand and scenic places to visit, that are incomparable in the United States. One of the most beautiful of natural wonders, the Grand Canyon, resides within Arizona’s borders. People come from the far reaches of the globe to enjoy the sites that could be reached by Arizonans within a few hours, but are taken for granted.
Camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing can bring pure enjoyment, while embracing the beauty of the great outdoors so readily accessible from the Phoenix valley. Many destinations such as White River, on the White Mountain Indian Reservation; Crown King, along the Senator Highway, south of Prescott; and Havasu Canyon, at the southeast entrance to the Grand Canyon, and off of the historic Route 66, offer great scenic views, as well as the traveler being able to personally experience bits of history. One writer invites the reader to venture to the White Mountain Indian Reservation in a way that actually brings a scenic vision to the mind:
Our reservation consists of 1.67 million acres (over 2,600 square miles) in east-central Arizona. It ranges in elevation from 2,600 feet in the Salt River Canyon on the southwest corner of the reservation to over 11,400 feet at the top of Mount Baldy, one of our sacred peaks. It includes some of the richest wildlife habitats in the state, and more than 400 miles of streams. It is home to the Apache trout, a species brought back from the brink of extinction through the efforts of the Tribe and many partners. Through the Tribe’s Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Division, many recreational opportunities are available on the reservation. This Land That is Now….” (par 15)
e Native Americans have a distinct connection with the land that the average traveler may never understand. Though many others, such as farmers and ranchers, also have a connection with the land, their connection is quite different from that of the Native Americans, whose cultures many are not familiar with. Traveling throughout Arizona is at once a spiritual retreat, and a lesson in history.
Map to Crown King (Wilson) | |
One such scenic, historical destination is Crown King. Once a thriving mining town (Wilson 13), it is now called the “Living Ghost Town” (2) Several families, many of whom have lived there all of their lives, are still living and working in the town.
The road to Crown King is very narrow and graded-over with gravel on a regular basis. Traveling the road is fairly easy-going in a standard car – unless there has been a recent rain. When this area receives rain, it waters the forest, but the water also washes away the gravel in the road ruts. This leaves only the bare-bones, bedrock trail, that long ago saw a steam-engine train zig-zaging forward, then backward, then forward again, as it worked its way to the top of the mountain. Then, when the cars were filled, the train would snake back down again, carrying loads of precious ore to the smelter.
Crown King is positioned along the Senator Highway, south of Prescott, Arizona in the Bradshaw Mountains; but if a family takes a detour of off I-17, at the Bumble Bee cut-off, a few short miles on a dirt road will take them to this scenic oasis.
In the mid-1970’s, after a forest fire had occurred in the area, thousands of humming birds took refuge in the area around this small community. People visiting Crown King at this time could literally stand with an outstretched finger next to one of many feeders, put out by locals, and have a humming bird sit on the visitor’s finger, to feed. The birds were starving and braver than usual; but a blink of the eye, and their “hydraulics” would kick in, and catapult them away in a flash. Nowhere else in the world could one have such an amazing experience!
Outdoor adventures can be singularly soothing and rejuvenating. Spending time in communion with nature brings a person back to reality and helps to see things in a different way – a way that puts into perspective the relationship between what is “real,” and what is not.
Camping and fishing force one to slow down and intentionally relax. Hiking or hunting literally ground the spirit, while inviting the soul to soar above the tops of the tallest trees.
From the wide-open spaces of the Indian Reservations, to the mountainside town of Crown King, the spectacular beauty of Havasu Canyon compares to no other place. Positioned at the southeastern entrance to the Grand Canyon, with access on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, this location must be reached on foot, or by pack mule. An area of limestone pools and basins to wade in and to swim in are at the base of Havasu Falls. Mooney Falls is a vista best seen in-person – not with a camera.
"Havasupai" means "people of the blue-green waters." The Havasupai tribe is the smallest Indian Nation in America totaling about 600 people. Before the arrival of Europeans, they farmed the land where the canyon widened and the plentiful waters of Havasu Creek allowed them to create an emerald haven in a sun scorched land. In the summertime, they grew corn, squash, melons and beans and after harvesting their crops in the fall, they moved to winter settlements on the rim of the canyon where men hunted deer, antelope and small game and women made beautiful baskets. They traded with the Zuni and Hopi exchanging buck skins and red ocher for pottery and turquoise. The Havasupai were renowned for their fine quality buck skins and their powdered red ocher, obtained from a secret place, was particularly prized by other tribes for painting their faces. This idyllic lifestyle was interrupted by the arrival of miners and ranchers who seized their lands on the plateau and restricted them to a small reservation in the canyon. Almost a century passed before their winter homelands were restored by Congress in 1975…. (Havasu par 3)
At the top of the trail, the landscape is anything but inviting. The trailhead is barren and rocky. It is a 20-mile hike down into the actual campgrounds, but within a few miles of the trailhead, one begins to get into green vegetation that signals the presence of underground streams and small springs. The hike from thereon is beautiful, tranquil, and relatively easy.
Coming back out, however, may be better suited to riding a horse, available to rent. This is a necessity to those who have trouble hiking on an uphill grade. Horses are also available to rent for carrying gear and supplies. 
During the early 1970’s Havasu Canyon became an unofficial home to a mobile community of “Hippies,” who took up uninvited residency (Wilhite). Through the efforts of the Havasupai people and the National Forest Service, this canyon was made into a protected area, and informal “squatting” was no longer permitted (Havasu par 3). Now, any person or group wishing to visit must make reservations with the tribe, obtain permits, and pay park/camping fees. This is still much less expensive than staying in a fancy hotel, and the waterfalls at the end of the trail are breathtaking, and make the journey well worth the trouble.
Traveling throughout Arizona can foster camaraderie and solidify family ties, while being much easier on the budget than traveling elsewhere. Scouting adventures, church group retreats, outings with friends, and even family reunions can be much more memorable occasions, if spent amidst the grandeur and vastness of Arizona’s mountains and wilderness. Imagine if possible, the difference in the memories made on these types of vacations, as opposed to braving the “wilds” of the city, and some pricey hotel or convention center. Most people would find there is no comparison.
Scenic locations within the State of Arizona are a travel “must,” but each trip requires some advanced preparation, although none of it is difficult or costly. Some things to consider would be:
Know your location:
Check weather reports
Check fire and travel restrictions
Verify types of services/amenities available
Know the terrain (hike in, drive in, or 4-wheel drive required?)
Know the roads – get a map (and read it)
If you are planning on camping:
Know locations and availability of camp sites
Check for possibly required permits/fees
Buy/rent/borrow appropriate gea
Study native wildlife and foliage
Proper attire, proper footwear
If not camping:
Hotels, motels, cabins, lodges available most places
Check pricing of eateries, possibly take own food
Always take extra cash for unforeseen expenses
Don’t forget:
Be prepared for abrupt weather changes
Lots of extra water
Blankets and snacks readily available
Emergency radio/cell phone
Extra cash
Spare tire
Inform family member of destination and expected time of return
In a recent survey of 100 MCC students, who had lived in Arizona for three years or more. According to the results, only 18 had heard of Havasu Canyon, 12 had heard of White river, and one had heard of Crown King. Of those, six had actually hiked Havasu, four had been to White River or the White Mountain Indian Reservation, and only one had been to Crown King (Dressler).
As noted previously, Arizona has many exciting and beautiful places to visit or vacation. Many people who have lived in Arizona for most or all of their lives, and may have traveled significantly, have never reached out to see what is in their own backyard. The State of Arizona is home to unparalleled beauty and significant journeys into history. Hopefully, one day, more Arizona residents will step out to see what they have been missing – but, perhaps not. Regardless, the many spectacular sites available for Arizonans to visit easily explain why the Native Americans love this land.
(On a personal note: As a child, my family did a LOT of camping, hunting, and fishing all over the state. Also, as a young adult, and also with my family as they were growing up, we went camping and fishing. Spending time in the mountains, pine trees, and by a lake is great for a person's spiritual well-being, and instills a greater love and appreciation for all of God's creations. I LOVE the outdoors, and especially my beautiful Arizona!
I hope this makes you as excited about heading out into the outer parts of our beautiful state, Arizona, and getting to know them better!
Let's go Camping!
