Scott Craven

The Republic | azcentral.com

Arizona is filled with tourist destinations largely unknown to those who live outside the state. Non-residents conjure images of the Grand Canyon or cowboys, but they rarely see the pine trees through the saguaro forest.

Residents know better, and are well versed in the state's travel delights, from small arts colonies (Jerome, Tubac, Bisbee) to vast landscapes (Painted Desert, Chiricahua Mountains).

Yet there are places — perhaps as a result of inconvenient location or lack of publicity — that may not appear on the travel radar as much as they should.

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Here are Arizona's most underrated tourist destinations.

Navajo National Monument

What: Ancient, well-crafted housing complexes built in a cliff alcove. It is a fantastic accomplishment, considering that its technology was mud bricks and hand tools. Much of the edifice remains after more than 700 years. Just imagine what stucco homes will look like seven centuries from now.

Where: About 260 miles from central Phoenix on the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona.

Why it's underrated: The tourism path to northern Arizona usually ends in Flagstaff, with the more adventurous visitors going as far as the South Rim of Grand Canyon. It's unlikely you'd be driving past Navajo National Monument, more than 100 miles northeast of Flagstaff, unless you're headed to Monument Valley.

Why it's worth visiting: The stunning landscape is ample draw. Steep sandstone walls change color depending on the light, providing mesmerizing views. When eyes spot the villages nestled within, it's almost other worldly. You understand why Indiana Jones travels to the ends of the Earth for views like this, and you only had to travel deep into Arizona.

A little history: The prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan people knew an advantageous landscape when they saw it. The curved canyon walls provided the perfect site for their community, which they would build of masonry walls and roof beams. The villages date to 1250-1300.

There for an hour: Stroll along a half-mile paved path from the visitor center to an overlook that provides a perfect view of the Betatakin/Talastima cliff dwelling. When coming back, turn onto the Aspen Trail and follow it about a half-mile (and descending 300 feet) to see an ancient aspen forest. Those views are worth the walk back up.

There for a day: Take one of the twice-daily tours to Betatakin for a close-up look at an ancient marvel of engineering. Tours last three to five hours and are strenuous. They're also offered only from mid-May to mid-September. If you're visiting outside that time, it might be trickier to fill an entire day. Bring a picnic lunch, browse the gift shop, talk to the friendly rangers and hike all three of the short trails.

Most important thing to know: The monument is on the Navajo Reservation, so be respectful of the culture. Also, the reservation observes daylight saving time, so note the change. The 8:15 a.m. and 10 a.m. Betatakin tours, for example, will be at 7:15 a.m. and 9 a.m. Arizona time.

Details: 928-672-2700, nps.gov.

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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

What: Iconic landscape made famous in films, TV and Road Runner cartoons.

Where: About 315 miles from central Phoenix, straddling the Utah/Arizona state line.

Why it's underrated: The endless vista studded with red-tinged buttes and spires is as well known as it is breathtaking. Yet it's impossible to grasp the scope unless you see it in person. So who's actually been there? Show of hands. Yup, thought so. And most who do visit keep to the 13-mile scenic loop, a lovely drive filled with cars driven by overseas visitors largely unfamiliar with American traffic behaviors. To fully appreciate Monument Valley, you must delve deeper.

Why it's worth visiting (and hiring a guide): Visitors venturing beyond the hotel and visitor center must stay on the scenic road. Wonderful views emerge, as do clouds of dust along the unpaved route. But Navajo guides can take you places where it seems you're the only people in the entire park. Hop aboard a four-wheel-drive vehicle and enjoy the path less taken. And when you see the Seven Sisters at sunrise, you'll realize why you rose at 4 a.m. to meet your guide in the pre-dawn darkness.

A little history: Hundreds of millions of years ago, Monument Valley was a vast basin, a huge geological dud. Over eons, marvelous things happened. Sediment shed by the Rocky Mountains slowly filled the basin, the layers solidifying before wind and water carved the formations that remained relatively unknown until they starred in John Ford Westerns.

There for an hour: Enjoy the view from the visitor center, because that's all you have time for. Since you came all this way, you can probably squeeze in another hour or two for the 13-mile loop.

There for a day: Book a tour with one of the authorized guides listed on the park's website. Tours range from a few hours to much of the day. Best times to view are at sunrise or sunset when formations glow red and pink.

Most important thing to know: Ask permission before taking photos of Navajo residents and their property. A gratuity is expected.

Details:navajonationparks.org.

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Sandhill crane migration

What: The annual southern Arizona visit of thousands of long-legged and graceful sandhill cranes occurs from November through March, peaking in January and February.

Where: Sulphur Springs Valley. A good hub is Willcox, 192 miles from central Phoenix.

Why it's underrated: Most people aren't birdwatchers, and even fewer people will drive four hours to see a particular bird. Throw in that the migration is truly spectacular for just two months a year and it's easy to understand why two kinds of people rave about the cranes: dedicated birdwatchers and residents of Sulphur Springs Valley.

Why it's worth visiting: On a chilly day in late January, a handful of people arrive at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, where a shallow but vast body of water stretches before them. Shores to the left and right are blotted out by a forest of spindly legs sprouting gray feathers. The squawks and calls of thousands of sandhill cranes choke the air. Suddenly there is movement along the edges, then a swirl of wings and beaks. Hundreds of cranes take flight in an avian tornado.

A little (natural) history: The cranes long have wintered in Arizona, feeding in shallow wetlands or along fallow fields. The species goes back millions of years, with the earliest fossil dating back 2.5 million years ago.

There for an hour: Head to the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area and stroll along the paths (all a safe distance from the cranes). Best time to visit is sunrise, when large flocks lift off to start foraging.

There for a day: Tour the Sulphur Springs Valley with a map of the best bird-watching sites in hand.

Most important thing to know: Have patience. Cranes do what they want to do. If they prefer to stay in place rather than soar off in flocks large enough to blot out the sun, relax. And wait.

Details:wingsoverwillcox.com (annual birdwatching event is in January; the site is a great resource), azgfdportal.az.gov.

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The Grand Canyon North Rim

What: A more serene place to visit this natural wonder.

Where: About 350 miles from central Phoenix.

Why it's underrated: Unlike its heavily trodden sister to the south, the North Rim thrives on a relative lack of visitors. It attracts just a tenth of the 5 million annual visitors to the South Rim, so odds are good you'll find yourself alone on some promontory, where you can reflect on life rather than worry about a stranger's child who seems perilously close to the edge.

Why it's worth visiting: Along the North Rim, narrowing plateaus reach into the Canyon like floating jetties, pointing toward the buttes and towers that rise to form lofty islands. Geology has blessed the North Rim with remarkable depth and texture, which visitors can view without peering through crowds that line the railing as if a parade is about to start.

A little history: As railroads carved their way across northern Arizona in the 19th century, entrepreneurs went to work opening access to the South Rim. The historic El Tovar opened in 1905, and tourism steadily grew. The pace was much slower at the hard-to-reach North Rim. The Grand Canyon Lodge was built in 1927-28, and severe winters hampered tourism. The lodge and its cabins are the only lodging at the North Rim, and they're closed Oct. 15-May 15.

There for an hour: Enjoy a magnificent view from the lodge's veranda, which sits upon the Canyon's edge. With the beverage of your choice in hand, settle back into an Adirondack chair for an unmatched show (especially at sunrise or sunset).

There for a day: From the lodge, take a short hike to Bright Angel Point where the stunning vista is perhaps the North Rim's fourth best. Once you've soaked it in, hop in your car for a 45-minute drive to Cape Royal, a promontory that reaches far into the Canyon (and is the North Rim's southernmost tip). A trail leads toward Angels Window, a large hole cut into the rock eons ago. At Cape Royal, you'll see towering formations with names as colorful as the rock: Venus Temple, Vishnu Temple and Wotans Throne. On the return trip, veer from the main road and take a 15-minute-drive to Imperial Point, at 8,800 feet the highest spot on either rim.

Most important thing to know: Cabins near the rim are often reserved up to a year in advance. Book as early as you can.

Details:nps.gov/grca, grandcanyonlodgenorth.com.

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Sunset Crater National Monument

What: Nearly a millennium ago, a dormant volcano flashed to life as the ground cracked and thick clouds of ash turned day to night. Cinders fell like rain, igniting tinder along the once pristine landscape. Nine hundred years later, the cinder-cone volcano looks much like it did after a series of eruptions, a dark barren spot on a land once again brimming with life.

Where: Northeast of Flagstaff, about 165 miles from central Phoenix.

Why it's underrated: Sunset Crater offers a landscape once erased by an earth-shattering explosion, but continuing to recover centuries later. Stand at the foot of the 1,000-foot-tall cinder cone and imagine ancient people going about their day when suddenly the ground shatters. The lava that bubbled forth is still visible today, frozen in stone.

Why you should visit: Sunset Crater makes appreciating nature pretty convenient. The main trail through the volcanic field is as gentle as it is scenic. The area is laced with lava flows, including the lava tube known as the Ice Cave. The ice remains year-round due to the tube's location and depth. (Entry is prohibited for safety reasons.)

A little history: Herbert Hoover established Sunset Crater National Monument in 1930 to preserve fragile formations. It took another 40 years before officials closed a trail up the side of the cinder cone, damage that can still be seen today. In the 1960s, astronauts practiced lunar landings along the earth-bound moonscape of the cinder fields.

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There for an hour: Hike the Lava Flow Trail, easily accessible from the visitor center. The trail offers great views of the lava field and Sunset Crater. The gentle, 1-mile trail follows relatively flat terrain. A quarter mile of the trail is ADA-accessible.

There for a day: Warm up with a walk along Lenox Crater Trail, which steadily ascends (at times steeply) as it approaches its destination. Plan on about 30 minutes going out and 15 minutes coming back on the 1-mile round trip. Now you're ready to tackle the 7-mile hike to O'Leary Peak along a Forest Service trail. It scoots along lava flows before climbing O'Leary, a dormant lava-cone volcano. You'll be able to peer into Sunset's crater, as well as enjoy views that stretch as far as the Painted Desert.

Most important thing to know: Sunset Crater and its surroundings are more fragile than they look, so backcountry hiking is prohibited. In other words, stay on designated trails. Bonus knowledge: The $20-per-vehicle fee also includes entry to nearby Wupatki National Monument and is good for seven days.

Details: 928-714-0565, nps.gov.

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Fourth Avenue, Tucson

What: Imagine a vibrant avenue that seems frozen in the 1970s (only with Wi-Fi and cell service). A six-block-long stretch near downtown reminds visitors what it was like to dine and shop before chain stores and celebrity-endorsed bars devoured streetscapes one storefront at a time.

Where: Downtown Tucson, along Fourth Avenue between University Boulevard and Fourth Street, about 115 miles from central Phoenix.

Why it's underrated: From its nightlife to its collegiate football team, anything Tucson-related is typically disdained by those living north of Casa Grande.

Why you should visit: Strolling Fourth Avenue is a lot easier than building a time machine and setting the dial for "Mill Avenue, 1979." The street has a distinct retro feel, from the odd (the tiki-style Hut lounge) to the broad (astronomy-based Sky Bar) to the mod (funky Bumsted's eatery). Get a tattoo, score a thrift-store bargain or indulge in vintage fashion. Have a drink. Have several. Grab an Uber or Lyft back to your hotel.

A little history: Fourth Avenue was an established shopping district by 1974 when the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association was formed. The group now sponsors Fourth Avenue's twice-yearly street fairs, the area's most popular events.

There for an hour: Walk by a giant tiki head into The Hut and sip a tropical cocktail before exploring the bargains at the Tucson Thrift Shop. Did you bring your dog? Skip the cocktail and relax on the patio at Delectables Restaurant, which offers dishes strictly for canines.

There for a day: Wander spontaneously, allowing your tastes to lead the way. You may want to use public transportation or a taxi if you plan on taking advantage of Fourth Avenue's plethora of drinking establishments.

Most important thing to know: Two of the coolest destinations are just off Fourth Avenue: D&D Pinball, an '80s-style arcade at 331 E. Seventh St., and Public Brew House, semi-hidden servers of craft beer at 209 N. Hoff Ave.

Details: 520-624-500, fourthavenue.org.

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