Arizona State & National Parks

1. Alamo Lake State Park

Snuggled deep in the Bill Williams River Valley, away from human activities and the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Alamo Lake State Park is a perfect spot to spend some time enjoying outdoor activities, superb bass fishing, and spectacular nature. The beautiful crystal clear lake is surrounded by towering mountains covered with brush, wildflowers and cacti. In the spring, rains bring to life fields of colorful wild flowers.

The lush lake environment attracts a range of wildlife such as waterfowl, coyotes, foxes, mule deer, wild burros, and bold or golden eagles. As the park is free of city lights, stargazers can enjoy a spectacular night sky, while anglers consider Alamo Lake State Park as one of the best places in Arizona to fish for bass.

Alamo Rd, Wenden, AZ 85357, Phone: 928-669-2088

2. Boyce Thompson Arboretum

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is Arizona's largest and oldest botanical garden. Its 323 acres are covered with plants from the world’s deserts – from Australia, southern Africa, North and South America, and other arid regions.

Ancient trees, fascinating cacti, rugged mountain cliffs, and lush riverside forest all combine into breathtaking landscape.

The park is located in Sonoran Desert about an hour drive from Phoenix, and it includes many natural habitats that support 3900 different plant species such as a hidden canyon, a desert lake, specialty gardens, and others. There are three miles of trails and paths that wind through this magnificent environment, making it ideal for nature photographers, hikers, bikers and nature lovers.

The Arboretum was founded in the 1920s by mining magnate Col. William Boyce Thompson and is one of his legacies.

37615 E US Highway #60, Superior, AZ 85173

3. Buckskin Mountain State Park

Located near Parker, Buckskin Mountain State Park stretches along the shoreline of the Colorado River in the shadow of the Buckskin Mountains. This picturesque park is great for a scenic camping, mountain hikes, a desert escape, and exciting water adventure. The park has a good campground, camping with river views, a swimming beach, miles of hiking trails, a boat ramp, a picnic area with tables and benches, volleyball and basketball courts, a restaurant, a playground, a park store and even an arcade.

The River Island, about one mile north, is part of the park and is ideal for tent camping.

In the summer, both Buckskin and River Island are popular destinations for boating, swimming, jet skiing, and camping. In the winter, the mild climate allows visitors to enjoy fishing, camping, and hiking.

5476 N Highway 95, Parker, AZ, Phone: 85-344-8776

4. Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a vast 83,840-acre park in northeastern Arizona, located on Navajo tribal lands.

The park’s most outstanding features are an 800-foot tall Spider Rock spire and massive sandstone cliffs that surround a lush canyon.

The area has been inhabited by several Native American peoples for thousands of years and is full of prehistoric rock art. There are remains of ancient Pueblo villages called today White House Ruins and Mummy Cave.

Almost vertical sandstone walls are up to 1,000 feet tall. There are several scenic overlooks and a number of well-preserved Anasazi ruins. The area offers fascinating insight into the life of the modern Navajo, who still live on the valley floor.

Highway 191, Chinle, AZ 86503

5. Catalina State Park, Arizona

Catalina State Park is located at the foothills of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains on the outskirts of the Tucson metropolitan area. A haven for desert plants, the park is home to almost 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500-acre park consists of canyons, foothills, and streams perfect for picnicking, camping, and bird watching.

There are more than 150 species of birds in the park.

The park also offers miles of trails for horseback riding, birding, hiking, and biking. The trails wind through the Catalina State Park and continue into the Coronado National Forest as they get to the elevations of almost 3,000 feet.

11570 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, AZ 85737

6. Chiricahua National Monument

Chiricahua National Monument is one of the more remote Southeast Arizona parks.

The 11,985-acre site was called “the land of standing up rocks” by the Chiricahua Apaches. The park is famous for its strangely shaped stone rock spires that delight photographers and hikers who pass by.

These rock pinnacles that can be found at the higher regions of the park are the results of a massive volcanic eruption that happened about 25 million years ago. The park also preserves several historically and culturally significant sites.

The most accessible rock formations are located in canyons, especially in Echo Canyon. The park can be explored using the eight-mile long paved scenic drive and 17 miles of hiking trails.

E Bonita Canyon Rd, Willcox, AZ 85643, Phone: 520-824-3560

7. Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is located on the Verde River in an area called the Verde River Greenway at the elevation of about 3,300 feet. The 423-acre park has 10 miles of hiking trails, 150 campgrounds, several picnic areas, and 23 group camping sites.

There is trailhead access to the Dead Horse Trail System, which runs through the nearby Coconino National Forest. The ranch was named by its original owners, the Ireys family, who sold it to the state of Arizona to be converted into a state park.

The park is famous among bird watchers and nature enthusiasts for its annual Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival.

The "Birdy Verde," as it is popularly called, is a four-day bird-watching event held in April. During the festival, bird-watching trips are often led by nationally recognized experts. Another popular event held at Dead Horse Ranch State Park is Verde River Day, which celebrates the protection of the riparian habitat of the Verde River.

675 Dead Horse Ranch Rd, Cottonwood, AZ 86326

8. Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area

Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area is located in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest at an elevation of 6,300 feet next to a beautiful 150-acre lake.

The visitors can camp by the lake among the tall pines and hike along the meandering trail by the lake. Fool Hollow is a very popular area for year-round fishing, camping, boating, picnicking, and wildlife observation.

The lake is home to large and small-mouth bass, brown trout, green sunfish, walleye, black crappie, and channel catfish. Arizona Game & Fish regularly stocks the lake with catchable-sized rainbow trout during the summer, from mid-May to the end of September.

1500 Fools Hollow Rd, Show Low, AZ 85901, Phone: 928-537-3680

9. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is vast - over 1.2 million acres of spectacular nature with Lake Powell with 2,000 miles of shoreline at its heart.

The park stretches from the Grand Canyon at Lees Ferry, Arizona to the Orange Cliffs, Utah. It offers incredible opportunities for recreation both on land and on water, and you can take part in activities such as boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

The lake is home to large and small-mouth bass, brown trout, green sunfish, walleye, black crappie, and channel catfish. This unique area offers breathtaking views, unique geological features, and fascinating evidence of 10,000 years of human habitation.

4304 Bullfrog, Lake Powell, UT 84533, Phone: 928-608-6200, Video

10. Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park was created to protect the vast Grand Canyon, one of the most famous canyons in the world and one of the world’s most visited tourist destination.

Grand Canyon National Park includes all canyons, river tributaries and grounds around them. The steep-sided canyon was carved by the Colorado River and is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep. The park has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Grand Canyon National Park has two public areas: the North and South Rims. At 7,000 feet above sea level, the South Rim is the most accessible part of the park, with many spots where visitors can admire the views. The North Rim is 1,000 feet higher than the southern rim and is not as popular because it is more difficult to access. The trip from one rim to the other can be done by car or on foot, on a donkey or whitewater rafting.