Arizona is also known as the Grand Canyon State and is located in the American Southwest. Admitted as the 48 th State of the Union in 1912, Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon as well as a variety of terrain, climates and cultures. To the west is California and Nevada, to the north is Utah, to the east is New Mexico, to the north east is Colorado, and to the south is the Mexican state of Sonora. It is one of the Four Corners states.
The Regions of Arizona are:
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Eastern Arizona
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Greater Phoenix
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Northern Arizona - Including Grand Canyon and the "Arizona Strip".
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South Central Arizona
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Western Arizona
Arizona covers 113,909 square miles, with about 350 square miles of water surface including Lake Havasu, Lake Powell, Lake Mead and the Colorado River. The state consists of three primary topographical features: a high plateau in the north east of the state, averaging between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation; a mountainous region which runs from the south east to the north west with peak elevations between 9,000 and 12,000 feet; and low mountain ranges and desert valleys in the south western of the state.
The state is defined by the Grand Canyon in the north, the Mogollon (pronounced MUG-ee-own) Rim in the central mountainous region and the Sonoran Desert to the south. Scattered among these regions, features such as the red rocks of Sedona, the tall, wind-swept towers of Monument Valley and the saguaro-filled desert valleys around Phoenix and Tucson add depth and character to the landscape of Arizona.
Another prominent feature of the Arizona landscape, a Ponderosa Pine forest stretches across the state from the White Mountain region around Greer and Alpine across the Mogollon Rim to the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff. This strip of pine also extends beyond the Grand Canyon onto the Kaibab Plateau and into Southern Utah.
Humphreys Peak, part of the San Francisco Peaks, is the highest point in Arizona with an elevation of 12,611 feet. Baldy Peak, located in the White Mountains, is the second highest point with an elevation of 11,490 feet. In the south west of the state, the Sonoran Desert stretches out of Mexico and into Arizona with elevations as low as about 100 feet above sea level in the Lower Colorado River Valley.
The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, which dominates the Northern Arizona landscape. Stretching 277 miles across the high plateaus and plunging up to 6,000 feet into the arid plateau, the canyon was shaped and carved by the constant motion of the Colorado River. The Grand Canyon features three or four eras of geological time as well several layers of fossil records, several variety rock types, numerous caves and several major ecosystems.
A primary reason for travellers to visit to Arizona, specifically in the low desert regions around Phoenix and Tucson, is the state's mild climate during the fall, winter and spring. The warm weather and low precipitation provides an enjoyable climate for numerous outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, golf and sightseeing. At higher elevations during the winter, snowfall allows visitors to enjoy winter sports such as cross-country skiing.
During the summer months, temperatures in the low desert regions can reach well above 100 degrees F, however the climate at higher elevations, as in Flagstaff, stays mild and allows for enjoyable outdoor activities as well as a break from the summer heat.
High temperatures near or above 100-110 degrees F are common throughout the summer months at the lower elevations. During the winter, cold fronts can bring temperatures well below zero in the higher areas of central and northern Arizona, with lows averaging between 15 and 20 degrees F.
During drier portions of the year (traditionally the winter months), temperatures can differ greatly from day to night, sometimes as much as 40 to 50 degrees F. In the low desert valleys during the winter, temperatures during the day could average 70 degrees F, with night temperatures dropping to around 40 degrees F. During the summer, the central portion of the state along with the lower elevations can can experience temperature changes up to 30-40 degrees F from day to night.
Rainfall in Arizona is primarily determined by season and elevation. In the mountainous region, that runs from the south east to the north west, rainfall amounts will average between 25 and 30 inches (including melted snow) annually, while the low-lying desert region averages only three or four inches annually. The high plateau region in the north east of the state averages 10 inches of rainfall annually.
During winter months, November through March, storms occur regularly at the higher elevations in central and northern Arizona and can produce heavy snowfall. Summer months, particularly early July through mid-September, bring the monsoon season to the desert region. Monsoons are strong thunderstorms, typically lasting a short time in certain area, that produce powerful winds and brief periods of blowing dust prior to the storm's arrival.
The average number of days with measurable rainfall per year ranges from around 70 in the northern part of the state to 15 in the desert regions. The air is usually dry and clear, with low relative humidity and a high percentage of sunshine. April, May and June usually produce the most clear days, while July and August (in lower elevations), as well as December, January and February (in higher elevations) have the cloudiest weather due to thunderstorms.
National Parks and Monuments in Arizona are:
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Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Saguaro National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Chiricahua National Monument, Four Corners Monument, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Parashant National Monument and the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
National Forests and State Parks in Arizona are:
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Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Tonto National Forest, Coronado National Forest, Homolovi Ruins State Park, Kartchner Caverns State Park, Lake Havasu State Park, Lyman Lake State Park, Picacho Peak State Park and the Roper Lake State Park
Other destinations in Arizona are:
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Meteor Crater, Mogollon Rim, Monument Valle, Mount Humphries - San Francisco Peaks, Mount Lemmon, Mystery Castle, Navajo Nation, Painted Desert and the White Mountains
Text from Wikitravel Arizona where additional general information can be found
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