As an East-Coaster, Arizona's landscapes and its resident's lifestyle were more outside my wheelhouse than I anticipated.
During my week-long visit to Phoenix, Arizona in October of 2023, I took a day to visit the Grand Canyon with a tour company. The drive itself was its own adventure as I learned just how different Arizona's landscape is from the Northeast. My guide also clued me into how Arizonians combat the intense heat and stay safe on their desert adventures. These are some of my first impressions about what I saw and learned!
1. Hot Air Balloons
A smokey morning with hot air balloons taking off in Scottsdale.
Why did I think this was only a New Mexico thing? As it turns out, you can book a sunrise or sunset hot air balloon ride that takes off from Scottsdale, a few miles northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. As the balloon takes off, you'll see a view of the desert from a unique perspective! My tour guide informed me that he knew it was going to be a clear and calm day since the balloons took off at sunrise.
2. Unfamiliar Landscapes & Saguaro Cacti
Saguaro cacti and hot air balloons north of Phoenix.
I assumed Arizona was just desert, and I'd never seen any photos to prove that idea different. Turns out, depending on elevation, there are many different kinds of landscapes and vegetation to match - from the Sonoran Desert to the Rocky Mountains in the north.
One of the most exciting new sights for me was the Saguaro (pronounced "sah-wah-roh") Cactus. These giant cacti grow up to 40 feet tall, and the large ones are hundreds of years old. According to the National Park Service, Saguaro Cacti can grow anywhere from sea level to up to 4,000 feet in elevation.
I was so surprised to see "real" trees at the Grand Canyon.
Arizonians seem to have a real appreciation for their cacti and work to protect them. On a drive up to the Grand Canyon, I saw a few cacti alongside the highway that were being stabilized by wooden planks and rope. Turns out that's not just a gardener's trick! Cacti are susceptible to wind damage, and the planks and rope help to prevent them from falling over.
I also learned that you can't drink cacti water, as Boy Scouts that grew up in the area were once taught to believe. The cacti's water is too acidic for the human body. So where do you find water in the desert? You find a natural spring (good luck with that) or you brought your own. Comforting.
3. Prescribed burns
Smoke lingers over the rocks at the Grand Canyon.
If you're like me as a first-time visitor and don't know what the Grand Canyon usually looks like, you may not immediately notice the thick smoke lingering over the rocks in the above image. What initially looked like a cloud to me, turned out to be smoke from a prescribed burn miles away from the Grand Canyon.
I knew this practice was common in California to prevent detrimental forest fires, but I had no idea it stretched to Arizona. The US Forest Service managers conduct periodic prescribed burns to prevent wildfires or disease and infestation in the forests. I imagine our knowledge of burning practices as a form of environmental protection came from Indigenous peoples out west.
On the drive up and back from the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, there were flashing signs alongside the road informing residents of "RX BURN: DO NOT REPORT". Emergency responders must get so many calls about these controlled fires.
At one point on our drive, we were stuck in traffic due to low visibility caused by one of the fires. Lighted signs informed drivers to slow down and use caution. The smoke created a thick haze over the road and the smell crept into the van as we crawled to a stop. I was happy I'd brought an N95 mask, that's just not what I thought I was going to be using it for!
4. No one goes outside during the day
Even in October, it was hot enough to warrant caution.
Red rocks of Sedona.
This is also why Arizona is one of the only two US states that does not participate in daylight savings time (Hawai'i is the other). The only parts of Arizona that follow daylight savings are within the Navajo Nation. The state decided against extending daylight hours in the summer when Arizona's intense heat keeps people indoors during the day anyway.
I was awake at some pretty odd hours for travel while I was in Phoenix and was not alone. Through the dark, I saw a few dog owners beating the October heat.
Otherwise, I noticed that most locals didn't walk further than the length of a parking lot. It reminded me of Florida, where residents "air condition hop" from one location to the next, and do their best to avoid the heat of the day.
I met someone in Arizona who told me they pre-cooled their car before leaving for work every morning because they'd burn themselves if they got in without turning the AC on for a few minutes first! I don't know if that's a lifestyle I could put up with.
5. Optical illusion at the Grand Canyon
The canyon's colossal size made it look two-dimensional in person.
The Grand Canyon's immense size created an optical illusion in my brain, making it almost look flat. The sheer vastness of it, the endless layers of carved rock stretching into the distance, warped my perception of depth.
Intellectually, I knew that the canyon stretched for miles, but my eyes or my brain couldn't quite come to terms with its magnitude. Maybe it was the lighting or time of day? I'd be curious to know if anyone else has experienced a similar sensation!
6. There's so much undeveloped land
Bighorn Sheep at the Grand Canyon.
Roughly 27% of Arizona's land belongs to Native tribes, more than any other US state. Much of the rest is government (not privately) owned, but I was still surprised at the vast stretches of Arizona that remain undeveloped.
On a recent trip to the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, my tour group took I-17, Arizona's main north-south highway, to get there. For much of it, there was nothing but untouched land. If there's an accident that causes I-17 to close, with no side roads or towns for miles, traffic can back up for hours.
That's just a taste of how serious it is to get stuck in the unrelenting desert heat without water, even today. Props to those who chose to make this journey on the regular.
One of my favorite parts about traveling within the US is seeing how incredibly diverse and unique its landscapes are, and often how that dictates the cultures and ways of life built around them. I found myself enamored with Arizona's endless cacti deserts and mountain views. It's such a unique type of landscape and I see why people are drawn to it - including myself! I hope to find my way back at some point to explore more.
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