Page 99 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks
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SOUTHERN ARIZ ONA 97
w Kartchner Robinson Leigh (1866–1955) and
Caverns State Park Frederic Remington (1861–1909).
The pink buildings, designed in
Road map C5. Tel (520) 586-2283. the Spanish Colonial Revival style
Open mid-Dec–May: 8am–6pm; Jun– (see p26), are also of interest.
mid-Dec: 9am–5pm; cave tours 9am–
4pm by reservation only). Closed Dec
25. & 7 8 obligatory. r Chiricahua
∑ azstateparks.com/kartchner National
The Kartchner Caverns are Monument
one of Arizona’s great natural Road map D5. Tel (520) 824-3560.
wonders. Located in the Open 8:30am–4:30pm daily. Closed
Whetstone Mountains, the Thanksgiving, 25 Dec. & 7 8
caves were discovered in 1974, ∑ nps.gov/chir
when two cavers crawled
through a sinkhole in a hillside The Chiricahua Mountains were
into 7 acres (3 ha) of caverns Orange-and-white column formations at once the homeland of a band
filled with colorful formations. Kartchner Caverns of Apache people and an
In order to protect the caves, impenetrable base from which
they kept their discovery a e Amerind they launched attacks on
secret for 14 years, as they settlers in the late 1800s. This
explored this wonderland Foundation 19-sq-mile (49-sq-km) area
of speleotherms, or cave Road map C5. n 2100 N. Amerind now preserves stunning rock
formations, made of layers of Rd., Dragoon. Tel (520) 586-3666. formations, which were created
calcite deposited by dripping Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. by a series of volcanic eruptions
or flowing water over millions Closed Mon, public hols. & around 27 million years ago.
of years. In 1988 the land was ∑ amerind.org Massive rocks balanced on small
purchased by the state, but it pedestals, soaring rock spires,
took 11 years to complete the The Amerind Foundation is one and enormous stone columns
development that would allow of the most important private make up the bizarre landscape,
public access while conserving archaeological and ethnological visible from the monument’s
the special conditions that museums in the country. The scenic drive and hiking trails.
enable these “wet” caves to name Amerind is a contraction The nearby town of Willcox
continue growing. of “American Indian,” and this houses the Rex Allen Arizona
Before entering, visitors are collection contains tens of thou- Cowboy Museum, devoted to
introduced to the geology of sands of artifacts from different a native son who became a
the formations at the Discovery Native American cultures. All famous movie cowboy, starring
Center. Visitors must not touch aspects of Native American life in 19 films in the 1950s.
the features, as skin oils stop are shown here, with displays
their growth. Along with huge covering Inuit masks, Cree tools, E Rex Allen Arizona
stalactites and stalagmites, there and sculpted effigy figures from Cowboy Museum
is an abundance of other types Mexico’s Casas Grandes. 150 N. Railroad Ave. Tel (520) 384-
of formation such as the aptly The adjacent Fulton-Hayden 4583. Open 10am–1pm Mon, 11am–
named 21-ft (6-m) soda straw, Memorial Art Gallery has works 3pm Tue–Sat. Closed public holidays.
the turnip shields, and popcorn. by western artists such as William & 7 ∑ rexallenmuseum.org
Massive rock spires formed by million-year-old volcanic eruptions at Chiricahua National Monument
The iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign
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