17 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Arizona

Written by Jan Meeuwesen
Updated on
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The sunny state of Arizona is a place where you will not get bored quickly as there’s so many things to see and visit. Landmarks like the Grand Canyon are known all over the world. Have a look at the 17 most beautiful spots in the state of Arizona!

1. Beaver Falls in Havasu Creek

Beaver Falls in Havasu CreekSource: Edwin Verin / shutterstock
Beaver Falls In Havasu Creek

Beaver falls are notoriously difficult to access but once you arrive the site is breath taking.

They are the fifth set of falls in the area and are directly after Mooney Falls.

Originally some parts of the fall were fifty feet in height but the floods of 1910 destroyed some of the area. When you are at the site you can see the markings around that show how high the water rose during the flood.

2. Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National ParkSource: Galyna Andrushko / shutterstock
Saguaro National Park

In the southern part of Arizona you will come across Saguaro National Park.

The name of the park comes from the giant Saguaro cactus that resides in much of the park. Whilst you are at the park you should take advantage of the 150 miles of hiking trails that are available.

The park itself covers a total area of 91,442 acres with over three quarters of it being a designated wilderness.

3. Goldfield Ghost Town, Apache Junction

Goldfield Ghost Town, ArizonaSource: Nick Fox / shutterstock
Goldfield Ghost Town

In 1892 Goldfield was a bustling town sitting near to Superstition Mountains that had just struck gold.

The town now is a ghost town that has been brought back to life for visitors to see in all its former glory.

Whilst at the ghost town make sure to take a tour of the underground mines.

4. Havasu Creek

Havasu Creek, ArizonaSource: Lucky-photographer / shutterstock
Havasu Creek

Havasu Creek has humble beginnings as a little trickle of water from above the wall of the canyon.

This then runs some fifty miles before entering Cataract Canyon.

The creek is famous for its blue-green water, this is because of the high levels of calcium carbonate in the water that created the limestone around it.

5. Hoover Dam

Hoover DamSource: superjoseph / shutterstock
Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam sits along the border or Arizona and Nevada and was constructed during the 1930’s.

The dam today provides power for the states of California, Nevada and Arizona. Each year an estimated 1,000,000 people come to visit this astonishing site.

6. Hunts Mesa, Monument Valley

Hunts Mesa, Monument ValleySource: Zhukova Valentyna / shutterstock
Hunts Mesa, Monument Valley

You will find Hunts Mesa along the south-eastern edge of the monument valley.

A trip to Hunts Mesa will see you experiencing panoramic views of the sandstone formations that can be seen in the distance.

The area can only be accessed by travelling through the sand dunes that are to the north-east of the town Kayenta.

7. Jerome Arizona Ghost Town

Jerome Arizona Ghost TownSource: weltreisendertj / shutterstock
Jerome Arizona Ghost Town

Jerome is the largest ghost town in the United States! In 1876 miners began extracting copper, silver and gold from the area and houses started to be built.

By 1920 there were some 15,000 inhabitants in the area and the people of the town were making some considerable money.

In 1953 with the price of copper at rock bottom the last mine closed and the town became deserted.

8. Lake Mead National Recreational Area

Lake Mead National Recreational Area, ArizonaSource: Laurens Hoddenbagh / shutterstock
Lake Mead National Recreational Area, Arizona

Lake Mead is a hot spot for recreational activities, visitors can enjoy their time by fishing, boating, sightseeing or settling down for a picnic.

Whilst you are here you will get to see thousands of animals and plants that adapted to the hot and dry climate.

9. London Bridge – Lake Havasu

London Bridge, Lake HavasuSource: travelview / shutterstock
London Bridge, Lake Havasu

London Bridge initially spanned the River Thames in London until it was discovered that is was sinking into the river Thames.

The founder of Lake Havasu City purchased the bridge for $2,460,000 and spent another $7,000,000 transporting the bridge to its current location.

It was then rebuilt as the structure you see today.

10. Montezuma Castle Near Camp Verde

Montezuma Castle, ArizonaSource: Pamela Au / shutterstock
Montezuma Castle

Montezuma Castle is a National Monument and it protects a series of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings that were used by the Sinagua people.

The Sinagua people lived in the area between 1100 and 1425 AD.

When you look at the castle you will notice that it is spread over five floors and encompasses twenty rooms.

11. Monument Valley

Monument ValleySource: Shutterstock
Monument Valley

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is an expanse of sandy land that sits between the border of Arizona and Utah.

The area is a dark red in colour and has many sandstone towers jutting out of the ground. Some of the towers reach as high as 1,000 foot.

As the sun moves across the sky the shadows cast by the towers make for perfect photograph moments.

12. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Organ Pipe Cactus National MonumentSource: Anton Foltin / shutterstock
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

At the heart of the Sonoran Desert is the Organ Pipe Cactus national Monument.

There are plenty of scenic drives to be taken here, and if you like camping then you can camp in one of the two allocated camping spots and enjoy a night of sleeping in a thriving desert.

13. Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National ParkSource: Galyna Andrushko / shutterstock
Saguaro National Park

In the southern part of Arizona you will come across Saguaro National Park.

The name of the park comes from the giant Saguaro cactus that resides in much of the park.

Whilst you are at the park you should take advantage of the 150 miles of hiking trails that are available. The park itself covers a total area of 91,442 acres with over three quarters of it being a designated wilderness.

14. Sonoran Desert

Sonoran DesertSource: Anton Foltin / shutterstock
Sonoran Desert near Phoenix

The Sonoran Desert stretches out over nearly 100,000 square miles.

The desert is the hottest in North America but due to the high levels of rainfall compared to other deserts it manages to maintain plant life.

15. The town of Sedona

Devil's Bridge Trail, Sedona, ArizonaSource: Nikolas_jkd / shutterstock
Devil’s Bridge Trail, Sedona

The town of Sedona is surrounded by 1.8 million acres of national forest land.

The area is considered to be sacred by the Native Americans and many still claim the area will help with healing and spiritual renewal.

The streets are lined with art galleries and visitors will find countless spa’s in which to pamper themselves.

16. Tumacacori National Historic Park

TumacacoriSource: PhotoTrippingAmerica / shutterstock
Tumacacori

Inside Tumacacori National Historic Park you will find the ruins of three Spanish mission communities.

The buildings were abandoned after many Apache raids in the 19th century that killed a lot of the workers.

The ruins were never rebuilt and can now be visited on a trip to the National Park.

17. White House Ruins at Canyon De Chelly

White House ruins at Canyon De ChellySource: Doglikehorse / shutterstock
White House Ruins At Canyon De Chelly

The White House at Canyon De Chelly in owned by the Navajo Tribal Trust.

The area can only be accessed by taking a guided tour by one of their companies, but the views are breath taking and the sandstone spire that rises 750 feet from the floor are worth the drive alone.



17 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Arizona:

  • Beaver Falls in Havasu Creek
  • Saguaro National Park
  • Goldfield Ghost Town, Apache Junction
  • Havasu Creek
  • Hoover Dam
  • Hunts Mesa, Monument Valley
  • Jerome Arizona Ghost Town
  • Lake Mead National Recreational Area
  • London Bridge – Lake Havasu
  • Montezuma Castle Near Camp Verde
  • Monument Valley
  • Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
  • Saguaro National Park
  • Sonoran Desert
  • The town of Sedona
  • Tumacacori National Historic Park
  • White House Ruins at Canyon De Chelly