Southwest States

Learning to love the region

experience The Southwest States

After living in the Phoenix metro area, surrounded by the Arizona desert for over 25 years I’ve learned to love the beauty of the Southwest States in America. The diversity of climates, the Spanish and Indigenous peoples’ influence, and the wide open spaces are just some of what makes this region so unique. For some, it’s love at first sight. For others, the dry heat and dusty terrain are an acquired taste.

When you think of popular places to visit in the Southwest States, consider the spectacular red rock formations of Sedona, the amazing Grand Canyon, and the red and orange ribbons of rock in Antelope Canyon. All are in Arizona. In Texas, you can explore Big Bend National Park near the Mexico border. The San Antonio River Walk with its meandering canals and walkways lined by quaint shops and eateries is a perfect city destination in Texas.

Santa Fe, New Mexico is renowned for its art scene and Old Town Plaza. It’s also been designated a UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Arts. Wander through the cool trails of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the southern part of the state. It’s a huge underground chamber with over 100 caves.

Looking for an epic road trip in the Southwest Region? Four hundred miles of Historic Route 66 cross the state of Oklahoma. The Sooner state has been home to 67 different First American Nations throughout its history. While many historical interactions with Caucasians were tragic, you can learn about the story of 39 First Nations that overcame adversity and survive today at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.

Architecture in the Southwest

You’ll find a wide variety of amazing architecture spanning centuries in the Southwest Region. The ancient Puebloan structures of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico began as early as the mid-800s and are now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cliff dwellings of the Sinagua people at Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona were constructed during the 1100s and thrived for over 150 years. Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico are dotted with Spanish missions like San Xavier del Bac Mission, in Tucson, Arizona, built by Catholic missionaries mostly in the 17th and 18th centuries.

These ancient structures are in stark contrast to the more modern creations like the world’s first experimental Arcology project, Arcosanti in Cordes Junction, or the Biosphere in Oracle, Arizona. Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home, Taliesin West is now a World Heritage Site. The creation was begun in 1937 in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is open to visitors today. Even historic buildings like the El Tovar Hotel built in 1905 overlooking the Grand Canyon are worth including on your list of unique places to visit in the Southwest.

Astronomy in the Southwest Region

Arizona and New Mexico are two of the top states in the U.S. for Astronomy and Space related ventures. The combination of dry climate, low population density (which helps allow for amazing dark skies), and wide open spaces at higher elevations all contribute to the Southwest States being chosen by experts. There are dozens of observatories and telescopes across the Southwest Region of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, but the majority are in Arizona.

New Mexico’s Space Trail has over 50 notable sites relating to Astronomy, Space, and Science. You’ll find everything from Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport to historical sites like the White Sands Missile Range where the first atomic bomb was tested in 1945. Twenty-seven radio telescope dishes, 82 feet (25 meters) wide spanning miles of high desert plains make up the Very Large Array (image above) near Socorro, NM.

Although the Southwest Region is only four states, they cover a huge amount of land and some of the most gorgeous natural environments on the planet. Plan to do a lot of driving between stops. Just in Texas, the distance from the eastern border to the western border of the state is 773 miles (1,244 km).