Arizona Bucket List

Because I eventually will be turning this travel blog over to all the beautiful things to see in Arizona, I wanted to make a bucket list of all the adventures I plan to go on.

Arizona is filled with so many gems and while a lot of these are well known attractions, I included ones that only seasoned Arizonan travelers know about. 

1. Fossil Creek

This is one of my favorite little, less well known gems. It is quite literally an oasis located near Camp Verde in the middle of the desert. With chill streams, pools and small waterfalls, Fossil Creek is the perfect place for cooling off, rope swinging and cliff jumping for the fearless. 

2. The Grand Canyon (obviously)

Among the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon is a must see for everyone (especially residents of Arizona.) Seriously, if you’ve lived in AZ any amount of time and haven’t seen the Grand Canyon yet, what are you doing?

If you are an avid hiker or even just up for an adventure, I highly recommend hiking the Grand Canyon. You can stay at Phantom Ranch at the bottom or a camp site depending on what you’re up for. 

Doing the Grand Canyon SkyWalk is something I’ve always wanted to do. 

3. Lava River Cave

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This is one of my favorite things to show my friends in Flagstaff just because of how unusual it is. The Lava River Cave is a lava tube located in northern Arizona’s Coconino National Forest.

It only runs about .75 miles underground, but you should definitely not take anyone here who is scared of the dark and/or claustorphobic (for obvious reasons I hope.)

4. The Wave

This is one that I have never done but am very much looking forward to visiting. Located near Arizona’s northern border with Utah, The Wave is made of sandstone rock. 

I mean just look at how cool these formations are. 

5. Antelope Canyon (Upper and Lower)

I have only been to lower Antelope Canyon and would be interested in checking out the upper section as well. Both are located on Navajo land east of Page.

While this one is more of a guided tour than a place you can just go galavant around, it is still worth checking out.

6. Chocolate Falls

My parents took me to this one when I was much younger, and I highly recommend everyone check it out. Chocolate Falls, also known as Grand Falls, gets its name from the fact that looks like flowing chocolate. 

It is located 30 miles northeast of Flagstaff, in the Painted Desert on the Navajo Nation and is responsible for depositing rain and snow melt into the Little Colorado River. 

7. Sedona

This is another obvious must see for Arizona. There are tons of hiking trails all around Sedona, but the place I most recently visited was the Cathedral Rock Vortex at Red Rock Crossing, which was stunningly peaceful. 

Located not too far from Flagstaff, the town of Sedona is touristy, spiritual, filled with art galleries, jewelry and worth checking out even if you’re just driving through. 

8. Horseshoe Bend

I’ve only been here once and have always wanted to go back. Horseshoe Bend is a peninsula located along the Colorado River near Page. 

This formation, which started forming millions of years ago, is by far one of my favorites in AZ. I mean really just look at this view.  

9. Saguaro National Park

This one is on my bucket list solely because of how much I love Saguaro cacti. It’s located on both sides of Tucson city and includes incredible views of the desert landscape. 

10. Jerome

Jerome is a historic copper mining town located in central Arizona. With an asylum turned hotel and countless accounts of paranormal activity, Jerome is the perfect spot for fans of the supernatural. 

11. Sycamore Canyon

As the second largest canyon in the Arizona red rock country, Sycamore Canyon is perfect for hiking and backpacking. This is where I went on my first backpacking trip, and I would love to take another trip there again. 

12. Oak Creek Canyon

Located between Sedona and Flagstaff, Oak Creek Canyon is the largest canyon in the Arizona red rock country. It is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its similar landscape. 

13. Petrified Forest National Park 

Located in northeastern Arizona, the Petrified Forest is filled with large deposits of petrified wood. If you’ve never seen any, here’s what it looks like. 

14. Havasupai Falls

Havasupai Falls is absolutely breathtaking. Filled with waterfalls of all shapes and sizes, Havasupai is truly an oasis in the middle of the desert. It is located in the Grand Canyon within Havasupai tribal lands and includes stunning views such as these. 

15. Painted Desert

The Painted Desert interests me so much because the rock literally looks as though it’s been painted over. Just check this out. It’s located near the north portion of Petrified Forest National Park.

I hope everyone gets the chance to visit all these places as soon as everything opens up. I know I can’t wait.