A few fun facts and some infographics (scroll down) about
the major National Park Service sites we’ll visit:

Saguaro

• Protects the park’s namesake cactus and the Sonoran Desert ecosystem
• Contains the Tucson Mountains and Rincon Mountains that flank the city of Tucson
• A mature saguaro can reach 60 feet in height, but they grow so slowly it can take 50-70 years just to develop the first arm
• There are an estimated 1.8 million saguaros in the park
• Between May and September daily highs average more than 100 degrees

Our Lodging: Lodge on the Desert – Tucson, AZ

Petrified Forest

• Named for its large deposits of fossilized trees that were buried during the late Triassic period when the area had a tropical climate
• Northern sections of the park cover the Painted Desert, featuring the brightly colored badlands of the Chinle Formation
• More than 600 archaeological sites have been located
• Remnants of Route 66 pass through the park
• Elevation ranges from 5,300 to 6,235 feet

Our Lodging: Wigwam Motel – Holbrook, AZ

Canyon de Chelly

• Among the most visited national monuments in the country
• One of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America
• Preserves ruins of early tribes and the three major canyons that contain them, de Chelly, del Muerto and Monument
• The most famous landform is a 750 foot spire of red sandstone called Spider Rock
• Tours of the canyon floor are only allowed when accompanied by a ranger or native guide

Our Lodging: Thunderbird Lodge – Chinle, AZ

Grand Canyon

• The one-mile deep gorge is often considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world
• Total length of the canyon is 277 miles and maximum width is 18 miles
• Second highest visitation of the 59 national parks after Great Smoky Mountains
• The Colorado River has carved through nearly 2 billion years of geologic history, which is visible in the multi-colored layers of rock in the walls
• John Wesley Powell led the first successful expedition through the canyon in 1869
• Weather conditions vary greatly by elevation and season, with everything from blizzards to 100 degree + temperatures during the year

Our Lodging: Maswick Lodge – Grand Canyon Village, AZ

Death Valley

• Largest U.S. national park outside of Alaska
• Hottest and driest place in North America, some areas receive less than 2 inches of rain a year
• Record worldwide observed high air temperature of 134 degrees was recorded in 1913
• Contains Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, while 14,505 ft Mt. Whitney is just 85 miles away
• Few developed trails mean most hiking in the park is cross-country

Our Lodging: Stovepipe Wells Hotel – Death Valley, CA

Infographics: