Beautiful Arizona

Picture of Arizona desert

Arizona's Land

You are going to take a plane trip over the state of Arizona. As you fly across the state you notice three very different kinds of land. These three regions are called the Plateau Region, the Mountain Region, and the Desert Region.

Plateau Region

You first stop will be the Plateau Region. While you are here you will learn about this region and the different places and natural features of the area. You will need to take lots of notes as you travel this area.

The Plateau Region is part of the Colorado Rive Plateau. This larger region covers Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The plateau was lifted up when the earth was changing millions of years ago. The Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers have cut deep canyons into the Plateau. Mt. Humphrey's is the highest peak in this region and all of Arizona. The Mogollon Rim marks the Plateaus southern edge. It is a steep rock cliff.

Picture of Plateau Region

Lumber is important in the forests of the Plateau Region. People make money by cutting down trees to sell for wood. Cattle and sheep ranching are also important in this region. Some people work for the Santa Fe Railroad. Others mine coal.

This region attracts many tourists each year. Tourists come from all over the world to see the Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater, the Petrified Forest, Monument Valley, and Canyon de Chelly. People also come to visit the Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff which has a large telescope that scientist use to study space.

Mountain Region

Now that you have finished exploring the Plateau Region, it is time to head to the Mountain Region of Arizona. The Mountain Region is a link between the Rocky Mountains in Utah and the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. There are about thirty different mountain ranges in this region. The mountain peaks in this area are covered with pine trees. The White Mountains are a popular place to go hiking and playing in the winter snow.

Mt. Graham is the highest peak in the Mountain Region. It towers above the town of Stafford in the Gila Valley below. Mt Graham is covered with fir and spruce trees. Red squirrels make their home in these mountains. This is an important area as the Red squirrels are endangered. Scientist also come to Mt. Graham to work at two large observatories. Here there are two large telescopes that they use to study the stars and planets.

Picture of Mt Graham Observatory

Another popular place in this region is Mt Lemmon, which is near the city of Tucson. In the winter people come here to ski and in the summer they come to hike, fish or just cool off! Sunrise Park Resort in McNary is also a popular skiing destination. Tourists also like to visit Sedona to see the red rock formations.

View Picture of Sedona Red Rock

Many of the towns in this region sprang up near copper, silver and gold mines. Bisbee, Tombstone, Morenci, Globe and Jerome are just a few of them.

Desert Region

Most of the people of Arizona now live in the hot, dry desert region. In the winter, thousands of people from all over the United States come here to escape the cold winters of the north. The Desert Region is part of the larger Sonoran Desert Region that stretches into Mexico. Cotton, Alfalfa, wheat, fruits, vegetables, and nuts are grown here. How can they grow things in the desert when not much rain falls in this region? In order to grow crops in this area, water must be brought in from the mountains in wide canals. A canal is a waterway that is man-made. Other water is pumped from underground by wells.

Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma are some of the larger cities located in this Region. The mountains in Tucson are famous for their forests and saguaro cacti. Giant Saguaro Cactus live only in a few places in the world. These cacti can live in the hot, dry desert because they store water during the rainy season. Saguaro can live for over 150 years. You can walk among the saguaro cactus and many other cacti plants in the Saguaro National Monument near the Mexican border.

Take a tour of Saguaro National Park

Return to Chapter 2 Contents Go To Plants and Animals in Arizona

Return to Top