Nestled away in northeastern Arizona lies the spectacular Canyon de Chelly National Monument. This extensive canyon was cut by the tributaries of the Chinle Creek which has shaped and formed the landscape over thousands of years to the way we see it today. Located entirely within the bounds of the Navajo Nation near the border of New Mexico, Canyon de Chelly, pronounced Canyon “de-shay”, is a wonder to see.
The village of Mhamid is located in the southeastern part of Morocco, on the edge of the Sahara Desert. It’s coveted spot in the more lush Drâa Valley of the Zagora province, was the last stop for caravans before crossing the desert sands. We stopped by Mhamid and Mhamid Bali (the old location of the town) to look at the kasbahs, ride some camels, drink some tea, talk with the locals, and had a wonderful time!
When traveling through the southwest, one of my favorite national parks by far was the Petrified Forest National Park. This park located in northeastern Arizona is naturally and culturally significant and quite beautiful. This area is strewn with colorful fossilized logs that date back to the Late Triassic Period. About 2,000 years ago, humans settled in and built little communities here.
Meandering trails take you throughout the park, giving you glimpses of trees that look like works of art and pueblos from hundreds to thousands of years ago show you how these prehistoric people lived. There’s even one home that looks like it was made from precious stones, which it kind of is.
Aït Benhaddou is a fortified city in Morocco that is located along the old caravan route between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert. This UNESCO World Heritage site served as an important trading post in the old trade route that passed all the way from Morocco on the west coast of Africa, to Sudan on the east coast.
When one thinks of the Sahara Desert (myself included), they think of Egypt and the beautiful imagery of the pyramids against the golden sands. However, the Sahara Desert is much more expansive, stretching across the entirety of northern Africa from Morocco to Egypt. The Erg Chigaga dunes in Morocco offers travelers easy access to this wide expanse giving them a taste of the beauty and immensity of this desert.
We planned our trip through Utah by stopping at all the “little green” areas that we saw on Google maps while we made our way from Canyonlands National Park down to the Grand Canyon. We pulled up to a small state park off of Utah Route 316 looking for a place to camp, not really knowing what was before us. Serendipity brought us to one of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen in my life; the mighty San Juan River at Goosenecks State Park.