Time: 7.30am
Location: Hoover Dam
Our first stop today was at the Hoover Dam at the border of Nevada and Arizona. The Dam was constructed in the early 20th century to trap water from the Colorado River, creating Lake Mead, which would provide a water supply for the quickly developing area. We stopped at a place across from the Dam after driving over it so that we could get a good view – the dam is very tall and you can see why American’s take such pride in it. The walls of Lake Mead are extremely shear and tall and there is a white section at the bottom where the iron in the rock has leached into the water. The water level is currently at its lowest since the 1930s and the white area shows just how much the water level has dropped.
Figure 1. Hoover Dam (source: Becki)
The area is in the Grand Canyon section which contains some of the oldest rocks of the area and has escaped major deformation. There are no flat area;, the lake is surrounded by mountains with steep gradients.
You don't get a good idea of the immensity of the Hoover Dam from pictures and books. Visiting it made us realised just how much of an engineering feet it is and also by how much the water level has dropped in Lake Mead - making us appreciate how much of a scarity water is in the area.
Date: 1st May 2011
Time: 933am
Location: Kingman, AZ
After visiting the dam we drove across the Mojave Desert to Kingman, Arizona. Kingman is a typical Route 66 town. There are classic cars, motorbikes and diners that are reminiscent of the days when Route 66 was at the height of its popularity. We stopped at the Power House Tourist Centre which provides some history and facts about the area – the power house was renovated in 1997, a way of preserving Kingman’s historic buildings. Inside there was also a Route 66 museum which gives tourists information about the history of Route 66 and the railroad and what this meant for Kingman. There was also a Route 66 shop – a definite tourist amenity! In Kingman the indigenous tribes that originally inhabited the area are highlighted, this can bring another sort of tourist to the area. Overall the information and amenities for tourists that was available in Kingman is good and meant that the tourists experience is improved. Proximity to the Grand Canyon was also advertised.
Kingman is located in a mainly flat area that is surrounded by mountains. The railroad runs through the town and contributed to its development. Along the main street, Andy Devine Avenue, landscaping has been done to make it more attractive – there was a grassy area near the railroad that was purely aesthetic and served no useful purpose. The grassy areas and plants will require water – an already scarce resource, this may be a sign of poor resource management. There was also a local golf course that would use up a lot of water.
Figure 2. Mr. D'z Diner, Kingman, AZ (source: Becki)
Walking around Kingman you get a feeling that Route 66 is what this town is all about and just how much it has to thank for this and for what the railroad did. We didn't get very long to explore but the town didn't really give us a welcome feeling. It was as if this town has been left in the past.
Date: 1st May 2011
Time: 2.10pm
Location: Walnut Canyon, AZ
Next we went to Walnut Canyon, declared a national monument in 1915, a steep canyon that is covered in Pondorosa Pine, Douglas Fir and Juniper. The elevation is 6690ft and only the newer layers of rocks were visible; Kaibab Limestone, Toroweap Formation and Coconino Sandstone. The soil contains lots of volcanic cinder which meant that water drainage was slowed allowing for the rich vegetation in the canyon. Cross bedding can be observed in the canyon which is visible as diagonal layers – this occurred due to changed in wind direction when the sediment was being deposited.
The visitor centre provided lots of information about the canyon and its history. 1000 years ago the area was inhabited by the Sinagua tribe that created caves in the rock to live in. The visitor centre contained a lot of information about the Sinagua and about the physical landscape of the canyon. This meant that we got a better understanding of the canyon’s history and how it was created and we could appreciate it more. There was a trail part way into the canyon that passed many of the cliff dwellings and provided fantastic views of the physical landscape. There were information boards and certain points along the trail which added to the experience. The trail was well maintained and is an excellent tourist amenity.
Historically the Sinagua managed the physical environment very well. They captured and stored water during winter, used it during spring, planted crops and created dams to make best use of the water, during summer the crops grew and the water supply was topped up and during autumn they had plenty of food.
Since the canyon has been declared a national monument the resources in the area have been maintained and preserved. This is a good thing for tourism in the area.
Figure 3. Ancient Cliff Dwellings, Walnut Canyon, AZ (source: Becki)
We were amazed by Walnut Canyon. We all commented on how quiet it was here, that was the first thing we noticed. We don't even know what to expect with the Grand Canyon now!
Date 1st May 2011
Time: 5pm
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff was our last stop of the day. The town was established in 1876, the railroad arrived in the 1880s and by the 1890s the population had soared to 1,500. The physical landscape of Flagstaff is generally flat and extends slightly onto the slopes that are before the surrounding mountains. The railroad is mainly responsible for the development of Flagstaff because it allowed for the movement of people and resources into the area. It also helped the timber industry thrive.
During the 1930s the town was boosted by tourism because people were travelling to the area to see the outstanding cultural and natural features of the area. In the 50s and 60s it was boosted again by the arrival of Route 66 – many families were taking holidays along this road. Hotels are distinct with big neon signs in order to attract people off the road for a nights stay. Heritage Square has been developed in the town centre for tourists. The flag post (that gave the town it’s name) is set in a representation of the Grand Canyon – a wall containing rocks from the different stratigraphic layers of the Grand Canyon. There are railroad benches and cultural symbols. This is to make the tourist feel like they are experiencing more culture. The buildings in Flagstaff have also been kept to a traditional style which also adds to the tourist experience.
Good resource management was the making of Flagstaff – the timber industry boosted the growth of the town. Now the resource that is being managed is the town itself – for tourism. The Babbitt family are helping this by investing in the gentrification of the town, they own a lot of the land on one side of the railroad and much is being invested into catering for tourists.
Flagstaff was a perfect end to the day, it had a nice welcoming and friendly feel to it and was a nice place to relax in the evening with some nice restautants after a long day. The buildings were what we all imagined a typical American town of this area to look like!
Overall the day was good because we got to see a lot of tourist attractions although we could have benefitted from more information and amenities in some places. We enjoyed Walnut Canyon the most because the sights were incredible and there was lots of information available to improve our visit.
Figure 4. Flagstaff, AZ (source: Becki)
Figure 5. The route, Henderson, NV to Flagstaff, AZ. (source: Google Maps, 2011)
Figure 5 shows the long journey we took today. We covered a lot of ground and saw some very different places. A very good day!
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