Located above Beaver Creek in AZ's Verde Valley 90 miles north of Phoenix, Montezuma's Castle is really not a castle at all. It is a limestone formation used by prehistoric Indian tribes 600 years ago and named after the Aztec emperor Montezuma. It is one of the best preserved and most easily accessible cliff ruins in North America. The monument is open 365 days a year. Check out the National Parks Service website for more information.

Find the largest collection of petrified wood in the world . The Petrified Forest National Park is a 93,533 acre park located adjacent to the beautiful and multicolored Painted Desert in Northeastern AZ. Visit archeological sites and the many displays of fossils found in the Park. Take the 27-mile scenic drive around the park or get out and hike up one of the many trails. For more information, click here.

Thirty-five miles east of Flagstaff sits a the Meteor Crater, otherwise known as the Barringer Meteorite Crater. The crater is a mile wide and 570 feet deep. Scientists believe the crater was made approximately 50,000 years ago when a meteorite hit the earth at a force equal to 20 million tons of TNT. The Visitors Center features information and exhibits on space, meteorites and asteroids and the solar system. Meteor Crater is located off Interstate 40 at exit 233, 35 miles east of Flagstaff, 20 miles west of Winslow. Meteor Crater website.

Take in all the beauty of the Sonoran Desert by visiting the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Featured at the Monument is the Organ Pipe Cactus, a rare cactus found growing only the park's 330,000 protected acres. Located along the Mexican border in Southwestern AZ, visitors can take a guided walk through the park or enjoy a scenic drive. Tip: remember to bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Also beware of the desert's dangerous wildlife! For more information about the Monument, click here.

Formed by a volcanic eruption dated at 1065 AD, the Sunset Crater is a cinder cone rising 1,000 feet above the earth. Learn about how the crater was made at the Monument's Visitor Center or hike one of the two nature trails. The Monument is located just outside of Flagstaff off of the US 89. Visit the National Parks Service site for more information.