Southwest US-Four Corners Overview

The United States Southwest Region and more specifically the greater "Four Corners" Area offer the country's most iconic American west landscapes. No other place on earth offers the degree of weathered sandstone, extruded lava flows, and high country mountains all juxtaposed with high Sonoran Desert beauty. Roughly defined, the "Four Corners" area is not limited to the point at which the state boundaries of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado converge but a much broader expanse. More generally, it encompasses northern Arizona (north of I-40), Southern Utah (South of I-70), the southwest corner of Colorado, and the northwest corner of New Mexico. The area is also referred to by the US Parks Service as "the Golden Circle" of National Parks. The Grand Canyon to the southwest, east to the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, northeast to Mesa Verde, northwest to Canyonlands and Arches, west to Capital Reef and further west to Bryce Canyon and Zion form the "National Parks" boundary of the area.

However, the area also encompasses the Navajo Nation (the largest native American reservation in the country and larger than many of the smaller states) with its own set of natural wonders. In addition, innumerable National Monuments, National Recreation Areas and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered areas exist in the region well worth exploration.

Main flight access to the four corners is, of course, dependent on your budget:
Major cities: Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque All will require drives of 3 - 4 hours to access your first main attraction.
Secondary cities: St George, Utah; Flagstaff, Arizona; Durango, Co; and Farmington, New Mexico. Short drives to Parks and all offer the widest selections of accommodations and services.
Towns: Page, Arizona; Kanab, Utah; Moab, Utah. All have small airports, but service frequency and cost need to be evaluated. Once within the "Golden Circle"/Four Corners area, these 3 towns are the busiest and offer the most travel accommodations, restuarants and facilities (tour guides, outfitters, groceries, camp supplies, automotive services).

Future Blogs will focus on "rating" these attractions and route mapping to maximize your travel and photographic opportunities. I'll also provide more commentary on the towns mentioned as well as smaller towns that might offer unique or specialized services. While I might mention establishments in the Blogs, see my TripAdvisor reviews for specific more in-depth reviews of establishments I have visited/utilized; all reviewed under "JustJeffAZ".

Next Up; Rating the Parks and Monuments.