Alluring Arizona Trivia Quiz

Answer:

National parks in the United States are areas that are protected and administered by the National Park Service, which is an arm of the Department of the Interior. Why? It may be because there is a magnificent feature in a particular area or because the scenery is simply incredible - or both! As you may know, the first national park in the U.S. was Yellowstone, which was signed into law in 1872. It took a bit longer for Arizona to have a national park, and there are three on our quiz list - Grand Canyon (1919), Petrified Forest (1962) and Saguaro (1994).

Each national park is uniquely beautiful, and many also contain Native American sites. The rock formations of the Grand Canyon are believed to be the result of at least two billion years of geologic activity, caused by both erosion and tectonic uplift. Scientists believe that the petrified wood in the Petrified Forest is approximately 225 million years old. Dinosaur fossils have also been found there. Saguaro offers a view of giant saguaro cacti, as well as other varieties of cacti and wildlife species.

National monuments are also protected areas in the U.S., and can be created by presidential decree or congressional legislation. They are places of either historic or scientific significance. The first national monument in the U.S. was Devil's Tower, chosen in 1906. Various agencies, such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and United States Forest Service manage national monuments.

Chiricahua National Monument (1924) is a rock formation that was made about 27 million years ago during a volcanic eruption. Canyon de Chelly (1931) is located within the Navajo National reservation. It contains ancient cliff dwellings made by the Anasazi. Tourists may visit Native American pueblos at Agua Fria (2000). Ironwood Forest (2000) contains groves of ironwood trees, along with archaeological sites that date to approximately 600 AD. Wupatki offers a view of 900 year-old Puebloan site that borders on the Painted Desert. If you like to see the outcome of volcanic activity, be sure to visit Sunset Crater National Monument. There are walking trails to enjoy, along with beautiful scenery. Finally, Walnut Canyon boasts both breathtaking sights and cliff dwellings used by the ancient Sinagua people some nine hundred years ago.

The incorrect choices listed are also U.S. National Parks. Arches, Zion, Canyonland, and Bryce Canyon are all located in Utah, while Yosemite, Redwood, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Pinnacles, and Sequoia are found in California.