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Show accommodations for the numerous fishermen and hunters who visit the region. Some of the most celebrated fishing streams in the United States are in the locality. A Cattlemen's Day and a Sportsmen's Tournament are annual events in the community. 4. Durango is in the center of an important recreational region in southwestern Colorado. Beautiful, wooded mountains lie to the north and east where dude ranches, fishing streams, and hunting areas are plentiful. High- standard roads lead in each direction to scenic country. Many other towns in Colorado have excellent possibilities for development as recreation centers. ARIZONA 1. Phoenix, at an elevation of 1,080 feet, with a population swelling to more than 150,000, is a desert metropolis located in a rich, irrigated agricultural area. Mountains appear on the horizon on all sides. The warm winter sunshine attracts thousands of visitors. The highlight of the tourist season is the Festival of the Sun held the last week in March. Points of interest in the vicinity of Phoenix are Papago State Park, Phoenix South Mountain Park, the Pueblo Grande Ruins and laboratory, and the many fine hotels and guest ranches. 2. Tucson, at an elevation of 2,376 feet, has a population of about 40,000 . It is a health and winter resort that has grown up around one of the oldest Spanish towns in the United States. Tucson residents engage in sports of all sorts and take part in music and art programs fostered by the State University located within the city limits. Riding over trails in the wide desert expanses is a favorite pastime. In the vicinity of Tucson are many points of interest including Tucson Mountain County Park to the west, San Xavier Mission south of town, and the Santa Catalina Mountains and Saguaro National Monument to the east. The Yaqui Indian villages and ruins of Fort Lowell are other attractions close to town. Tucson Mountain Park is especially attractive, its 44 square miles of desert mountain country containing a wealth of desert growth and an abundance of wildlife. 3. Prescott, elevation 5,347 feet, has a population of more than 6,000. It is in the mountainous section of west- central Arizona. Forests of pines south and west of town contribute to Prescott's growing popularity as a summer resort in the heart of the dude ranch country. For 3 days each summer Prescott is given over completely to a Frontier Days Rodeo. Fort Whipple and Yavapai Indian Reservation, Hassayampa Mountain Club in the Presscott National Forest, and Granite Dells are points of interest in the vicinity. 4. Flagstaff, at an elevation of 6,900 feet and with a population of 5,000, is surrounded by outstanding natural scenery. Southward are the gorges and canyons of Oak Creek. Mans Hill, a low mesa running north and south, forms a green background on the west, and on the northwest dark Mount Elden rises above the town. Beyond Mount Elden are the massive, lofty San Francisco Peaks. Each year Flagstaff holds a pow- wow during the first week of July, which transforms the town into an Indian village. Several thousand Indians representing 20 tribal nations take part. Nearby points of interest are Sunset Crater, Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon National Monuments, Lowell Observatory, and the Museum of Northern Arizona. 5. Winslow, on United States Highway 66, is a gateway to he Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations to the north and to the Mogollon Plateau and the Tonto Basin to the south. 6. Williams is a southern gateway to Grand Canyon National Park. 7. Wickenburg is known as the Dude Ranch Capital. UTAH Although there are few towns in Utah within the Colorado River Basin that at present can be considered as important recreation centers, there are several with great potentialities in this direction. 1. St. George, Hurricane, and Springdale in the Virgin River Valley are well situated to become major centers. The Virgin Valley and adjacent plateaus and mountains offer a wide variety of unusually colorful scenery, a range of life zones with the accompanying range of flora from lower Sono- 213 |