Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [29]
* * *
DETOUR
Nine miles south of Santa Rosa on Hwy 91, tiny Puerto de Luna was founded in the 1860s and is one of the oldest settlements in New Mexico. The drive there is pretty, winding through arroyos surrounded by eroded sandstone mesas. In town you’ll find an old county courthouse, a village church and a bunch of weathered adobe buildings. Visit the Grezlachowski Territorial House, where Billy the Kid ate his last Christmas dinner in 1880 with one of the town’s most colorful citizens, a retired Civil War chaplain known simply as Grezla. The town is also known for its “PDL Chile,” a unique spicy chile pepper cultivated here for more than 100 years.
* * *
Okay, so it’s kind of a long-haul – just shy of 700 miles long – drive from Santa Rosa in eastern New Mexico all the way across Arizona into Nevada and the capital of sin, Las Vegas, which serves as the base for the next two dives. But this is an iconic trip, so we had to add a little road tripping in… Plus you’re getting to scuba dive and go to Vegas, so what’s 700 measly miles really? Everyone knows some of the best memories are made on the open road, bonding with your driving buddy over Red Bull, Taco Bell and cheesy ’80s ballads. The Colorado River and Lake Mead, straddling the Arizona and Nevada state lines, are where your next dives happen. But your operator, small and friendly Sin City Scuba, is based just down the road in Las Vegas. The company operates a 10-person boat captained by a former member of the US Coast Guard. Do its Colorado River Dive first. The shore-entry dive starts just south of Hoover Dam and is appropriate for novices. It follows the swift moving current downstream through water up to 70ft deep. Be on the lookout for rare humpback suckerfish. It’s a fun trip, one that’s different enough to keep experienced divers as excited as the beginners – technically you can swim the entire route with half your body in Arizona and the other half in Nevada, as the Colorado River is the state dividing line. How many of your friends can brag they’ve dived in two states simultaneously? If that thought doesn’t sweeten the 10-hour drive, then checking into the Hard Rock Casino Hotel, just east of the Strip, should. As you’re already on a water kick, stay at the hotel with the best pool in town: music is pumped in through underwater speakers, there is seasonal swim-up blackjack and Tahitian-style cabanas for rent at the ultra hip Beach Club. The summer Rehab pool parties are legendary, attracting a sex-charged crowd flush with celebrities. The Hard Rock is also home to one of the world’s most impressive collections of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, including Jim Morrison’s handwritten lyrics. Skip the Hard Rock’s overpriced meals, and head to nearby Firefly for dinner. Always hopping, the restaurant serves traditional Spanish tapas. Wash your meal down with sangria or a flavor-infused mojitos.
* * *
DIY DIVING
Red-rock canyons, yawning arches and sheer sandstone cliffs dip into the Colorado River at Lake Powell, the second largest manmade lake in the US. If you have your own scuba equipment, and can get your hands on a house-boat, diving Lake Powell is a real treat. The beauty hidden beneath the lake’s tropical sea–colored surface is phenomenal, and includes underground canyons and schools of hungry fish. Top dive spots include Bullfrog Area and Iceberg Canyon. Visit www.utahdiving.com/powell.htm.