In all honesty, I personally think the Grand Canyon State is one huge natural wonder; it’s difficult to travel through the state and think any part of the landscape doesn't have some breathtaking beauty. Some of these places are easily considered to be natural wonders in Arizona. Here are some of our favorite locations that would be a part of any highlight reel of our state’s amazing landscape.

1. Antelope Canyon

Starting off our list is one of the most popular areas for photographers. The northern Arizona slot canyon was created through water erosion of the sandstone, which is partly why the formation has its smooth flowing shape. Since water still flows and floods in the canyon, it's only accessible by guided tours.

Learn more about Antelope Canyon.

2. Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Three major canyons are combined into one national monument here: Canyon de Chelly, Canyon del Muerto, and Monument Canyon. Together they form a beautiful landscaped that is a rare treat for those not from Arizona. The park’s most distinctive feature? Spider Rock, a 750-foot spire that is home to Spider Woman in the Navajo culture.

Learn more about Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

3. Chiricahua National Monument

The first time I saw pictures of this location, I didn’t think it was anywhere in Arizona. But the unique and large collection of hoodoos (the tall rock spires that seem to emerge from the ground) are located less than one hour from Willcox.

Learn more about Chiricahua National Monument.

4. The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon’s presence on this list is a given. It's home to a number of other wonders, including Havasu Falls and Horseshoe Bend, and a vast amount of wildlife.

Learn more about the Grand Canyon.

5. Havasu Falls

Located within the Grand Canyon, Havasu Falls drops 100 feet into beautiful turquoise blue pools. What's not to love about this place?

Learn more about Havasu Falls.

6. Kartchner Caverns

These caves were a recent find for geologists and not only serves as a major bat nesting area but it also has plenty of incredible cave formations. This includes some beautiful but strangely named formations like soda straws and cave bacon which, unfortunately, is not edible.

Learn more about Kartchner Caverns.

7. Lava River Cave

Short but unique, the lava river cave is a tube-shaped cave formed by a volcanic vent more than 650,000 years ago. Interestingly, this cave stays cold throughout the year and ice can be found on the rocks inside even in summer.

Learn more about the Lava River Cave.

8. Meteor Crater

Also known as Barringer Crater, this is the best preserved meteor crater known thanks to our dry climate creating a slow erosion process.

Learn more about the Meteor Crater.

9. Monument Valley

While a portion of Monument Valley sits in Utah, many of the red clusters of sandstone can be found in Arizona. Western movie aficionados know portions of the area well from John Ford’s films, particularly the popular mitten formations that seem to appear in nearly every film.

Learn more about Monument Valley.

10. Petrified Forest National Park

Finding large deposits of petrified wood is the major draw to this national park but the area has plenty of other beautiful attractions, such as the striped badlands of the Painted Desert. The park also has a collection of well-preserved ruins, petroglyphs, and even fossils.

Learn more about Petrified Forest National Park.

11. Red Rock State Park

Northern Arizona is definitely red rock country and the Sedona area is no exception. Red Rock State Park is picturesque and the riparian areas along Oak Creek run through the park.

Learn more about Red Rock State Park.

12. Tonto Natural Bridge

This natural arch is also considered the largest travertine bridge in the world and is an absolutely stunning sight.

Learn more about the Tonto Natural Bridge.

13. The Wave

This stunning sandstone formation is a popular location for both hikers and photographers because of the curvy shapes similar to Antelope Canyon. The formations were created through wind erosion and since the sandstone can be easily damaged, access is limited to just 20 day permits each day through a lottery. If you want to increase your chances of getting in, try visiting in fall or winter when there tends to be fewer visitors.

Learn more about The Wave.

How many of these locations have you visited? Let us know which is your favorite location that you think we should highlight by visiting our nomination page. You can also check out our incredible Arizona Natural Wonders Road Trip for the perfect route to visit some of these spots.