Create your own Arizona day trip experience!

Whether you wish to plan a trip to see nature and wildlife, learn about the history of the southwest or just want to get away from it all Arizona has a variety of places to see and things to do that will interest any recreational adventurer.

Day trips make a refreshing break from the chaos of the daily routine. They can also be cheap, since many of the areas are distant from the city.

Arizona features a surprising range of terrain that includes desert, grassy lowlands and vegetated mountain regions. The climate found across the state also shows much variety. And you don't have to travel far to appreciate this assortment of scenery. In the summer you can take a break in the cool, nearby hills, while the lower lying areas are more popular in the winter months.

Apache County is made up of a collection of small, loosely scattered scenic communities.

The county, with its unique rectangular shape, is in northeastern Arizona and is one of the largest counties in the state. Long and narrow, it extends nearly 300 miles along the eastern boundary with New Mexico.

Even so, the county used to be even larger until lands were ceded to neighboring areas near the turn of the century. Today Apache and Navajo Indian Reservations make up more than 64 percent of the county area.

Apache County originally, included Navajo County, part of Gila County and part of Graham County. The first county seat, located in Snowflake, was changed to St. Johns in 1879.

Today, the county covers 11,216 square miles and includes part of the Apache and Navajo Indian Lands. The plateaus are the home to the Navajo Nation and their culture.

By the way, the Navajo are legendary for the quality of their craftwork and this is particularly true of their weaving skills. Navajo quilts are legendary for durability and quality and there are many excellent examples of this living art to admire or to own.

The area would like to encourage commerce and the Economic Development of Apache County Corporation is there to provide help those wanting to locate or expand business in the region.

Desert lowlands are offset by columns of scenic white pine that neatly define the impressive mountains. The area features much land area, and there is an abundance of real estate of commercial and residential varieties for sale.

Those looking to settle here will find a large assortment of ownership opportunities including that include purchasing land, timeshares and houses. There are even classic auto collections in the area.

The Painted Desert and Window Rock are beautiful for sight seeing. Backpacking, camping and skiing are some of the many popular outdoor recreational activities. Sunrise Park Ski Resort is a popular area for outdoor recreation. The resort has a variety of ski trails to meet the ability level of any skier.

The area also contains a number of fascinating petrified forests containing the rock-like remnants of eons-old plant life. These sites combine scenery and history in an unforgettable setting.

Meanwhile, the White Mountains, with 25, clear, blue lakes, are a favorite for fishermen.

There is a strong desire to share and preserve the history of the area. The Apache County Historical Society sponsors events to let the public know more about the area