The Coconino sun., 1926-12-03
America Is Learning about
Resorts OF The Southwest
Roger Birdseye in New York Commercial

Each year hundreds Of thousands
Of travellers cross the Far Southwest
on rail journeys to and from Califor-
MIA. Once those who stopped off by
the way were the rare exceptions
soon they will form the majority.
Old misconceptions regarding the
Southwest are fading rapidly as the
American people learn more and more
of the infinitely varied recreational
possibilities of the vast reaches of
northern Arizona and New Mexico.
1t is only 25 years since the first
automobile fought its way to the
brink of Arizona's Grand Canyon over
rough untended wagon roads. In the
same year the newly completed Santa
Fe branch line to the Grand Canyon
carried but few hundred passengers.
The Santa Fe is still the only rail-
road touching the Grand Canyon at
any point in its length of 220 miles,
yet visitors have increased to the
record breaking number of 100000
during 1926.
Some, pressed for time, spend only
single day; thousands remain sew
eral days, many stay for weeks.
Theirs is the opportunity for full and
leisurely enjoyment of never-to-be-
forgotten trails into the depths of a
twisting, painted gorge 5000 feet
deep and II to 20 miles across; of mo-
toring along the rim, with its hagni-
ficent views; of pushing horse over
the sage-dotted open or through wide
set virgin forest; of lazing and rest
ing in the dry, pine-scented air at
an altitude Of 1000 feet.
Helps Discover Southwest
The growing fame Of the Grand
Canyon national park has played an
important role in the more recent
discovery" of the recreational possi-
bilities of the rest of the southwest.
More than 100000 others have fol-
lowed the first pioneering hundreds
to this greatest of worlds natural
wonders. Those who came send 9TH
ers; many return again and again.
This year, at Ell Tovar, the Fred
Harvey hotel at the Santa F'e railroad
on the south rim, guests were regis
tered from every state and territory
of the United States and from 81 for
eign countries.
At Grand Canyon the national park
service closes its so-called "travel
year" on October /. In discovering
that this is merely a date on the. cal
endar for statistical purposes, visitors
have learned as we'll that at the great
elevations common in the northern
Southwest the summer days are pleas
ant, summer nights unbelievably cool
and restful; that the air is always
clean and dry; that the crisp cold of
winter nights is tempered by the
flood Of morning sunshine. With
this in mind they have pressed far
ther and farther outward into the
limitless hinterland north and south
Of the railroad finding everywhere
new sights, new experiences, new
thrills.
Westward from Grand Canyon vis-
itors now penetrate, by motor and
saddle, to the beautiful waterfalls OF
Havasupai anyon-Cadman' land
of the sky blue water" Northward
they cross the great gorge to the Kali
bab forest, with its 10000 deer; east
ward they follow the rim to Desert
View and then drop downward to
cross the canyon Of the Little Colo
RADIO and the Painted Desert to the
hogans of the Navajo country and the
lonely villages on the desert mesas OF
Hopiland. Others still, passing from
one Indian trading post to another,
go on and on into the Rainbow Bridge
and Monument valley country finding
always homely comfort and well