Best Southwest

Zion is a masterpiece of Navajo sandstone, featuring soaring cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and emerald pools. Iconic hikes define the experience: the thrilling chain-assisted ascent of Angels Landing and the unique riverwalk through The Narrows. The park's shuttle system efficiently manages access to...

The Neon Skimmer (Libellula croceipennis) is a large dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. Mature males display vivid orange-red coloration across the abdomen and face, while females and immature males are typically brownish with lighter l...

The Filigree skimmer (*Pseudoleon superbus*) is a distinctive Libellulidae dragonfly found in desert regions of the southwestern United States. Its most notable feature is the complex, patterned brown markings resembling filigree on its transparent wings. These patterns provide camouflage within sun...

The Apache Spiketail (Cordulegaster diadema) is a dragonfly of the family Cordulegastridae native to the American Southwest, particularly montane areas of Arizona and New Mexico. It breeds in small, spring-fed woodland streams with clear, flowing water where larvae develop among submerged substrates...

Georgia O’Keeffe was an American modernist painter renowned for her intensely detailed paintings of the American Southwest. She focused on depicting natural forms – particularly flowers and New Mexico landscapes – with a strikingly close perspective. Her work earned her significant recognition and c...

The Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes) is a dragonfly species native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America. They are typically found inhabiting rocky streams and canyons, where the bright red males frequently bask on large boulders near the water. The species...

The Filigree Skimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax) is a dragonfly species found in riparian zones across parts of the Americas, including the southwestern United States. It belongs to the Libellulidae family and is notable for its intricately patterned wing venation, which provides camouflage against the da...

New Mexico chile (Capsicum annuum) is the cornerstone ingredient of New Mexican cuisine, grown in the Hatch Valley and Rio Grande region, with both green (fresh) and red (dried) forms used in distinct preparations.

Feast of Wire is the fourth studio album by the band Calexico, released in 2003 on Quarterstick Records. The group, based in Tucson, Arizona, is led by Joey Burns and John Convertino, and the album blends indie rock with mariachi horns, country, and Latin American musical influences reflecting the c...

The Southwest Australian savanna represents a unique Mediterranean-climate ecosystem found primarily in Western Australia’s south. This ecoregion is notable for harboring an extraordinary concentration of plant and animal life specifically adapted to this environment. It supports a high diversity of...

Penzeys Arizona Dreaming is a commercial salt-free spice blend produced by Penzeys Spices, a specialty retailer based in Wisconsin. The mixture is formulated to evoke Southwestern American culinary profiles by combining ingredients such as ancho chilies, cocoa powder, and citrus peel. Distinguished...

Arizona Theatre Company is a professional regional theater organization founded in 1967. It produces seasons in both Tucson and Phoenix, presenting a mixture of established plays, contemporary drama, and new work to audiences in Arizona's two largest metropolitan areas. Its two-city operating model...

The Eastern Ringtail (*Erpetogomphus designatus*) is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae, formally described by Hermann August Hagen in 1858. It is native to North America and is easily recognized by the prominent yellow rings that mark its otherwise dark abdomen. These insects are typica...

Clyde Kay Maben Kluckhohn (1905-1960) was an American cultural anthropologist at Harvard University who conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork among the Navajo in the American Southwest. He produced studies of Navajo witchcraft, ceremonial life, and social organization, and was a central figure...

The Journey Home is a 1991 anthology of travel and nature essays written by American author and environmentalist Edward Abbey. The collection expands upon themes from his earlier works, exploring the landscapes, ecology, and cultural history of the American Southwest. Through a series of personal na...

The Mexican Amberwing (*Perithemis mooma*) is a small dragonfly species native to the Neotropical region, with a range extending from Mexico into Central and South America. As an adult, it is characterized by its compact size and broad amber or golden-orange wing markings, which differ from the clea...

Hot Rail is the third studio album by American indie rock band Calexico, released in 2000 on Quarterstick Records. Comprising core duo Joey Burns and John Convertino, the Tucson-based group blends alt-country, post-rock, and Southwestern musical influences. The album incorporates a variety of tradit...

The Ancestral Puebloans were an Indigenous culture of the Four Corners region in the American Southwest, flourishing from roughly 100 to 1300 CE. They are distinguished by their distinctive architectural achievements, including multistory cliff dwellings and large ceremonial structures called kivas....

The Sulphur-tipped Clubtail is a species of dragonfly in the Gomphidae family, distinguished by the bright yellow coloration on the tip of its abdomen, native to North America.

Founded in 1885, the University of Arizona is a public land-grant research institution located in Tucson. The university is highly recognized for its extensive astronomical research facilities, including the Steward Observatory and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. It serves tens of thousands of u...

The Checkered Setwing is a North American dragonfly distinguished by the notable dark markings on its abdomen, typically found inhabiting streams in Texas and northern Mexico.

The Pale-faced Clubskimmer is a dragonfly species distinguished by its light-colored facial structures, primarily found perching on rocks along rivers in the Americas.

Pueblo peoples are indigenous communities of the American Southwest, known for their distinctive multi-story stone and adobe architecture. Their ancestors constructed large communal dwellings, including the great houses at Chaco Canyon in present-day New Mexico, built between approximately 850 and 1...

The Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe is a public music university located in Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1812, it is among the older music education institutions in the German-speaking world. The school offers degree programs in instrumental and vocal performance,...

Taos Ski Valley is a hidden gem in the American Southwest, offering some of the best powder and tree skiing in the United States. Its high-altitude location ensures reliable snow, while its unique terrain provides a mix of wide-open bowls and dense forests. The resort maintains an authentic mountain...

Bentota Beach is a coastal destination in southwestern Sri Lanka beside the town of Bentota, near the meeting of the Bentota River and the Indian Ocean. The combination of ocean frontage, a broad sandy shore, and sheltered river water has supported the development of hotels, boat trips, and water-sp...

Arizona State University is a public research university based in the Phoenix metropolitan area, with its original and largest campus in Tempe, Arizona. It traces its origins to the Territorial Normal School established in 1885 to train teachers. ASU now operates multiple campuses and offers undergr...

The Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Heidelberg-Mannheim is a public conservatory in Mannheim, Germany, tracing its roots to the influential 18th-century Mannheim School of composers.

Patricia L. Crown is an American archaeologist of the Southwest, a University of New Mexico distinguished professor elected to the NAS in 2014.