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About This Quiz
From mountains to plains to deserts, the American Southwest has a lot to offer! One of the most interesting geographical areas in the world, it's home to four deserts, the Rocky Mountains and many notable U.S. cities. Even if you've never taken a trip to see the saguaros, you'll enjoy finding out how much you know about its most famous features.Â
Depending on who you ask, the Southwestern region is home to between four and six states. In fact, you can stand in four of them at the same time! Whether you're a native to the area or considering storming Nevada's Area 51 next time around, the area's history and its best features are worth knowing about. Do you know as much about it as you really think you do, though?Â
You might want to grab some water while we go through the semi-arid climate and travel to the Garden of the Gods. Several Southwestern states receive less than 10 inches of rain per year, and you're not a cactus! Hopefully, you'll be able to share your knowledge with us without sweating like you're standing in Death Valley or looking over the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Let's find out how well you'll do!Â
Rocky Mountains
Running from Alberta, Canada down to New Mexico, the Rocky Mountains are the longest and the highest mountains on the continent. The tallest peak is called Mount Elbert, and it towers 14,439 feet above the rest of the range.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
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Six
While some consider the Southwest to be a four-state territory, U.S. maps include six. The region is made up of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada. However, portions of Texas and Utah are also included.
Four
Ten
Five
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Cardinal
Bald eagle
Roadrunner
In 1949, the roadrunner, or El Correcaminos, was made the official state bird of New Mexico. These days, it's also a symbol for a game in the state's lottery. For only $1 per day, you can win over $25,000 playing Roadrunner Cash.
Emu
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Extraterrestrial Highway
The Extraterrestrial Highway is officially named Nevada State Route 375. It runs parallel to the Nevada Test and Training Range operated by Edwards Air Force Base, but you might call it Area 51.
Route 66
Alien Lane
Roswell Roadway
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Bowtie
Cravat
Bolo tie
Bolo ties are easily recognized by their looped leather cords, metal tips and a silver clasp that holds the cords together. Adopted by all three states as official neckwear, they are a nod to the Native American silversmithing historically found throughout the region.
Ascot
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Mississippi River
Missouri River
New River
Colorado River
Around six million years ago, the Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River. Running 1,450 miles from La Poudre Pass Lake to the Gulf of California, it's the main source of water for over 25 million Americans.
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The Four Corners Marker
The Four Corners Monument rests at the quadripoint of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah. If you want to visit, it will cost you $5 per person. Be warned, there are no running water or restroom facilities on the site!
Monument Valley
Seagull Monument
Pipe Spring National Monument
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Elliv
Levan
If you spell Levan, Utah backward, it spells Navel, Utah. The town has a small marker noting its importance as the state's geographical center, and all 688 residents of the town are proud of its distinction.
Ecalp
Retnec
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Arizona
Oil and gas are also major exports that come from the American Southwest, but Arizona leads the nation in copper. Every year, it produces over $5 billion worth of the native mineral.
Colorado
Texas
New Mexico
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Two
One
Eight
Four
Including the Chihuahuan, Mojave, Sonoran and Great Basin Deserts, there are a total of four in the United States. Covering around 140,000 square miles, the Chihuahuan Desert is the largest.
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Temperate forest
Arid zone
Although you'll find a few forests and mountains in the Southwest, the mostly desert region is known for its arid climate. It gets the least rainfall of any other part of the country.
Grassy plains
Deciduous forest
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Button
Saguaro
Visitors to Arizona's Sonoran desert or California's Imperial County are delighted by the sight of the Saguaro cactus. Growing up to 40 feet tall, it can take 100 years for one of the giant's arms to develop.
Teddy bear
Prickly pear
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Big Bend National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Lake Mead Recreation Area
When Lake Mead was created in 1936, the Colorado River was dammed to flood the region that sits in both Arizona and Nevada. Including the lake, the Lake Mead Recreation Area covers over 1.5 million acres of land.
Yosemite National Park
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Nevada
Nevada answers to the Sagebrush State and the Silver State, but its real name means "snow-capped mountains." A term given by Spanish settlers, it's an interesting juxtaposition against a state that gets the second least amount of rain in the country.
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
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Gila River
Colorado River
Rio Grande
Running from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, the Rio Grande is an important source of water for the Southwest. Since 1848, it's served as the official border between the U.S. and Mexico.
Pecos River
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El Paso, TX
Phoenix, AZ
Despite being situated in an arid climate, Phoenix is surrounded by lush outdoor areas. In fact, Smith Mountain Park and Preserve make up 16,500 acres of the city's landscape. It's the largest municipal park in the country.
Santa Fe, NM
San Diego, CA
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Colorado
Meaning "red" or "red-colored" in Spanish, Colorado gets its name from early explorers who were surprised by the reddish hue around the Colorado River. The soil and mud take their color from the state's sandstone.
Nevada
Utah
California
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King Ranch
Big Bo
Cadillac Ranch
Erected in 1974 by an art group that called itself The Ant Farm, Cadillac Ranch is a popular attraction found on the iconic Route 66. Visitors to nearby Amarillo frequently join in the fun by spray painting a Cadillac or two of their own.
Bell Ranch
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100 or more
The sandstone caves at Carlsbad Cavern delight visitors with over 119 different rock formations to explore. Over the course of a 1.25-mile path, tourists descend nearly 75 stories into the earth.
15
50
22
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Wari
Nasca
Maya
Anasazi
The petroglyphs that help make Monument Valley famous are over 700 years old, and they belong to the Anasazi people. Sometimes called Ancestral Puebloans, they seemed to disappear after a famine ravaged the region.
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Fort Bliss
The Southwest is home to many interesting military bases including the Edwards Air Force Base-run Area 51. If you want to see the country's second-biggest Army base, you'll head to Fort Bliss. It sits in both Texas and in New Mexico.
Fort Sill
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Knox
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Albuquerque
Salt Lake City
Las Vegas
There's a good reason that they called Las Vegas the City of Lights! On any given night, there are over 12 million lights and LED fixtures working together to make its famous Strip sparkle.
Tucson
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Ted Williams Tunnel
Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel
Holland Tunnel
Eisenhower Tunnel
The official name of the Eisenhower Tunnel outside Dillon, Colorado is the Eisenhower-Edwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel. At nearly 1.7 miles long, it's the longest and the busiest tunnel in the world.
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Albuquerque
Taos
Roswell
Since the remains from an alleged UFO crash were recovered in Roswell in 1947, curious visitors have flocked there hoping to catch a glimpse of alien life. Located in the southeastern part of the state, it's home to nearly 50,000 full-time residents.
Santa Fe
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Horseshoe Bend
Arches National Park
You can't walk on the sandstone arches found at Arches National Park, but you can explore a 36-mile drive through one of the country's most interesting natural areas. Formed by salt deposits over 300 million years ago, each arch is a picturesque formation.
Zion National Park
Garden of the Gods
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Tucson
The desert can get quite cold at night, and the average December low is 48 degrees in Arizona. Tucson gets the title of America's hottest city, thought. During the summer months, temperatures can soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit on any given day.
El Paso
Amarillo
Las Vegas
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Denver
Boulder
Vail
The Rocky Mountains provide the perfect conditions for skiing. Famous ski resorts exist in most of the states in the region, but Vail, Colorado has become quite well-known for its celebrity visitors and posh living.
Aurora
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California
Texas
New Mexico
Colorado
Resting outside Colorado Springs, the Garden of the Gods became a National Natural Landmark in 1974. Snow-capped mountains and lush green hills are the perfect backdrops for sandstone formations that tower up to 300 feet into the air.
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Rim Trail
Mather Point Overlook
The Grand Canyon is visited by more than six million people every year, and most of them start at the Visitor Center. It's located near Mather Point Overlook on the South Rim, and it offers a stunning view.
Hermit Road Drive
Bright Angel Hiking Trail
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Silver State
Beehive State
Utah isn't exactly known for its beekeeping, but early pioneers adopted the beehive as their symbol. Bees are industrious creatures, and the Utah settlers admired their ability to build from nothing. A beehive has been part of the state flag since becoming a state in 1896.
Golden State
Mountain State
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Hopi
Inuit
Dating all the way back to the ancient Anasazi people, the Southwest has been home to several indigenous people including the Hopi, Navajo, Apache, Ute and Comanche tribes. You would have to travel further north to find the Inuit people.
Navajo
Apache
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"Stagecoach"
1939's "Stagecoach" helped to put John Wayne on the map. The story of a group of travelers braving the Wild West, the film was given its unique feel by being shot on location in Arizona's Monument Valley.
"Rio Bravo"
"True Grit"
"El Dorado"
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Sonoran
Great Basin
Chihuahuan
Mojave
Covering around 65,000 square miles throughout four Southwestern states, the Mojave Desert has quite the legendary status. It's home to the hottest temperature ever recorded on the planet.
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Cob
Adobe
Using mud and straw to create adobe, the Pueblo people were the first Native American tribe to create permanent settlements. Nestled alongside sandstone mountains, they can still be found throughout Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.
Clay
Brick
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Utah
Nevada
For a state that name means "snow-capped," Nevada doesn't get a lot of precipitation. Averaging less than 9.5 inches of rain per year, it's the driest state. New Mexico comes in second with only half an inch more every year.
Texas
New Mexico
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You Got:
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