[Source: Ron Dungan, Arizona Republic] — The Explore Arizona Outdoor Information Center offers an impressive selection of maps, brochures, and books for outdoor enthusiasts. Located in the Phelps Dodge Tower in downtown Phoenix, the center also offers geological reports and brochures on a variety of outdoor subjects. U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management maps for the entire state are available, as are several National Park Service maps. Need to go deeper? You can have a topographical map custom-made for you. The store also has old-school topographical maps available and can order ones it doesn’t have.
Books cover a variety of subjects: geology, archaeology, natural history, hiking, camping, fishing, birding, boating, off-highway-vehicle trails, and trail guides. The center, operated by the Arizona Geological Survey and the BLM, opened December 4. Details: 1 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, 602-417-9300, website.
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