AZ Places

27/09/2026

A quick one-minute look at Valley of the Gods near Mexican Hat, Utah — one of the most overlooked desert landscapes in the Southwest.

We stopped here for lunch below Castle Butte on our way to Muley Point. 17 miles of BLM gravel road through isolated sandstone buttes and mesas, no entrance fee, free dispersed camping, and formations that rival Monument Valley without the crowds.

This was a drive-through on our September 2025 loop — Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway, Muley Point, Fish Creek Canyon, and Sand Island Petroglyphs over five days. Already planning a return trip to camp in the valley at sunset.

🎥 Video on YouTube now —

A quick look at Valley of the Gods near Mexican Hat, Utah — one of ...

25/09/2026

West Fork Oak Creek Trail — eleven miles north of Sedona on Highway 89A — is one of those hikes that earns every visit.

This video starts with a quick look at the Mayhew Lodge ruins at the trailhead — what remains of a 1920s hunting retreat that once hosted Zane Grey and inspired his novel The Call of the Canyon. Then into the canyon itself: red rock walls hundreds of feet tall, thirteen creek crossings, a raven walking the trail ahead of us with what appeared to be an apple from the old orchard, a squirrel, a witch's broom in the treetops, creek views, and the return hike as the light faded.

We started around 3 PM on August 29, 2021 and returned to the trailhead at 7:30 in the dark. The canyon after dark is its own experience.

This is our fourth visit to West Fork across seventeen years. It keeps earning the return.

🎥 Video on YouTube now —

One of the finest hikes in Arizona — and one that keeps drawing us ...

24/09/2026

A quick look at Saguaro National Park East near Tucson — crested Saguaro, Christmas Cholla in fruit, sweeping Rincon Mountain views, and a Barrel Cactus genuinely taller than a person.

The crested Saguaro is the highlight — a rare mutation that causes the cactus to grow in a fan shape at the top instead of the usual column. Only about one in every 150,000 Saguaros develops this. We've driven past hundreds of Saguaros without seeing one — finding it in the field is a good day.

We also found three large mounded structures with a central hole, no ants visible, three in the same area. Too large and too clean for ant hills. Still not sure what they are — if you know, drop a comment.

Video on YouTube now — just over a minute.

A quick look at Saguaro National Park East — the Rincon Mountain Di...

23/09/2026

Join us on an adventure at Roosevelt Lake, Arizona's largest man-made lake and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. We camped at Porter Springs Recreation Site, explored the calm waters with our Oru Kayaks, and enjoyed wildlife sightings, including a rabbit and various birds. At night, we immersed ourselves in nature's symphony—the calls of frogs, the splashes of fish jumping, and the distant howls of coyotes. Roosevelt Lake offers stunning desert views, rich history with its origins tied to the Salt River Project, and a perfect blend of recreation and tranquility.

Whether you're into camping, kayaking, fishing, or simply enjoying the beauty of Tonto National Forest, this video captures the magic of this Arizona gem.

Video on YouTube now — link in comments.
(Why in the comments? Meta's wants me to pay to included here, sad)

22/09/2026

A dust devil spinning across the open desert near Comb Ridge on Cedar Mesa in Utah — filmed September 8, 2025 on our way back from Bluff to Fish Creek Canyon Wilderness.

51 seconds. No warning, no buildup. Just the desert doing what it does — a column of rotating wind picking up sand from the floor and moving across one of the most ancient landscapes in North America.

The canyon country of the Colorado Plateau produces moments like this regularly if you slow down enough to notice them.

🎥 Video on YouTube now —

A dust devil spins across the open desert near Comb Ridge on Cedar ...

22/09/2026

We found something we can't fully explain near Jacks Canyon on FR 230B in the Coconino National Forest during our September 2026 camping trip.

Six large metal drums partially buried in a flat area at the top of the canyon — each with a pipe leading in, an internal mechanism, and a rectangular lid mounted on arms consistent with a float valve water control system. Three cement basin tubs nearby — two filled with earth over the decades with large trees now growing from them, the third still collecting rainwater in two broken plastic containers. Square cement footings with metal framing scattered throughout the same area.

No road leads to this location anymore. No signage, no markers. Whatever this was, it was built, used, and abandoned — and the forest has been slowly reclaiming it ever since.

Our best assessment is a mid-20th century stock water or water storage system — Forest Service or ranching infrastructure from the grazing allotment era before the road was decommissioned. The float valve mechanisms inside the drums are consistent with automatic water level control in remote stock tanks.

If you know what this installation was we genuinely want to know — drop a comment below.

🎥 Video on YouTube now —

While exploring near Jacks Canyon near FR 230B in the Coconino Nati...

21/09/2026

Coconino Forest: Plants Along the Trail | AZplaces

A few minutes of plant life spotted along the trail in the Coconino National Forest. No names, no facts — just a look at what's growing out there. 🌲🌿

20/09/2026

From Flower to Fluff — Arizona Thistle | AZplaces

Two stages, of the thistle 🌱 One shot in full purple bloom, the other already gone to seed — nature moving fast out here in Arizona.

19/09/2026

Young Gray Squirrel Scolding Me From the Branches | AZplaces

Ran into this young gray squirrel up in the trees — it wasn't shy about letting me know it saw me! 🐿️ Chirping and darting along the limbs, just another day exploring Arizona's wildlife.

15/09/2026

Walnut Canyon National Monument just east of Flagstaff preserves 25 remarkably intact Sinagua cliff dwelling rooms tucked into the limestone ledges of a 350-foot deep canyon — occupied from approximately 1100 to 1250 CE, explored on two short trails through a canyon ecosystem of remarkable botanical diversity where desert and mountain plant communities converge in a single narrow gorge.

https://www.azplaces.com/best-camping-locations/walnut-canyon-national-monument