Category: Arizona

  • One Day, Two Incredible Canyons! – Northern Arizona

    Leaving Flagstaff at 7,000′ elevation, we knew Betsy would get a good workout on the way to our next destination at Jacob Lake.  Following US89, we climbed steadily and then continued onto US89A for a drop to 4,000′.  Finally, we climbed back up onto Kaibab Plateau and followed the curvy road to Jacob Lake, at…

  • Visiting Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano – Flagstaff, AZ

    Continuing the drive north, Betsy climbed to Flagstaff to our next campground along highway 89.  We had  breezed through Flagstaff several times in the past; on our way to Page to the north, Williams to the west, the Meteor Crater to the east and to the red rocks of Sedona to the south.  Now it…

  • Some Excellent Mountain Hiking – Prescott, AZ

    Prescott and Prescott Valley are surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, complete with granite mountains.  We tackled three hikes while here; Granite Mountain Trail #261, Granite Mountain Hotshots Trail and Woodchute Trail.

  • Travel Plan Reveal, Fun With Friends in Prescott, AZ

    Travel Plan Reveal, Fun With Friends in Prescott, AZ

    Leaving behind the lush Sonoran Desert around Wickenburg was a bit melancholy, but we wanted to move on before the weather really heated up.  We were finally on our northward trajectory, after figuring out where we’d spend our summer and fall this year.

  • The Incredible Sonoran Desert in Bloom – Arizona

    “WOW!” was the first word that came out of my mouth as we approached Tucson on I-10 from the east.  We were looking at a sea of yellow as the Palo Verde blooms had virtually exploded!  This was our “nth” visit here, the unofficial home base where we’d spent several winters and one long hot…

  • In search of the elusive Elegant Trogon – Chiricahua Mountains, AZ

    We are dedicating this post to Bob Gauvreau, a dear friend of ours who passed away recently.  We’ve enjoyed many good times with Bob and Dee Dee over the past few years. They prompted us to camp at Rusty’s RV Ranch, one of their favorite campgrounds where we stayed during this unexpected search for the…

  • Betatakin Ruins – Navajo National Monument, AZ

    Betatakin Ruins – Navajo National Monument, AZ

    We’d heard about Betatakin Ruins, an ancient ancestral Puebloan settlement, from Eric and Laurel who had hiked it a couple of years ago.  Reading her post about the guided hike piqued our interest in the tightly-protected ruins.  Fortunately we were able to work this great hike into our plans as we passed through the area…

  • Into the Heart of the Valley of the Monuments – AZ/Utah Border

    Into the Heart of the Valley of the Monuments – AZ/Utah Border

    We first saw the incredible formations in Monument Valley during our drive through the area on highway 163 a couple of years ago.  At that time I was reminded of the amazing scenery of many western movies and photos from the distant past.  I only had time for a few photos during that passage, but…

  • Rainbow Bridge National Monument – Page, AZ

    Rainbow Bridge National Monument – Page, AZ

    A place we missed exploring during our last visit to Page, Arizona was “Nonnezoshe”, meaning “rainbow turned to stone.”  We were lucky to get a boat tour reservation in late March during this visit, as these tours usually start after April 1st.  Access to Rainbow Bridge is made via a 2+ hour boat tour departing…