Places to Make a Photograph

Whether you're using a Nikon Z8, a Sony Alpha 7R V or an old iPhone 6, photography still comes down to where you're standing. There are a lot of options in Arizona. To find some of the best places, we asked some of the best shooters.
 

PARKER CANYON
“The beauty of Workman Creek led me to my personal discovery of the viewpoints near Parker Canyon along State Route 288,” Claire Curran says. “The views are stunning and compelling. There are a number of dirt roads that lead to the edge of the cliffs with striking panoramic views of Four Peaks in the Mazatzal Mountains, the Superstition Mountains, Theodore Roosevelt Lake and the bridge over the lake. I was immediately drawn to this area because I could drive right up to these incredible photo opportunities and photograph to my heart’s content. I soon discovered that every season provided wonderful clouds, mild to ferocious storms, unique weather, such as fog over the lake, and the most colorful sunsets — which are every photographer’s dream. My favorite season is winter when a snowstorm moves in. The viewpoints can be covered in snow, and the mountains across the lake, with the Four Peaks prominently featured, can be blanketed in snow. There is such beautiful predawn alpenglow on the peaks when they’re covered in snow. To access some of these viewpoints, a high-clearance vehicle is a must. Four-wheel-drive is sometimes a help.”
Information: Mesa Ranger District, 480-610-3300, fs.usda.gov/tonto
Claire Curran  
FujiFilm GFX100S, 1/13 SEC, F/14, ISO 100,35 MM LENS
 

MORAN POINT, GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
“Moran Point is a place that calls me back on nearly every trip I make to the South Rim,” Adam Schallau says. “I was fortunate to photograph this scene one August morning after heavy overnight monsoonal showers had left much of the Canyon view obscured by low-hanging clouds. As the sun crested the horizon, light spilled into the Canyon, creating an ethereal scene. The combination of filtered light and shifting cloud cover created a dynamic scene that changed quickly, offering a range of photographic opportunities in a short period of time.”
Information: Grand Canyon National Park, 928-638-7888, nps.gov/grca
Adam Schallau  
NIKON D800E, 1/8 SEC, F/11, ISO 100, 56 MM LENS

GLEN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
“Most of Glen Canyon was lost in 1963, when Lake Powell was created,” Gary Ladd says. “Fortunately, a 15-mile fragment of the canyon survived downstream of the dam, and goodness gracious, it’s a visual knockout. I have made dozens of trips through the canyon in a small inflatable raft, stopping here and there to photograph blooming redbud trees, petroglyphs, ancient river cobbles, dazzling river reflections and, of course, those incredibly fine and utterly regal Navajo Sandstone cliffs.”
Information: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, 928-608-6200, nps.gov/glca
Gary Ladd  
NIKON D810, 1/250 SEC, F/11, ISO 800, 32 MM LENS
 

TONTO CREEK, HELLSGATE WILDERNESS
“As a novice explorer,” Joel Hazelton says, “I used to pore over maps of Tonto Creek, hoping one day I’d be hardcore enough to tackle it. That day eventually came, but in my own, slow, photographer style. My favorite memories in Tonto Creek are the post-sunset treks back to camp, where I’d slowly make my way down canyon by scrambling over small waterfalls and quietly backstroking through wall-to-wall pools of water while watching the endless night sky rotate above me.”
Information: Payson Ranger District, 928-474-7900, fs.usda.gov/tonto
Joel Hazelton  
Canon EOS 6D, 15 SEC, F/16, ISO 250, 16 MM LENS
 

CIBOLA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
“My choice is largely based on current conditions,” Jack Dykinga says, “when the weather and climate conspire to create an interesting statement about the land — or, in this case, the water. Also, I value solitude, so there’s something appealing about leaving Arizona and heading into California and then doubling back to a secluded location in Arizona that’s isolated by the Colorado River. The giant reflection pools at Cibola emphasize the incredible stands of cottonwood trees. The sight of a cottonwood signals water. And those trees represent life and beauty.”
Information: 928-857-3253, fws.gov/refuge/cibola
Jack Dykinga 
FujiFilm GFX505, 0.3 SEC, F/13, ISO 100, 64 MM LENS
 

MARSHALL LAKE
“Sometimes, the pleasure of taking a photograph is about more than what I can see,” Tom Bean says. “At Marshall Lake, scents of mud and cattails mingle as unseen creatures call and croak from its marshy edge. In winter, the air is sharp with cold. When taking photographs, I especially love the lake as first light or late sun touches the San Francisco Peaks. In summer, I shelter in my truck as storms sweep across the open sky, and I jump out with camera and tripod as magic light breaks through the clouds.”
Information: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866, fs.usda.gov/coconino
Tom Bean  
Canon EOS 5D Mark iii, 1/50 SEC, F/14, ISO 200, 85 MM LENS
 

ARAVAIPA CANYON
“I’ve loved Aravaipa Canyon since I first dipped my feet in the creek during a day hike after moving to Arizona in 2002,” Jeff Maltzman says. “I’ve since returned dozens of times to hike, camp and photograph in this stunningly beautiful desert oasis. Aravaipa Creek, one of Southern Arizona’s few perennial streams, and the canyon it carved through the Galiuro Mountains create a lush riparian corridor that offers a respite from the often-harsh Sonoran Desert.”
Information: Safford Field Office, 928-348-4400, recreation.gov/permits/251864
Jeff Maltzman  
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 1/15 SEC, F/16, ISO 100, 70 MM LENS

SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS
“I love the western slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains in Southern Arizona,” Norma Jean Gargasz says. “There’s something to be said for a place so special it attracts the elusive jaguar to its bountiful canyons, towering peaks and rolling grasslands. And there’s something to be said for a place so special it ranges from the arid desert floor to snow-covered peaks.”
Information: Nogales Ranger District, 520-761-6000, fs.usda.gov/coronado
Norma Jean Gargasz  
NIKON D850, 1/320 SEC, F/16, ISO 250, 105 MM LENS
 

TRES ALAMOS WILDERNESS
“This area acts as a ‘transition zone’ where the Mojave Desert, home to Joshua trees, merges with the Sonoran Desert, home to saguaros,” Paul Gill says. “This is the only place in the world where both species, the largest succulents in the U.S., grow together in the wild. The unique overlap occurs primarily along U.S. Route 93, the Joshua Forest Parkway, between Wickenburg and Wikieup, offering a scenic, 75-mile stretch where these iconic desert plants coexist.”
Information: Kingman Field Office, 928-718-3700, blm.gov/arizona
Paul Gill
Canon EOS R5, 1/100 SEC, F/3.5, ISO 100, 16 MM LENS
 

SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK WEST
“One of my favorite places to photograph is Saguaro National Park West, near Tucson,” Norma Jean Gargasz says. “It’s full of surprises. On most days, the towering saguaros seem to ‘quiver’ in the waves of summer heat. Yet, on rare occasions, it can be dramatically different, as it is when these massive beings rise from the desert on a quiet, foggy winter morning. This is where the Sonoran Desert does its magic. It never ceases to amaze.”
Information: Saguaro National Park, 520-733-5158, nps.gov/sagu
Norma Jean Gargasz  
NIKON D300, 1/320 SEC, F/25, ISO 200, 102 MM LENS
 

DEER CREEK CANYON
“Last August, while leading a photography river trip, I finally got to experience Deer Creek Canyon the way I’d always dreamed it could be,” Shane McDermott says. “After a long, hot uphill hike in temperatures well over 100 degrees, I descended into this hidden world of sculpted sandstone. Direct sunlight was just beginning to kiss the upper canyon walls and cottonwood trees, while the narrow slot below remained in soft shade. That contrast created an almost mystical glow.”
Information: Backcountry Information Center, 928-638-7875, nps.gov/grca
Shane McDermott 
NIKON Z8, 2.5 SEC, F/13, ISO 64, 14 MM LENS
 

YAVAPAI VISTA TRAIL
“I know the West Fork of Oak Creek is popular,” Derek von Briesen says, “but I never fail to recommend it because it’s just so beautiful, especially in the fall. In the winter, I like Doe Mountain, which offers 360-degree views of the Verde Valley. In the spring, sunset and moonrise over the spires of Cathedral Rock are spectacular. And in the summer, I love to catch an afternoon monsoon storm developing from the Yavapai Vista Trail.”
Information: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-203-2900, fs.usda.gov/coconino
Derek von Briesen  
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark iii,1/50 SEC, F/8, ISO 200, 55 MM LENS
 

SIGNAL HILL, SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK
“Signal Hill is one of my favorite places because it blends natural beauty with a quiet sense of human presence,” Gurinder Singh says. “The enigmatic petroglyphs etched into the rocks hint at stories and spirits from long ago. During monsoon season, the atmosphere shifts dramatically with the weather — the skies often erupt with towering clouds, distant lightning and sweeping curtains of rain. At sunset, the entire landscape can ignite in vivid hues of orange, pink and purple, casting long shadows and silhouettes across the desert.”
Information: Saguaro National Park, 520-733-5158, nps.gov/sagu
Gurinder Singh  
NIKON D800, 0.3 SEC, F/14, ISO 100, 55 MM LENS
 

CAVE SPRINGS, OAK CREEK CANYON
“One of my favorite places to make photographs is the Cave Springs area of Oak Creek Canyon, especially in the fall,” Guy Schmickle says. “In particular, I like the dry wash that runs through the forest, with its fiery bigtooth maples adding a vibrant splash of color. It helps create an intimate scene that’s different from other places. As an added bonus, it’s generally quiet — most leaf-peepers gravitate to nearby West Fork.”
Information: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-203-2900, fs.usda.gov/coconino
Guy Schmickle  
FuJifilm GFX100S, 2.5 SEC, F/11, ISO 100, 34.5 MM LENS
 

KOFA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
“It’s difficult to choose a favorite photo location,” Laurence Parent says, “but Kofa Queen Canyon in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is probably it. It offers a multitude of rocky buttes, tall pinnacles and towering cliffs that often catch sunset light at the end of the day. In addition, chollas, ocotillos and saguaros make great foreground subjects. As with anywhere, stormy weather with dramatic light adds even more excitement to my images when I’m lucky enough to get it.”
Information: Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, 928-783-7861, fws.gov/refuge/kofa
Laurence Parent  
Sony ALPHA 7R III, 1/8 SEC, F/16, ISO 200, 37 MM LENS