Flowering yuccas catch the last light of the day beneath the sandstone buttes of the Navajo Nation, which makes up much of Arizona’s northeast corner. Covering more than 27,000 square miles in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, the Navajo Nation is the largest tribal land in the United States. By Bernhard Michaelis
Our Photographers Really Click
Wildflowers bloom around a fallen aspen along the Kachina Trail, part of the Flagstaff area’s Kachina Peaks Wilderness, in afternoon light. Starting from its trailhead…
Evergreens surround one of the Kaibab Plateau’s many expansive meadows as monsoon clouds gather in the sky. Such meadows are ideal for spotting the plateau’s wildlife, which includes mule deer, pronghorns and a non-native herd of bison. By Shane McDermott
The Green Roof of the Kaibab
Editor’s Note: The celebration of our 100th anniversary continues with another wonderful piece from another wonderful writer. This month, it’s Joyce Rockwood. At the time of her debut in 1939, Ms.…
Photographer with tripod standing on rock cliff looking toward sunset.
Best Picture 2025
GRAND PRIZE WINNER Tam Ryan It’s rare that a wildlife photo takes the top prize in our contest, but this image, of a great blue heron taking flight at the Riparian…
An imposing cliff at Canyon de Chelly dwarfs an equine-drawn wagon at the bottom of the canyon. According to the National Park Service, about 40 Navajo families still live at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. By Darwin Van Campen
Destination: Backcountry
As a photographer continually attempting to portray the scenic face of Arizona, I  am often asked, “How do you keep finding new pictures?” My answer is simple: “I take the back roads to the…
Illustration in shades of blue by Adam McCauley shows a sasquatch walking at night through trees with a similar shape to its body.
Neither Hide Nor Hair
SO, HERE'S MY BIGFOOT STORY. On the last night of a llama trek in California’s Sierra Nevada, we camped somewhere around 8,000 feet. It had been an eventful trip: creeks swollen by snowmelt, a near-…
Jagged mountains form a layered panorama at sunrise in a view near Rustler Park, part of Southeastern Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains. Named for the cattle thieves who once holed up there, Rustler Park is known for its birding and wildlife-watching opportunities. | Jeff Maltzman
The Great Beyond
Spring snowmelt fuels an ephemeral waterfall in Gaddes Canyon, south of Jerome, in late-afternoon light. This canyon is on the east side of Mingus Mountain, one of the…
Pioneering ornithologist Florence Merriam Bailey is shown in an undated portrait. Bailey’s method of quietly observing her subjects helped usher in the modern approach to birding and birdwatching. | Smithsonian Institution
Standing Perfectly Still
ON A LATE-SUMMER DAY IN 1929, all manner of visitors came to Bright Angel Lodge, the rustic hotel perched on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. A pair of rangers sat boldly, dangling their cowboy-…
Thunder River Falls pours from an opening in a steep cliff in the Grand Canyon. From here, the Thunder River — referred to in this story as Thunder Creek — flows for only half a mile to its intersection with Tapeats Creek, making it one of the world’s shortest rivers. By Rich Rudow
Thunder River: An Adventure in the Canyon
Editor’s Note: The celebration of our centennial continues with another wonderful piece from another wonderful writer. This month, it’s Jonreed Lauritzen, who was our intrepid wanderer in Northern…