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…
The San Francisco Peaks, Arizona’s highest mountains, loom over a hillside of evergreens and wildflowers at sunset. The Peaks are sacred to several of Arizona’s tribes, adding deeper meaning to an effort to rename one of the summits. By Michael Wilson
Home of the Clouds
You don’t need a Ph.D. in anthropology to decipher the names of many of Arizona’s landmarks. The Grand Canyon is just that. The Vermilion Cliffs radiate a deep red at sunset. The Salt River flows…
Reddish ponderosa pine trunks contrast with green pine, spruce and Douglas-fir needles on the Kaibab Plateau, north of the Grand Canyon. Featuring elevations of up to 9,200 feet, the Kaibab Plateau is known for mild summers and snowy winters. By Tom Bean
Forested Highlands
Remembering gives a place life. Think back to plum-colored storms in summer and the sound of thunder booming through the woods. Ferns uncurl around fallen grays of aspen trees. The bright whites of…
Aspens mingle with ponderosa pines in Sandys Canyon, a scenic hiking destination southeast of Flagstaff. This view is from an overlook west of Canyon Vista Campground, which is just off Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3). By Tom Bean
Headed for Higher Ground
At Sheeps Crossing, in the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona, grasses and flowers grow on a log in the West Fork of the Little Colorado River. Sheeps Crossing, along…