NASA astronaut Andre Douglas simulates a moonwalk in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, north of Flagstaff, in May of this year. Currently, Douglas is on the backup crew for Artemis II, a lunar flyby mission planned for September 2025. JOSH VALCARCEL/COURTESY OF NASA
Astronauts in Northern Arizona
Stepping off the surface of the moon for the last time in 1972, Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan said, “We leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind…
A picturesque hillside cemetery is one of the highlights of Dos Cabezas, a Southeastern Arizona ghost town that’s still home to a few residents. By Eirini Pajak
Arizona Ghost Towns
Editor’s Note: In 1994, we published a book titled Arizona Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. It was written by Philip Varney, and it went on to become one of the best-selling books in our history — it’s…
Black and white photo of cowboys Buster Scarbrough and Bob Pulley pose for a photo at the A Bar V Ranch in Skull Valley in 1981. This shot was one of several Jay Dusard photos published in the August 1982 issue of Arizona Highways.
The Magnificent Seven
Ray Manley’s photo of an Arizona cattle drive appeared in our April 1995 issue. It was one of several cowboy-themed photos that complemented a previously unpublished…
A blooming ocotillo and other desert plants thrive in the sprawling landscape of the Altar Valley. The valley’s watershed covers about 1,000 square miles of Southern Arizona. Jeff Maltzman
An Unlikely Marriage in the Altar Valley
Forgive, for a moment, a bit of preachiness. But in our endless quest to claim the high ground, we frequently forsake the common ground. Maybe that’s why I’m so impressed as I observe the Altar…
The mottled bark of an Arizona sycamore frames vibrant maple leaves in the Miller Peak Wilderness, part of the Huachuca Mountains of Southern Arizona. By Norma Jean Gargasz
Falling For Autumn
Aspens display their golden leaves along Forest Road 22, a Kaibab National Forest road north of the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Unlike most deciduous trees, aspens are…
A new baby horse looks head on at the camera. It is brown with a brown mane and no blaze.
Name This Horse!
Rancho de los Caballeros, the beloved historic dude ranch nestled in the Sonoran Desert, is thrilled to introduce two adorable new members to the family—a mother miniature horse named Princess…
Stuart Chavez, a member of the Havasupai Tribe, raises an eagle feather toward Red Butte, one of the tribe’s sacred sites. By Eirini Pajak
Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni
Red Butte rises from the tablelands of the Coconino Plateau like a camel’s back. The formation’s unmistakable hump, which juts more than 800 feet above a sea of golden prairies, is capped with bands…
Dog trainer Lauralea Oliver and Circe, a Labrador retriever, search for endangered Fickeisen plains cactuses south of the Grand Canyon. By Eirini Pajak
Uncommon Scents
When all you have is a hammer, Abraham Maslow once noted, everything looks like a nail. Similarly, when all you have are a bunch of botanists, everything looks like a pediocactus. That version might…