My wife and I traveled to the state of Arizona earlier this April. I’ve been in the western half of the United States before but never to Arizona. We flew to Phoenix, rented a car and made our first stop for the night in Sedona. Seeing the beautiful landscapes in this part of the world got my photography juices flowing. We ate a late lunch, grabbed my camera and set out on a short drive along the Upper Red Rock Loop. I quickly came to the conclusion that Arizona is simply beautiful.
We got up the next morning and drove 3 hours to Page Arizona because next on the agenda was Horseshoe Bend and the slot canyons. We took a private tour, on Navajo lands, that included a secluded spot overlooking Horseshoe Bend. It was amazing.
The slot canyons, more specifically, Antelope Canyon, was one of mother nature’s gems. The canyons are small pathways cut through the sandstone by millions of years of water and wind. The walls are smooth, and it was as if mother nature herself was trying her hand at abstract art. We took a private photography tour, again on Navajo land, and here is where my camera got a workout.
Being a huge John Wayne fan, the next part of our Arizona journey was probably my favorite part of the trip. Monument Valley (which is actually just over the border in Utah) is were John Wayne and director John Ford teamed up to make some of Wayne’s most memorable films. Because of the time difference it was easy for me to get up and capture the sunrise.
The final leg of our trip was two days in the Grand Canyon. Here is where mother nature shines. It is just mind boggling trying to take everything in and grasp what you are actually seeing. Again, my camera was working overtime.
All of the American western frontier is stunning. However, Arizona is where mother nature did some of her best work. Everyone should add a trip to that part of the world to their bucket list.