This image from Cape Royal at Grand Canyon National Park reminds me how much I appreciate the dedicated people who spend lifetimes helping the rest of us understand more about culture, geology, history, and the natural world. So much beneficial knowledge is quietly waiting for us on displays, signs, and outdoor plaques in our parks,…
A forest of cactus at the Valley View Overlook – Saguaro National Park. This may be a little silly… but the cactus in the middle, the tall one, reminds me of Lumière in Beauty and the Beast. He seems to be welcoming us to his forest. As if saying, “Dinner is served!” More seriously, we…
One of the longest continuously inhabited landscapes in North America, this canyon with its 600-foot cliffs has served as the sacred home to the Ancestral Puebloan, Hopi, and Navajo peoples for nearly 5,000 years. The White House cliff dwelling is thought to have been built around 1060–1070 CE – Canyon de Chelly National Monument. (Chinle,…
Here, at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, you will find the giant Saguaro cactus (pronounced suh-WAH-roh). Saguaros grow naturally only in the 100,000 square mile Sonoran Desert which reaches from northern Mexico into southwestern Arizona. Finger Rock Trail – Pusch Ridge Wilderness. On this trip we went specifically to Tucson to experience the…
Archeologists identify the inhabitants of this cliff dwelling as the Southern Sinagua, people who lived here around 1050 CE – Montezuma Castle National Monument. The white limestone rock formed out of a freshwater system, versus the ocean water source usually associated with limestone, making the cliffs relatively soft, porous and easily weathered. (Camp Verde, Arizona)….
Sometimes our peace is interrupted by a storm. Here, a thunderstorm moves in on the canyon as viewed from the North Rim Lodge observation deck – Grand Canyon National Park. The lodge was destroyed in the Dragon Bravo Fire in July 2025 with only a portion of the limestone masonry left standing, and the North…
The North Kaibab Trail begins its decent from the North Rim into the Grand Canyon. More than a few runners each year attempt the R2R2R Endurance Challenge (Rim to Rim to Rim). The R2R2R is approximately 45 miles and includes over 20,000 feet in total elevation change (gain + loss). According to Google, Jim Walmsley…
Sunrise over Arizona’s Painted Desert as seen from Point Imperial – Grand Canyon National Park. From an elevation of 8,803 feet, the highest overlook in the Grand Canyon, we see a distant territory that is rugged and colorful. Although at this early hour the land formations are just coming into perspective. I think it is…
The summer of 2025 was not kind to one of the most recognized landscapes in America. The Dragon Bravo Fire, which was likely started by lightning on July 4, burned over 145,000 acres, including destroying the world-famous Grand Canyon Lodge and surrounding buildings. This shot is presented in recognition of all the people who worked…
The last glimpse of the setting sun is reflected in this canyon view from Bright Angle Point – Grand Canyon National Park. At night it can be quite cool in the canyon, even in the summer. In fact, the north rim area can experience frost 12 months of the year. We like to camp at…