The New Wave, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, May 2021 The striated sandstone formation known as “The Wave” attracts flocks of photographers and sightseers to southern Utah each day, and—given its popularity—is now limited by a permit lottery that is next-to-impossible to win. Fortunately, the characteristic undulating Navajo sandstone knobs and ruddy gulches of the …
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Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, May 2021 There once was a time when Horseshoe Bend—an entrenched meander along the Colorado River—was a relatively sleepy destination, known largely only to locals living in northern Arizona. But today, thanks to social media (and its high propensity for showing up as a Windows desktop background), the …
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Cathedral Wash, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, May 2021 Appearing modest from the trailhead, Cathedral Wash quickly deepens into a spectacular canyon that cuts through the Kaibab Limestone and Toroweap Formation in northern Arizona’s Glen Canyon area, ending at the Colorado River and a narrow sliver of Grand Canyon National Park. Don’t be fooled by …
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Angel's Window, Grand Canyon National Park, May 2021 Situated at the far southern fringe of the Walhalla Plateau along the North Rim, Cape Royal is one of Grand Canyon National Park’s finest viewpoints. From here the epic canyon unfolds to the south and east, revealing stunning colors, deep gorges, and towering buttes. An added bonus …
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Transept Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, May 2021 At the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, much of the visiting population spends the bulk of their time in the narrow wedge of land that includes the campground, Visitor Center, and Grand Canyon Lodge. Surrounding on three sides by precipitous drop-offs to the canyon below, this area boasts …
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Bright Angel Point Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, May 2021 Arizona’s magnificent Grand Canyon National Park has a lot going for it, although perhaps creative naming conventions is not one of them. One of the most ubiquitous names for various features in the park is “Bright Angel”: south of the Colorado River, the popular Bright …
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Point Imperial, Grand Canyon National Park, May 2021 The deep incisions and multihued colors of northern Arizona’s Grand Canyon have captivated visitors for thousands of years, inviting spectators to reflect on their smallness in the midst of such massive grandeur. Today Grand Canyon National Park receives more than 5 to 6 million visitors each year, …
Piestewa Peak, Phoenix Mountains Preserve, November 2020 Piestewa Peak (2,608’) is the second-highest summit in the Phoenix Mountains, a smattering of cactus-covered peaks in the heart of Arizona’s largest metropolis. Situated inside the Phoenix city limits, Piestewa Peak is extremely popular, but the panoramic views across nearly the entire metropolitan area make the crowded climb …
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Crown Lake, Hoover Wilderness, July 2020 Well, what a strange year it has been. In the early days of 2020, it was hard to imagine that, by March, much of the world would be dealing with a global pandemic that would take the lives of millions and usher in lockdowns, mask mandates, and economic recessions. …
Nestled in the depths of a slot canyon downriver from Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam, Arizona Hot Spring boasts sizzling temperatures of 85-120 degrees year-round. On weekends in winter and spring, residents of the Las Vegas area flock in droves to the spot, with their bathing suits and Tevas in hand, in order to …
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