Landscape Photo Ops around Phoenix, AZ

This a bit early, but I know these threads can be a bit slow so I figured I'd post now.

Im headed to Phoenix, AZ to spend Christmas with my in-laws this year. My wife and I will be there for a week and will have several days to ourselves as our host will have to work. We'll have access to a car for the entire trip.

Whats within an hour or two of Phoenix thats worth making a sunrise/sunset trek? I know Phoenix is much larger than cities Im used to so it would be helpful if I could tell you what side of town we'll be on, but I dont have that info just yet...

If you don't mind a longer drive (just over 2 hours) Sedona to the north is pretty nice with lots of photo ops., especially sunset or moonrise at Cathedral Rock, depending on conditions (check my avatar pic...moonrise at Cathedral Rock).

Wow--so much to list. My suggestion would be to get the Laurent Martres book "Photographing the Southwest", the Arizona version.

In addition to the above suggestions, go download "The Photographer's Ephemeris" so you can keep tabs on celestial happenings Vs geography and topography: http://photoephemeris.​com/

One of the handiest pieces of software I've ever found for planning Sun/Moon rise/set shoots.

Thanks guys, Ill check out those things.

Keep 'em coming!

I just got back from Sedona. It's about 2 hrs or so north and you'll love the scenery - well worth the trip. If you want to shoot some high desert snow-scapes you can head north from there about 30 miles to Flagstaff

joeyprice wrote in post #10922274
I just got back from Sedona. It's about 2 hrs or so north and you'll love the scenery - well worth the trip. If you want to shoot some high desert snow-scapes you can head north from there about 30 miles to Flagstaff

Great, Ill keep that in mind too.

Thanks!

Sounds like my in-laws want to make a trip to the Grand Canyon one day so I know we'll be doing that. I forsee a lot of driving on this trip...

All good suggestions - keep in mind that driving in Northern AZ in December CAN be hazardous - check before you go.. Some of the roads to the Grand Canyon get pretty high, and early-season snow can be an issue (and VERY photogenic!)

The most scenic route to the Canyon is Route 180 from Flagstaff - the aspens will be long gone, but it has excellent views of Mt. Humphries and the nearby peaks, which should have lots of snow on them by December. This road can be closed if the weather is bad, however.

If you head to Sedona from Phoenix and have time (and agreeable weather) drive to Prescott, then take 89A over Mingus Mt. thru Jerome (old mining town) to Clarkdale, then on to Sedona. If you like old towns, Jerome is a treasure.

Some stuff closer to Phoenix:
1. The Superstition Mountains - I don't know if you are up for hiking, but there are some really neat areas just a hour or two off the road - but even the roadside stuff (the Apache Trail is a good one) can be very good. See if you can arrange a view of Weaver's Needle.
2. White Tanks park - it's a county park, and costs a few bux to get in - can be very scenic (tho not as nice as Sedona).
3. South Mt. park - this is neat at night with a good view of the city lights - a short drive.
4. Camelback Mt. - right in Phoenix, with neat rocks and a nice short (but steep) hike to the top if you're in the mood.
5. The Desert Botanical Museum - better in the Spring with the flowers, but neat any time of year. Then go down the road to "Hole in the Rock" park right adjacent to the zoo.

You should be able to Google any of these for exact directions - if you can't we'll figure it out..

Hartley wrote in post #11048541
Some stuff closer to Phoenix:
1. The Superstition Mountains - I don't know if you are up for hiking, but there are some really neat areas just a hour or two off the road - but even the roadside stuff (the Apache Trail is a good one) can be very good. See if you can arrange a view of Weaver's Needle.
2. White Tanks park - it's a county park, and costs a few bux to get in - can be very scenic (tho not as nice as Sedona).
3. South Mt. park - this is neat at night with a good view of the city lights - a short drive.
4. Camelback Mt. - right in Phoenix, with neat rocks and a nice short (but steep) hike to the top if you're in the mood.
5. The Desert Botanical Museum - better in the Spring with the flowers, but neat any time of year. Then go down the road to "Hole in the Rock" park right adjacent to the zoo.

You should be able to Google any of these for exact directions - if you can't we'll figure it out..

In the addition to the above suggestions...

I'd add Woods Canyon Lake and Willow Springs Lake on the Mogollon Rim, and also areas around Payson. Not a long drive at all, easy day trip, ~1.5 hr drive to Payson, then about 30 or so minutes to the lakes (if I remember correctly, it's been a few years). Take hwy 87 (the Beeline Hwy) to Payson, and then 260 East. 87 is a bit of a mountainous drive, but not treacherous to cause white knuckles. Google these areas for maps.

Some info about the two lakes.

http://www.arizona-leisure.com/willow-springs-lake.html

http://www.arizona-leisure.com/woods-canyon-lake.html

I've taken many many pics with my 35mm SLRs years ago up that direction. Great overlooks of heavily forested areas on the edge of the Rim. And the lakes are always really cool to shoot.

Payson gets snow, as does on the Rim, but not as heavy as further north. It's depends how much, really. All I can suggest is watch the Weather Channel before you go.

(edit) A little caution should be exercised while driving in the area around S. Mountain, that use to be a really rough area of town (gangs). I'm not sure what it's like these days since I've moved (1992) from Phx but you might want to ask around first. You will probably be ok at the top of the mountain at the overlook, but I wouldn't ever go up there alone, especially at night. Maybe someone else who still lives in the area can chime in regarding the latest crime reports.

Hi Spotz,

Good suggestions - just keep in mind that if there is snow on the ground, those forest roads out to the lakes will NOT be plowed! We have gone into that area several times in early December to cut a Christmas tree, and 4WD was a necessity.

South Mt. is fairly safe to get to on Central Ave. or Baseline Rd. and when you're in the park, you are probably safe enough but side-trips through the older neighborhoods might be inadvisable after dark. The old (and sometimes risky) neighborhoods on the South side of Phoenix are still there, but the area at the immediate base of South Mt. has become much more upscale housing, etc. and crime in the park itself is nowhere near what it used to be.

I wonder if the OP is reading all this?

Sure am - I appreciate it, too.

And ... AND! There's the very unique town of Jerome!

GJim wrote in post #11103291
And ... AND! There's the very unique town of Jerome!

Yep...forgot about it for some reason or other. There's an auto/machinery "boneyard" up the hill in Jerome...lots of photo ops and worth the price of the admission. Just gotta use your imagination...

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Going the other direction (Southeast),

Casa Grande Ruins, old adobe structure. I-10 just past Maricopa, AZ.

Speaking of boneyards, In Tuscon the old aircraft boneyard down near Davis Monthan AF Base. 2 hr drive to Tuscon on I-10 (longer drive time if traffic). Best to call them first about their policy regarding bringing in a DSLR.. Site says there's 300 planes there now. All I remember was a bunch of really old aircraft all over the place.

If you're in Tuscon you have to tour the Titan Missile Museum too since it's near by (Green Valley). Very cool Titan II missile silo. Pics and videos OK.

San Xavier Mission - very old structure (church).

Mt. Lemmon is in the Tuscon area too for taking a drive up that mountain.

Last time I was in Tuscon for Christmas/New Years week (5 yrs ago, I think) it snowed in Tuscon and all the way to Las Cruces, NM. Snow stuck to desert floor and plants. I-10 east was warm enough to remain clear.

Back near Phx there's also Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake and Lake Pleasant. Lake Pleasant is prettier, IMO. Tortilla Flats, if it didn't burn down yet again! Areas around Red Mountain Ranch way out in the east valley (Power Road), explore in the desert around there near Red Mountain. Areas all along the Salt River where there's actually water running in the river.

And then north on I-17 is Montezuma Castle State Park, about 90 min from Phx. Indian ruins built into the side of a mountain.

If you do the G. Canyon then don't forget that big hole in the ground at Meteor Crater if you're into huge dents in the Earth, bring your ultra-wide lens!

Lava flows at Sunset Crater is cool, also just outside of Flagstaff.

Prescott and Prescott Valley areas are beautiful.

Slippery Rock's natural water slide sort of near Sedona - if it's still open to visit during the winter, neat red rock slide formations.

Much further is Show Low, Pinetop and Greer forest areas. Apache Sunrise ski resort if you want to go skiing for a weekend. Beautiful areas during the winter with snow cover.

As already mentioned these areas north can get significant amounts of snowfall during the winter. Yeah, the lakes at the Rim area roads can close, I forgot about that, but last I was up there during the winter (Willow Springs Lake) the road was fine. Call the road conditions phone number.

I haven't been to Globe/Miami in years, which about an hour outside of town (east). Old copper mining boontowns, not sure what's up there anymore these days. Anyone have current info?

[QUOTE=spotz04;1110693​3]Going the other direction (Southeast),

Casa Grande Ruins, old adobe structure. I-10 just past Maricopa, AZ.

Speaking of boneyards, In Tuscon the old aircraft boneyard down near Davis Monthan AF Base. 2 hr drive to Tuscon on I-10 (longer drive time if traffic). Best to call them first about their policy regarding bringing in a DSLR.. Site says there's 300 planes there now. All I remember was a bunch of really old aircraft all over the place.

If you're in Tuscon you have to tour the Titan Missile Museum too since it's near by (Green Valley). Very cool Titan II missile silo. Pics and videos OK.

San Xavier Mission - very old structure (church).

Mt. Lemmon is in the Tuscon area too for taking a drive up that mountain.

Last time I was in Tuscon for Christmas/New Years week (5 yrs ago, I think) it snowed in Tuscon and all the way to Las Cruces, NM. Snow stuck to desert floor and plants. I-10 east was warm enough to remain clear.

Back near Phx there's also Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake and Lake Pleasant. Lake Pleasant is prettier, IMO. Tortilla Flats, if it didn't burn down yet again! Areas around Red Mountain Ranch way out in the east valley (Power Road), explore in the desert around there near Red Mountain. Areas all along the Salt River where there's actually water running in the river.

And then north on I-17 is Montezuma Castle State Park, about 90 min from Phx. Indian ruins built into the side of a mountain.

If you do the G. Canyon then don't forget that big hole in the ground at Meteor Crater if you're into huge dents in the Earth, bring your ultra-wide lens!

Lava flows at Sunset Crater is cool, also just outside of Flagstaff.

Prescott and Prescott Valley areas are beautiful.

Slippery Rock's natural water slide sort of near Sedona - if it's still open to visit during the winter, neat red rock slide formations.

Much further is Show Low, Pinetop and Greer forest areas. Apache Sunrise ski resort if you want to go skiing for a weekend. Beautiful areas during the winter with snow cover.

As already mentioned these areas north can get significant amounts of snowfall during the winter. Yeah, the lakes at the Rim area roads can close, I forgot about that, but last I was up there during the winter (Willow Springs Lake) the road was fine. Call the road conditions phone number.

I haven't been to Globe/Miami in years, which about an hour outside of town (east). Old copper mining boontowns, not sure what's up there anymore these days. Anyone have current info?[/quote]

Fantastic places. Superior is almost dead now but lots of time-warp character. Boyce Thompson Arboretum is fantqstic as well, just west of Superior.