Magical Places
Celebrating places of beauty & magic
Horseshoe Bend
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Horseshoe Bend
This is the entrance to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook hiking trail
Horseshoe Bend
As you hike the 1.25 miles, the scenery is incredibly beautiful...
This is a quick look to the right
Horseshoe Bend
And now the prize! The way the river warps around, it looks surreal...And the colors of blue-green against the red rock are so beautiful...
Just be careful not to fall leaning over to admire the view - there is no gate and it's a long way down....
Another scenic view is just west of highway 89. Park your car and take the many rock steps down...
A bit further on the path...
And finally you reach the Colorado River, snaking its way through the rock. Beautiful!
Lake Powell
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Lake Powell is a sight to behold - ancient rock formations surrounding deep blue water.
And at sunset the warm, vibrant hues cast on the rocks really make this stark landscape come alive - so beautiful!!
While there, I took a boat ride to view the inside crevices of the lake
Deeper and deeper we go...
This spot in particular I found mesmerizing...It almost looks like ancient carvings could be found in these "windows"...
Remember the original Planet of the Apes? - when the spaceship crashed? Lake Powell was the filming location (although further north in Utah)
Another shot - this place is so amazing
Notice how reflective the water is...like a mirror...
One the shore, the rocks look like they were once clay and swirled ridges were carved in them...
The same area, looking back. You feel like you're on another planet here...
This is the dam, on the south end of the Lake. I love this view, since it has that ancient-yet-futuristic look...Clean-lined magnanimous structures, devoid of people, set against an other-worldly landscape...
Vermillion Cliffs
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On the way to Page from Highway 89, you can veer off westward to Highway 89A, a scenic road takign you along the Vermillion Cliffs, and eventully to the Boulders and othere scenic spots.
This a sweeping view of the Vermillion Cliffs and surrounding area.
As you drive along Highway 89A, you'll eventually come to Cliff Dwellers, where these incredibly huge boulders are perched motionless on the dirt
Another shot - looks like they could just roll down any second!
Antelope Canyon
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Antelope Canyon is a sight to behold! This marvel of nature was found many decades ago by a young girl looking for a lost cow. What a find!
From the outside it doen't look like much - just a curvacious groove through the red rock from top to bottom. But step inside and it's a wonder to experience. Red rock swirls around you as you walk in a snake-like path deeper and deeper into the canyon. Far above you the sky is barely visible through a winding crevice, through which ethereal sunrays stretch down and illuminate the walls...
Arizona was my home from 2004 to 2007. During that time I thoroughly enjoyed its miles of scenic hiking; its red rock formations pulsating with energetic vortexes; its ancient mesas, buttes and canyons; and of course, its endless sunshine.
Spring brings desert bloom, where the normally dry desert is lush with bright, beautiful colors. Summer's heat brings dramatic lightning, as well as powerful rainstorms after which everything sparkles magically amidst rainbows and sun rays. Autumn's crisp air brings foliage, where brilliant golds, yellows and oranges stand out against mountains and red rock. Finally, winter's sunsets set the sky ablaze with golds, magentas and reds. Truly, Arizona is a photographer's paradise!
Since I have so many photos of Arizona, I've separated them by region. Click on a region below to view: