Fresh Air and Sunshine

After a 13-year detour to Las Vegas (Nevada), I have been back in the Phoenix area (Arizona) for almost a year now. I have enjoyed getting outside and learning about some of the wonderful places to hike and photograph in the beautiful desert I call home.

Getting Outside

While I would like to get out more often than I have of late, I did enjoy an excursion to South Mountain Park/ Preserve. “One of the largest municipally managed parks in the nation…the park boasts more than 100 miles of trails.”

Of those 100 miles, I have probably explored one. When I focus on the camera, I tend to go much slower than your average (middle-aged) hiker.

There is also a visitor center open Thursday-Sunday, 9 am – 3 pm, which sounds like a great way to cool off after a hike and grab some awesome stickers for your water bottle.

I enjoy hiking, but I’m not very advanced or adventurous in my trail selection. The next time I go, I might try the Kiwanis Trail with a moderately difficult 1-mile loop and a 480 ft. elevation change.

Lining up a shot

The desert is a beautiful place with a surprising diversity of plant and animal life.

If you are lucky, you might find birds (like hummingbirds, wrens, and quail), reptiles (like rattlesnake, chuckwalla, and desert tortoises), mammals (like coyote, jackrabbits, and javelina), and more (like insects, spiders, and arthropods) (Ask A Biologist).

Your subject might also include plant life like cacti, creosote, globe mallow, Palo Verde, and purple lupine (Ask a Biologist).

Say Hello

I like to share my stories and shots with fellow hikers and photographers on the trail.

If you have a story and/ or a photo to share, find me on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads, or drop me an email.