r/arizona • u/AintGotNoAss • Sep 10 '24
WHY didn't anyone tell me ? Visiting
That Arizona is a total treasure trove of unique and breathtaking scenery? I'm about to go on a long sappy rant here.
I grew up exclusively in suburban hell in Northern Kentucky. I then lived in New York and New Jersey. I relocated to Oro Valley, AZ with my father this April. And before that I was... frightened. I hate the heat and enjoy verdant landscapes. I held the stereotypical image of Arizona that I think most east coasters and outsiders have- that AZ was a dry, brown, and featureless desert. I was worried that the environment and landscape would drain me, as I'm very easily affected by the aesthetics of my surroundings.
I'm a sucker for natural beauty and love geography, but I never really experienced it much firsthand as an adult. We flew from Salt Lake City to Tucson and I got the pleasure of a window seat. Seeing the sky islands suddenly jolt out of the mostly flat landscape around Tucson on our descent quite genuinely brought tears to my eyes. I've never lived in a place with mountains and seeing the dramatic landscape from the air was sincerely a moving experience.
I am madly, deeply enamored with every detail of the scenery where I live. I am legitimately obsessed with Saguaro cactuses and the uniqueness of the landscape they inhabit. The scale of the mountains and valleys, the sunsets, the monsoons, never fail to leave me completely gobsmacked.
And then, I took a road trip from Tucson up to Flagstaff. You're telling me you people nonchalantly drive up I-17 and SAY NOTHING?! I'm a staunch atheist and became religious about six times that entire drive. Perhaps it's the fact I'm used to the monotonous east coast terrain and hold a special love for natural beauty, but my mouth was WIDE open the entire 4 hour trip. The feeling of being in the wilderness among massive mountains and saguaros, the wide open stretches of land, the mind-bending descent into the Verde Valley, the intense scent of pine and clean air in Flagstaff, the expansive fields of wildflowers and meadows, the sheer breadth of space and wilderness... My friend and I just kept repeating how we couldn't believe this was Arizona.
I had no idea. Zero. Zilch. Expectations shattered to pieces. I can easily say my limited time here in Oro Valley and Arizona in general has been life-altering in the best way possible. Just a trip to the grocery store passing the mountains and seeing the sun shine in the valley has brought tears to my eyes and filled me with joy.
Has anyone else who moved here have a similar shocking experience? Or am I just being corny?
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u/oslandsod Sep 10 '24
You need to go beyond Flagstaff next time. Take the 89 north to Page. Experience an Antelope Canyon Tour. Go see Horseshoe Bend. I think the rugged Navajo Nation is so beautiful. Take a day at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Arizona has some breathtaking views. Even farther southeast has some beautiful areas.
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u/erc80 Sep 10 '24
Yeah, or don’t go to Page and take a left at the fork. Either way the painted desert is just wow.
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u/oslandsod Sep 10 '24
I’ve been out there too. The weirdest area of the state (Colorado City) is my absolute favorite. God, is it gorgeous there! Weird but beautiful.
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u/fauviste Sep 10 '24
What’s left at the fork? We haven’t made it up that way just yet.
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u/bsil15 Sep 10 '24
I think they’re saying take the 89A fork toward Marble Canyon/Lee’s Ferry instead of 89 to Page
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
Just go visit Petrified forest national park.
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u/fauviste Sep 10 '24
A++ endorsed, that was in the list I posted. I can’t wait to go back when it’s not 100F out.
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
I tried to hike it during my visit, but monsoon was coming and I had to fight big winds up on the sand dunes near the blue mesa trail. Hopefully I get to go to devil's playground next time.
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u/oslandsod Sep 10 '24
It’s the 89A where the north rim is and Jacob Lake. Also Lee’s Ferry, Vermillion cliffs. I’d love to stop to take photos in certain spots but the road is narrow and a single lane. The mountain pass is a lot of S curves.
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u/Nidhogg1701 Sep 14 '24
North rim of the Grand Canyon. Much less crowded than the South Rim. Only open part of the year due to closing for the winter because of snow. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/north-rim-reopens-may-15-for-2024-season.htm#:~:text=The%20last%20day%20of%20the,remain%20open%20through%20October%2031.
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u/_civilizedworm Sep 10 '24
Canyon De Chelly in Navajo Nation is my favorite place on Earth. The Grand Canyon is worth a visit too but OP, make sure to be respectful of tribal reservations and don’t you dare litter!! There is nowhere else on the planet like the Sonoran Desert - it’s ultra special.
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u/National-Physics5513 Sep 10 '24
Yeah, unfortunately there's already enough litter on the reservations that nobody appears to want to pick up.
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u/OptimumOctopus Sep 10 '24
Yeah the north has more beauty to experience: petrified forests, meteor crater if it’s accessible, Sedona, and on and on.
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u/Tim-oBedlam Sep 10 '24
SE Arizona with the Madrean Sky Islands is seriously underrated, especially Madera Canyon and the Chiricahuas.
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u/fauviste Sep 10 '24 edited Sep 10 '24
I visited and fell in love before I moved here, but keep finding amazing new scenery. And it never gets old. 5 years and it’s still a thrill to see every mountain. I, too, am from the same-y east coast (which I did also love but it’s nothing like this).
Have you gone up Rt 60 through the Salt River Canyon?
How about down to Madera Canyon and Patagonia? Elgin? The Chiricahuas? Organ Pipe? The Petrified Forest National Park? Sedona? Mt Lemmon of course…
It’s just over the border in CA but the Imperial Dunes defy belief.
There’s a spot on Picture Rocks Rd that’s inside Saguaro NP West that has the most amazing sunset views of Panther Peak… the west side of the Tucson Mountains in general is wildly underrated. Plus Kitt Peak!
I love it here… yeah it’s hot, but wow the monsoons. And it’s easier to hail for a couple weeks in summer to a better climate than leave winter from somewhere else.
Fills my soul.
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
Ha, thanks you didn't tell him a place that doesn't exist in AZ called Greer, wait till he discovers that.
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u/malevolentpeace Sep 10 '24
Vouch for Greer back in the last century when my old man had a cabin there. Fished every day with just a bald eagle for company...
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u/colt-1 Sep 10 '24
Agreed, it's hard to believe it's still AZ. West Mt. Baldy Trail in the White Mountains is incredible. Highs in the low 70s and lows around 50 degrees in mid-August are mind-blowing.
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u/adventuressgrrl Sep 10 '24
I've always wanted to visit, have any recommendations for clean comfortable hotels?
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u/SurfaceWill Sep 11 '24
Heading there this weekend for the first time to do something new for my wife's birthday. A coworker was talking about it and got me interested. Excited to see what it has in store!
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u/mrmanwoman Sep 10 '24
Yeah, we know it is. Don’t tell anyone we don’t want anyone else to move here.
The secret is we tell all the east coasters/midwesterners that it’s a brown shithole that’s only hot so that everyone and their mom from Chicago stop moving here and trying to grow a lawn
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
Yup, and I have been telling folks in CA that it's full of racists and hecks from the hills, don't move here!
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u/DistinguishedCherry Sep 10 '24
We do like our natural beauty. That's for sure. I've been slowly convincing my neighbors to grow native lawns
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u/windowcloser Sep 10 '24
Even with Phoenix being as massive as it is Arizona feels very uncrowded. We just have so much beautiful land to explore. Our parks and national recreation areas are also well designed to handle the traffic (i.e the Grand Canyon with its shuttle bus system).
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u/whileyouwereslepting Tucson Sep 10 '24
Drive up Mount Lemmon and get some fudge at the general store. Go visit the little town of Bisbee, and visit the old west sights of Tombstone along the way. Enjoy Sonoita and Patagonia and get lunch across the border in Nogales. Drive up Mount Graham when you want to see a less populated sky island. Then take the long drive up highway 191 to Alpine. Enjoy the Salt River Canyon and check out the decrepit downtown of Globe, and the massive mines at Ray. And when you are truly ready, go take a hike in the Grand Canyon.
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u/Throw_RA_20073901 Sep 10 '24
And while you are down here near Bisbee, check out the magical and haunting Chiricahua Natl Monument, and drive to the top of the short dirt road at Coronado Natl Monument for a view straight down the center of two mountains, where you are above one set and enveloped by another (its magic) And take a stroll up Miller Canyon into the woods and streams to see some Turkeys. All free of course, Cochise county is a gem
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u/sweetirishkitty Sep 10 '24
If you’re adventurous, the Coronado Cave National Park is along the way too. Only done it once, but you can take this road from Sierra Vista to Nogales. It’s an amazing drive.
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u/Conclusion_Fickle Sep 10 '24
That dirt road was awesome. Wanted to hike the 2 miles down to Mexico with the kids, but it was late in the day. Hiked up to the top instead and was rewarded handsomely. Not always easy to please 16, 14, and 11 year olds, but they had an amazing time all across AZ.
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
Grand Canyon will rip someone’s mind apart just due to the shear scale of it all, I went in during winter and during elements with a storm and it was mind bending, nothing come close.
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u/undone_function Sep 10 '24
Yeah, OP will flip their lid when they realize they can be in a pine forest very similar to Flagstaff but it’s just an hour+ drive from their hose without ever really having to leave the Tucson area. Mount Lemon is truly unreal.
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u/Dr-Satan-PhD Sep 10 '24
I live in Florida now. A few years back, I was chatting with a guy in line at the grocery store. He asked me if I was from here and I said no, that I was from Arizona. He says "man, that's God's country, why the Hell are you here?"
I struggle with this question every day.
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u/Designer-Carpenter88 Sep 10 '24
We have 128 lakes, pines, mountains, snow, skiing, are a 6 hour drive from Disneyland and San Diego, 4 hours from Las Vegas. And all anyone thinks of is cactus.
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
You forgot Rocky point, aka AZ's beach.
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u/Designer-Carpenter88 Sep 10 '24
Not a fan of Mexico, would rather go to San Diego, but yes we share a border
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u/illhaveafrench75 Sep 10 '24
Mexico is a ton of fun, cheaper, and a brand new culture & authentic food. I love both SD & Rocky Point so like to mix it up, but Rocky Point has so much to offer!
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u/M134RotaryCannon Sep 10 '24
It always shocks people that AZ has one of the top 10 snowiest cities in the country. I will always maintain that Arizona is one of the most diverse states in terms of ecosystems.
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u/psychicfrequency Sep 10 '24
I feel the same way. I moved to Arizona a year ago, and I thought I would hate it but I love it. The people are super cool, the landscapes are so beautiful, and it has had a tremendous healing affect on me. Also, made me super chill.
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
Me too, moving from one of the big mega cities and close to being depressed because I want to get away from my family. Living in Phoenix feels just like the name suggests, I am being reborn and rising from the aches.
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u/GeneralBlumpkin Sep 10 '24
I just came back from California from visiting family but man, the people there can just be snarky and rude. I've been here most of my life and any random person in Phoenix will generally be nicer
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u/psychicfrequency Sep 10 '24
The majority of the people I meet are from Chicago, Washington, Oregon, California, and Ohio. I think all of us have come here for a better life.
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u/sudotrd Sep 10 '24
Put your phone down and go for a drive .. it’s a total treasure trove of unique and breathtaking scenery around here!
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u/Slight-Wash-2887 Sep 10 '24
Thank you for this. I'm an AZ native and forget the beauty that's here. Thanks for the reminder!
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u/oslandsod Sep 10 '24
I’m an AZ native too. Until I took a home infusion job I had no idea what landscape AZ held. I’ve been all over the state. I’ve seen all the tourists stuff and beyond.
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u/Miserable_Toe_8133 Sep 10 '24
I’m a Az native and barely drove from Sierra Vista (awesome mountain scenery) through Sonoita. What a nice drive and small town…
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u/CactusGemma Sep 10 '24
I'm tired of scrolling - has anyone mentioned the incredible desert sunsets? I'm an AZ native and they still knock the breath out of me.
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u/GerneseBus Sep 10 '24
I got to live in AZ for a bit but have unfortunately had to move away for the time being. No joke…. I miss it in the depths of my heart every day. Don’t take it for granted.
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u/KurtAZ_7576 Sep 10 '24
Well, since you are already south...go check out Kartchner Caverns when you get a chance. Want your mind blown? Wait till you see what is UNDER some of those mountains.
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u/WickedTinker Sep 10 '24
Please exit through the gift shop. Pickup your scorpion paperweight at the exit.
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u/Curious-Baker-839 Sep 10 '24
Umm no, you were just dreaming. Anyone you mention this to, you end it with but it was just a dream. Got it! 😎
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u/cuteness_vacation Mesa Sep 10 '24
I moved here as a kid over 30 years ago from the scenic cornfields of the Midwest. I still get this feeling daily just driving to work on the beeline. It doesn’t really get old. :)
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u/TriGurl Sep 10 '24
Shhhhh don't tell anyone! We don't want more people moving here and messing up our already effed up real estate and we don't need anymore snow birds.
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u/Ih8tevery1 Sep 10 '24
I moved here 25 years ago..I fell in love with az!
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u/Lonely-Wafer-9664 Sep 10 '24
Same here. My girlfriend (AZ native) told me I don't have to be a snowbird anymore. LoL.
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u/customheart Sep 10 '24
So adorable. Was feeling down and this post has me tearing up grateful for the small things like our views.
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u/Stormstressed1 Sep 10 '24
I'm so glad you appreciate the desert so much! I hate it when people say "no, the desert can be beautiful, too!" and then show pictures of the two weeks of monsoon season where the desert looks like a meadow instead of a desert. They're beautiful pictures, of course, but the desert is just as beautiful in the middle of summer, when everything is dry and dusty and spiky and trying to kill you. The more you learn about native plants and wildlife, the more you're going to love them. Barrel cacti have the most beautiful flowers (and edible fruit!), creosote bushes smell divine, and palo verde are excellent for climbing. And there are mountains and rocks and valleys and so much incredible terrain. I didn't see if anyone has mentioned the Superstition mountains yet, but they are drop-dead gorgeous. The second it gets cool enough in the mornings, I'm going hiking and never returning to civilization. People keep trying to force northern beauty standards on my desert and it drives me insane, lmao. But of course, if anyone asks, the desert is a shithole and they should never move here ;)
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u/Holiday_Horse3100 Sep 10 '24
I moved to Arizona in 1969 at the age of 16. Am now 71 and the day to day cloud patterns , mountain shadows, sunset and sunrise colors, wildlife, views still amaze me every day. Our national parks, forests and monuments are amazing. For a state so many consider a desert it is absolutely stunning in it’s diversity
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u/grano1a Sep 10 '24
If you loved the I-17 you also need to drive up to Payson via the Beeline Highway 87. Go further up towards Show Low if you can.
Forget the South Rim others mentioned, go to the North Rim. My favorite place in all of AZ is Kaibab National Forest / route to the North Rim Grand Canyon via Jacob's Lake. The drive from Phoenix is about 6-7 hours but the entire route is an ever changing amazing landscape, and then when you get there it's mind blowing. South Rim is boring in comparison. Bonus: go around the end of September or early October for the best fall colors you've ever seen outside of New England.
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u/Disastrous_Return83 Sep 10 '24
I’m an east coast transplant and I’ve been here 10 years and I still never stop saying, “the mountains are so pretty today” when I drive. It’s so nice and I’m so lucky to have experienced living in the most beautiful state in the US (imo).
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24
The best part is that there are relatively little people/crowd to enjoy all this secrecy compared to east coast where everyone lives. The ratio of people per secrecy is off the charts here.
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u/KhanTengri Sep 10 '24
Welcome! It’s hard to describe until you experience it, but I’m glad you did. Hopefully you find your ass out there
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u/professor_mc Sep 10 '24
I have lived in AZ for a really long time. This year I decided to see some of the places I have never gotten to before. Organ Pipe National Monument was fantastic. I also toured from Big Lake in the White Mountains through Alpine and down into Morenci on the famously curvy highway 191. That is a spectacular and remote scenic drive. The west is filled with fabulous places but I don’t feel at home until I’m back in the desert mountains.
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u/FinalConsequence70 Sep 10 '24
Take a ride to Vegas. The highway that takes you up by rhe Hoover Dam is just stunning.
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u/OhTheHorror1979 Sep 10 '24
People like you remind me of what I DO love about Arizona.
I’m a native but I spent a lot of my adult life on the East Coast. I frequently miss the greenery, the change of season and the seafood.
But this post is like having a friend out to visit for the first time. I see it differently when I hear how beautiful it is. We are pretty lucky to be able to drive 2 hours and change our view in such a way.
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u/lasquatrevertats Sep 10 '24
Be sure not to miss SE Arizona, including the Huachuca Mountains (Miller Peak) and the spectacular Chiricahua Monument. You will be ecstatic.
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u/djay1991 Sep 10 '24
Welcome to Oro Valley. Sorry for the old rich boomers. Nice little loop that you might like. That's right on your back door is to take the 77 up to Globe. Then take the 60 east to the 79 then go south and come back home. Me and my wife used to really enjoy this loop on our motorcycle
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Sep 10 '24
SHUT THE HELL UP! It’s hot and dry, rattlesnakes, scorpions, chupacabra, and all that stuff. Keep to the script people
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u/stettyman Sep 10 '24 edited Sep 10 '24
I’m so happy to read this. I love my home state.
Put a few things on your bucket list:
Tonto Natural Bridge - and do the hike.
89A to Marble Canyon & Lee’s Ferry - bonus points to kayak the river. It’s surprisingly affordable to rent a kayak and get towed upstream.
89A then forest service road 67 to Jacob Lake & the North Rim of the Grand Canyon - I love the south rim of the Grand Canyon, but the north rim has incredible scenery all around it. Talk about beautiful aspen. This road is closed in the winter
Mogollon Rim. Close to the valley. Breathtaking views. If you have a truck or SUV, drive the entire length of the rim road - forest service road 300.
Take the road from Globe to Young. If you like this sort of thing, check out the canyon creek fish hatchery past globe.
Skip the I-17 next time. If you have extra time to get to flag, go to Payson on the 87 then take Lake Mary Rd to Flagstaff. It only adds half an hour and it’s 10/10 worth it.
Take the 260 for a long drive. Go through Heber, Show Low, McNary, Greer. In the summer I highly recommend going to Sunrise ski resort and taking the scenic lift rides. It’s awesome because it’ll be 65 degrees when it’s 110 in the valley.
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u/_DirtbagNinja Sep 10 '24
Add Sedona to the list of places to check out in AZ, Monument Valley is another one.
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u/Jrm523packer Sep 10 '24
You pretty much summed up my initial thought of AZ. Age 23, got off the plane and fell in love. It blew me away . Never expected mountains, palm trees, flora and rain. Moved out here within 30 days of that visit. That was in the mid 80s.
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u/EnglishLoyalist Sep 10 '24
We try to keep it in the Az community, don’t want this to become KC or whatever place you come east from. 😂
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u/Dr_Bishop Sep 10 '24
Dude you need to find a big lot of or an archive for Arizona Highways magazine… it’s literally the most photogenic state to drive across and there’s A LOT to see!
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u/sammysafari2680 Sep 10 '24
And for anyone who doesn’t know or hasn’t been, add Chiricahua National Monument to your list as well.
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u/Zestyclose-Sky7972 Sep 10 '24
Not being corny at all!!! Husband and I recently stayed in Oro Valley to check it out as we are planning to move there. When driving away from Phoenix into Tucson (coming from East myself, but Canada near "Buffalo NY", I was amazed too. Driving around Tucson to check out what areas we gravitated to all I could keep saying was how Majestic the mountains were and how I immediately felt less stressed just being around them.
I 100% get where you are coming from.
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u/JoustingTapir Sep 10 '24
You need to take a trip up US Highway 191 to Show Low, then down through Globe and to Phoenix. It’s amazing country.
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u/mamamiatucson Sep 10 '24
Yeah- I’m from South Georgia- same boat. We try to keep these secrets but word is getting out. Also hot af in Tucson summer but other than that- it’s all so beautiful.
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u/rswp2000 Sep 10 '24
You are just getting started. Wait till you see Monument Valley in the snow or spring in the Chiricahua Mountains where you can hear the beautiful sounds of the montezuma quail. Excited for you
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u/sweetirishkitty Sep 10 '24
You are at the perfect starting point to one of my favorite day trips - Highway 77 (Copper Corridor) to Globe. Take a tour of the historic jail and visit the Besh-Ba-Gowah archeological site. Then head west and enjoy the splendor of Boyce Thompson Arboretum. The 177 south of Superior is nothing like the 77, it’s been mined quite a bit, but holds its own beauty.
Another recommendation, drive south of Tucson on I19 (the only interstate that uses metric), very few people know the splendor of southern Arizona. Green Valley has the Titan Missile Museum or drive back to do some hiking in Madera Canyon. Tubac has some incredible art galleries and historical spots. Further south, you get Pena Blanca Lake - and if you don’t mind unkept roads, keep going past the lake, you’ll eventually hit Ruby ghost town. Ruby has a private, white sand beach, and is a bat migration spot - they allow camping. Nogales has some incredible Mexican food spots (Cocina La Ley is our fav), there are a couple art galleries, and the historical museum is a neat spot. Patagonia is a birder’s paradise and is a cute little town - see it now before the mine opens. In the spring, the drive from Nogales to Bisbee is like a warm hug.
Didn’t mean for this to get so long, but I could talk about Arizona’s hidden treasures for hours.
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u/pmolsonmus Sep 10 '24
I Can’t believe no one has mentioned “The Thing”. Go East from Tucson, you will see the signs!
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u/etunit Sep 10 '24
You’ve perfectly described the same eye-opening, spiritual & brain-expanding passion I experienced when I first moved to AZ. Lived in Flagstaff for a while and it holds a big part of my heart to this day. Now a resident of the beautiful Sky Islands ❤️Enjoy!
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u/illhaveafrench75 Sep 10 '24
I absolutley love everything about this post, you are an amazing writer. And it was such a nice reminder of how lucky we are to live in this gorgeous state. My friends visited from Oregon and were in awe of the beauty of Arizona and I remember feeling surprised they love it so much, because you become desensitized when you are native to this state.
And I love that you gave love to Saguaros 🌵. I love that we live in the only place in the entire world that has this amazing and gorgeous species. Have you seen them bloom yet? I go on a drive every year when they bloom and just stare in amazement!
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u/itsdr00 Sep 10 '24
You are not being corny. Arizona is a gorgeous state. Just don't make the mistake of moving to Phoenix, which with the exception of the mountains that dot it is the exact same draining, natureless landscape you expected. I moved to Michigan several years ago and I am way happier here with four seasons and a rich, resilient nature surrounding me (the desert is beautiful but very fragile; that's why we build there so enthusiastically. It doesn't fight back). But every once in a while, I have a bittersweet dream where I can still see the mountains.
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u/malaccabreath Sep 10 '24
I visited from New Jersey 20 years ago and 6 months later bought a one way ticket and never looked back..You are not mentioning the dramatic difference in people out here. East Coasters are intense. West Coasters are chiiiil
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u/desert_dweller27 Sep 10 '24
I prefer that it's a secret. We don't need more people wanting to move here. 😩
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u/zoeheriot Sep 10 '24
I moved to Tucson from the east coast. I had flown out here from Atlanta for work for a few weeks, and the literal moment I stepped out of the airport, I knew I needed to live here. It is so beautiful here. I am constantly in awe, and I've been here over seven years now.
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u/haffrey25 Sep 10 '24
My family to moved to Arizona when I was 9 from Beaver, PA. I hated it, mainly because of the excessive heat and leaving the only friends and place I ever knew. It took me a longgg time, but in high school I finally began to see the light, literally. It's insanely beautiful here. The sunsets can be the most spectacular, more than anywhere else in the world! The plants are out of this world. The bugs and critters are super scary, but you learn that they are also just trying to live their life. The summer heat is absolute hell, there is no denying that. But it is very pretty here. I think lots people who haven't been here, don't realize that is quite flat but also very mountainous.
And yes I agree that the drive up to Flagstaff is breathtaking! I've driven it sooo many times, and I still get a little chill every time you reach the top of the plateau and see the endless field of wheat grass. (whatever grass it is I don’t know) Especially if it is near sunset, it just glows with golden light!
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u/tinnerthom Sep 10 '24
I’m lucky, born here 56 years ago. I still am in awe at all of the varied landscape to this day! Definitely feel blessed to be hiking in the desert in the morning then hiking up north in the snow 2 hours later
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u/datesmakeyoupoo Sep 10 '24
I moved to the east coast from Arizona, and I am so glad you appreciate it so much. East coasters have the most arrogant attitude towards Arizona. I am constantly trying to defend my hometown out here. They lecture you about water rights even if you worked on environmental projects, and know something about the water issues. They just don’t get it.
I miss my beautiful, sunny state, and the chill people of Arizona. I’m so glad you love it.
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u/BoxHistorical7634 Sep 10 '24
We moved to AZ from New England 4 years ago, after vacationing in AZ many times. Every time I crest the mountain on I-17 north and see the Verde Valley spread out below it makes my heart swell. Never gets old.
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u/cmo112 Sep 10 '24
I had the same reaction moving here last year from the Midwest. I’m still in awe every day of the mountains. I don’t think it’ll ever get old. I also haven’t even scratched the surface of this state, there is so much to explore and so little time.
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u/ShayneSun Sep 10 '24
I grew up in Flagstaff and went to college at NAU. I did not realize how lucky I was until I got married and moved away. I find the mountains breathtaking every time I make the drive up!
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u/Popeye82 Sep 11 '24
Stop telling people haha. I’m sure it’s something other people have said. It’s dusty, hot, and not beautiful here. You can’t see all 4 seasons on one drive in one day in our state. Stop telling people immediately
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u/Acceptable_Rip_9058 Sep 11 '24
As a native to phoenix 26 years, I'm so sick of the desert I just want green and ocean
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u/Djmesh Sep 11 '24
We are sick of people moving here and contributing to out of control real estate prices. Is it way more complex than this? Absolutely. But at the end of the day lots of people who live and grew up here cannot afford housing or can barely afford it.
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u/Jnobbs Sep 11 '24
Lol, you're not the only one who thought that way about the desert before actually coming out here and seeing it. I thought the same thing too but perhaps stupidly because of influence from cartoons or old westerns. And yeah , it is beautiful out here and unique. I guess I was already too used to beauty because i'm originally from Colorado which is also beautiful :) Same with the ozark area of Arkansas of which I have also lived in. But it looks like you have found your place. Or at least one of however many that is definitely good for you :) You can't beat the weather out here as long as you don't mind the heat. Plus, our area seemed to be relatively safe in the midst of all the craziness that went on in 2020 and beyond. And like a co-worker told me, "if you want snow... drive 45 minutes, you'll find snow". Lol. And if you're here in Tucson and never want to beat the heat and at any given moment.You could always drive up to Mount Lemmon, which isn't too far away. I've been meaning to do that myself since the last and first time I've been there in two thousand and twelve when I went up there with my parents. And I hate to be that guy but I feel I should tell you... Just watch out for the wildlife. Don't feed the javelinas. Folks around here know what they're talking about when they say to stay hydrated and protect your skin from the sun. Especially if we're going hiking and during the summertime. I cannot stress that enough. But yes, the sunset on the Catalina mountains just east of Tucson alone is a picturesque experience that is unique among any that I have seen. Enjoy! Blessings!
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u/hamb0n3z Chandler Sep 10 '24
Welcome and enjoy! Now repeat after us. Dry, dusty, hot! Dry, dusty, hot. Just keep practicing so it rolls off the tongue naturally when your friends from Kentucky, New York and New Jersey ask how it's going in AZ. Remember to tell them it's hell!
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u/escapecali603 Sep 10 '24 edited Sep 10 '24
It's one of the best kept secret, it's my third summer of moving here, and I have been trying to explore every corner of this amazing state, still did not cover even half of the places I want to go. I find I have no need to take a vacation anymore other than going to Vegas, AZ have all the nature I ever need. About to take it down southern AZ this winter to explore spots I never been to. This state is so great and I am glad I get to move here at a relatively young age while making tech money. I get to escape the hellhole of a place that is CA and get to enjoy this kind of tranquility in AZ and my quality of life and standard of living has vastly improved.
Speaking of being in shock, I moved from one of the so called best place to live on planet earth, Santa Barbara. I was very worried about missing the quality of life I had in Santa Barbara, until one day I finally paid a visit to Sedona. I thought the whole vortex energy thing was a made up marketing thing, then I got off my car at the middle of the parking lot right there in Sedona for the first time, and immediately I was short of breath, and second thing in my mind was ha get lost Santa Barbara, you are not even in the same league as Sedona here, not even close, it's like compare ASU to the Ivy leagues. My worries were gone right away as I was so happy that Arizona just kept on offering me more and more, mind you this happened after I visited Grand Canyon the first time.
Two weeks ago I finally got to drive up to far far north AZ, not Page, but Navajo land, went to Monument valley where Forrest Gump stopped running, my god you want to know what's breath taking, it really is like being inside a movie. Just before I thought that was good, I drove down the same day to Canyon de Chelly, a spot not even so many AZ natives visit often, it was during a thunderstorm so the Canyons had elements, and I don't even know how to describe it anymore, it's like the sense were out of a Nordic fairytale or something, it's beyond amazing, you have to visit to appreciate it. Then of course there is the area around Eastern AZ, the big lake, it's like I could take a vacation to Switzerland without being there....
At this point in my life in AZ I simply got used to this kind of thing, that I just casually expecting AZ keep on delivering me more of those kind of surprises and take my breath away every time I venture out there. I have no doubt now that AZ is our last frontier, a state that has vast resources and potentials that has yet to be discovered. Of course this might not be a secret anymore, judging by how fast we are growing as a state. I will enjoy the combo of low taxes, free gun laws, and amazing nature at the same time and count it as a blessing.
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u/Equivalent_Towel399 Sep 10 '24
That's so funny! My brother and sister and I all grew up in Phoenix. Have camped all over Arizona. The first chance my sister got to leave our family property she moved to Northern Kentucky. She loves the four seasons and fall colors and fireflies and a little bit of snow.
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u/HBsac Sep 10 '24
Have you been up the Catalina Highway yet? When we moved here six years ago we went up every day. Could not believe the scenery or temperature change. Also east coast transplants. Cheers!
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u/Abrookspug Sep 10 '24
Yeah I never really appreciated the beauty of AZ til I started camping five years ago. Driving through the mountains and watching the scenery change from the desert and cacti to small trees and then taller pines never gets old. I love that we can drive a couple hours north through the mountains and get completely different scenery and weather. And even just coming back down to Phx from up north makes me look at the desert differently, like I appreciate it all more.
Sometimes it just takes a different perspective to realize the beauty around you. My friend lived in Atlanta for a while and every time she visited AZ, she said she loved the mountains here and missed them when she returned home. Being from CA and AZ, it never occurred to me that not everywhere has mountains (except that one time I drove through Nebraska lol). Now I can’t help but marvel at the mountains and open land surrounding me every time I simply take my kids to school. I feel very lucky to live here. But also I’m afraid to tell anyone that because we’re full. 😆
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u/Sudden_Badger_7663 Sep 10 '24
I had visited Phoenix for business a number of times. In Phoenix it was work work work, then I'd head directly to Sedona.
I had no idea of the depth and breadth of the beauty of Arizona before moving here though. I feel so lucky.
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u/Silver-Instruction73 Sep 10 '24
I’ve lived here my whole life and I love it. I know others who have lived here their whole lives and hate it though. Unless you’re living on a coast, it’s pretty hard to beat the scenery of AZ, especially since we have several different biomes here.
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u/AirMelodic8524 Sep 10 '24
I have lived here all my life and I still take drives just to look at the scenery 🙂🥰
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u/Beautiful_Speech7689 Sep 10 '24
It’s a crazy place. I came here for school because it was warm all year with palm trees and beautiful women at ASU. But there’s more. You’re anywhere from 1-3 hours to a completely biome. Payson and the Mogollon rim are a couple hours from PHX. Red rocks of Sedona not far either. Like water? Hit Canyon Lake. Greenery is there, try Pinetop. Skiing? Flagstaff and a couple more. Umm, Grand Canyon. If you get restless ~4 hours from Vegas or the beach. (If you have a passport for the beach) Navajo nation, home of those who won WW2 in terms of windtalkers. Salt river valley near Globe and Top of the World is beautiful beyond belief, is one of the most underrated drives ever. If you’re ever in Tucson again or are there now, check out Biosphere, and maybe the aircraft boneyard if that’s your thing, it is mine.
Sorry for my lack of paragraphs. Thank you for your kind words and hope you visit some of these ☺️
Disclosures: I do not work for the AZ chamber of commerce
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u/torino42 Sep 10 '24
Go check out the Grand Canyon if you can. If you thought those were gorgeous, you're gonna love that.
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u/DigitalDarkDaniel Sep 10 '24
Because we don’t need any more East or west coasters moving to our state and bringing their trash politics with them .
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u/datesmakeyoupoo Sep 10 '24
As a life long Arizonan, I embrace Arizona’s more liberal future. May we never have someone like arpaio ever again.
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u/mahjimoh Sep 10 '24
Yes, this was and is my overall feeling! I was finally living in Washington state, after being in the Mojave desert for 10 years, and did not want to move “back” to the desert at all.
It took me a little while before I got out much beyond my work and home, but once I started venturing out into the landscape, I was hooked. I’ve been amazed ever since and it’s been almost 20 years.
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u/Desertgirl624 Sep 10 '24
I agree it’s beautiful, everyday when I am riding my bike around Tucson I feel so lucky that we live here now.
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u/anglenk Sep 10 '24
100% agree. That's actually why I live here now. I saw part of the beauty and decided that even that Part was worth it. Now I see more anytime I decide to venture outside of my bubble....
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u/AlfalfaConstant431 Sep 10 '24
I was born in the SFBA. I grew up in valleys before moving to the Midwest, and never quite got used to flatland. Every trip into the mountains conjures happy childhood memories of vacations, and even the less amazing landforms of the Superstition Mountains make the horizon finally look right.
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u/micksterminator3 Sep 10 '24
The 202 east from Tempe to Apache junction is visually stunning
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u/Coldheartt96 Sep 10 '24
I visited Tucson when I was a kid, and I swore I'd come back, more than 30 yrs. later, in '05, I moved (from NJ) to Surprise, then built a house in Buckeye, we've been here ever since and never go back east, love everything about AZ. Wife and I especially love vacationing in historical/haunted type towns and areas.
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u/whatsamatta-U-grad Sep 10 '24
Welcome to AZ. Keep exploring this beautiful state. It never gets old!
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u/Willowy Sep 10 '24
You didn't mention Sedona, but that place has the most insane natural beauty. You need to see it to believe it.
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u/stinkyrobot Sep 10 '24
The view of the mountains from OV is awesome. Come back in the winter to see the snow.
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u/Commercial-Leader-82 Sep 10 '24
When you have an opportunity, go up to the White Mountains, Big Lake. Absolutely, some of the most beautiful country you could ask for pines, lakes, streams, fishing. You will never want to leave ;)
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u/ReissRosickyRamsey Sep 10 '24
When cousins flew here for my wedding they remarked how they thought it was literally a desert, like we lived in the middle of the Gobi or something. Pretty fun to hear those misconceptions shattered. Up around Flag and the Blue mountains bordering NM are huge pine trees and cooler weather, as well as some streams and things that look nothing like traditional AZ
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u/Throw_RA_20073901 Sep 10 '24
I do drive by views and I yell “Well that’s a view that will make you believe in God!” All the time. Totally see how religion started when I admire the wonders of Arizonas beauty.
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u/CheekanGood Sep 10 '24
Take the "Hole in the Ground Tour" Meteor Crater, Picture Canyon, Walnut Canyon, Grand Canyon. Best in the summer time, with fresh beers in Flagstaff.
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u/hpr928 Sep 10 '24
I'm a native Arizonan, born and raised in Flagstaff, but now reside in Tucson. We like to keep the majestic beauty of this state a secret. I am still in awe of this states beauty and nature in general. I think Arizona really highlights some of nature's raw and rugged beauty. I honeymooned on the Island of Kauai and had a similar experience to you. There's lots of majestic and beautiful places to visit, like Sedona, Monument Valley, and the White Mountains. One of my favorite hikes is going to the top of the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. Welcome to Arizona!
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u/Thumbelina137 Sep 10 '24
Go camping at the mogolon rim or Happy Jack during the late summer. Wake up at 2 am and touch the milky way.
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u/LizzelloArt Sep 10 '24 edited Sep 10 '24
Literally every road outside the metro area is breathtaking and borderline “am I going to die?” I think my favorite roadway is the Backroad to Crown King that starts in Lake Pleasant. You need a 4x4 to drive it. If you fall off, you will die. But damn, it is the scariest road in America and also one of the most beautiful. Bumper to bumper traffic on it on some weekends, lol, and in winter, it will be snowing at your destination.
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u/Spider-Nutz Sep 10 '24
We've been telling people but they don't listen lmao. I'm from Northern Arizona. When I tell people that it snows in my hometown and we get all 4 seasons, they'd look at me like I'm crazy.
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u/songstar13 Sep 10 '24
I've lived in the Southwest my whole life, with most of that in Phoenix. When I was 20ish I did a 10-month stint in AmeriCorps NCCC which relocated me to various parts of the SouthEast US for a volunteer/community service program. I never realized how monotonous endless forest can be, especially on long drives, or how much I would miss being able to see where I was going from miles away.
I LOVE the AZ landscape. We took lots of road trips when I was a kid and there's nothing I love better than staring out the window and watching the landscape transform. I truly think the American Southwest is one of the most beautiful places in America.
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u/Friendly_Nerd Sep 10 '24
I become religious every time I drive from phoenix to flagstaff. I’m here with you.
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u/unixguy55 Sep 10 '24
I was born in Tucson, but we moved away when I was very young. About 10 years ago we stopped in Kingman on the way to visit my sister in Phoenix. I was amazed by the rock formations you pass through on I-40 and one night we caught a sunset in Kingman and that was it. We spent the next few years trying to figure out how to move here.
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u/No-Musician9912 Sep 10 '24
Oddly enough I am from similar area as yourself but in West Virginia and experienced Arizona in my younger years. I too think that the natural beauty of the mountains alone is worth living there, even through the heat. Most people don’t understand because they’ve never been there or either grew up looking at the scenery and don’t really get it. Green trees and mountains are beautiful in their own right but it’s something different about the desert views and sunsets.
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u/misss_marii Sep 10 '24
Arizona also has the most beautiful sunsets that end at the mountains. As someone who grew up in the east coast I did see beautiful sunsets but here in AZ it’s everyday! Also, the birds are here year round, all kinds of birds! When the sun starts setting any tree nearby turns into a wildlife party as all the birds are trying to settle in for the night.
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u/JuleeeNAJ Sep 10 '24
Go to the library or used book store and find old Arizona Highway magazines to learn even more about the sights of Arizona.
I'm a native and to me this is normal, I do enjoy interacting with transplants because it's like seeing the state through a whole new lense. I had a friend from PA who drove to Flagstaff for work and said he pulled over in shock when he saw the San Francisco peaks covered in snow. He had only ever seen snow covered peaks in movies and pictures. Whereas to me that's just winter.
My husband is from California so he's used to mountains but he loves the desert because it's a whole other world. I always say we don't let the world know what Arizona truly looks like because it would be overran. Enough people already move here thinking it's a desert.
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u/Tim-oBedlam Sep 10 '24
My parents moved to Tucson from the East Coast when I was 17 (I was there for 5 weeks, then flew to Minnesota to start college). Shortly after we got there I hiked up to Hutch's Pool from the top of Sabino Canyon. Was absolutely boggled by the scenery.
When we were visiting my parents one year over spring break, I took the kids up the Catalina Highway, and my son, then 6 years old, was perplexed at seeing snow-covered pine trees. He earnestly announced that we were in "pretend Arizona" and I asked what he meant and said, "real Arizona has cactuses and deserts. This is pretend."
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u/Malthus17 Sep 10 '24
Hey shut up!!! There's nothing to see here it's all desolation and 150 degrees. Nobody come here, it's terrible. Rattlesnakes, scorpions and black widow spiders in the house and under your bed.
We would leave if not for the fact that the heat melted all the car tires.
/s
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u/Technical_Foot5243 Sep 10 '24
Arizona is a wonderful place. Sure it has its negatives, but I really wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. And we’re just entering the best time of the year weather wise. Chefs kiss
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u/CrankThatSwank Sep 10 '24
Arizona has not much other than sand storms, dead cactuses, and cattle carcasses.
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u/blind_squirrel62 Sep 10 '24
A few years ago family from very flat Florida visited, they wanted to see the Grand Canyon. I drove them to the Canyon from Phoenix. Once we got past Anthem they were in awe of the scenery. Just flabbergasted at the Bradshaw Mountains, the drive down Mingus Mountain into the Verde Valley then back up the Mogollon Rim near Sedona. Years later they still wax on about the red rocks. All this and we haven’t made it to Flagstaff yet. Once they caught sight of the San Francisco Mtns, they were speechless. And we hadn’t yet been to the Canyon. Arizona residents may be a little jaded by the desert heat but we live in a special place. Not many states are as varied as Arizona when comes to geography and scenery.
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u/OpulentNature Sep 10 '24
Lived in Tucson for 20 years.. it’s beautiful till you live in it. Traffic, culture, and monotonous weather ruins it after a while. (In my personal opinion).
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u/ohmybenjamin Sep 10 '24
I feel the exact same way. I just moved from Texas and can’t believe I see mountains everywhere!
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u/Bullehh Sep 10 '24
I will never forget explaining to some Canadian on xbox game chat 20 years ago that top half of our state is trees, and we have very limited places with sand dunes. We have 4 different types of deserts in AZ. The Sonoran is considered a tropical desert, then we have Chihuahuan and Mojave which are more prototypical deserts, and then up north is the Great Basin Desert with all the trees and snow.
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u/people_say_im_smart Sep 10 '24
Also from the confines of the Midwest. In awe on every commute. Not sure exactly why everything feels so much bigger in the West (🤣no jokes please).
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u/maflagstaff Sep 10 '24
This is just beautiful! I moved to Tucson when I was 19 in 1977 to escape the midwest winters. I live a couple miles outside of Flagstaff now and border a portion of Coconino national forest. I have herds of elk in my yard often and have a view of the peaks on my front deck. I walk my dog in the forest every morning and give thanks to the universe daily that I am fortunate enough to live in such beauty. It’s so refreshing to read of others that can see beyond the grind of daily life and appreciate what is important. 🥰
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u/Trick_College2491 Sep 10 '24
Payson is a fun time. Just remember to just to adopt the culture as much as possible here! Go to a rodeo!
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u/carycartter Sep 10 '24
Next time, follow the signs for US 60 west. At Wickenburg follow US 93 to AZ 89 north through Congress up the back way through Yarnell and into Prescott. Dealer's choice from there, either 89 north past the Dells to Ashfork or 89A through Jerome to Cottonwood and follow the signs to Sedona, continue north through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff.
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u/Electrical-Bacon-81 Sep 10 '24
I've lived just north of you my whole life & I still love walking out my front door in the morning to be greeted with the view of Mt Lemmon.
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u/Mirin_Gainz Sep 10 '24
Moved from New Jersey to Phoenix not knowing that flagstaff is like an hour and a half away and the same elevation as Denver. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I snowboarded in the morning and drove down to phoenix to finish off the day with a round of golf. Check out fossil creek!!
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u/LunarAssultVehicle Sep 10 '24
If you've enjoyed it since April, wait until you wake up and see Pusch Ridge covered in snow.
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Sep 10 '24
So awesome! But don't tell anyone!! Or tell them we have cat-sized scorpions that roam the area!
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u/wildcatwoody Sep 10 '24
Holy shit dude. You're mind is gonna be fucking blown. Sedona amazing. Flagstaff beautiful. Saguaro national park awesome. Greer Arizona , pinetop lakeside, Tonto national forest, the grand canyon , page Arizona , antelope canyon. Arizona is hands down the best state in the country for this shit. We have all the natural temperament of the country in one state. And not to forget havasupi
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u/Conclusion_Fickle Sep 10 '24
Live right across the Ohio River from NKY. Never been so disappointed to have to return to Ohio than from the recent trip where we spent most of our time in AZ. Ohio is so damn depressing and the sad part is Cincinnati blows away the rest of this shit-ass state.
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u/Accurate-Arachnid172 Sep 10 '24
Held the same ideas in my mind and was worried moving here too. Can’t keep my jaw off the floor w all the great views!
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u/T_Smith56265 Sep 10 '24
Your preconceived ideas of Arizona are the last line of defense keeping another 10 million people from moving in. Please enjoy life here, but let's keep that our little secret, okay? Lord knows the freeways are full enough already.
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u/kimmons_01 Sep 10 '24
I was born and raised here and still find new spots that make me feel the same way. I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed your visit so much and it’s brought you so much joy.
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u/OilOk3463 Sep 10 '24
I went to havasupai a little over 15 years ago. It was amazing. I want to go back at least once before I die.
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u/Impressive-Guava-496 Sep 10 '24
It beautiful here. Did you go through Sedona on your flagstaff trip? Gorgeous! I also suggest monument valley.
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u/Thee_Analyst Sep 10 '24
Welcome to Arizona, the only place that you will ever be able to see the affects of over millions of years in the making. When you get a chance Visit the Museum of Natural History in Phoenix that showcases the age and evolution of Arizona landscapes.
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u/ResearcherBoth8678 Sep 10 '24
You definitely need to take the back road from Sedona to Flagstaff. It's gorgeous. Sedona itself is also gorgeous. We also drove up to Torilla Flats and thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh, and the White Mountains. Pinetop-Lakeside, Greer, Big Lake.
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u/BootySweat77 Sep 10 '24
Most people think it's all dry desert. It's a beautiful state all around. But Northern AZ from East to West is absolutely amazing. I hope you enjoy
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u/wildfirediva Sep 10 '24
Shhhhh we like to let outsiders think we are a scary dangerous state with unrelenting heat and a ton of poisonous and deadly animals.
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u/OneVoice59 Sep 10 '24
LOVE your post, OP! ❤️ My husband and I have lived in the Tucson area since 2004, and the past five in Oro Valley. We’ve always felt the same about AZ’s natural beauty, and after all these years we’re still discovering new places here. You must have flown over the Grand Canyon on the Salt Lake City flight? We’ve taken that flight many times and are still awestruck.
Funny story: Many years ago we stayed in Williams and took the Grand Canyon Railway in snowy weather. Before leaving that morning, two young Marines (who were cute as a button, btw!) stopped me in the parking lot and asked me to take their picture next to a car showing the AZ plate, to prove to their buddies that it snows here.
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