I miss the desert… I think I left a piece of my heart somewhere on the Arizona Strip.
Have you ever visited somewhere that not only exceeded expectations, but also changed you somehow? The red earth, the low brush, the cacti, the buzzards, the rocks, the vastness – I can’t quantify the feelings, but all I know is that I love the desert landscape of Arizona and Utah.
Technically the landscapes I am describing are not all deserts – but are classified as semi-arid and arid, and canyon lands. For the purposes of my romantic longings for these places, I’m going to refer to them as deserts, because ‘I miss arid landscapes’ doesn’t sound quite so intriguing!
Leaving Las Vegas
From a young age I remember being drawn to the desert, although it wasn’t until I was 26 that I first caught a glimpse of the vastness of Arizona, when I visited Las Vegas and took a flight over the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t until I was 38 that I drove through the arid areas of Nevada, Arizona and Utah – and these landscapes became a beautiful reality.
We drove out of Las Vegas and it wasn’t long before the wide open space stretched out before us. At first the land was a pale brown and it looked arid and empty. But the longer you are in the desert, the more full it becomes. We took the old Route 66 section through Hackberry and Seligman, before dropping down towards Sedona.
In Las Vegas we stayed at The Stratosphere – an iconic hotel and tower.
The roadside desert towns
Hackberry
The little enclaves amidst the desert were such interesting places to stop. Like metal mirages on the Arizona horizon, towns like Hackberry are little more than tourist stops full of Americana… but there is something endearing and wonderful about them. I’m not going to lie, I LOVE kitsch, so a roadside pitstop with the skeletons of classic American cars and Route 66 road signs is pretty much heaven.
Mingus Mountain
We then road-tripped south and over Mingus Mountain, through the mining town of Jerome, and back down into Sedona. The changing landscapes are like nothing I have ever seen before. From the stripped rock of the mining towns, to the unearthly rock formations in Sedona – our moments of awe were many! Although the trip over Mingus Mountain scared my husband, who doesn’t enjoy heights too much.
I have a whole blog post planned on visiting the Grand Canyon, and staying in the cabins on the South Rim, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
Monument Valley
For me, the real love-affair with the desert didn’t truly occur until we headed from Grand Canyon east and then north up through Tuba City and onwards to Monument Valley. The earth turned red and the distance between places increased. I must admit, the long stretches of road with only power pylons to keep us company indulged all my long-held imaginations of American road-trips.
Monument Valley caused something of a soul-shift in me. I don’t really know whether it was because the site of my pop-culture knowledge of western movies came alive in front of me; or whether it was because the beauty of the desert had me by the scruff. Watching the sunset, sunrise and midnight sky from The View Hotel on the Navajo Nation reservation was one of the most raison d’être-shaking experiences of my life.
Further into Utah
Zion & Bryce
We then moved on to explore more of Utah, and the National Parks of Zion and Bryce Canyon. The continually changing palate of the stretches of desert and the different rock formations kept me captivated to the point where I didn’t ever want to leave. Exploring the ghost towns of Utah was amazing too!
In Utah, we stayed at the Canyons Lodge in Kanab
If you love the desert, you’ll love visiting Death Valley National Park too!
Falling for the desert landscape of Arizona & Utah
Driving back into Las Vegas to fly out to our onward destinations, I felt my world get smaller. The city was all walls and buildings blocking my view. My periphery was suddenly full of cars, people and neon instead of rocks, pylons and birds. I think this is when I understood how much my perspective had changed by having experienced the desert landscape of Arizona and Utah. I am forever changed, and so grateful for it.
Would you like to discover the wonder of Arizona & Utah?
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All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 24 mm f/2.8 STM Lens; and an iPhoneX.
Deserts have that special charm, though barren they continue to lure. I felt the same about Jaisalmer desert. The national Parks of Utah are in my list. Hope I get to visit them in this lifetime.
I have been to bryce canyon and enjoyed it too. The area in utah is so vast….I wish i could have spent more time there. i totally get what you felt like!
Yes, I totally agree! The first time I went on a self-drive to this part of the world, I was utterly captivated by those incredible arid landscapes. Such beauty in the red expanses. Loved both monument valley and bryce canyon in particular!
I still remember the day I First arrived in Tucson. Saguaros fill a hillside like old growth forest was something I had never seen before. I really miss the night sky too. The Desert is truly a special place. Love the pictures of Sedona.
we just left Arizona–including a stop in the adorably kitsch Hackberry! I completely agree with your sentiment on Arizona and utah–it changes you. I’ve driven to 44 states and I still feel utah is the prettiest. see you on the road!
This is my absolute favorite part of the country. I’ve been to all 50 states and utah is my absolute favorite. The landscape is pure magic. I loved Bryce canyon so much, and I learned a new place to visit too – mingus mountain. It sounds really amazing!
I totally feel you on the ‘never wanting to leave’ vibes of the sw us. my family did a vacation there when i was maybe 10 years old and i still vividly remember it and want to go back.
I feel the same about the Arizona desert. There is something about the vast landscape that resonates with me and draws me back. Roadside pitstops are a must! We have discovered so many quirky places on our Arizona road trips. Gorgeous photography – I’m dreaming of my return to the desert.
This drive is definitely on my bucket list, monument valley just looks incredible, it’s hard to believe the rock formations are all natural! And who doesn’t love kitsch?!
This looks like an amazing trip – I love Monument Valley. In fact I camped right on the ledge and the sunset views were amazing. I would love to go back again to this amazing place.
Great post, Hannah! You captured the essence of our beautiful “desert” perfectly! Do come back again! 🙂
Thank you so much! I want to come back soon!
You captured the desert’s quiet magic perfectly.
Beautifully written! The Arizona and Utah desert landscapes look absolutely stunning, especially Monument Valley. Your descriptions really capture the magic of a Southwest road trip!