Arizona

I just got back from a week long trip to Arizona! We enjoyed a road trip along 285 southwest out of Colorado, stopping along the way for local breweries and awesome sights! We stayed in Farmington, NM the first night so we could enjoy the early morning light at Ship Rock - from Wikipedia: Shiprock is a monadnock rising nearly 1,583 feet above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Its peak elevation is 7,177 feet above sea level. It is 10.75 miles southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak.

After Shiprock, we headed for Petrified Forest National Park. What an incredible and other-worldly landscape! The landscape is home to fossils that are over 200 million years old. There is also evidence of humans in the area about 2000 years ago. The day we were visiting, the wind was whipping at over 40 mph. It is harsh and beautiful place.

We arrived in Heber-Overgaard for our week long stay at the WorldMark Bison Ranch. This National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Property was a perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. Surrounded by national forest and small-town charm, there were plenty of local businesses and restaurants to enjoy. From Heber-Overgaard, we took day trips to Show Low, Payson, and Winslow. I enjoyed many birding stops along the way and saw 4 lifers on the trip!

Enjoy some photos of the trip below! (click on photos to enlarge)