Fall is a great time for a hike in the Aspen forest of Northern Arizona. I saw a post from on Instagram and decided to see it for myself before the weekend crowds arrived. New camera and more time to devote to goals as the time arises. Why not? I grabbed my gear and left for a day trip.
Of course I would have to pass through Sedona and Oak Creek, which is gorgeous anytime of the year. Their autumn is still sparse yellows and reds among a sea of green cottonwoods. I was on a mission though. I need fall colors for stock photo submissions. Briefly stopping and saying to myself I need abundance of color.
Once I reached the higher elevations of Flagstaff it felt like an arctic blast at 45° F. At least for this Phoenician. I loved it! A quick stop to supply myself with snacks and more liquids I was off to Snowbowl. Along the way a wreck impeded traffic as I drove by slowly checking people involved for signs they were ok. I could see people gathering documents and moving around which is always good to see after an accident.
There were a few stopping points up the winding road, but I had a mission to get to the top. My goal was abundance of fall colors. I pulled into the first lot available and looped around to see the jack pot. Literally acres of aspen shimmering like gold coins blowing in the frosty wind of the mid morning sun light.
Loaded up with a camera and a lens bag I started the roughly two mile journey. The photos tell the rest of the story. A beautiful panoramic is available in the shop from this hike in the Aspen forest.
