Yesterday, I went for a photo excursion to West Fork State Park, just north of Sedona, Arizona. The park is very popular with hikers, featuring a number of trails along the west fork of Oak Creek, a stream that meanders southward through Sedona before joining the Verde River. The park also offers abundant photo opportunities, notably along the creek which flows primarily in the bottom of a narrow canyon. The canyon is bordered by lofty, red cliffs typical of the geology in the area. My first picture was taken near the beginning of the Call of the Canyon trail, an area where the cliff walls are quite modest. It’s a pretty, wooded area showing the last vestiges of the autumn colours.
Just downstream is a foot bridge. I was in a good position to photograph it and its surroundings from the creek level.
The next photograph was taken from another location along the creek, where the canyon walls are much higher and not so exposed to direct sunlight. Photographers love the soft, reflected light in these canyons.
This is a very beautiful area of the canyon, with the gently flowing stream winding through the trees and the colourful backdrop of the canyon wall. This location is also a crossing point for hikers following the Call of the Canyon trail. You can see water on some of the stones, left there by hikers who may have gotten their feet wet.
This is a great view of the canyon wall a little further along the trail. It’s right in your face, standing on the trail. It’s very impressive but impossible to capture and convey the sensation you get from being right there.
This final picture was taken near the end of the trail, facing into the sun. This location gave me the opportunity to capture the last traces of colour in the trees’ leaves. At this time of the year, the autumn colours are past their peak and these remaining leaves will soon be on the ground.
It was a very pleasant trip to one of my favourite areas of Arizona, the Sedona area. Sedona is about 1-1/2 hours north of our place in north Scottsdale. It’s also considerably higher in elevation, close to 3,000 ft (915 m) and consequently much cooler. I needed gloves for the first couple of hours before it warmed to about 55 deg F (13 deg C). I like the brisk, bracing autumn air; but it’s nicer when you know you’re only a short drive downhill to 80 deg F (27 deg C) weather.