Fountain Hills Botanical Garden

Explore the landscape at Fountain Hills Desert Sonoran Botanical Garden and expand your knowledge of Arizona plants and geology

A short visit to the Desert Sonoran Botanical Garden can provide you a free crash course in the plants and landscape that makes Arizona so unique.

Fountain Hills Lake Overlook Trail leads you through a beautiful desert landscape to this world-famous fountain

If you’re looking for an adventurous way to take in the sights of Fountain Hills, I suggest you set foot on the scenic 2-mile Lake Overlook Trail Loop.

Mature Saguaro cactuses stand bold and tall in the snow-covered desert

Early March storm leaves a blanket of snow on the Sonoran Desert of Arizona

On the night of March 1, 2023 a powerful winter storm blew through Arizona and left a blanket of snow on the Sonoran Desert.

barrel cactus with yellow flowers

Bright yellow flowers explode from Barrel Cactus after drenching monsoon rains

After drenching monsoon rains in the Phoenix area, I spotted this barrel cactus with bright yellow flowers at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass resort

creosoted plant with flowers on its branches

Humble creosote bush produces a fragrant aroma when it rains in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun

The humble creosote bush is the plant responsible for the desert rain aroma that some fragrance makers try to replicate.

Willow Springs Lake and forest

This short and easy trail to Willow Springs Lake gets more scenic the further you hike

If you’re looking for a relatively short hike with beautiful scenery on the Mogollon Rim, take a stroll on the trail to Willow Springs Lake from the Horse Trap Trailhead near Forest Lakes.

View of Willow Springs Lake from treelined shore

Look no further than Willow Springs Lake on Arizona’s Mogollon Rim for relief from the desert heat

Need a break from Arizona’s heat? Look no further than Willow Springs Lake, about 30 miles east of Payson on the Mogollon Rim.

Large pieces of petrified trees lie in pieces in a section of Arizona's Painted Desert

A visit to Petrified Forest National Park is like traveling millions of years back in time

In addition to large deposits of fossilized wood, Petrified Forest National Park also features ancient petroglyphs and hundreds of acres of Arizona’s jaw-dropping Painted Desert.

Arizona Bucket List Adventure Guide author Paul Fiarkoski shares five underrated destinations with Kristen Keogh on Here With Her podcast

Arizona Bucket List Adventure Guide Journal author Paul Fiarkoski joined Kristen Keogh on the Here With Her podcast to discuss his book. Paul talks about a big move that inspired the book and shares five underrated experiences from the fifty must-see natural wonders highlighted in his book.

3 reasons to put Hanging Garden Trail near Page on your Arizona bucket list

Unlike some of the more popular natural wonders in the Page, AZ area, Hanging Garden is a spectacular short trail that’s easy to access, with no fee.

Arizona Sycamore tree with unusual hole in its trunk

Sedona: Land of mysterious red rocks, vortexes, aliens and this peculiar Arizona Sycamore tree

Sedona is well known for mysterious sightings and happenings: Red rock formations, vortexes and alien encounters for example. Add this peculiar Arizona Sycamore tree to the list.

Hedgehog cactus in bloom

This strawberry hedgehog cactus can’t contain the color

A Low growing desert cactus that grows in clusters, the hedgehog cactus is known for bright flowers that bloom April to late May.