Yes, it’s the Grand Canyon State, and we all know that it’s absolutely incredible (see below for more proof), but there’s so much beauty here it’s staggering. Have a look at some of the most scenic places in Arizona.
- Grand Canyon South Rim
Flickr/Les Haines Of course, everyone must visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their lives. It’s one of the natural wonders of the world after all and considered the best park in Arizona.
- Horseshoe Bend
Flickr/Vincente Villamon Horseshoe Bend is a meander of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Page. It can be reached by access road or a hike which takes you to one of the most scenic overlooks in Arizona.
- Petrified Forest National Park
Flickr/TLPOSCHARSKY This park gets its name for its large deposits of petrified wood. It’s located in Apache and Navajo counties and is also home to some lovely Painted Desert badlands.
- Santa Cruz
Flickr/Phillip Capper This town shares a border with Mexico and is a picturesque place for camping and birdwatching.
- The Wave
Greg Bulla via commons.wikimedia.com This incredible sandstone formation in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in Coconino County is prized by photographers and hikers alike. However, to access The Wave, you must enter a lottery to win a permit the day you wish to go, but it’s no guarantee you’ll win. Click here to learn more.
- Bell Rock
Flickr/Scott Taylor Bell Rock is located just north of the Village of Oak Creek in Yavapai County. It is believed by some to be a gateway to other dimensions.
- Cottonball Clouds over Navajo County
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli There’s endless scenery and outdoor activities to be found in Navajo County.
- Window Rock
Flickr/Dpnovan Shortey Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation, named for this local landmark.
- Picacho Peak
Flickr/Kevin Dooley Picacho Peak State Park is located between Casa Grande and Tucson.
- Mogollon Rim
Flickr/Kevin Dooley The Mogollon Rim is an escarpment running through Arizona, with its most stunning features being high cliffs of limestone and sandstone.
- Glen Canyon
Flickr/OliBac Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is over one million acres of mostly desert around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona.
- Antelope Canyon
@ S@ndrine/Flickr Antelope Canyon is located within the Navajo Nation near Page, AZ. It features two separate sections of very aesthetic slot canyon, Upper Antelope Canyon and Antelope Canyon, also called The Crack and The Corkscrew.
- Sunrise at Lake Powell
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas/Facebook Sometimes it’s worth getting up early to watch the sunrise.
- Reymert
Flickr/Kevin Dooley The former mining town of Reymert has long been a ghost town located in Pinal County near Gold Canyon.
- Monument Valley
Diana Robinson/Flickr Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is on the AZ/UT border. It’s recognizable as the backdrop for many classic Westerns.
- Lake Powell
Udo S/Flickr Lake Powell is on the border of Arizona and Utah. It was created by the building of the Glen Canyon Dam and the flooding of Glen Canyon.
- White Mountains in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Flickr/Al_HikesAZ While a small part of the White Mountains, which are near the New Mexico border, is in Apache-Sitgreaves, most of it is within Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
- Tucson
Ron Reiring/Flickr Tucson is one of the most beautiful places in Arizona and is known for its dramatic landcsape and vast number of saguaro cacti throughout the Sonoran Desert.
- Upper Antelope Canyon
Jeremy Krieger/Flickr
- Monument Valley at Night
Xavi Talleda · Photo collection · (C)/Moment via Getty Image
- Loy Butte
DeepDesertPhoto/ RooM via Getty Images Take the Loy Butte Trail in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona to view the stunning landscape.
- Red Rock State Park
Brook Ward/Flickr Red Rock State Park in Sedona exists to protect the lush environment and varied wildlife on Oak Creek.
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
Rod Brazier/Flickr Montezuma Castle National Monument consists of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near Camp Verde. It has five stories and took three centuries to build.
- Painted Desert
Flickr/Kevin Dooley The abundant manganese and iron in this Chinle Formation lend it these beautiful colors. Most of the Painted Desert is within the Navajo Nation.
Do you have any other favorite spots to add to our most scenic places in Arizona list? Please let us know below, and please share any beautiful photos we can use with your name and location on our Facebook page!
Flickr/Les Haines
Of course, everyone must visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their lives. It’s one of the natural wonders of the world after all and considered the best park in Arizona.
Flickr/Vincente Villamon
Horseshoe Bend is a meander of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Page. It can be reached by access road or a hike which takes you to one of the most scenic overlooks in Arizona.
Flickr/TLPOSCHARSKY
This park gets its name for its large deposits of petrified wood. It’s located in Apache and Navajo counties and is also home to some lovely Painted Desert badlands.
Flickr/Phillip Capper
This town shares a border with Mexico and is a picturesque place for camping and birdwatching.
Greg Bulla via commons.wikimedia.com
This incredible sandstone formation in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in Coconino County is prized by photographers and hikers alike. However, to access The Wave, you must enter a lottery to win a permit the day you wish to go, but it’s no guarantee you’ll win. Click here to learn more.
Flickr/Scott Taylor
Bell Rock is located just north of the Village of Oak Creek in Yavapai County. It is believed by some to be a gateway to other dimensions.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
There’s endless scenery and outdoor activities to be found in Navajo County.
Flickr/Dpnovan Shortey
Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation, named for this local landmark.
Flickr/Kevin Dooley
Picacho Peak State Park is located between Casa Grande and Tucson.
The Mogollon Rim is an escarpment running through Arizona, with its most stunning features being high cliffs of limestone and sandstone.
Flickr/OliBac
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is over one million acres of mostly desert around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona.
@ S@ndrine/Flickr
Antelope Canyon is located within the Navajo Nation near Page, AZ. It features two separate sections of very aesthetic slot canyon, Upper Antelope Canyon and Antelope Canyon, also called The Crack and The Corkscrew.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas/Facebook
Sometimes it’s worth getting up early to watch the sunrise.
The former mining town of Reymert has long been a ghost town located in Pinal County near Gold Canyon.
Diana Robinson/Flickr
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is on the AZ/UT border. It’s recognizable as the backdrop for many classic Westerns.
Udo S/Flickr
Lake Powell is on the border of Arizona and Utah. It was created by the building of the Glen Canyon Dam and the flooding of Glen Canyon.
Flickr/Al_HikesAZ
While a small part of the White Mountains, which are near the New Mexico border, is in Apache-Sitgreaves, most of it is within Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
Ron Reiring/Flickr
Tucson is one of the most beautiful places in Arizona and is known for its dramatic landcsape and vast number of saguaro cacti throughout the Sonoran Desert.
Jeremy Krieger/Flickr
Xavi Talleda · Photo collection · (C)/Moment via Getty Image
DeepDesertPhoto/ RooM via Getty Images
Take the Loy Butte Trail in the Coconino National Forest near Sedona to view the stunning landscape.
Brook Ward/Flickr
Red Rock State Park in Sedona exists to protect the lush environment and varied wildlife on Oak Creek.
Rod Brazier/Flickr
Montezuma Castle National Monument consists of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near Camp Verde. It has five stories and took three centuries to build.
The abundant manganese and iron in this Chinle Formation lend it these beautiful colors. Most of the Painted Desert is within the Navajo Nation.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: South Rim, Arizona 86023, USAAddress: 1001 Page Parkway, Page, AZ 86040, USAAddress: Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028, USAAddress: Santa Cruz, AZ 85339, USAAddress: The Wave Trail, Kanab, AZ 84741, USAAddress: Bell Rock Access Trail, Sedona, AZ 86336, USAAddress: Navajo County, AZ, USAAddress: Window Rock, AZ, USAAddress: Picacho Peak, Arizona 85141, USAAddress: Mogollon Rim, Arizona 85541, USAAddress: Glen Canyon, Arizona 86036, USAAddress: Lake Powell, AZ 86040, USAAddress: Reymert, AZ, USAAddress: Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ 84536, USAAddress: White Mountains, Arizona 85941, USAAddress: Tucson, AZ, USAAddress: Antelope Canyon, Arizona 86040, USAAddress: Loy Butte, Arizona 86336, USAAddress: Red Rock State Park, 4050 Red Rock Loop Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336, USAAddress: Montezuma Castle National Monument, Montezuma Castle Rd, Camp Verde, AZ, USAAddress: Painted Desert, Arizona 86031, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Scenic Places In Arizona April 13, 2021 Melissa M What are the best parks to visit in Arizona? Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon, the desert, and the red rocks of Sedona. It’s a state filled with natural wonders and endless outdoor adventures. Many of the state parks offer more than just scenic beauty. The underrated Alamo Lake State Park near Wenden offers everything from wildlife and hiking to recreational activities galore. Fishing, swimming, and boating are options as well as taking an OHV out on the trails and you can camp here or stay at a cabin. At Alamo Lake, there’s a little something for everyone! For additional parks offering everything from scenery to historic areas, visit our post, These 9 State Parks In Arizona Will Knock Your Socks Off. Where can I find scenic overlooks in Arizona? There’s nothing like being treated to epic views from an overlook after a hike in Arizona. The Wave Cave Trail in the Superstition Mountains leads to a canyon and the Wave Cave with otherworldly views of the surrounding landscape. It’s breathtaking! If you are looking for a longer hike, head to the Kelsey-Dorsey Loop in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness. This adventure will guide you through trees and ultimately end up at an overlook with endless mountain views. What are the most scenic hikes I can take in Arizona? Some of the best hiking trails in the world are found in Arizona. From hiking in and around the Grand Canyon to the red rock landscape of Sedona to the desert and mountains, it’s hard not to find a scenic trail for incredible views and escape out in nature.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Scenic Places In Arizona
April 13, 2021
Melissa M
What are the best parks to visit in Arizona? Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon, the desert, and the red rocks of Sedona. It’s a state filled with natural wonders and endless outdoor adventures. Many of the state parks offer more than just scenic beauty. The underrated Alamo Lake State Park near Wenden offers everything from wildlife and hiking to recreational activities galore. Fishing, swimming, and boating are options as well as taking an OHV out on the trails and you can camp here or stay at a cabin. At Alamo Lake, there’s a little something for everyone! For additional parks offering everything from scenery to historic areas, visit our post, These 9 State Parks In Arizona Will Knock Your Socks Off. Where can I find scenic overlooks in Arizona? There’s nothing like being treated to epic views from an overlook after a hike in Arizona. The Wave Cave Trail in the Superstition Mountains leads to a canyon and the Wave Cave with otherworldly views of the surrounding landscape. It’s breathtaking! If you are looking for a longer hike, head to the Kelsey-Dorsey Loop in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness. This adventure will guide you through trees and ultimately end up at an overlook with endless mountain views. What are the most scenic hikes I can take in Arizona? Some of the best hiking trails in the world are found in Arizona. From hiking in and around the Grand Canyon to the red rock landscape of Sedona to the desert and mountains, it’s hard not to find a scenic trail for incredible views and escape out in nature.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon, the desert, and the red rocks of Sedona. It’s a state filled with natural wonders and endless outdoor adventures. Many of the state parks offer more than just scenic beauty. The underrated Alamo Lake State Park near Wenden offers everything from wildlife and hiking to recreational activities galore. Fishing, swimming, and boating are options as well as taking an OHV out on the trails and you can camp here or stay at a cabin. At Alamo Lake, there’s a little something for everyone! For additional parks offering everything from scenery to historic areas, visit our post, These 9 State Parks In Arizona Will Knock Your Socks Off.
Where can I find scenic overlooks in Arizona?
There’s nothing like being treated to epic views from an overlook after a hike in Arizona. The Wave Cave Trail in the Superstition Mountains leads to a canyon and the Wave Cave with otherworldly views of the surrounding landscape. It’s breathtaking! If you are looking for a longer hike, head to the Kelsey-Dorsey Loop in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness. This adventure will guide you through trees and ultimately end up at an overlook with endless mountain views.
What are the most scenic hikes I can take in Arizona?
Some of the best hiking trails in the world are found in Arizona. From hiking in and around the Grand Canyon to the red rock landscape of Sedona to the desert and mountains, it’s hard not to find a scenic trail for incredible views and escape out in nature.
