Travel, PortraitMorgan Stone Grethertravel, arizona, Superstition Mountains, Superior, family, vulture, bird, flower, horse, desert, dog, portrait, botanical garden, arboretum, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, mountains

Superior, Arizona

Travel, PortraitMorgan Stone Grethertravel, arizona, Superstition Mountains, Superior, family, vulture, bird, flower, horse, desert, dog, portrait, botanical garden, arboretum, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, mountains
Superior, Arizona

In June 2015, I went to see my mother in Superior, Arizona. It’s a funky little mining town along state highway 60, easy to ignore as you drive out of the insanity of the Phoenix basin and into the beautiful Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. But it’s worth a stop, particularly for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, on the west side of town. It features beautiful and odd desert plants from around the world; I never miss it when I’m in town. — This visit I arrived a sunset to catch the golden light on the mountains. Breathtaking! And then I snagged a couple portraits of local residents. The next morning it was off to the arboretum, yay, and then helping my mother working on her house.

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TravelMorgan Stone GretherTonto National Monument, Tonto, arizona, native american, National Monument, travelComment

Tonto National Monument, Arizona

In March 2016 I had a quick trip to Sedona, Arizona, to take pics for Visit Sedona. After Sedona, I swung by the Tonto National Monument above Lake Roosevelt. It's a stunning site, where 800 years ago people created villages into the cliffsides. You can still tour one of the dwelling spaces at the top of a trail that winds through gorgeous cacti and wildflowers. 

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Tonto National Monument, Arizona
TravelMorgan Stone Gretherarizona, Pinal Mountains, mountains, desert, tonto national forest, route 60, travel

Arizona Route 60 between Superior and Miami

This winter before some shoots in Sedona, I traveled up the Arizona Route 60 highway through the Pinal mountains between Superior and Miami (pronounced "My Amma"). With the altitude the desert there in the Tonto National Forest can get more moisture than the valleys and so it bursts full of life. It is a rugged, rocky area, home I'm told to some of the world's largest tin and copper deposits. 

TravelMorgan Stone Gretherarizona, Pinal Mountains, mountains, desert, tonto national forest, route 60, travel
Arizona Route 60 between Superior and Miami
TravelMorgan Stone GretherPinal Mountains, Miami Arizona, arizona, cats, art, mural, graffiti, travel

The Painted Cats of Miami, Arizona

Miami (pronounced "My Amma"), Arizona, sits nestled at the edge of the Pinal Mountains and beneath a massive copper mine. It's a quiet, dusty town, so small you could blink and miss it. But those are some of the best towns around, and I found if you pull off the main road, Route 60 (see my previous blog post on this drive), there is a charming strip of antique stores along with a couple bars and a couple restaurants. Quiet, dusty, small, but with some flair. You will find, if you take the time to stop, that the town is covered in public art. Of particular delight to me were the countless cat paintings found on street corners, shop fronts, nooks and crannies.  

TravelMorgan Stone GretherPinal Mountains, Miami Arizona, arizona, cats, art, mural, graffiti, travel
The Painted Cats of Miami, Arizona
TravelMorgan Stone Gretherroute 88, Apache Trail Highway, arizona, mountains, desert, Superstition Mountains, travel

Apache Trail Highway, Arizona Route 88

Cutting through the rugged Superstition Mountains from the towns of Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat to Roosevelt Lake, Arizona's Route 88 -- a.k.a the Apache Trail Highway -- is a gorgeous ride with endless spots of oohs and ahhs. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst, most treacherous roads I've driven in all the United States. It winds its way around cliffside after cliffside on a pothole-infested, one-lane road that somehow is declared suitable for two lanes. And those two lanes are filled with large pickups pulling boats to the various recreational spots in the area. But if you survive, it's hard to mind a slow ride through unspoiled southwestern desert wilderness. If you're going, the best vehicle to take is a small car with good shocks. (And air conditioning!)

TravelMorgan Stone Gretherroute 88, Apache Trail Highway, arizona, mountains, desert, Superstition Mountains, travel
Apache Trail Highway, Arizona Route 88