Did I miss it? Fall colors in Arizona.

October 28, 2013 tiffany
8 Comments
Arizona, USA
Living in a place that was rated the #6 spot in the country for viewing fall colors we got a lot of phone calls this fall asking if ‘they missed it?’ referring to the fall colors. I understand to a certain degree what folks are getting at. People called from California trying to figure out when they should book their tickets, people from North Carolina trying to figure out how fast or slow they should drive up here.When I first lived out west in Flagstaff, Arizona, I too had a moment where I thought ‘I had missed it.’

Out West they have groves of aspen trees. The trees have tall, medium sized trunks covered in white bark leading up to green circular leaves that turn a brilliant yellow in the fall. They grow in clonal colonies, meaning they derive from a single seedling. The trees grow in clusters and all the roots are connected underground and can stretch for miles upon miles making them on of the worlds biggest and oldest organisms in the world. Each individual tree may live between 40-150 years, however the colonies may live for thousands of years. They spread about 3.3 feet a year by their root suckers and are able to survive forest fires because the roots are below the heat of the fire.

I will always remember the first fall Chris and I lived out west in Flagstaff, Arizona. We were exploring this dirt road that led up to this massive grove of aspens and immediately Chris and I said to each other, ‘We have to come back here in the fall.’

Fall came and we loaded up the car to go back to this special spot, which I couldn’t remember the name of the location even if I wanted to. The anticipation grew as our five speed Saturn bounced over the rocks on the dirt road leading up this hill. ‘Hill’ is the key word in the previous sentence because as we continued to ascend in elevation the leaves continued to descend from the trees and onto the ground. As we turned the final corner delivering us to what felt like our secret glen I remember feeling like I ‘had missed it’. My eyes gazed upon barren trees as a cold wind whipped across my face. The leaves on the ground had already lost their crisp, colorful crunch and had turned into piles of matted, wet leaves.

Driving on National Forest Roads. 

Chris and I walked all around the glen with its leaf-less trees. What I realized was we didn’t miss anything. We just had an experience that wasn’t what I was anticipating. There might have not been the color I expected, but to my memory bank I have such a vivid image of this isolated glen somewhere up a dirt road in the middle of the Arizona forest…without any leaves on the trees. The only thing we miss when we presuppose about an event is a chance to experience the present.
There is never a bad time to go out and be in nature. Nature always has something to offer us. It’s up to us to be willing to hear and see what she has to say. So get outside today, you’re not missing anything.

Dramatic afternoon thunderstorm at the base of Mount Humphrey.
At lower elevations the leaves stayed on much longer.

Hiking through fields and forest to summit.
We did get to enjoy the vibrant leaves in different locations.
Aspens in the foreground of Mount Humphrey, Arizona’s highest peak at 12,637 feet.
The view from near the top.
The road of life is always in front of you.
Are you going to keep pushing forward to see what you may find?
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8 Responses to “Did I miss it? Fall colors in Arizona.”

  • Jim
    10 years ago

    WOW! A way different fall foliage than Vermont. The view from Mt Humphrey is breathtaking.

    • Tiffany Soukup
      10 years ago

      One thing I love about fall out West is there are so many pine trees added to the mix of deciduous trees giving that nice contrast of green.

  • Barnabas Wornoff
    10 years ago

    Dang I missed it. Jim’s back on top. Great thunderstorm shot! Take that Laura. ;p

    • Tiffany Soukup
      10 years ago

      Thanks! Gotta love those afternoon thunderstorms (almost) every day living out West in mountain towns.

  • Laura
    10 years ago

    Aww geeze guys….. everything sure is purdy purdy purdy.

  • Richard Brader
    10 years ago

    Thanks for letting us travel this road with you, I am really enjoying the ride!!:)
    The contrast of color against the ruddy browns make it all the more vibrant and interesting, let us all keep our focus on finding the color in life and live in each wonderful moment no matter were we are!