By Vicki Uthe
Arizona is an incredibly beautiful state. From the Sonoran desert full of saguaro cacti near the Mexican border to the slot canyons and red sandstone in the north near Utah, we here in the Grand Canyon State boast some amazing views.
One of the best photo workshops run by Arizona Highways Photoscapes in Arizona is Slot Canyons of the Colorado Plateau based in Page, AZ. It runs in March most years before the weather gets hot. I visit this area frequently, being that it is just two hours north of my home in Flagstaff. My wife and I canoe camp on Lake Powell often, memorable trips on which I could create a myriad of blog posts! That is for another time!
While most of my experiences to Lake Powell involve paddling our canoe across to Antelope Island for a camping and paddle boarding weekend, and it’s a fun time in and of itself, it’s also wonderful to see the splendor of the area that does not necessarily involve Lake Powell. The AHPS workshop changes slightly from year to year, but one thing that stays the same is it covers a wide area and visits many beautiful locations. Here are some of the highlights from my last two times to the area with AHPS.
Many times I wish I had paid more attention in my university geology class. This is an area referred to by the Navajo Nation as The Finss due to the thin delicate “finns” that protrude due to erosion. It’s beautiful at sunset. 
Heading to Lee’s Ferry we cross Navajo Bridge. From here one can see the silt that the Colorado River moves downriver. 
It is said that Glenn Canyon Dam will fail at some point due to the amount of silt built up in the lake from the Colorado and its tributaries.
Lee’s Ferry has some cool old buildings made from the surrounding sandstone leftover from when it was a vibrant community. 
Some of these locations are well known to locals and tourists alike. I would have never known about THIS place! Stud Horse Point has cool rocks and magnificent views of the valley below. 
Iconic Horseshoe Bend. It has become quite the popular location. Plan on paying for parking!
We’ve passed into Utah, through Big Water, and out on Highway 12, a dirt road that leads to the north end of the lake. It was a dry year. 
We hit a couple of Lake Powell overlooks.
“Little Cut” is an area of “tee pees” lit up beautifully by the morning sun.
And then there are the slots. Here you can see all KINDS of interesting things like feathers and hearts, to name a few.
The toadstools area is pretty cool as well.
May this post inspire you to check out this workshop in the future. It is beautiful. AHPS Instructors put a lot of time into scouting to ensure participants have a great experience, and they do an amazing job during the workshops.
Happy Shooting!
Vicki Uthe is a Photo Guide with Arizona Highways PhotoScapes
