Fall is finally starting in the high desert. October is a wonderful month for a visit.

This picture, taken from near the top of the Cibola trail, imperfectly captures one of my favorite views. Several vertical rocks and spires create a tense, 3D arrangement of unpeopled skyscrapers that never fails to enthrall. I haven’t figured out how to capture the feeling in 2D, but this comes close:

Click to enlarge.

Summer is a rainy season here – known as the monsoon – and for the first time in ≈7 years, no part of Arizona is in drought. That explains the clouds and the sun-dappled landscape in the picture.

Cibola trail is part of a 6 mile loop that is my favorite hike. Perhaps you can see why.