Night at Picacho Peak

Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona surrounds the 1,500 foot volcanic Picacho peak, a prominent landmark in the Sonoran Desert. The park is know for its geological significance, desert plants and wildlife. The park offers scenic and challenging hiking trails that wind up the peak.

When I visited Tucson, Arizona in the fall of 2024, I had this location in mind to capture the Milky Way. It was unseasonably hot when I was there to scout and there weren’t very many people around. The scenery was beautiful and I easily found the location I would return to later that evening to set up. While I waited for dark, I drove to a nearby town to have dinner. When I returned to set up, the temperature hadn’t decreased much but the amount of stars I could see was amazing! This was my first time in skies this dark! It was amazing!

This was my first trip to Arizona and I’m now hooked!! The scenery, dark skies and the wildlife are so amazing. I hope to make this an annual trip!