Tonto National Forest

On the day we left Arizona we had an afternoon flight that allowed us time to squeeze in one final adventure before leaving. As we loaded our bags into the car, we got to chatting and saying goodbye to our host, Dawn. We mentioned that we planned to while away the time in Phoenix until our flight and she offered to take us down the road to a local entrance of the Tonto National Forest instead. We happily accepted the offer and followed her in her RZR for some incredible desert landscape views before we left.

After heading down one of the paths into the forest for about ten minutes, we stopped at a plateau overlooking the landscape. We chatted a little while longer and said our goodbyes as Dawn headed back home. We felt like we’d been transported to a wide-open playground that we had all to ourselves! I always take more outfits than I need on a trip, because you can’t always plan exactly what you’ll do or what you’ll want to wear. This was one of those occasions so I opened up my suitcase and changed into one of the extra outfits I’d brought. This striped wrap skirt, open-back top, and slide sandals were easy to slip into and light enough for the hot desert sun beating down from above.

As we walked around taking in the views, we wanted to capture images that embodied the scene and the beauty of the landscape to take home with us. Like I mentioned in this post, we chose Arizona for our vacation destination to see and experience the desert, rather than just visiting another city. The Tonto National Forest gave us the most incredible experience of natural, untouched desert. Looking back through these photos, I can remember exactly how the warm intense sun felt on my skin and how the wide open space took my breath away. The entrance to the forest was not on maps and something we never would’ve known about on our own. It emphasized how unique of an experience we had by choosing a VRBO outside the city. This surprise adventure was such a treat and made for a truly memorable trip!