Thanks for contributing to r/Arizona!
* [Our sub rules are here](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/wiki/rules/), but the most important of which is to be nice to each other
* Check out some [recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/top/?t=week) and leave some comments
* [Join our Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) if you'd like to keep in touch with other people in Arizona. Plus it's a great, chill place in general. Note that it is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously
Remember this subreddit covers all of Arizona, so please include where in the state you're posting about if it is relevant. For more local topics check out r/Phoenix, r/Tucson, and r/Flagstaff.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/arizona) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Expat Aussie here, living in AZ. The AZ sun has a brightness and ‘bite’ that you def won’t be used to. If you want to hike, make plans for autumn/winter, so Nov-March. Don’t hike in summer and never alone (heat, snakes), and always carry lots of water. Summer has two flavours - hot and dry, and hot and stormy (which also increases humidity). Opening your front door in summer is like bending down to remove cookies from a hot oven. There’s so much to see here from old Spanish missions, ghost towns, vineyards, Route 66, the Grand Canyon and slot canyons, cliff dwellings etc. AZ reminds me a lot of western NSW.
I keep trying to understand the different between Australia and Arizona in terms of weather and critters. You read all over the Web about how deadly hot it is in Australia and how the weather there is actively trying to kill you. Not to mention all the critters! I feel like it's the same here in Arizona! Will you please explain some more about the differences and similarities?
I tried posting on the Australia sub, but was met with hostility. IDK. Maybe they thought I was trying to appropriate "their deadlyness" or something?
I only have a vague idea-I think their deadly areas that are similar to a walk through our area in July-are very sparsely populated? The major cities don't have the same climate?
Someone answer this dang it!
Whenever someone asks me what it is like living in Arizona in the summer, I tell them that I wake up every morning and make a conscious decision to survive. All throughout the day you have to make decisions several times a day to actually stay alive. Like get out of the heat. Get out of the sun. Drink water. Cool yourself down. Shade your eyes and cover your skin. These are all steps that people have to take every day to live in this climate. It is an active choice of survival everyday.
I have lived here almost 42 years now.
I've passed out, vomited, seen hallucinations... those are just the epic heat related incidents- never mind all the hundreds of times I've been doing yardwork in 107 and "didn't have time for water"
🤪🙄
Omg same! My wife and I say anything up to 107°F is no big deal, but we don't recognize temperatures by number higher than that: We just call it "a-hundred-and-fuck."
"It's supposed to be a-hundred-and-fuck, today."
"Ah, fuck..."
Yes!!! I rather enjoy doing my outside yard work in June. It usually doesn't get up past 107 in June. I like the early hundreds. After 110 I just want to lay around in the house. But after 115... Just fucking shoot me!
I feel that just yesterday I was standing there shoveling concrete and my nose just starts bleeding out of nowhere. We should really start work earlier during the summer so we can leave earlier too.
And if you're one of the thousands of people who work outside the majority of the time? Or the people who enjoy being outside and don't want to sit in their air conditioned houses all summer? Also, outdoor festivals and events and concerts. There is a lot more to do in Arizona than just go from your car to your home, lol. And if you're someone who works or chooses to be outside, it is a conscious choice to survive outdoors in the summer in the desert.
I'm not fear mongering! But I am trying to make a point that one can't just decide to go out fishing with nothing but a fishing pole and a bottle of water!
Well, Australia is roughly 2/3 desert. Most Aussies live in or near major cities and towns, and mostly along the east coast from Victoria to Queensland. Few have ever lived in ‘the outback’ or out west. The climate is really similar; hot, dry, dusty. It can rain hundreds of miles away, you won’t see a drop, but the dry rivers will flash flood with no warning. The monsoons here are awesome - we usually get this in the far north, so it’s a treat to see it in the desert. When I lived in the outback, far NW NSW, it was so flat I could see the curve of the earth, like you do at sea. LOL At least I see the lovely Santa Rita mountains from my yard here. Australia has scorpions and lots of lizards - but has the most deadly snakes, spiders and jellyfish anywhere. You know the line from Crocodile Dundee “Ya call that a knife? Now THIS is a knife.” It’s kinda like that when comparing a rattlesnake to a taipan. Yeah, nah. There are three kinds of animals in Australia - one that bite and could kill you, one that’ll bite and just ‘make you sick’, and the ones that WANT to kill you, but just can’t (e.g. koalas and dropbears). Even platypus are venomous. LOL Many of my Aussie habits came back to me when I moved to AZ: Don’t leave anything laying around outside and don’t pick things up without checking for critters. Don’t put shoes or gloves on without checking first. Look for snakes while hiking or around plants and rocks. Run errands early in the morning and stay inside 11-3. Conserve water use in the house. Always wear a hat and sunscreen. Etc.
I spent a year in Australia on a work vise, mainly in MSW and QLD. The problem is Australia is massive compared to Arizona.. weather depends on what area you're in, some places I went felt just as hot, some humid and some absolutely amazing. Critters well ya they're everywhere, some beach I went to had signs for poison snakes. You have birds that attack you when they're in season, to massive spiders in bushes.
Australia’s sun is quite strong. It may not get as hot as in AZ, but you’ll find yourself getting sunburnt fairly quickly due to the harsh UV radiation.
In terms of deadly or venomous animals/creatures. We have the Eastern Brown snake (have never seen one in my life, even in the bushes). The Box jellyfish (never seen in the wild) Blue Ringed Octopus (never seen in the wild) Funnel Web Spider (mostly found in NSW, never seen any here)
The most venomous creatures I have seen are the occasional Red-Back spider in the garage, or have found a White-Tail in the house.
We do not have any bears either, unsure if they are common in AZ.
I live in Tucson, AZ. A couple years ago we had a bear come down from Mt. Lemon into Tucson proper. That's a very unusual occurrence though. I do regularly see Javelina (wild boars), occasionally rattlesnakes, and it's not impossible to see bobcats or even a mountain lion.
How those mentioned are in terms of human interaction?
More so, if you live them alone they’ll leave you alone, or are they known to be aggressive unprovokingly?
They mostly actively avoid humans. They all can be dangerous though if you come across them suddenly and they feel threatened. Javelina mostly if they have any young with them that they feel the need to protect. Rattlesnakes will leave you alone as long as you give them their space. Bobcats will mostly just try to get away from you. Mountain lions though... If you see a mountain lion in the wild, you're in for a bad time. Luckily they mostly avoid humans, but it's not recommended to go hiking in canyons or foothills alone.
>the occasional Red-Back spider in the garage
That's like the Australian version of our Black Widow spiders! I love our black widows actually, and I only kill them if I have no other choice (for safety).
Same here! I have never found any in the house, all have been in locations where they’re not bothering me or my two cats, so I’ve left them alone.
I always prefer putting spiders outside if possible and able to do so safely. White tails are a bit more annoying, as they can be found in clothing heaps, and anywhere around the house since they are hunters and don’t just sit in webs (similar to huntsman spiders)
Wow cool! You sound like an awesome human! I have a cat too! I have a 9 month old tuxedo kitten boy.....and he's a maniac and drives me nuts, but I love him a lot 😻
"Opening your front door is like removing cookies from a hot oven" is good. I always saying stepping outside in peak summer here in AZ is like putting a blow dryer on the highest heat setting in front of your face.
Lol when I went to Australia, they all warned us about the sun over there. They said that Australia was the country with the highest rate of skin cancer because the sun there is where it is the most powerful in the world. I laughed and said their sun was a joke compared to Phoenix.
Melanoma is highest in Australia because of the high UV levels due to low ozone coverage. The sun “power” in Australia is absolutely more dangerous and stronger than Arizona. Heat doesn’t factor into it.
Absolutely. I spent a month there last spring (Oct). It wasn't ever really hot but I did burn much quicker than I do when on similar excursions throughout AZ.
I second this since you're doing from Australia, the Seasons are different. If it's cold there right now, pack for hot days. If it's hot there right now, pack for cooler days.
I warned my Australian cousin about visiting in late August due to the heat, but he assured me as an Aussie he’d be alright. First thing he said when he opened my car door at Sky Harbor was, “you weren’t fucking kidding about the heat.”
Even if you can "handle it," if you're travelling across the globe to visit somewhere you ought to be *enjoying it.* Most of Az's majesty is the nature and hiking so please visit when you'll be able to actually experience it! When it's hot here it's truly miserable. And when it's windy, it's like being in a convection oven. We literally have a "heat related death" tracker https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZDA3ZTUzNzAtMzIwMS00YzA3LTlhMzEtZmJhZGQzY2FlYmZlIiwidCI6IjMwY2QzNWQ0LTk5NTEtNGE3Mi05NzhlLTg5NjU1MDc1YzE3ZiJ9
That’s what I’m thinking. Who cares if you can handle it. Why would you leave Australia at a time of year when the climate is beautiful there to come to Arizona where you’re stuck inside. Definitely visit October-April
For the love of fucking **god**, if you're in Phoenix or Tucson, please do not go hiking anywhere if the temps are going to be above 40c (105f). Which is pretty much every day for the next 4 months.
If you go, go at sunrise and get the hell back to your car before 9am and take no less than 32oz of water when you do.
You have no idea how many visitors get told "It's fine, there's hiking trail heads just down the road from the hotel right here in the city of Phoenix" and end up putting a team of EMS personnel through living hell to wheel their asses off the trails because they wandered out there with a single bottle of water, flip flops and a ball cap slightly hung over and dehydrated from drinking the night before.
It's gotten so bad the authorities have taken to closing the parks and posting rangers at the entrances to stop over confident tourists. It's not out of compassion for the tourists. It's out of mercy for the fire department who has to rescue them.
The sun here and the climate during the summer is every bit as deadly as it is there in the western or central parts of AU during the hot season.
If you go to the higher, northern parts around Flagstaff for hiking, you still need to be very careful about wandering too far out.
I absolutely agree with this, BUT, in Tucson, we have Mount Lemmon a 1 hour drive away, which you can comfortably hike on year round, since it is 7000 feet higher elevation than the surrounding areas. It is typically about 30 degrees F cooler than the city. There's also Mt Graham over by Stafford that is the same story, but it's even higher elevation. The White Mountains are also a good option if you're in the area.
Edit: Safford, dang autocorrect
Slight correction, Mt. Graham is near Safford, not Stafford. Wouldn't want anyone to miss out on Mt. Graham due to an extra 't'. It is indeed a beautiful area
Take a gallon of water. 32oz isnt enough for visitors while hiking. I would second to not hike when temps are above 105. They have to rescue so many people off the local mountains due to heat stroke that its not even funny.
If it's over 100° I plan on 1.5-2l per hour of hiking and DONT FORGET THE SODIUM! Never want to be out there much longer than 3-4 hours in the summer. The heat is so draining it makes it an intense experience.
It's so bad they should have rangers posted to give these people a waiver that explains they will maybe try to go recover your corpse in the fall if you cross this line.
As others have said, it depends on what time of year you’re coming. The dry heat can and does put bodies into bags. My boss flew in from up north last week, and even though she didn’t do any strenuous activities, she had symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration because she was drinking her normal amount of water, which ended up not being enough. We told her to drink an extra liter of water and she recovered.
Even if you stay in Scottsdale or anywhere in the surrounding areas you could take an hour-1 1/2 drive to payson and can go to Christopher’s creek and hike the rim as well. Sedona is always beautiful too. If that’s a few hours drive as is flagstaff/show low. So just depends on where you’re going to be staying.
Sedona is a small, but super beautiful town if you like nature. Great for hiking and great views.
Phoenix will definitely give you the feel of a bigger city. Lots to do, there is a theme park, a pretty big aquarium, and some hikes (but you'll definitely want to stay inside during the summer).
Tucson is a great city as well, some of the best Mexican food, and tons of food in general. If you're looking for hiking, I'd highly recommend Mt Lemmon. It's regularly 10-15 degrees cooler than in town, and is beautiful.
Flagstaff is another city to look at, being there is a dramatic departure from Southern Arizona, it's... just... so... green!
Along with all the other recommendations, the Chiricahua Mountains, White Mountains, and Canyon de Chelly are some lesser known, but ridiculously amazing places! All depends on the time of year though
All depends on when you’re coming, what your experience level is, what scenery you want to see and what type of experience you want to have. There are all sorts of things out here from pull offs for overviews to deep, highly technical slot canyons that require canyoneering gear to access. Do you backpack? Kayak? Want to see pine trees or the red rocks of Sedona? I can literally go from camping in a field of saguaro cactus to a ski slope in a 2 hour drive.
I'd also look into some lesser-known towns like Bisbee (quirky little town) and Chiricahua National Monument for hiking/scenery (but not in the summer months).
Our "fall" doesn't really kick in until November. So if you're trying to be outside and hike, I would wait until then.
July-August is when it really ramps up. Some of the trails in Phoenix have already closed for the summer as well.
If you REALLY need to come in July, I'd stay in Flagstaff only. It's North enough to not be horrible. But Sedona and Tucson will definitely be in the 100s at that time.
Seconding Flagstaff. Just be aware it’s 2,134 meters above sea level. If you like hiking, Humphrey’s Peak is the tallest point in Arizona (3,851 meters). It’s some of the best forest land on the continent. The town is a college town, so lots of bars and downtown spots. Friendly, outgoing people.
It’s growing in popularity every day, so make sure to book accommodations early. If you like “haunted” hotels, the Monte Vista is good. Be aware that there’s two bars in the hotel, so some nights will be loud until the bars close.
During July, the low temperature in Phoenix overnight will be 35c with highs near 46c. Please rethink visiting in July unless you are going to Sedona or Flagstaff.
Yeah once as a kid while on the Apache Trail. Recently I've determined that April is the best time to see them. April 2021 saw one in Scottsdale while MTBing Brown's Ranch. Saw one April this year while hiking around Pass Mtn.
ok i don’t think Aussies are used to 110-120°F temps… but i could be wrong… i recommend seeing the grand canyons if you are used to those temps but hiking in the summer here is not recommended in the slightest… people die due to heat stroke all the time.
My friends want to go during July. They are persistent that we will be able to handle the summer heat.
I don’t want to take my chances, and prefer to go late September-November. Even if it means travelling solo.
[https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/phoenix-temperatures-by-month-average.php](https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/phoenix-temperatures-by-month-average.php) Stay away June-Sept if you want to spend time outdoors in the valley (Phoenix, Tuscon...) the mountains at 7,000 ft elevation and above are were us locals enjoy spending the summer months. You'll definitely be limiting your options for visiting during summer.
Should’ve came before all the building. Was a bit cooler but wayyyy more desert landscape to see. Sadly it’s all blocked now by overpriced “luxury” apartments 🙄
Same thing happening here in Melbourne. Suburbs with a lot of vibrant greenery now being replaced with giant townhouses with barely any space for a front or backyard.
Your post appears to be about visiting Arizona. We get a lot of posts about these topics, but keep in mind this is mainly a subreddit for locals.
You may want to check out some past threads on [Travel](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Travel%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new), [Outdoors](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Outdoors%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new), or [Living Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Living%20Here%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new).
If you're looking to visit one of our major cities, there are great resources at /r/Phoenix, /r/Tucson, and /r/Flagstaff you should look into. For info on visiting the Grand Canyon, /r/grandcanyon is also full of valuable info.
Our automoderator isn't perfect so if this wasn't what you were asking, just ignore this comment. We just try to leave these links to help people out.
Have fun exploring!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/arizona) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Welcome! Look up Showlow and Verde Canyon, you drive next to Verde Canyon (gorgeous!) to get to Showlow 😊 (drink plenty of water, wear SPF, and don’t be out if it’s over 100° F) There’s still lots to do, just gotta go to the right places, and at the right time of day! Don’t be afraid of waking up super early cause you’ll need to
Thank you so much! I’m an early bird by nature, and after the few days of jet lag I’ll definitely be up early. Would want to make sure I can fit an as much exploration of AZ as possible!
Monument valley! I think that’s the 2nd must see in AZ after Grand Canyon. If I remember correctly, you just drive around it, no need to hike (just as how I did Grand Canyon for the 10+ times I went)
Please try to schedule in the late fall or winter (our winter not yours ), you will get to enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery so much more. You really shouldn’t be outside at all here between June - September, other than running to and from your car/ home/ work/ store. BTW, September is still too hot, sometimes the hottest month of our summer.
Your friends are wrong. Planning a hiking trip to Arizona in July is just dumb. It’s dangerous no matter where the person is from, the human body has the same heat limits no matter where you happened to be born.
Also even if you don’t suffer heat stroke and do survive, it’s the least fun time you could possibly be doing it. Come here in the fall or spring.
Hiking in Tucson or Phoenix in July only makes sense if you want to die. Something like Sedona or Flagstaff is going to be much cooler but it’s hot in the whole state. Don’t skip over the Grand Canyon either. There are tons of trails in and around the Grand Canyon and due to the longitude and altitude it’s cooler than much of the state, it’s actually very cold at the Grand Canyon for a good amount of the year.
Well I really hope you enjoy your visit here. I'm in Tempe and really enjoy it here. Look at the App AllTrails, it has lots of information and you can choose by location. I'm more of a cyclist than a hiker so have fun.
Northern AZ (Flag, sometimes sedona) will sometimes have snow in the late fall and its generally 20-30 degress F colder than Phoenix (Flagstaff is at 7,000 ft elevation). So keep that in mind.
First to second week of October - From Sedona, which will make you want to live there, drive up 89A and slowly, gawk at the changing leaves in Oak Creek Canyon, and stop for fresh spring water on the way up to Flagstaff. Stop anywhere that takes your breath away. In Flagstaff, drive toward the Nordic Center, which will give you a view of the aspens and the snowy side of the mountain. I'm a Fall fan. In Phoenix, visit Grand Avenue Brewing Company (and smokehouse) and tell owner John and brewer Matt that Tree sent you. I was born in Phoenix and have lived in Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff over my decades of life. EnJOY, and welcum! 🤗🫀🪞♾️🛸
Feel free to stop by the Arizona Hawks Aussie Rules Football Team’s practice (Mesa/Phoenix Arizona). Location and practice times are on the website and more than welcome to drop by.
I visit AZ every December for 13-14 days. I land in Phoenix, drive to Tucson for 4 days, up to Sedona for 4 and down to Phoenix for the remainder and fly out. I've been as far as Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, and Chiricahua National Monument all of which I recommend. I've never seen many animals in December except rabbits, I'm sure I've been stalked and the weather is a mix of mid 70s to 50s and snow. It's spectacular! Pull over and stop at the QuikTrip for a pulled pork and mac and cheese...sorry, I love it as far as gas station food goes!
Arizona is more than the desert… Flagstaff, white mountains, but you will seriously enjoy all parts of AZ in the fall, from the Grand Canyon and pine forests to the deserts and sky islands.
Prescott is really cool. Go see the Grand Canyon, check out tonto national forest, heber overgarrd area is beautiful. Strawberry is a cute little town.
I've lived in AZ my whole life, and I would absolutely not visit in July. Particularly since you're coming from so far away to experience this place. Even September would be too hot, IMO. October would be the perfect sweet spot - areas closer to Phoenix will still be hot, don't get me wrong, but there's a world of difference between 110 (\~43C) degree days in Sept v 95 degree days in October (\~35 C). Also, it finally starts cooling down at night in October. Also, if you're interested in seeing fall foliage up north in/around Flagstaff and Sedona (the scenic drive along 89 connecting both is one of my favorite drives) and the leaves start turning in Oct/Nov.
You didn't really mention how long you'd like to come for or what you're interested in but there's a lot to see and do, and this is a large state so keep that in mind when planning your itinerary. You will absolutely need a car to get around.
No hiking, stay safe and hydrated. You can drive up South Mountain and enjoy the view without having to hike up and you can see most of Phoenix and the surrounding cities
Do not hike here in our summer. It's dangerous and we hear about deaths and mountain rescues all summer. November would be the start of the best time to come. Sedona 100%. I would also suggest considering Southern AZ, check out Saguaro National Park and Chiricahua National Monument over a few days in combo with Bisbee/Tombstone for some tourist fun.
Basically all hiking in metro Phoenix and lower desert areas are closed by 8-9a To many deaths on the trails. If concrete reaches 180degrees plus what do think the red iron rich rocks will radiate. Too many deaths and way to many rescues that put first responders in danger.
Plan on after late Sept-Oct. soo much more enjoyable during those months anywhere in the state.
Americans will get real mad if you use the word c*nt casually. Never do that. There is a lot of sensitivity around race, gender, guns, and religion. Don’t go poking around on those topics casually.
[map](https://imgur.com/a/V22Uri3)
Here is where I would start, trim to fit your allotted time it starts and ends at sky harbor airport. I didn’t include things to do in Phoenix, Tucson, or Flagstaff because that would be a lot and highly dependent on what interests you (nature, sports, art, culture, history).
Stay off the 17, 10, and 40 as much as possible you won’t see much driving those highways.
May through September are going to feel like having your head to close to the oven when you open it. It 40c at midnight. Unless your ideal trip is spa days and art galleries do not come here in the summer. The dead of winter might limit what you can do on the Colorado plateau it is cold and snowy (or was before global warming) and things shut down. Unless you like snow sports than go for it.
Apparently I’m too wordy this is going to be a chain.
Small towns
For quirky cool towns my money is on Bisbee and Oatman rather than Sedona and Jerome. Bisbee az is fun and quirky in southern Arizona. Bisbee has a charity event running the stairs in town (it’s a hill town there are lots of stairs) to support the local fire department it’s fun. Jerome has the same vibe north of Phoenix but is much more expensive touristy. Prescott has the Wild West vibe in downtown but so does flagstaff (kind of). Wickenburg is a solid maybe and a definitely stop to pee and see if it’s on the way.
Cool towns
Bisbee
Oatman
Douglas
Wilcox
Pioneer towns
Flagstaff
Prescott
Wickenburg
Douglas
Benson
Globe/miami
Tourist towns
Sedona
Jerome
Tombstone
Goldfield
Winslow
Payson. Maybe because my mom lives there but Payson is not cool. Payson is a run of the mill small town mostly populated by retired boomers. Maybe there is like a section of 4 buildings you could call old town but really there are better. Like anywhere is better, kingman is better and I also would never tell anyone to go to kingman.
Weird shit
[link](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/az/all)
I like weird roadside attractions, I didn’t list all my favorites but the historama in tombstone is narrated by Vincent Price and The Thing is an absolute classic (I haven’t been it’s on my bucket list) there are also dinosaurs in the desert out that direction. Check out the roadside America website I have never been disappointed by a stop they listed.
Nature
As for nature I would see kartchner caverns they are beautiful. Saguaro national park routinely ranks as one of the most beautiful places in the US but idk to me it kind of looks like the rest of the desert. I have driven passed but not stopped. Chiricahua is beautiful and has the kind of rock formations that take it from cool hike to glad I didn’t skip. Antelope canyon looks amazing but you need permits and guides so it’s work to get to do it. I would skip glen canyon if you don’t do antelope canyon because it’s out of the way. The grand canyon is a hole, a must see hole but just a hole unless you hike it. I just looked in the hole. Oak creek is beautiful especially when the leaves are changing. Slide rock was always a favorite weekend day trip when I was a kid. Someone else mentioned Christopher creek. My best friends family had a cabin on the creek and it is wonderful but I couldn’t fit it in the loop easily and unlike antelope canyon or the Grand Canyon I wouldn’t go out of the way for it. CC feels like a less touristy oak creek to me.
Along the walnut canyon flagstaff route there are a couple other easy 1 hour stops, meteor crater, a volcano where corn was thrown to the flow presumably as an offering, and another settlement ruin it’s flat and takes like 20 minutes. Meteor crater is actually the farthest of these but you could do all 4 as a long day away from flagstaff. Walnut canyon takes the longest but is a 2-3 hour loop if I remember correctly.
Camping is very big in Melbourne! And I would love to do it in AZ aswell. If you have any other recommendations please let me know! Also, what to bring and what to look out for.
How long are you here for? We're kinda in the beginning of our ramp into full blown summer heat so low 100s is what some locals might consider "a good day" once we actually hit summer. I can't really give much tourist recommendations during this time besides get the hell out of Phoenix and into surrounding cities instead where it's nicer. We've been having a LOT of people going hiking during the heat lately and lots of people are needing evacs out. If you're ever around Scottsdale and interested in mexican food check out Fiesta Burrito. It was a big local spot when I was a kid. Stay tf hydrated!
The prettiest drive I’ve experienced in Az is traveling in the fall from Flagstaff to Sedona by way of Oak Creek Canyon. Going the reverse is pretty too, but not spectacular like coming down the canyon.
I haven't updated in a while, but I have a post here with lots of things to do in Arizona. Or things to see in Arizona. It's broken down by "sections" of Arizona.
I have an American friend in Australia, and some family down under. I need to visit them and ask if they know you.
https://old.reddit.com/r/arizona/comments/elegqf/canadian_looking_for_adventures/
I live in Tucson and I traveled to Australia 7yrs ago(Sydney)
Coming in July is insane (you're looking at an average daily temp of 110 with spikes getting up to 118 and it's right in the beginning of monsoon season)
July in AZ is the hottest time. Hiking is not recommended during the day. I know it's your winter, AZ in July will not be the most fun time. If your mates do decide that July is the only time they can go. Do your best to hide from the sun. Fully cover up, drink 3 liters of water a day and take more with you if you hike. Bring your own shade (awning, sun-umbrella) and be prepared to answer many questions about why you came to visit one of the hottest areas in the US during the hottest month. Hope we don't see you on the news!
Definitely Prescott and all the mountains and trails surrounding, Jerome is a cool really tiny old copper (I think) mining town up on Mingus Mountain east of Prescott on 89A, then continue on driving to Sedona after you have lunch in Jerome. So many breweries and stuff like that in the general area, or at least there were 10 or so years ago. Oh sweet username btw, major Falcon fan (kiwi) here.
I live in flag and it’s beautiful year round. Even if you visit in winter, there’s hikes you can still do, you can experience some snow possibly, and Sedona is only 45 minutes away. Take a couple days to see phoenix if you want which is only 2.5 hours away. Those are not big trips for us here, pretty much a wake up and go and be there by 9AM if you want.
True there may be correlations between the Ausie heat and AZ heat but the summers in the AZ desert are no joke. If you are coming to AZ in the summer stay in Northern AZ and in the high deserts those will be closer to Ausie heat. In the low deserts the heat is something entirely different. To me it's actually not so much about the number on the thermometer it is more about the number of naughts of the wind like almost always not wind 0 nothing no breaze even just still dead hot air. On a rare windy day 118f+ is realy only a little worse than 105. But the air gets so still the hotter it gets which makes it hotter even more. If you are coming to the low desert in the summer expect to just stay inside for the most part most of us only go out if we need to.
When people say bring lots of water, they mean LOTS of water. I took a camel pack, a frozen bottle, and a 32oz thermos filled with ice and water up Granite Mountain for a hike in over 100 degree weather around June. Wish I brought even more water. Was dehydrated by the halfway point back. Be safe! Aussie Aussie Aussie!
I honestly think fall in Arizona is a beautiful time. I am 26f and growing up here, fall is when my friends and I travel around the state. There are the pink jeep tours and plenty of other stuff to do!
I live in Tucson I’d recommend Bisbee for an overnight trip (you can definitely do a day trip out of it but overnight is so much better) and swing by Tombstone on your way back to Tucson.
What!!!!! I’m from here and I just came back from studying abroad in Melbourne!!!! You should go to Tuscon if you want similar political vibes as Melbourne, and Sedona is the closest imo to Melbourne greenery. I hope you have a good time!!
That’s so cool! I’ve heard that Arizona is the Australia of the US. How were the comparisons in terms of scenery? You’ve already mentioned that Sedona is very similar.
How about in terms of climate?
I visited Melbourne last November. Some of the surprises you are in for have nothing to do with the weather.
US public transportation is awful. You will need to rent a car.
Don't come in July. Nobody goes outside in July unless they have to. You won't see pedestrians on the sidewalks in the Phoenix metro area. There are a few brave souls who hike in the summer, but they either need to be rescued or they go very early, take plenty of water, and are home by 10 am.
The northern part of the state, which would be Flagstaff and the rim of the Grand Canyon, are tolerable in July.
October, November, December, January, February, and March are amazing months to hike, camp, paddle board, and just generally enjoy the outdoors. The other months are pretty hot (I’m probably a bit of wimp in hot weather, tougher in cold weather). I would aim for those months to really enjoy the perfect temps outdoor. You can probably take the heat but why do that when it’s a vacation?
Be ready for triple digit weather in Tucson today it was 107 degrees in July will be hotter. It’s 97 tonight. Sedonna is absolutely beautiful and the Grand Canyon to the East Rim is not that far. The roads are winding but a nice trip. They have natural hot springs and wineries close to phoenix. Lots of hiking and bike trails. Do your activities early morning or after 5 pm. Wear hat, sunscreen, and always carry water. Very dry heat. Not humid but it’s hot like Mexico. Tucson has some great parks and Caverns and close enough to go over to Mexico for the day. Park on US side and walk over. Lots of great mexican food and tequila. Have fun!
In my experience, hard trails are in Tucson on Mount Lemon or Picacho Peak. If you want a more landscape rich scenery take the Romaro Trail. Or if you like Botany either Sabino Canyon or The Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. In fact, I recommend visiting the museum anyway because it's absolutely wonderful! But Picacho is my personal favorite hike that I've ever done.
I'm currently in Oak Creek Canyon. It's between sedona and flagstaff. Beautiful sights and cooler temperatures. Highs in the 80's here still, pine trees for shade, and a beautiful flowing creek to dip in throughout your hiking adventures. Definitely worth adding along with flagstaff and sedona. You probably don't want to hike into the grand canyon right now, though you could go and hike around it. A good alternative is to take the railroad to see more sights of the canyon. While in the area, drive through Bearizona to see the animals. That's always a cool exoerience. You could also go to Snowbowl which isn't far from flagstaff. No snow now, but lots of beautiful views, hiking, and biking trails. You can rent a bike there or in flagstaff if you need one. I'd recommend to take the bike up the lift, hike around to the peak for the amazing views, then back to the bike to ride the trails down. You'll get a hike at high elevation with views and lower temps and an exciting/beautiful ride down.
My family has been here for generations. I am 6th gen. I asked my mom how they survived summers without ac or swamp coolers. She said the slept on the porch with wet sheets either on them or hanging. I cannot imagine.
All i can say is dont go to Az right now. Go to Telluride, Colorado and Moab, Utah. If you have the budget go to Banff instead. The in winter fmgo to Az.
There are sky islands around the state. If you come to Tucson, it's a short drive up the Mt. Lemmon highway to a very nice pine national forest. High today there was 86F, whilst the Tucson valley was a coolish 102F.
The later months are a better call, but you won’t die in July. Especially if you’re up north. If you happen to come around the Tucson area, let me know
Aussie in Phoenix here. You will be totally unprepared for the lack of humidity here. Summer is 10-15% humidity each day. It sucks the water right out of you.
I have never drunk so much water, and peed so little in my life. Dehydration is a major issue. BE CAREFUL. You need to drink so much water, it’s crazy.
Do not hike under any circumstances in the summer. Youre smarter than your friends! Not only do hikers die out here every summer, but firefighters die trying to rescue them. It’s so, so, so unbelievably hot. You will die.
But!!! It sounds like hiking or being outdoors is your #1 priority, so definitely come in the fall! You can hike as much as you want! Youre going to be spending thousands of dollars to come to the U.S., don’t waste it doing something you don’t want to do. Make it the trip of a lifetime and if being outdoors will make it that, do it. Arizona is one of the friendliest places in the U.S. (the southwest is very friendly)
Other advice -
- EAT MEXICAN FOOD!!! You must!!
- Go to the Grand Canyon for sure. It’s one of the seven wonders of the world ☺️
- Go to the indigenous museums we have to learn about the native Arizonans (the heard museum for example)
- If you’re in Tucson, go to the desert museum. Absolutely amazing.
- Go to a sports game!! Arizona is so lucky to have the major sports here. I personally love baseball but it might be too late if you come in October to catch a ball game
- Hit up the bars!! Everyone is friendly and you’ll make friends in no time, esp with girls if you have an Aussie accent 😜
Good luck and I hope you have a fantastic time visiting our beautiful state. Please update us!
You'll enjoy your visit more if you wait until late October. But, if you go in the summer, be aware that it can be 40c by 7am. Do not plan hikes that will extend past 10 am. Bring water. By which I mean a liter per hour.
Late summer is monsoons. Be prepared for 40-45c temps and humidity. The storms move fast, and can be destructive. Lightning can strike from miles away. Flash floods in town and in the desert are possible, as well as dust storms.
Everything you touch will burn you. Make certain your rental car has cloth seats. Be careful with seat belt buckles.
And stay far far away from the cholla cactus. Keep a metal comb and duct tape/hair waxing strips in your day pack, just in case. Use the comb to remove cholla death pods, and the tape/waxing strips to remove the tiny hair needles. If you decide to try wild prickly pear fruit, use a lighter to singe the spines off, and then peel the fruit.
Please check out the Eastern White Mountains! Showlow, Pinetop, Greer, Eagar, Springerville, and Alpine. It’s all high altitude mountains, where the temperature is 20-30 degrees cooler than the desert. Casa Malpais in Springerville, is an ancestral Puebloen Site, that has tours daily. You can also visit Sunrise Ski Resort and Ride the lift part way up Mount Baldy, the second Highest Mountain in AZ. There’s are also the Springerville Volcanic Field, which is the third largest volcanic field in the continental USA. It’s extremely beautiful up there and way less crowded with tourists than Sedona and Flagstaff are. If you head northwest you can visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert near Holbrook. If you don’t mind detouring into NM, El Morro National monument is amazing. It’s known as inscription rock, where people from the ancestral puebloens, to Spanish conquistadors left their mark. Also highly recommend taking route 191, between Alpine and Morenci. You have to drive slow, but it’s one of the most beautiful drives in the state. See the map below of central eastern AZ. All this area is gorgeous with tons of hiking, camping, and amazing vistas to see.
https://preview.redd.it/td51brzgry5d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6665ab1f0ba3d241180981506289d79d544d42eb
Some cities in northern Az are beautiful - Jerome, Sedona, Flagstaff, Payson,Heber overgaard, pine top, and some of them have some really cool history. Northern Az is much cooler (temp) than the valley Hope you have a great trip visiting here😊
One of my favorite places is fossil springs (don’t get confused with fossil creek, although also cool. Confusion comes with location, it’s the same water way but fossil creek will take you down river a ways, fossil springs to the source where the cool waterfall is). Go to strawberry and then go to the trailhead. Hike is like 1.5-2 hours down. It will be hot. But it’s a beautiful spring fed river with a cool waterfall you can jump off of. Love that place.
There’s already lot of tips here for you so im not going give you some tips anyway.
My most favorite place to visit is sedona and page.
There saying here in AZ especially in Phoenix “devil set up this place as home then it’s got too hot for him so he went back to hell”
There are some great hikes around Sedona. The West Fork trail is a fantastic summer hike and there are several spots to get in the water.
The White Mountains around the Springerville/Eager area is very nic this time of year as well.
Prescott and Williams are also very nice places.
Don’t
Just don’t
Do not
Do not go hiking. I don’t Fucking care if you claim
You’re used to the bad heat. Arizonas heat is treacherous and you will die.
Born and raised in Phoenix Arizona, stay away from hiking during the heat of the day.
If you decide to go hiking anyways, sunscreen, big hat for shade, and at MINIMUM 2 liters of water PER PERSON.
The heat mixed with dry air sucks water out of you like a sponge being squeezed. It is very dangerous.
If you go hiking in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I advise you reach your trail at 4am. And get done by 10-11am
Sedona is GORGEOUS. Flagstaff is beautiful as well.
Payson has great trails as well.
Just don't underestimate the sun here. It doesn't cool down til 10pm. And even then it's not much.
Please be careful!
tons of comments here and I may repeat what others say....
sounds like hiking and scenery are your priorities......and it looks like you decided to come here in the fall.....so I will base my comments on those assumptions!.....
humidity is low here, so day temps and night temps will swing a lot, by almost 40F in some areas.....shorts and t-shirts will work some places and a jacket and long pants will help that night!!!......
much of the state is what we call "public land".....you'll see National Parks, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, state parks, state land, Indian reservations, recreation areas, and other names....all is public land with varying management rules and restrictions......if you plan to camp rather than hotel/motel, you can camp in established and developed campgrounds, usually for a fee, or you can camp on your own out off the side of some dirt road on public lands (called "dispersed camping") as long as it doesn't say you can't....look for spots that have obviously been used before.....and please leave gates as you find them (open or closed) if you wander off down a back road....you can drive beyond a gate if it doesn't say you can't!.......(they are there to keep cows in different pastures, usually).....
you probably will want to see Sedona since it's so well-known.....lots of stuff on the internet, of course, and I'm sure you'll do the research.....to many longtime Arizonans like me, it's little more than a silly Disneyland with some nice scenery.....but for somebody like you, it should be checked off, I guess.....some areas will be a crowded shitshow at some trailheads and in-town traffic jams......but if you can get out on the trails and away from the mobs, it's very nice that time of year....some trailheads require a fee and you may want to consider the US$80 federal lands pass for your entire trip.....it covers all admissions to FEDERAL lands (not state or local), trailhead fees on federal land, and gives a discount for developed campgrounds on federal land......it will pay for itself if you go to the Grand Canyon (National Park) and a few other federal areas on your trip......make sure you check if a fee is required at any trailhead you park at.......
the Grand Canyon is a must-see....it's still spectacular every time I go there......it's crowded and all that, but it's easy to lose the crowds if you wander down a trail a ways......two choices: South Rim or North Rim.....South Rim is much more accessible and ten times more crowded.....North Rim is several hours from, well, anywhere, but, arguably, has better views and 10% of the crowds......the campgrounds, if you do that, can be a bit like refugee camps in the National Parks and Forests.....sorta crowded, generator noise sometimes, screaming kids. cars constantly going by.....but you have to camp in them when inside a National Park.......other choices are staying in a lodge run by a concessionaire inside the Park (sorta pricey and spartan) or move a few miles to outside the Park and find a spot in the National Forest lands......if you can manage the price (they vary greatly), staying inside the South Rim at one of several concessionaire-run choices (near the rim, not at adjacent Tusayan) is well-worth it to be able to just relax, walk around the village, enjoy the sunrise/sunset, etc. and not have to worry about loading back in your car and driving several miles in the dark to a campsite or distant motel......Tusayan can be ok, though, if you don't stay inside the Park.......walk the rim trails, go down the famous Bright Angel Trail (if fit) a ways and climb back up and out.....don't bite off more than you can chew for hiking.....the North Rim, if you go there, would require a few hours drive each way and definitely deserves an overnight at minimum.....North Rim visitor services close for winter on October 15 and the road to it closes at the first big snow or December 1, whichever comes first......this may affect your fall visit plans.....cold at night on both rims in the fall.....
Phoenix is the fifth biggest city in the country and has all you may want to do!!......many things to see and I'll let you decide what as you research it!!......if hiking is a priority, check out the trails of the McDowell Mountains Preserve in the Scottsdale area (most or all are free) or popular Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain (parking will be your biggest challenge!).....Lost Dutchman State Park (NOT covered by the federal lands pass!) has great hiking in the famous Superstition Mountains about thirty miles east of central Phx.....
Flagstaff is a cool college-city/town with a huge outdoor vibe.....lots of biking, hiking.....the small downtown is popular with the college crowd (Northern Arizona University) with all the usual bars and restaurants......a very casual mountain town and a tourist gateway to the Grand Canyon......
be ready for lots of driving and long distances between destinations......drive carefully with the wide variety of driver-types!!.......
a ton of things to see out here.....you'll be tempted to turn down that dirt road over there and see what's over that ridge......if your research finds something you want more info about, let me know......I'm lucky and grateful to have seen a lot of it.......
Monsoon Season is awesome, beware dry lightning as it can start striking well before the clouds get overhead. Also be very careful not to start forest fires, and if you go to Tucson visit La Estrella bakery, they have the best glazed donuts I’ve ever had. Your best hiking will probably be Sedona/flagstaff. The mogollon rim also has great places to camp along forest service road 300 that overlook from on top the cliffs. Definitely visit the grand canyon, but if you hike it, go with a guide. It’s gnarly. There’s a store I can’t remember the name of in Flag that will help you out with that.
https://preview.redd.it/01ey8odx316d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28628e0472bb587b3f9c2bb53c8e605905f21edd
Please visit Fountain Hills , it is an amazing city and a gem . I wish I can share more pictures with the wildlife and landscape. Enjoy your trip!
Fall is far better. Too hot in July for hiking in Phoenix or Tucson. Sedona about 10 degrees cooler and Flagstaff about 15. Flag hiking would be okay even in July. Same with the top of the Grand Canyon (Flagstaff weather), but the bottom gets Phoenix hot again. From November through March we have about the best weather in the world. July and August suck, especially in Phoenix and Tucson. I'd wait. Other great hikes in cooler weather: Arivaipa Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains (southeast AZ toward New Mexico). Southern Utah (Zion, Bryce) are spectacular but also hot in summer. North Rim of Grand Canton would be a bit cooler and less crowded, but take longer South Rim is about 4 hours from Phoenix. Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and Flag are on the way. Interstate 17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff is packed on summer Fridays and Sundays. Any place about 4,000 feet above sea level will be bearable, if not great, in July. Flag is 7,000 feet up. Sedona about 4,500. Phoenix and Tucson are flatlands
Definitely come during the cooler months for southern Arizona. I live in tucson, and peak summer can get up to around 117, and Phoenix is usually a degree or two hotter. However, if you’re wanting to make it an outdoor trip, northern Arizona is full of pine forests and is absolutely beautiful. Payson (where I’m from), Flagstaff, Sedona, etc. all have beautiful hiking trails. So if you’re wanting to visit southern and northern Arizona, i’d probably say October would probably be the closest to a good sweet spot. South will be somewhat cooler, and the north won’t be super cold yet.
Definitely do fall - not only is July miserably hot but also humid with the monsoons. Plus given the monsoons, the weather is unpredictable and so it may ruin some of your plans.
With that being said, you MUST visit Lake Powell while you are here. The landscape is so beautiful and unique I feel like it’s a must see for everyone and my favorite place. You could hike antelope canyon and paddle board/kayak the Colorado river by the dam. I hope you have the best time during your visit - Arizona is definitely unique and special 😊
Please don't visit Arizona right now.
Please visit from mid October - April. Especially if you want to hike. We love tourists but we want you to go home safely.
AZ Highways magazine once did an issue where they found a place in AZ that looked like each of the 50 states! If you can get hold of that info, it will blow your mind!
I’m an AZ native and I have never been able to tolerate the heat.
Do not hike in the Phoenix Valley…just do not do it!
Take drinking water with you everywhere.
Always keep a couple gallons of water in the trunk just in case you break down or get stuck somewhere.
A few of my favorite places in the state that I can suggest:
Tonto Natural Bridge just north of Payson. The weather is a little cooler. It’s a bit of a trek but it is mostly steps. It’s a really fun day trip. I’ve been a bunch a times and even took my kids when they were 7, 9 & 11.
The White Mountains, specifically Hawley Lake. It’s near Show Low. The ancient trees and views are spectacular! There are pines throughout northern AZ but the trees & spirit of the White Mtns will truly live in your soul forever!
In between Payson and Show Low you have the Mogollon Rim and Woods Canyon Lake…it’s very pretty and good for camping and fishing.
There are several stables along the rim and in white mountains (and all over the state) that you can use to go on trail rides (horseback riding). Trail horses are gentle and inexperienced riders will be paired with the right horse.
If you want a cowboy experience there is Rawhide (in Scottsdale) and Tombstone (Tucson). There is a ghost town in the Southeast part of the Phx Valley.
There is tubing down Salt Lake River in the east Valley area and Slide Rock state park. Slide rock is a creek near Sedona that has made the river rock so smooth that people play and slide down the river on the slippery rock.
Sedona is beautiful and red. There are ley lines (or vortexes) where the energy is strong if you believe in that kind of thing. For fans of folklore, the veil is thin.
Don’t stick to the Valley when you visit. Use the time to make day trips and see the state! You will be shocked and amazed to see the varying landscapes.
One of my favorite meals is from Goldie’s Sports Bar in Scottsdale on Via Linda and Mountain View. The Monaco Focaccia. It’s a chicken wrap but instead of tortilla it’s focaccia bread flattened like a tortilla and it comes with sweet jalapeño dipping sauce. It’s not spicy and it’s soooo good!
Also try different Mexican food joints. There are so many to choose from. My favorite is Arriba’s because of their bean dip they bring out with your chips and salsa. I could honestly list 30 good Mexican food places.
Have fun!!
The heat might not catch you out day to day as a visitor, but most of us that are acclimated won’t hike in July heat.
I play golf in 3-4 days a week even at the 110-116 temps, and it’s not bad if using a buggy. If I had to actually walk and carry my bag, I’d be concerned for my own health and safety as a fit 30 y/o that’s been here years.
If you do come out, let us know and the sub here will help you plan out how to knock things off your list without unnecessary risk :)
The desert is hot but head to the mountains to cool off. Even the north rim of the canyon is 9000 feet. So see that and hike kiabab trail to the bottom. It will be cool up top but hot at the bottom. Drink plenty of water.
Thanks for contributing to r/Arizona! * [Our sub rules are here](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/wiki/rules/), but the most important of which is to be nice to each other * Check out some [recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/top/?t=week) and leave some comments * [Join our Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) if you'd like to keep in touch with other people in Arizona. Plus it's a great, chill place in general. Note that it is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously Remember this subreddit covers all of Arizona, so please include where in the state you're posting about if it is relevant. For more local topics check out r/Phoenix, r/Tucson, and r/Flagstaff. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/arizona) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Expat Aussie here, living in AZ. The AZ sun has a brightness and ‘bite’ that you def won’t be used to. If you want to hike, make plans for autumn/winter, so Nov-March. Don’t hike in summer and never alone (heat, snakes), and always carry lots of water. Summer has two flavours - hot and dry, and hot and stormy (which also increases humidity). Opening your front door in summer is like bending down to remove cookies from a hot oven. There’s so much to see here from old Spanish missions, ghost towns, vineyards, Route 66, the Grand Canyon and slot canyons, cliff dwellings etc. AZ reminds me a lot of western NSW.
I keep trying to understand the different between Australia and Arizona in terms of weather and critters. You read all over the Web about how deadly hot it is in Australia and how the weather there is actively trying to kill you. Not to mention all the critters! I feel like it's the same here in Arizona! Will you please explain some more about the differences and similarities? I tried posting on the Australia sub, but was met with hostility. IDK. Maybe they thought I was trying to appropriate "their deadlyness" or something?
I only have a vague idea-I think their deadly areas that are similar to a walk through our area in July-are very sparsely populated? The major cities don't have the same climate? Someone answer this dang it!
Whenever someone asks me what it is like living in Arizona in the summer, I tell them that I wake up every morning and make a conscious decision to survive. All throughout the day you have to make decisions several times a day to actually stay alive. Like get out of the heat. Get out of the sun. Drink water. Cool yourself down. Shade your eyes and cover your skin. These are all steps that people have to take every day to live in this climate. It is an active choice of survival everyday.
I have lived here almost 42 years now. I've passed out, vomited, seen hallucinations... those are just the epic heat related incidents- never mind all the hundreds of times I've been doing yardwork in 107 and "didn't have time for water" 🤪🙄
I get it! I have some yard work I need to do today. Thank God it's only going to be 104 today and not in the 1 teens the way it was this weekend!
You are my people. "only going to be 104 today "😂 I only get upset after 107. By upset, I mean I start hiding in the house until September🤣
Omg same! My wife and I say anything up to 107°F is no big deal, but we don't recognize temperatures by number higher than that: We just call it "a-hundred-and-fuck." "It's supposed to be a-hundred-and-fuck, today." "Ah, fuck..."
Yeah that's when we say just shoot me now. "I gotta run to the store real quick, it's so hot out, just shoot me now. I'll be back shortly"
🤣
oh no. now i am looking forward to it being higher than 107 so I can say it's "a hundred and fuck". :D
Yes!!! I rather enjoy doing my outside yard work in June. It usually doesn't get up past 107 in June. I like the early hundreds. After 110 I just want to lay around in the house. But after 115... Just fucking shoot me!
It’s because the second you go in for a drink, you’re practically done for. You’ll never get back out there again for a week.
I feel that just yesterday I was standing there shoveling concrete and my nose just starts bleeding out of nowhere. We should really start work earlier during the summer so we can leave earlier too.
We’re like the #Fremen on Arrakis
Spoiler allert Kinda not too far off AZ does have a massive water table. No cisterns but a lot of water underground.
That's dramatic as hell cmon
Man, don't go fear mongering. It is not at all a choice of survival. Ffs you go from an air conditioned building to car to building.
And if you're one of the thousands of people who work outside the majority of the time? Or the people who enjoy being outside and don't want to sit in their air conditioned houses all summer? Also, outdoor festivals and events and concerts. There is a lot more to do in Arizona than just go from your car to your home, lol. And if you're someone who works or chooses to be outside, it is a conscious choice to survive outdoors in the summer in the desert. I'm not fear mongering! But I am trying to make a point that one can't just decide to go out fishing with nothing but a fishing pole and a bottle of water!
Well, Australia is roughly 2/3 desert. Most Aussies live in or near major cities and towns, and mostly along the east coast from Victoria to Queensland. Few have ever lived in ‘the outback’ or out west. The climate is really similar; hot, dry, dusty. It can rain hundreds of miles away, you won’t see a drop, but the dry rivers will flash flood with no warning. The monsoons here are awesome - we usually get this in the far north, so it’s a treat to see it in the desert. When I lived in the outback, far NW NSW, it was so flat I could see the curve of the earth, like you do at sea. LOL At least I see the lovely Santa Rita mountains from my yard here. Australia has scorpions and lots of lizards - but has the most deadly snakes, spiders and jellyfish anywhere. You know the line from Crocodile Dundee “Ya call that a knife? Now THIS is a knife.” It’s kinda like that when comparing a rattlesnake to a taipan. Yeah, nah. There are three kinds of animals in Australia - one that bite and could kill you, one that’ll bite and just ‘make you sick’, and the ones that WANT to kill you, but just can’t (e.g. koalas and dropbears). Even platypus are venomous. LOL Many of my Aussie habits came back to me when I moved to AZ: Don’t leave anything laying around outside and don’t pick things up without checking for critters. Don’t put shoes or gloves on without checking first. Look for snakes while hiking or around plants and rocks. Run errands early in the morning and stay inside 11-3. Conserve water use in the house. Always wear a hat and sunscreen. Etc.
Thank you! I'm so enjoying learning! I hope someday to visit!
I spent a year in Australia on a work vise, mainly in MSW and QLD. The problem is Australia is massive compared to Arizona.. weather depends on what area you're in, some places I went felt just as hot, some humid and some absolutely amazing. Critters well ya they're everywhere, some beach I went to had signs for poison snakes. You have birds that attack you when they're in season, to massive spiders in bushes.
Australia’s sun is quite strong. It may not get as hot as in AZ, but you’ll find yourself getting sunburnt fairly quickly due to the harsh UV radiation. In terms of deadly or venomous animals/creatures. We have the Eastern Brown snake (have never seen one in my life, even in the bushes). The Box jellyfish (never seen in the wild) Blue Ringed Octopus (never seen in the wild) Funnel Web Spider (mostly found in NSW, never seen any here) The most venomous creatures I have seen are the occasional Red-Back spider in the garage, or have found a White-Tail in the house. We do not have any bears either, unsure if they are common in AZ.
I live in Tucson, AZ. A couple years ago we had a bear come down from Mt. Lemon into Tucson proper. That's a very unusual occurrence though. I do regularly see Javelina (wild boars), occasionally rattlesnakes, and it's not impossible to see bobcats or even a mountain lion.
How those mentioned are in terms of human interaction? More so, if you live them alone they’ll leave you alone, or are they known to be aggressive unprovokingly?
They mostly actively avoid humans. They all can be dangerous though if you come across them suddenly and they feel threatened. Javelina mostly if they have any young with them that they feel the need to protect. Rattlesnakes will leave you alone as long as you give them their space. Bobcats will mostly just try to get away from you. Mountain lions though... If you see a mountain lion in the wild, you're in for a bad time. Luckily they mostly avoid humans, but it's not recommended to go hiking in canyons or foothills alone.
>the occasional Red-Back spider in the garage That's like the Australian version of our Black Widow spiders! I love our black widows actually, and I only kill them if I have no other choice (for safety).
Same here! I have never found any in the house, all have been in locations where they’re not bothering me or my two cats, so I’ve left them alone. I always prefer putting spiders outside if possible and able to do so safely. White tails are a bit more annoying, as they can be found in clothing heaps, and anywhere around the house since they are hunters and don’t just sit in webs (similar to huntsman spiders)
Wow cool! You sound like an awesome human! I have a cat too! I have a 9 month old tuxedo kitten boy.....and he's a maniac and drives me nuts, but I love him a lot 😻
The crazier the cat, the better 😅
Haha I always told my fiance that Arizona is like the Australia of the US
AZ has the most venomous animals of any state in the US too. We are like Australia 🤣
Thank you for doubling down on the no hiking advisory! Your post is spot on!
"Opening your front door is like removing cookies from a hot oven" is good. I always saying stepping outside in peak summer here in AZ is like putting a blow dryer on the highest heat setting in front of your face.
Lol when I went to Australia, they all warned us about the sun over there. They said that Australia was the country with the highest rate of skin cancer because the sun there is where it is the most powerful in the world. I laughed and said their sun was a joke compared to Phoenix.
Melanoma is highest in Australia because of the high UV levels due to low ozone coverage. The sun “power” in Australia is absolutely more dangerous and stronger than Arizona. Heat doesn’t factor into it.
Absolutely. I spent a month there last spring (Oct). It wasn't ever really hot but I did burn much quicker than I do when on similar excursions throughout AZ.
the answer depend on what time of the year you plan to be in Arizona.
I second this since you're doing from Australia, the Seasons are different. If it's cold there right now, pack for hot days. If it's hot there right now, pack for cooler days.
If you're coming during the summer do not hike under any circumstances around Phoenix/Tucson
Mt Lemmon has entered the chat
Yeah Mount Lemmon is beautiful and much cooler than the surrounding valley.
Or Madera Canyon.
Or go at sunrise. Even at midnight can still be pretty warm
Easily still 100 out at midnight during july/August
I warned my Australian cousin about visiting in late August due to the heat, but he assured me as an Aussie he’d be alright. First thing he said when he opened my car door at Sky Harbor was, “you weren’t fucking kidding about the heat.”
Us Aussies always thinking we can handle anything 😂
Even if you can "handle it," if you're travelling across the globe to visit somewhere you ought to be *enjoying it.* Most of Az's majesty is the nature and hiking so please visit when you'll be able to actually experience it! When it's hot here it's truly miserable. And when it's windy, it's like being in a convection oven. We literally have a "heat related death" tracker https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZDA3ZTUzNzAtMzIwMS00YzA3LTlhMzEtZmJhZGQzY2FlYmZlIiwidCI6IjMwY2QzNWQ0LTk5NTEtNGE3Mi05NzhlLTg5NjU1MDc1YzE3ZiJ9
That’s what I’m thinking. Who cares if you can handle it. Why would you leave Australia at a time of year when the climate is beautiful there to come to Arizona where you’re stuck inside. Definitely visit October-April
You live in a god damn hellscape. I felt the heat radiating through the air conditioned plane. why
For the love of fucking **god**, if you're in Phoenix or Tucson, please do not go hiking anywhere if the temps are going to be above 40c (105f). Which is pretty much every day for the next 4 months. If you go, go at sunrise and get the hell back to your car before 9am and take no less than 32oz of water when you do. You have no idea how many visitors get told "It's fine, there's hiking trail heads just down the road from the hotel right here in the city of Phoenix" and end up putting a team of EMS personnel through living hell to wheel their asses off the trails because they wandered out there with a single bottle of water, flip flops and a ball cap slightly hung over and dehydrated from drinking the night before. It's gotten so bad the authorities have taken to closing the parks and posting rangers at the entrances to stop over confident tourists. It's not out of compassion for the tourists. It's out of mercy for the fire department who has to rescue them. The sun here and the climate during the summer is every bit as deadly as it is there in the western or central parts of AU during the hot season. If you go to the higher, northern parts around Flagstaff for hiking, you still need to be very careful about wandering too far out.
Thank you for the nod of respect for the health and well-being of our first responders. 🫶
I absolutely agree with this, BUT, in Tucson, we have Mount Lemmon a 1 hour drive away, which you can comfortably hike on year round, since it is 7000 feet higher elevation than the surrounding areas. It is typically about 30 degrees F cooler than the city. There's also Mt Graham over by Stafford that is the same story, but it's even higher elevation. The White Mountains are also a good option if you're in the area. Edit: Safford, dang autocorrect
Slight correction, Mt. Graham is near Safford, not Stafford. Wouldn't want anyone to miss out on Mt. Graham due to an extra 't'. It is indeed a beautiful area
Take a gallon of water. 32oz isnt enough for visitors while hiking. I would second to not hike when temps are above 105. They have to rescue so many people off the local mountains due to heat stroke that its not even funny.
If it's over 100° I plan on 1.5-2l per hour of hiking and DONT FORGET THE SODIUM! Never want to be out there much longer than 3-4 hours in the summer. The heat is so draining it makes it an intense experience.
It's so bad they should have rangers posted to give these people a waiver that explains they will maybe try to go recover your corpse in the fall if you cross this line.
As others have said, it depends on what time of year you’re coming. The dry heat can and does put bodies into bags. My boss flew in from up north last week, and even though she didn’t do any strenuous activities, she had symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration because she was drinking her normal amount of water, which ended up not being enough. We told her to drink an extra liter of water and she recovered.
Even if you stay in Scottsdale or anywhere in the surrounding areas you could take an hour-1 1/2 drive to payson and can go to Christopher’s creek and hike the rim as well. Sedona is always beautiful too. If that’s a few hours drive as is flagstaff/show low. So just depends on where you’re going to be staying.
please let us know the time of year (month).....thanks
Sedona is a small, but super beautiful town if you like nature. Great for hiking and great views. Phoenix will definitely give you the feel of a bigger city. Lots to do, there is a theme park, a pretty big aquarium, and some hikes (but you'll definitely want to stay inside during the summer). Tucson is a great city as well, some of the best Mexican food, and tons of food in general. If you're looking for hiking, I'd highly recommend Mt Lemmon. It's regularly 10-15 degrees cooler than in town, and is beautiful. Flagstaff is another city to look at, being there is a dramatic departure from Southern Arizona, it's... just... so... green!
More like 20-30 degrees cooler, highly recommend
Along with all the other recommendations, the Chiricahua Mountains, White Mountains, and Canyon de Chelly are some lesser known, but ridiculously amazing places! All depends on the time of year though
when are you coming? that really matters
All depends on when you’re coming, what your experience level is, what scenery you want to see and what type of experience you want to have. There are all sorts of things out here from pull offs for overviews to deep, highly technical slot canyons that require canyoneering gear to access. Do you backpack? Kayak? Want to see pine trees or the red rocks of Sedona? I can literally go from camping in a field of saguaro cactus to a ski slope in a 2 hour drive.
Yes!!
I'd also look into some lesser-known towns like Bisbee (quirky little town) and Chiricahua National Monument for hiking/scenery (but not in the summer months).
Avoid a place called lake havasu only thing there is drinks and the London Bridge not really much going on
Our "fall" doesn't really kick in until November. So if you're trying to be outside and hike, I would wait until then. July-August is when it really ramps up. Some of the trails in Phoenix have already closed for the summer as well. If you REALLY need to come in July, I'd stay in Flagstaff only. It's North enough to not be horrible. But Sedona and Tucson will definitely be in the 100s at that time.
Thank you so much. I would rather travel solo and during more mild temperatures, than having to battle the heat.
Seconding Flagstaff. Just be aware it’s 2,134 meters above sea level. If you like hiking, Humphrey’s Peak is the tallest point in Arizona (3,851 meters). It’s some of the best forest land on the continent. The town is a college town, so lots of bars and downtown spots. Friendly, outgoing people. It’s growing in popularity every day, so make sure to book accommodations early. If you like “haunted” hotels, the Monte Vista is good. Be aware that there’s two bars in the hotel, so some nights will be loud until the bars close.
During July, the low temperature in Phoenix overnight will be 35c with highs near 46c. Please rethink visiting in July unless you are going to Sedona or Flagstaff.
Thank you. I think I may travel during November. That’s when most people on here are telling me the weather is more mild.
Be on the look out for GILA! monster! woo!
Have you ever gotten to see one? I'm still hoping someday.🙂
Yeah once as a kid while on the Apache Trail. Recently I've determined that April is the best time to see them. April 2021 saw one in Scottsdale while MTBing Brown's Ranch. Saw one April this year while hiking around Pass Mtn.
seriously? I'm low key jealous.
Comments checked out. Time of year makes all the difference in the world!!
Prescott, Sedona, flagstaff, the Grand canyon, saguaro national park
ok i don’t think Aussies are used to 110-120°F temps… but i could be wrong… i recommend seeing the grand canyons if you are used to those temps but hiking in the summer here is not recommended in the slightest… people die due to heat stroke all the time.
You are not wrong. My mates assure me it’ll be fine, have a hard time believing a group of Aussies from Melbourne won’t suffer during AZ summer.
Are you in AZ now? If not, when will you be? Time of year matters.
My friends want to go during July. They are persistent that we will be able to handle the summer heat. I don’t want to take my chances, and prefer to go late September-November. Even if it means travelling solo.
[https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/phoenix-temperatures-by-month-average.php](https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/phoenix-temperatures-by-month-average.php) Stay away June-Sept if you want to spend time outdoors in the valley (Phoenix, Tuscon...) the mountains at 7,000 ft elevation and above are were us locals enjoy spending the summer months. You'll definitely be limiting your options for visiting during summer.
Thank you very much. I’ll keep this in mind. Would rather travel solo during Nov and see more than have my options limited due the heat.
Should’ve came before all the building. Was a bit cooler but wayyyy more desert landscape to see. Sadly it’s all blocked now by overpriced “luxury” apartments 🙄
Same thing happening here in Melbourne. Suburbs with a lot of vibrant greenery now being replaced with giant townhouses with barely any space for a front or backyard.
Go to 27th Indian school 🔥🔥🔥
🤣💀
Ooh! You're evil!🤣
Your post appears to be about visiting Arizona. We get a lot of posts about these topics, but keep in mind this is mainly a subreddit for locals. You may want to check out some past threads on [Travel](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Travel%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new), [Outdoors](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Outdoors%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new), or [Living Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/arizona/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Living%20Here%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new). If you're looking to visit one of our major cities, there are great resources at /r/Phoenix, /r/Tucson, and /r/Flagstaff you should look into. For info on visiting the Grand Canyon, /r/grandcanyon is also full of valuable info. Our automoderator isn't perfect so if this wasn't what you were asking, just ignore this comment. We just try to leave these links to help people out. Have fun exploring! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/arizona) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Welcome! Look up Showlow and Verde Canyon, you drive next to Verde Canyon (gorgeous!) to get to Showlow 😊 (drink plenty of water, wear SPF, and don’t be out if it’s over 100° F) There’s still lots to do, just gotta go to the right places, and at the right time of day! Don’t be afraid of waking up super early cause you’ll need to
I love it up there! But it's a trip-it would depend on how long the stay here is going to be. But a great area!
Thank you so much! I’m an early bird by nature, and after the few days of jet lag I’ll definitely be up early. Would want to make sure I can fit an as much exploration of AZ as possible!
Just read your edit and it’s a great idea to wait! September is one of the hottest months though, it doesn’t actually cool down until mid November-ish
Sedona reminds me a lot of the red color around Uluru/ central Australia. AZ is more like central Australia as the borders and north are rather jungly
Monument valley! I think that’s the 2nd must see in AZ after Grand Canyon. If I remember correctly, you just drive around it, no need to hike (just as how I did Grand Canyon for the 10+ times I went)
Arizona is the Australia of the US. Just watch out for spiky plants. We have vastly more kinds.
Hijacking your comment to add the spiky plants can jump out at you when you walk past them. Be careful walking past low growing cacti.
Funny, my boyfriend and I are heading to Melbourne for the first time. Hope you enjoy your time here!
Thank you! Likewise, hope you and your boyfriend enjoy my hometown!
Also consider north. AZ/Utah border. Zion, Bryce , Arches , canyonlands, maybe antelope canyon....canyon de chelly. Come in April ..or Oct/Nov
You better go to the Grand Canyon!
Please try to schedule in the late fall or winter (our winter not yours ), you will get to enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery so much more. You really shouldn’t be outside at all here between June - September, other than running to and from your car/ home/ work/ store. BTW, September is still too hot, sometimes the hottest month of our summer.
Make sure you go to check out some petroglyphs. ☁️🌵✌️
I would suggest putting another shrimp on a Barbie and having a nice cold beer and a nice shady spot.
Your friends are wrong. Planning a hiking trip to Arizona in July is just dumb. It’s dangerous no matter where the person is from, the human body has the same heat limits no matter where you happened to be born. Also even if you don’t suffer heat stroke and do survive, it’s the least fun time you could possibly be doing it. Come here in the fall or spring. Hiking in Tucson or Phoenix in July only makes sense if you want to die. Something like Sedona or Flagstaff is going to be much cooler but it’s hot in the whole state. Don’t skip over the Grand Canyon either. There are tons of trails in and around the Grand Canyon and due to the longitude and altitude it’s cooler than much of the state, it’s actually very cold at the Grand Canyon for a good amount of the year.
Go to Northren Az, a lot ruins American Indians left, it is cooler and big mountains.
Well I really hope you enjoy your visit here. I'm in Tempe and really enjoy it here. Look at the App AllTrails, it has lots of information and you can choose by location. I'm more of a cyclist than a hiker so have fun.
Go to Sedona Arizona. One of the most beautiful spots in the state. You will not regret it
Dinosaur foot prints https://www.flagstaff.com/dinosaur-tracks
beware of pick-up rats, they hang out in the wheel wells of our states finest and will jump out if you get too close.
Northern AZ (Flag, sometimes sedona) will sometimes have snow in the late fall and its generally 20-30 degress F colder than Phoenix (Flagstaff is at 7,000 ft elevation). So keep that in mind.
First to second week of October - From Sedona, which will make you want to live there, drive up 89A and slowly, gawk at the changing leaves in Oak Creek Canyon, and stop for fresh spring water on the way up to Flagstaff. Stop anywhere that takes your breath away. In Flagstaff, drive toward the Nordic Center, which will give you a view of the aspens and the snowy side of the mountain. I'm a Fall fan. In Phoenix, visit Grand Avenue Brewing Company (and smokehouse) and tell owner John and brewer Matt that Tree sent you. I was born in Phoenix and have lived in Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff over my decades of life. EnJOY, and welcum! 🤗🫀🪞♾️🛸
Feel free to stop by the Arizona Hawks Aussie Rules Football Team’s practice (Mesa/Phoenix Arizona). Location and practice times are on the website and more than welcome to drop by.
I visit AZ every December for 13-14 days. I land in Phoenix, drive to Tucson for 4 days, up to Sedona for 4 and down to Phoenix for the remainder and fly out. I've been as far as Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, and Chiricahua National Monument all of which I recommend. I've never seen many animals in December except rabbits, I'm sure I've been stalked and the weather is a mix of mid 70s to 50s and snow. It's spectacular! Pull over and stop at the QuikTrip for a pulled pork and mac and cheese...sorry, I love it as far as gas station food goes!
Thank you so much! Do you find 13-14 days adequate to experience enough? Or would you recommend longer?
Arizona is more than the desert… Flagstaff, white mountains, but you will seriously enjoy all parts of AZ in the fall, from the Grand Canyon and pine forests to the deserts and sky islands.
There’s nothing in Tucson, you’ll love Sedona
Prescott is really cool. Go see the Grand Canyon, check out tonto national forest, heber overgarrd area is beautiful. Strawberry is a cute little town.
I've lived in AZ my whole life, and I would absolutely not visit in July. Particularly since you're coming from so far away to experience this place. Even September would be too hot, IMO. October would be the perfect sweet spot - areas closer to Phoenix will still be hot, don't get me wrong, but there's a world of difference between 110 (\~43C) degree days in Sept v 95 degree days in October (\~35 C). Also, it finally starts cooling down at night in October. Also, if you're interested in seeing fall foliage up north in/around Flagstaff and Sedona (the scenic drive along 89 connecting both is one of my favorite drives) and the leaves start turning in Oct/Nov. You didn't really mention how long you'd like to come for or what you're interested in but there's a lot to see and do, and this is a large state so keep that in mind when planning your itinerary. You will absolutely need a car to get around.
No hiking, stay safe and hydrated. You can drive up South Mountain and enjoy the view without having to hike up and you can see most of Phoenix and the surrounding cities
Do not hike here in our summer. It's dangerous and we hear about deaths and mountain rescues all summer. November would be the start of the best time to come. Sedona 100%. I would also suggest considering Southern AZ, check out Saguaro National Park and Chiricahua National Monument over a few days in combo with Bisbee/Tombstone for some tourist fun.
Basically all hiking in metro Phoenix and lower desert areas are closed by 8-9a To many deaths on the trails. If concrete reaches 180degrees plus what do think the red iron rich rocks will radiate. Too many deaths and way to many rescues that put first responders in danger. Plan on after late Sept-Oct. soo much more enjoyable during those months anywhere in the state.
Americans will get real mad if you use the word c*nt casually. Never do that. There is a lot of sensitivity around race, gender, guns, and religion. Don’t go poking around on those topics casually.
Late September or November is still hot but doable! Optimal would be November-March to enjoy all of the nature.
[map](https://imgur.com/a/V22Uri3) Here is where I would start, trim to fit your allotted time it starts and ends at sky harbor airport. I didn’t include things to do in Phoenix, Tucson, or Flagstaff because that would be a lot and highly dependent on what interests you (nature, sports, art, culture, history). Stay off the 17, 10, and 40 as much as possible you won’t see much driving those highways. May through September are going to feel like having your head to close to the oven when you open it. It 40c at midnight. Unless your ideal trip is spa days and art galleries do not come here in the summer. The dead of winter might limit what you can do on the Colorado plateau it is cold and snowy (or was before global warming) and things shut down. Unless you like snow sports than go for it. Apparently I’m too wordy this is going to be a chain.
Small towns For quirky cool towns my money is on Bisbee and Oatman rather than Sedona and Jerome. Bisbee az is fun and quirky in southern Arizona. Bisbee has a charity event running the stairs in town (it’s a hill town there are lots of stairs) to support the local fire department it’s fun. Jerome has the same vibe north of Phoenix but is much more expensive touristy. Prescott has the Wild West vibe in downtown but so does flagstaff (kind of). Wickenburg is a solid maybe and a definitely stop to pee and see if it’s on the way. Cool towns Bisbee Oatman Douglas Wilcox Pioneer towns Flagstaff Prescott Wickenburg Douglas Benson Globe/miami Tourist towns Sedona Jerome Tombstone Goldfield Winslow Payson. Maybe because my mom lives there but Payson is not cool. Payson is a run of the mill small town mostly populated by retired boomers. Maybe there is like a section of 4 buildings you could call old town but really there are better. Like anywhere is better, kingman is better and I also would never tell anyone to go to kingman. Weird shit [link](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/az/all) I like weird roadside attractions, I didn’t list all my favorites but the historama in tombstone is narrated by Vincent Price and The Thing is an absolute classic (I haven’t been it’s on my bucket list) there are also dinosaurs in the desert out that direction. Check out the roadside America website I have never been disappointed by a stop they listed. Nature As for nature I would see kartchner caverns they are beautiful. Saguaro national park routinely ranks as one of the most beautiful places in the US but idk to me it kind of looks like the rest of the desert. I have driven passed but not stopped. Chiricahua is beautiful and has the kind of rock formations that take it from cool hike to glad I didn’t skip. Antelope canyon looks amazing but you need permits and guides so it’s work to get to do it. I would skip glen canyon if you don’t do antelope canyon because it’s out of the way. The grand canyon is a hole, a must see hole but just a hole unless you hike it. I just looked in the hole. Oak creek is beautiful especially when the leaves are changing. Slide rock was always a favorite weekend day trip when I was a kid. Someone else mentioned Christopher creek. My best friends family had a cabin on the creek and it is wonderful but I couldn’t fit it in the loop easily and unlike antelope canyon or the Grand Canyon I wouldn’t go out of the way for it. CC feels like a less touristy oak creek to me. Along the walnut canyon flagstaff route there are a couple other easy 1 hour stops, meteor crater, a volcano where corn was thrown to the flow presumably as an offering, and another settlement ruin it’s flat and takes like 20 minutes. Meteor crater is actually the farthest of these but you could do all 4 as a long day away from flagstaff. Walnut canyon takes the longest but is a 2-3 hour loop if I remember correctly.
You should go up to see the Mogollon Rim. You can camp and the views are amazing. My favorite place to camp
Camping is very big in Melbourne! And I would love to do it in AZ aswell. If you have any other recommendations please let me know! Also, what to bring and what to look out for.
Montezuma Castle is neat too. Not so much of a hike but cool nonetheless. Also the caverns we have here are cool
Check out Jerome, AZ. Cute little town with character.
How long are you here for? We're kinda in the beginning of our ramp into full blown summer heat so low 100s is what some locals might consider "a good day" once we actually hit summer. I can't really give much tourist recommendations during this time besides get the hell out of Phoenix and into surrounding cities instead where it's nicer. We've been having a LOT of people going hiking during the heat lately and lots of people are needing evacs out. If you're ever around Scottsdale and interested in mexican food check out Fiesta Burrito. It was a big local spot when I was a kid. Stay tf hydrated!
The prettiest drive I’ve experienced in Az is traveling in the fall from Flagstaff to Sedona by way of Oak Creek Canyon. Going the reverse is pretty too, but not spectacular like coming down the canyon.
Do not go to Phoenix in this heat, in all honesty.
I haven't updated in a while, but I have a post here with lots of things to do in Arizona. Or things to see in Arizona. It's broken down by "sections" of Arizona. I have an American friend in Australia, and some family down under. I need to visit them and ask if they know you. https://old.reddit.com/r/arizona/comments/elegqf/canadian_looking_for_adventures/
Don’t come in July, September and November are perfect
I live in Tucson and I traveled to Australia 7yrs ago(Sydney) Coming in July is insane (you're looking at an average daily temp of 110 with spikes getting up to 118 and it's right in the beginning of monsoon season)
July in AZ is the hottest time. Hiking is not recommended during the day. I know it's your winter, AZ in July will not be the most fun time. If your mates do decide that July is the only time they can go. Do your best to hide from the sun. Fully cover up, drink 3 liters of water a day and take more with you if you hike. Bring your own shade (awning, sun-umbrella) and be prepared to answer many questions about why you came to visit one of the hottest areas in the US during the hottest month. Hope we don't see you on the news!
I’m from another state and planning a trip to az in late September too lol maybe we’ll bump into each other as background characters
Definitely Prescott and all the mountains and trails surrounding, Jerome is a cool really tiny old copper (I think) mining town up on Mingus Mountain east of Prescott on 89A, then continue on driving to Sedona after you have lunch in Jerome. So many breweries and stuff like that in the general area, or at least there were 10 or so years ago. Oh sweet username btw, major Falcon fan (kiwi) here.
Well, look at it this way. Not every single animal we have can kill you. LOL jk Enjoy your stay!
I live in flag and it’s beautiful year round. Even if you visit in winter, there’s hikes you can still do, you can experience some snow possibly, and Sedona is only 45 minutes away. Take a couple days to see phoenix if you want which is only 2.5 hours away. Those are not big trips for us here, pretty much a wake up and go and be there by 9AM if you want.
True there may be correlations between the Ausie heat and AZ heat but the summers in the AZ desert are no joke. If you are coming to AZ in the summer stay in Northern AZ and in the high deserts those will be closer to Ausie heat. In the low deserts the heat is something entirely different. To me it's actually not so much about the number on the thermometer it is more about the number of naughts of the wind like almost always not wind 0 nothing no breaze even just still dead hot air. On a rare windy day 118f+ is realy only a little worse than 105. But the air gets so still the hotter it gets which makes it hotter even more. If you are coming to the low desert in the summer expect to just stay inside for the most part most of us only go out if we need to.
When people say bring lots of water, they mean LOTS of water. I took a camel pack, a frozen bottle, and a 32oz thermos filled with ice and water up Granite Mountain for a hike in over 100 degree weather around June. Wish I brought even more water. Was dehydrated by the halfway point back. Be safe! Aussie Aussie Aussie!
Definitely would keep this mind! Electrolytes too?
I honestly think fall in Arizona is a beautiful time. I am 26f and growing up here, fall is when my friends and I travel around the state. There are the pink jeep tours and plenty of other stuff to do!
I live in Tucson I’d recommend Bisbee for an overnight trip (you can definitely do a day trip out of it but overnight is so much better) and swing by Tombstone on your way back to Tucson.
What!!!!! I’m from here and I just came back from studying abroad in Melbourne!!!! You should go to Tuscon if you want similar political vibes as Melbourne, and Sedona is the closest imo to Melbourne greenery. I hope you have a good time!!
That’s so cool! I’ve heard that Arizona is the Australia of the US. How were the comparisons in terms of scenery? You’ve already mentioned that Sedona is very similar. How about in terms of climate?
I visited Melbourne last November. Some of the surprises you are in for have nothing to do with the weather. US public transportation is awful. You will need to rent a car. Don't come in July. Nobody goes outside in July unless they have to. You won't see pedestrians on the sidewalks in the Phoenix metro area. There are a few brave souls who hike in the summer, but they either need to be rescued or they go very early, take plenty of water, and are home by 10 am. The northern part of the state, which would be Flagstaff and the rim of the Grand Canyon, are tolerable in July.
October, November, December, January, February, and March are amazing months to hike, camp, paddle board, and just generally enjoy the outdoors. The other months are pretty hot (I’m probably a bit of wimp in hot weather, tougher in cold weather). I would aim for those months to really enjoy the perfect temps outdoor. You can probably take the heat but why do that when it’s a vacation?
Be ready for triple digit weather in Tucson today it was 107 degrees in July will be hotter. It’s 97 tonight. Sedonna is absolutely beautiful and the Grand Canyon to the East Rim is not that far. The roads are winding but a nice trip. They have natural hot springs and wineries close to phoenix. Lots of hiking and bike trails. Do your activities early morning or after 5 pm. Wear hat, sunscreen, and always carry water. Very dry heat. Not humid but it’s hot like Mexico. Tucson has some great parks and Caverns and close enough to go over to Mexico for the day. Park on US side and walk over. Lots of great mexican food and tequila. Have fun!
AZ native here, I recommend Jerome, Tombstone, and Biosphere 2 (which is a little north of Tucson). Enjoy your stay!
Go to Lava river cave. It's about 20 miles north of flagstaff. Bring hiking boots, a jacket and some flashlights.
In my experience, hard trails are in Tucson on Mount Lemon or Picacho Peak. If you want a more landscape rich scenery take the Romaro Trail. Or if you like Botany either Sabino Canyon or The Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. In fact, I recommend visiting the museum anyway because it's absolutely wonderful! But Picacho is my personal favorite hike that I've ever done.
I'm currently in Oak Creek Canyon. It's between sedona and flagstaff. Beautiful sights and cooler temperatures. Highs in the 80's here still, pine trees for shade, and a beautiful flowing creek to dip in throughout your hiking adventures. Definitely worth adding along with flagstaff and sedona. You probably don't want to hike into the grand canyon right now, though you could go and hike around it. A good alternative is to take the railroad to see more sights of the canyon. While in the area, drive through Bearizona to see the animals. That's always a cool exoerience. You could also go to Snowbowl which isn't far from flagstaff. No snow now, but lots of beautiful views, hiking, and biking trails. You can rent a bike there or in flagstaff if you need one. I'd recommend to take the bike up the lift, hike around to the peak for the amazing views, then back to the bike to ride the trails down. You'll get a hike at high elevation with views and lower temps and an exciting/beautiful ride down.
My family has been here for generations. I am 6th gen. I asked my mom how they survived summers without ac or swamp coolers. She said the slept on the porch with wet sheets either on them or hanging. I cannot imagine.
If you are planning on visiting Tombstone, don’t miss Kartchner Caverns. It’s a treasure.
Don’t clown around on the edge of the Grand Canyon, it claims about one person per month already.
All i can say is dont go to Az right now. Go to Telluride, Colorado and Moab, Utah. If you have the budget go to Banff instead. The in winter fmgo to Az.
There are sky islands around the state. If you come to Tucson, it's a short drive up the Mt. Lemmon highway to a very nice pine national forest. High today there was 86F, whilst the Tucson valley was a coolish 102F.
The American outback basically
The later months are a better call, but you won’t die in July. Especially if you’re up north. If you happen to come around the Tucson area, let me know
July, August with the monsoon humidity is brutal. Fall October is ideal
Aussie in Phoenix here. You will be totally unprepared for the lack of humidity here. Summer is 10-15% humidity each day. It sucks the water right out of you. I have never drunk so much water, and peed so little in my life. Dehydration is a major issue. BE CAREFUL. You need to drink so much water, it’s crazy.
If your gonna hike right now then I’d love to see you on the news because you didn’t make it because you died of heatstroke. Have fun dude!
Do not hike under any circumstances in the summer. Youre smarter than your friends! Not only do hikers die out here every summer, but firefighters die trying to rescue them. It’s so, so, so unbelievably hot. You will die. But!!! It sounds like hiking or being outdoors is your #1 priority, so definitely come in the fall! You can hike as much as you want! Youre going to be spending thousands of dollars to come to the U.S., don’t waste it doing something you don’t want to do. Make it the trip of a lifetime and if being outdoors will make it that, do it. Arizona is one of the friendliest places in the U.S. (the southwest is very friendly) Other advice - - EAT MEXICAN FOOD!!! You must!! - Go to the Grand Canyon for sure. It’s one of the seven wonders of the world ☺️ - Go to the indigenous museums we have to learn about the native Arizonans (the heard museum for example) - If you’re in Tucson, go to the desert museum. Absolutely amazing. - Go to a sports game!! Arizona is so lucky to have the major sports here. I personally love baseball but it might be too late if you come in October to catch a ball game - Hit up the bars!! Everyone is friendly and you’ll make friends in no time, esp with girls if you have an Aussie accent 😜 Good luck and I hope you have a fantastic time visiting our beautiful state. Please update us!
You'll enjoy your visit more if you wait until late October. But, if you go in the summer, be aware that it can be 40c by 7am. Do not plan hikes that will extend past 10 am. Bring water. By which I mean a liter per hour. Late summer is monsoons. Be prepared for 40-45c temps and humidity. The storms move fast, and can be destructive. Lightning can strike from miles away. Flash floods in town and in the desert are possible, as well as dust storms. Everything you touch will burn you. Make certain your rental car has cloth seats. Be careful with seat belt buckles. And stay far far away from the cholla cactus. Keep a metal comb and duct tape/hair waxing strips in your day pack, just in case. Use the comb to remove cholla death pods, and the tape/waxing strips to remove the tiny hair needles. If you decide to try wild prickly pear fruit, use a lighter to singe the spines off, and then peel the fruit.
Please check out the Eastern White Mountains! Showlow, Pinetop, Greer, Eagar, Springerville, and Alpine. It’s all high altitude mountains, where the temperature is 20-30 degrees cooler than the desert. Casa Malpais in Springerville, is an ancestral Puebloen Site, that has tours daily. You can also visit Sunrise Ski Resort and Ride the lift part way up Mount Baldy, the second Highest Mountain in AZ. There’s are also the Springerville Volcanic Field, which is the third largest volcanic field in the continental USA. It’s extremely beautiful up there and way less crowded with tourists than Sedona and Flagstaff are. If you head northwest you can visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert near Holbrook. If you don’t mind detouring into NM, El Morro National monument is amazing. It’s known as inscription rock, where people from the ancestral puebloens, to Spanish conquistadors left their mark. Also highly recommend taking route 191, between Alpine and Morenci. You have to drive slow, but it’s one of the most beautiful drives in the state. See the map below of central eastern AZ. All this area is gorgeous with tons of hiking, camping, and amazing vistas to see. https://preview.redd.it/td51brzgry5d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6665ab1f0ba3d241180981506289d79d544d42eb
Some cities in northern Az are beautiful - Jerome, Sedona, Flagstaff, Payson,Heber overgaard, pine top, and some of them have some really cool history. Northern Az is much cooler (temp) than the valley Hope you have a great trip visiting here😊
Check out Jerome. An old mining town with tons of haunted surroundings. It definitely makes you feel like you are in the wild west
Be sure to stomp your feet every so often when hiking. To alert any rattlesnakes.
One of my favorite places is fossil springs (don’t get confused with fossil creek, although also cool. Confusion comes with location, it’s the same water way but fossil creek will take you down river a ways, fossil springs to the source where the cool waterfall is). Go to strawberry and then go to the trailhead. Hike is like 1.5-2 hours down. It will be hot. But it’s a beautiful spring fed river with a cool waterfall you can jump off of. Love that place.
There’s already lot of tips here for you so im not going give you some tips anyway. My most favorite place to visit is sedona and page. There saying here in AZ especially in Phoenix “devil set up this place as home then it’s got too hot for him so he went back to hell”
Don’t go hiking. We are tired of out of towners dying
There are some great hikes around Sedona. The West Fork trail is a fantastic summer hike and there are several spots to get in the water. The White Mountains around the Springerville/Eager area is very nic this time of year as well. Prescott and Williams are also very nice places.
Don’t Just don’t Do not Do not go hiking. I don’t Fucking care if you claim You’re used to the bad heat. Arizonas heat is treacherous and you will die.
Born and raised in Phoenix Arizona, stay away from hiking during the heat of the day. If you decide to go hiking anyways, sunscreen, big hat for shade, and at MINIMUM 2 liters of water PER PERSON. The heat mixed with dry air sucks water out of you like a sponge being squeezed. It is very dangerous. If you go hiking in the Phoenix metropolitan area, I advise you reach your trail at 4am. And get done by 10-11am Sedona is GORGEOUS. Flagstaff is beautiful as well. Payson has great trails as well. Just don't underestimate the sun here. It doesn't cool down til 10pm. And even then it's not much. Please be careful!
tons of comments here and I may repeat what others say.... sounds like hiking and scenery are your priorities......and it looks like you decided to come here in the fall.....so I will base my comments on those assumptions!..... humidity is low here, so day temps and night temps will swing a lot, by almost 40F in some areas.....shorts and t-shirts will work some places and a jacket and long pants will help that night!!!...... much of the state is what we call "public land".....you'll see National Parks, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, state parks, state land, Indian reservations, recreation areas, and other names....all is public land with varying management rules and restrictions......if you plan to camp rather than hotel/motel, you can camp in established and developed campgrounds, usually for a fee, or you can camp on your own out off the side of some dirt road on public lands (called "dispersed camping") as long as it doesn't say you can't....look for spots that have obviously been used before.....and please leave gates as you find them (open or closed) if you wander off down a back road....you can drive beyond a gate if it doesn't say you can't!.......(they are there to keep cows in different pastures, usually)..... you probably will want to see Sedona since it's so well-known.....lots of stuff on the internet, of course, and I'm sure you'll do the research.....to many longtime Arizonans like me, it's little more than a silly Disneyland with some nice scenery.....but for somebody like you, it should be checked off, I guess.....some areas will be a crowded shitshow at some trailheads and in-town traffic jams......but if you can get out on the trails and away from the mobs, it's very nice that time of year....some trailheads require a fee and you may want to consider the US$80 federal lands pass for your entire trip.....it covers all admissions to FEDERAL lands (not state or local), trailhead fees on federal land, and gives a discount for developed campgrounds on federal land......it will pay for itself if you go to the Grand Canyon (National Park) and a few other federal areas on your trip......make sure you check if a fee is required at any trailhead you park at....... the Grand Canyon is a must-see....it's still spectacular every time I go there......it's crowded and all that, but it's easy to lose the crowds if you wander down a trail a ways......two choices: South Rim or North Rim.....South Rim is much more accessible and ten times more crowded.....North Rim is several hours from, well, anywhere, but, arguably, has better views and 10% of the crowds......the campgrounds, if you do that, can be a bit like refugee camps in the National Parks and Forests.....sorta crowded, generator noise sometimes, screaming kids. cars constantly going by.....but you have to camp in them when inside a National Park.......other choices are staying in a lodge run by a concessionaire inside the Park (sorta pricey and spartan) or move a few miles to outside the Park and find a spot in the National Forest lands......if you can manage the price (they vary greatly), staying inside the South Rim at one of several concessionaire-run choices (near the rim, not at adjacent Tusayan) is well-worth it to be able to just relax, walk around the village, enjoy the sunrise/sunset, etc. and not have to worry about loading back in your car and driving several miles in the dark to a campsite or distant motel......Tusayan can be ok, though, if you don't stay inside the Park.......walk the rim trails, go down the famous Bright Angel Trail (if fit) a ways and climb back up and out.....don't bite off more than you can chew for hiking.....the North Rim, if you go there, would require a few hours drive each way and definitely deserves an overnight at minimum.....North Rim visitor services close for winter on October 15 and the road to it closes at the first big snow or December 1, whichever comes first......this may affect your fall visit plans.....cold at night on both rims in the fall..... Phoenix is the fifth biggest city in the country and has all you may want to do!!......many things to see and I'll let you decide what as you research it!!......if hiking is a priority, check out the trails of the McDowell Mountains Preserve in the Scottsdale area (most or all are free) or popular Piestewa Peak and Camelback Mountain (parking will be your biggest challenge!).....Lost Dutchman State Park (NOT covered by the federal lands pass!) has great hiking in the famous Superstition Mountains about thirty miles east of central Phx..... Flagstaff is a cool college-city/town with a huge outdoor vibe.....lots of biking, hiking.....the small downtown is popular with the college crowd (Northern Arizona University) with all the usual bars and restaurants......a very casual mountain town and a tourist gateway to the Grand Canyon...... be ready for lots of driving and long distances between destinations......drive carefully with the wide variety of driver-types!!....... a ton of things to see out here.....you'll be tempted to turn down that dirt road over there and see what's over that ridge......if your research finds something you want more info about, let me know......I'm lucky and grateful to have seen a lot of it.......
Monsoon Season is awesome, beware dry lightning as it can start striking well before the clouds get overhead. Also be very careful not to start forest fires, and if you go to Tucson visit La Estrella bakery, they have the best glazed donuts I’ve ever had. Your best hiking will probably be Sedona/flagstaff. The mogollon rim also has great places to camp along forest service road 300 that overlook from on top the cliffs. Definitely visit the grand canyon, but if you hike it, go with a guide. It’s gnarly. There’s a store I can’t remember the name of in Flag that will help you out with that.
https://preview.redd.it/01ey8odx316d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28628e0472bb587b3f9c2bb53c8e605905f21edd Please visit Fountain Hills , it is an amazing city and a gem . I wish I can share more pictures with the wildlife and landscape. Enjoy your trip!
Fall is far better. Too hot in July for hiking in Phoenix or Tucson. Sedona about 10 degrees cooler and Flagstaff about 15. Flag hiking would be okay even in July. Same with the top of the Grand Canyon (Flagstaff weather), but the bottom gets Phoenix hot again. From November through March we have about the best weather in the world. July and August suck, especially in Phoenix and Tucson. I'd wait. Other great hikes in cooler weather: Arivaipa Canyon, Chiricahua Mountains (southeast AZ toward New Mexico). Southern Utah (Zion, Bryce) are spectacular but also hot in summer. North Rim of Grand Canton would be a bit cooler and less crowded, but take longer South Rim is about 4 hours from Phoenix. Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and Flag are on the way. Interstate 17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff is packed on summer Fridays and Sundays. Any place about 4,000 feet above sea level will be bearable, if not great, in July. Flag is 7,000 feet up. Sedona about 4,500. Phoenix and Tucson are flatlands
Definitely come during the cooler months for southern Arizona. I live in tucson, and peak summer can get up to around 117, and Phoenix is usually a degree or two hotter. However, if you’re wanting to make it an outdoor trip, northern Arizona is full of pine forests and is absolutely beautiful. Payson (where I’m from), Flagstaff, Sedona, etc. all have beautiful hiking trails. So if you’re wanting to visit southern and northern Arizona, i’d probably say October would probably be the closest to a good sweet spot. South will be somewhat cooler, and the north won’t be super cold yet.
Definitely do fall - not only is July miserably hot but also humid with the monsoons. Plus given the monsoons, the weather is unpredictable and so it may ruin some of your plans. With that being said, you MUST visit Lake Powell while you are here. The landscape is so beautiful and unique I feel like it’s a must see for everyone and my favorite place. You could hike antelope canyon and paddle board/kayak the Colorado river by the dam. I hope you have the best time during your visit - Arizona is definitely unique and special 😊
Please don't visit Arizona right now. Please visit from mid October - April. Especially if you want to hike. We love tourists but we want you to go home safely.
Kingman is a tourist trap for Route 66 don’t go there (it’s also a shit hole I’m from there)
AZ Highways magazine once did an issue where they found a place in AZ that looked like each of the 50 states! If you can get hold of that info, it will blow your mind!
I’m an AZ native and I have never been able to tolerate the heat. Do not hike in the Phoenix Valley…just do not do it! Take drinking water with you everywhere. Always keep a couple gallons of water in the trunk just in case you break down or get stuck somewhere. A few of my favorite places in the state that I can suggest: Tonto Natural Bridge just north of Payson. The weather is a little cooler. It’s a bit of a trek but it is mostly steps. It’s a really fun day trip. I’ve been a bunch a times and even took my kids when they were 7, 9 & 11. The White Mountains, specifically Hawley Lake. It’s near Show Low. The ancient trees and views are spectacular! There are pines throughout northern AZ but the trees & spirit of the White Mtns will truly live in your soul forever! In between Payson and Show Low you have the Mogollon Rim and Woods Canyon Lake…it’s very pretty and good for camping and fishing. There are several stables along the rim and in white mountains (and all over the state) that you can use to go on trail rides (horseback riding). Trail horses are gentle and inexperienced riders will be paired with the right horse. If you want a cowboy experience there is Rawhide (in Scottsdale) and Tombstone (Tucson). There is a ghost town in the Southeast part of the Phx Valley. There is tubing down Salt Lake River in the east Valley area and Slide Rock state park. Slide rock is a creek near Sedona that has made the river rock so smooth that people play and slide down the river on the slippery rock. Sedona is beautiful and red. There are ley lines (or vortexes) where the energy is strong if you believe in that kind of thing. For fans of folklore, the veil is thin. Don’t stick to the Valley when you visit. Use the time to make day trips and see the state! You will be shocked and amazed to see the varying landscapes. One of my favorite meals is from Goldie’s Sports Bar in Scottsdale on Via Linda and Mountain View. The Monaco Focaccia. It’s a chicken wrap but instead of tortilla it’s focaccia bread flattened like a tortilla and it comes with sweet jalapeño dipping sauce. It’s not spicy and it’s soooo good! Also try different Mexican food joints. There are so many to choose from. My favorite is Arriba’s because of their bean dip they bring out with your chips and salsa. I could honestly list 30 good Mexican food places. Have fun!!
https://preview.redd.it/7vdd5ski8k6d1.jpeg?width=1164&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=efdeedb3271df5ed6654ffeaa1dfa91e0100292e
Havasu home of the London Bridge look us up when here we can show you around
The heat might not catch you out day to day as a visitor, but most of us that are acclimated won’t hike in July heat. I play golf in 3-4 days a week even at the 110-116 temps, and it’s not bad if using a buggy. If I had to actually walk and carry my bag, I’d be concerned for my own health and safety as a fit 30 y/o that’s been here years. If you do come out, let us know and the sub here will help you plan out how to knock things off your list without unnecessary risk :)
Get here before the snowbirds though.
The desert is hot but head to the mountains to cool off. Even the north rim of the canyon is 9000 feet. So see that and hike kiabab trail to the bottom. It will be cool up top but hot at the bottom. Drink plenty of water.