5 Epic Spots Near Tucson for Your Arizona Engagement or Couples Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer
5 Epic Spots Near Tucson for Your Arizona Engagement or Couples Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer
Arizona has made itself known as an amazing destination for elopements and adventure sessions. But while the Grand Canyon and Sedona are incredible, the WHOLE STATE has so much to offer! Especially Southern Arizona down by my beautiful home of Tucson. Tucson seems so sadly overlooked when people think of Arizona destinations. But there are some real gems out here. This city is surrounded by mountains and even a national park - Saguaro National Park. The Sonoran desert landscape is just incredible. And surprisingly green.
Let’s take a look at just a few of the amazing spots near Tucson for your Arizona elopement, engagement, or couples session.
Best Tucson Adventure Engagement Location #1
Mt. Lemmon
Mt. Lemmon is the highest point in the Catalinas, the mountain range that looms over Tucson to the North. It is part of the Coronado National Forest. Mt. Lemmon is SUPER cool because on the drive up it, you go through several different biomes. When you start the drive, you are in basically a cactus forest, eventually passing through a more bushy, rocky area, and getting to the top which is a regular pine forest! So cool to see. There are insane stops and views on Mt. Lemmon, but one of the most epic is Windy Point (pictured), where you can walk/climb out on the rocky terrain and see the whole mountain you just came up. (Hot tip: go all the way up and stop at the general store for the most amazing fudge you’ve ever tasted.)
Best Tucson Adventure Engagement Location #2
Picacho Peak
Oh, man, Picacho Peak. This crazy-looking stand-alone mountain helped me fall in love with Tucson. It’s about 40 miles North of Tucson. Driving down from Phoenix, I saw this VERY distinct mountain sticking up and hoped I’d drive past it, and eventually I did! And it looks super cool from every single angle. It has its own Picacho Peak State Park. I HAD to get there for photos as soon as possible. The photos of the couple are from this photoshoot I did around the side of it. The other photos are from when I recently hiked to the top! (Don’t worry, I was in the passenger seat for the car photo. :P)
Best Tucson Adventure Engagement Location #3
Gate’s Pass
The mountains to the West of Tucson are the aptly-named Tucson Mountains. If you drive West from the city on one of the main roads, Speedway Blvd, you drive straight out to Gate’s Pass. It is an incredible spot where you pass through the mountains to another flat area on the other side. It offers gorgeous views of the desert and mountains covered in saguaro. It’s also an unbeatable spot to watch the sunset.
Best Tucson Adventure Engagement Location #4
Tanque Verde Falls
Tanque Verde Canyon is a beautiful desert canyon just north of East Saguaro National Park. There is a little stream that runs through it, fed by a small but pretty waterfall (sidenote: the water is quite cold, but definitely refreshing in the desert heat). It requires a small, very doable hike down into the canyon, and you can either turn left and go to the falls and swimming area, or right down the stream and into the canyon. Either way you go, it’s a gorgeous bite of desert landscape.
Best Tucson Adventure Engagement Location #5
Sanctuary Cove
I love this little gem. Santuary Cove is an all-creeds worship space located at the base of the Twin Peaks in the Tucson suburb of Marana. (Though, funnily enough, while there used to be two Twin Peaks, there’s now only one peak due to limestone mining. 😕) It’s super cool that a space like this exists, but it’s not just for prayer and reflection and events. There is also hiking and just a general GORGEOUS landscape perfect for photos. There is a lot of desert flora and fauna in the area, a cute chapel and seating area for weddings, and even a cute little labyrinthine rock formation.
