November is when Arizona’s fall foliage gets interesting.
The first colors of the season have already appeared in the highest elevations.
Now the season begins moving downward.
That means November can be one of the best months for travelers who know where to look.
Where can you see fall foliage in Arizona in November?
Good November destinations include the Verde Valley, Sedona, Prescott, the White Mountains, southern Arizona canyons and other areas where elevation and waterways create fall color.
Arizona’s tourism office notes that by late November, fall colors move lower in elevation and farther south.
1. Sedona and Oak Creek
Start here.
The combination of red rock and autumn leaves is hard to beat.
2. Cottonwood
Cottonwood is an excellent base for exploring the Verde Valley.
3. Camp Verde
Look around waterways and riparian areas for late-season color.
4. Prescott
The forests surrounding Prescott provide a classic mountain-fall experience.
5. White Mountains
Pinetop-Lakeside and surrounding communities can offer beautiful November scenery.
6. Greer
Greer is ideal for a quiet fall weekend.
7. Southern Arizona
As the season progresses, look farther south.
Arizona’s fall doesn’t simply disappear.
It travels.
8. Ramsey Canyon
Ramsey Canyon can offer late-season color through November.
9. Patagonia
Combine fall scenery with birding, hiking and small-town exploration.
10. Aravaipa Canyon
Late-season desert canyon color can create some of the most unusual autumn photography in the state.
How do you find fall colors in Arizona?
Think about three things:
Elevation.
Water.
Timing.
Trees near streams and canyon bottoms can turn even when surrounding desert remains green or brown.
Can you see fall colors near Phoenix?
You generally need to travel to higher elevations or suitable riparian areas for a strong fall-color experience.
The farther you travel into the mountains, the more dramatic the seasonal change can become.
What should you bring?
Water.
Layers.
Good walking shoes.
A camera.
And patience.
Chef Joe’s advice
Don’t drive three hours, take one photograph and drive three hours home.
Make the foliage part of a bigger experience.
Find lunch.
Visit a small town.
Buy something local.
Then take the scenic route home.
Final thoughts
Arizona’s fall foliage is not a wall of color.
It’s a treasure hunt.
You have to go looking.
And that’s exactly what makes it fun.
Chef Joe Muscarello
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