Discovering Arizona with Natalie Allen

Stocksy travel and lifestyle photographer Natalie Allen considers herself lucky to be a born and raised Arizonan. The Southwest US state houses a melting pot of attractions to satisfy a diversity of desires but it’s really Arizona’s landscape that repeatedly draws artists like Allen back within its borders. “Our desert colors surpass any other natural landscape known to man,” Allen gushes. “Our sunsets and sunrises are unparalleled. There’s so much inspiration to be found in the desert.”

Allen insists that the famed Grand Canyon is a marvel deserving of its reputation, but is only a fraction of the beauty that Arizona holds in its sunbaked terrain. “I’m honored to have had the privilege to explore the many hidden crevasses of my home state — so many of Arizona’s treasures lie beyond the beaten path. A beautiful hike is never more than 20 minutes away, complete with the dashing red rocks and prickly pear cacti that forever hold my heart.”

“One of the most incredible hikes I’ve ever completed was the 24-mile round trip to Havasupai Falls that started the ‘adventure crave’ I’ve now been cursed with,” Allen shares. “It was the first TRUE hike I’ve ever completed — equipped with blistered toes and a reality check. It was in this moment, looking at the waterfall, that I fell in love with my hidden dirtbag soul.”