There is a growing fascination with stargazing and dark skies as a travel enhancement, yet for many it goes deeper than peering at pinpoints of ancient light from far away suns. Humans have studied the stars for countless millennia, and now we have the tools to capture more detail and fainter stars, even without using telescopes. Despite being set in a major metro area with the light pollution that entails, Scottsdale is surprisingly gifted with nearby dark-sky locations from which to view meteor showers, nebulae, even the rare comet. Whether you like to photograph the celestial light show in a serious way or just lay back across your car hood and windshield to count Perseid meteors, plan your Scottsdale visit close to a new moon period and you’ll be richly rewarded.
Scottsdale averages 330 sunny days per year, with just less than eight inches of rain annually, allowing quality viewing year-round. The very low average humidity is much preferred for star gazing, offering far greater clarity than cities by both coasts or much of the Mid-West. As a photographer who’s recorded stars from many of Arizona’s best dark sky locations, I’d like to share some local locations, images and photo tips.
Verde River Area
From the northbound 101, take Pima Road north to Dynamite Boulevard and head east (note that Dynamite Boulevard becomes Rio Verde Drive as you cross Alma School Parkway). In 12.7 miles, turn left on Needlerock Road, which becomes Service Road 20. Follow it as it parallels the Verde River on your right until you find a turn-off to pull safely off the road.
You are miles away from bright city lights here, so you’ll have a great view of the celestial bodies. Note for your return trip: remember to turn right on Rio Verde Drive as you leave the river area; it turns into Dynamite Boulevard as it heads west.
Pro Tip: Saguaros make excellent focal points for night-sky timelapses. I photographed the comet Neowise over a saguaro in July 2020, using a recent model DSLR, exposing for stars and comet for 6 seconds at F/11 and ISO 12,800. The lens was a 200mm F2.8, and I used an LED flashlight to ‘paint’ detail in the statuesque saguaro. Obviously, you’ll need a sturdy tripod, and a good headlamp to walk about, with a red filter to save your night vision.
Saguaro Lake & Four Peaks
To get to Saguaro Lake, take Shea Boulevard east to Highway 87 (a.k.a. the Beeline Highway). Turn left on the Beeline and take the Bush Highway exit. Turn right and follow Bush Highway south. The turn-off to the Saguaro Lake Marina will be on your left.
Take a late afternoon boat tour on Saguaro Lake’s double-decker Desert Belle, enjoy dinner on the patio at the marina's ShipRock Restaurant, then get ready for some outstanding stargazing. Turn right onto Bush Highway as you leave the marina and pull over at Butcher Jones Road. This is a day-use area so the gate will be closed, but you should be able to pull off the road safely enough to stargaze for a bit, or drive a little further for other pullouts.
The Beeline Highway also is your access to the Four Peaks Wilderness Area, another prime stargazing spot. About 7 miles north of Bush Highway on the Beeline you’ll see a sign to turn right to Four Peaks, a 7,659-foot landmark mountain dominating the northeast horizon. This is excellent saguaro territory and because you’re further away from city lights the stars are brighter and feel somehow closer. I chose a pristine saguaro for my foreground, with Four Peaks rising beyond and set up a 755 second exposure to record star trails as the Earth was rotating. The lens was a 50mm F1.4, but I shot at F8 and used an ISO of 1250. This is a good dirt road, but pay attention to your way in and out!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a newish DSLR with a big sensor and bright lenses, you can still record stars with a recent model cell phone. You’ll still want a decent tripod and will have to make custom settings choices in the menu to make the stars pop. It’s worth the time and effort to bring home the night sky, and better remember those desert nights.
McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Located just north of Fountain Hills on Scottsdale’s northeastern border, McDowell Mountain Regional Park is open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 p.m. the rest of the week. There are many well-marked picnic and camping areas where you can pull off the road to search for your favorite constellations. Bring a flashlight if you plan to walk a bit down any of the park’s trails. Check out the park’s event calendar for guided moonlight walks and nighttime mountain-biking treks (helmets with lights required).
Every July into August the Perseid meteor shower returns to our heavens, and if the sky is clear I venture out to see them for a few hours of bliss. When I photograph meteor showers, I often choose a wider lens, to give me a better chance of ‘action’ in the sky, and always include a nearby saguaro. Here I used a 143 second exposure, and was rewarded by a meteor slashing just under the left arm of the cactus. McDowell Mountain Park is excellent terrain to find saguaros that frame the black velvet sky, but if the moon is still high overhead wait until it dips low in the West.
Scottsdale Resorts
Many of our resorts are located right on the edge of open desert, which means minimal city lights and plenty of stars to gaze at. Check-in at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Boulders Resort & Spa, CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, and ADERO Scottsdale.
ADERO Scottsdale occupies a prime perch for star viewing, sited very close to Fountain Hills, certified a Dark Sky Community in 2018. As a guest, you can shoot all night long from your north facing balcony, as I did, or just star gaze with Celestron 15x70 Long Range binoculars, a perk you’ll find in all 16 of their suites. On Friday evenings from October to May they offer a Star Party for guests, through telescopes provided by the Star Dudes for free viewing of the Milky Way. Never seen Jupiter or Saturn’s rings? This is your irresistible chance, and they’ll likely throw in a nebula or two.
There are plenty of fine stargazing tours around Scottsdale, but if you want to trek out a bit for solitude, start with our list of the best local spots to stargaze. Just make sure you bring a GPS if you decide to go off-road, in which case we recommend four-wheel drive, too! Watch out for local reptiles, and bring water, snacks and a comfy chair for your very own drive-in or walk-in starry night showcase.
I've spent my life photographing the wild lands of the American West and Pacific Rim and the people who live here. It's been the realization of a dream to make a living showing people exploring and enjoying their environment, and to share their dreams through the looking glass that is photography.
