Headed to Flagstaff, AZ - Where to Go, What to Photograph?

[astrostu]

This will be my third now-annual pilgrimage to Flagstaff, AZ for a work-related conference, Sept. 26 - Oct. 1. I'll have a Saturday night, Sunday afternoon/night, possibly Monday night, and Wednesday afternoon/night free. In the past, I've gone to (with years listed):

Grand Canyon - 2004, 2005 (briefly)
Walnut Canyon - 2004, 2007, 2008
Wupatki National Monument - 2004, 2008
Sunset Crater - 2004, 2005, 2008
Painted Desert - 2004, 2005 (briefly), 2008
Petrified Forest - 2004, 2008
Slide Rock State Park - 2007
Red Rock State Park - 2007
Sedona - 2004 (briefly), 2007
Meteor Crater - 2004, 2005
Montezuma's Castle - 2008
Montezuma's Well - 2008
Lowell Observatory - 2007, 2008

This year, on Sunday there's a field trip with USGS for the conference to hike around Meteor Crater again (it is a Lunar and Mars crater conference, after all). I would also like to make it to Antelope Canyon this time since I've seen some awesome photos from it. I have a National Parks Pass this year, so I was thinking that if I wanted to go to Grand Canyon again, this would be a good year to do it 'cause I can get in for "free," but I'm not sure if I want to go again. I'm going to try to get to a dark sky site on the Saturday, but a waxing gibbous moon will interfere a lot.

I guess the bottom-line question here is: Am I leaving a place out? Anything in particular you'd suggest going to that I haven't thought of?

 

[Mitica100]

I just came from Page, after doing a 4 hr. long photo trip to the Lower Antelope Canyon. If you ever consider doing the AC, then you must know that best light for the LAC is between 8:30am and 11am. The best light for the UAC is 11am to 1pm. I would also look into seeing other places around Page, such as Lake Powell, the Rainbow Bridge, the Wave (if you are lucky to be amongst the ten applicants approved per day).

It's a magical place and every penny spent there is well spent.

 

[astrostu]

Hmmm. I'm not going to be able to make it there before the mid-afternoon any day of my trip.

 

[polymoog]

I just came from Page, after doing a 4 hr. long photo trip to the Lower Antelope Canyon. If you ever consider doing the AC, then you must know that best light for the LAC is between 8:30am and 11am. The best light for the UAC is 11am to 1pm. I would also look into seeing other places around Page, such as Lake Powell, the Rainbow Bridge, the Wave (if you are lucky to be amongst the ten applicants approved per day).

It's a magical place and every penny spent there is well spent.

Why do they only allow 10 people per day to the Wave? What is it, if you don't mind my asking? Have been to Flagstaff once (astro has already been to the places I have visited hence I have no new suggestions ...) and would like to go back some day.

 

[astrostu]

I looked up "The Wave" on Wikipedia -- looks interesting, but I can't get a pass on such short notice. I put it on my calendar to apply for one next June for Sept. 2010.

It also looks like I won't be able to get to Antelope Canyon around mid-day to take advantage of the light beams, so I will again defer that to next year when I can plan an extra full day for sight-seeing.

On a whim, I took a look for "waterfalls near flagstafff, az" in Google and came across "Grand Falls," a little SE of Sunset Crater. Is anyone familiar with that area? It looked pretty cool from the photos online (e.g., this site). But I'm wondering if it'll still be impressive in late September. I think I'll try to do that place on Sunday, and then hit Grand Canyon on Wednesday.

Unless folks have other ideas?