by Heidi Dahms Foster, Communications Coordinator, Town of Prescott Valley
With its varying climate and surrounding beauty, Prescott Valley is the perfect base for photographers. Just a few miles in any direction will provide photo opportunities galore.
Fain Park off Fifth Street is a photo haven for nature lovers. The small lake, fed by Lynx and Rose creeks, attracts a variety of colorful birds, including heron, bald eagle, summer tanager, loggerhead shrike, belted kingfisher, a variety of ducks, double-crested cormorants, woodpeckers, bluebirds and more. Very early morning and evening are the best times to spot a good variety of birds.
The tiny chapel at Fain Park, with its historic stained-glass windows, also is a favorite of photographers, and the mining exhibits, old cavalry trails and Lynx Creek offer more creative ideas.
The Glassford Summit Trail, which opened in 2017 on historic Glassford Hill, offers astonishing 360-degree vistas for photographers willing to hike to the top. Be prepared because it’s considered a challenging hike, but the views (and photos) are worth the effort.
The Prescott Valley Civic Center has a collection of art throughout the campus that lends itself to some creative photography.
The “Urban Forest” at Mountain Valley Park in the center of Prescott Valley features two recharge ponds that harbor birds, turtles, ducks and more. Young ducklings are popular photo subjects in early spring. A drive out to the Redwood Memorial Cemetery area in Dewey will often yield opportunities to photograph soaring raptors, livestock and a variety of birds such as killdeer and horned larks.
Hike the Iron King Trail starting at Glassford Hill Road for wide-open vistas, wildlife and livestock.
Drive out along Highway 89A and Fain Road to spot grazing Pronghorn antelope. A good telephoto lens is handy for photographing these shy creatures. And because Prescott Valley still is surrounded by ranchland, spring is a wonderful time to capture photos of new calves.
Fortieth anniversary events awaiting photo experts this year include Woofstock, an adoption and all-things-dog event at the PV Civic Center on June 9. Adorable dogs doing cute things are perfect photo fodder! A Fourth of July celebration will help you hone your fireworks photography, and Fandomania: a Comic Con event on July 28 will offer a plethora of intricately dressed characters who surely will not be camera shy!
Prescott Valley’s 40th anniversary weekend on August 25 and 26 will include concerts, a huge car show, a cowboy church service and mass renewal of wedding vows (and maybe a wedding or two!), and much more – be sure to pack the camera for this one!
In September, Patriot Week is a much-photographed pageant of remembrance and respect for those who lost their lives in the attacks of 9/11. The sight of 3,000 American flags waving on the grounds of the Prescott Valley Civic Center is not to be missed.
If your photography interests lean toward sports, then Prescott Valley has plenty for you as well. Along with youth and adult sports of all kinds, the town is the site for two large off-road events featuring UTVs, quads and dirt bikes at Lynx Creek and adjacent to the PV Event Center.
If you’re a photography buff, you can scarcely turn around in Prescott Valley without finding something you’ll want to record. Bring your camera and join us in this vibrant, growing community.
For information on events, see the Town of Prescott Valley website at pvaz.net, visit us on Facebook at Town of Prescott Valley, or call Communications Coordinator Heidi Dahms Foster at 928-759-3123.
