Exploring Arizona’s hidden gems with “Arizona Friend Trips”

In “Arizona Friend Trips: Stories from the Road,” Lisa Schnebly Heidinger and Julie Morrison invite readers to explore the state’s most cherished places through a blend of poetry, prose and photography.

From the iconic landmarks to hidden gems, each chapter of this captivating travelogue provides a rich tapestry of historical insight, personal anecdotes and emotional reflections, painting a vivid portrait of Arizona’s diverse landscapes and vibrant culture.

Heidinger and Morrison met in 2012 while being a part of a civic leadership group in Arizona and they started writing together in 2018.

“Julie came up with it! She came to me and said “Hey, we’re both third generation Arizonans, we love the state, I do poetry, you do prose photography, let’s do a book!” Heidinger said.

The places

They let the book go wherever they felt was a story. One of the places they visited became Morrison’s favorite, Hannagan Meadow. It is located near Apache National Forest, Heidinger said it is a place “you go only to go there.” Lake Havasu was another place they stopped, which they found that people go there to enjoy being by the water and found the residents to be “charming.”

Her favorite stop was Lee’s Ferry, she says she thinks so “because it’s so stark and dramatic and of itself.” Wupatki was a monument that had intricate features about it. She said that Walnut Canyon was her least favorite, a spot close to Flagstaff. Heidinger said that it was very uphill, that made it not very fun however “the craftmanship was exquisite.”