Arizona's natural splendor is well known to anyone with a camera and an eye for beauty. In other words, most people.

While the magnificence of the Grand Canyon and the grandeur of Sedona capture more than their share of attention, many other sites show off the best of what Arizona has to offer.

Some are far off the beaten trail, requiring an effort rarely seen outside family cross-country road trips. Others are overlooked locations that tend to blend into the background until you look at them in a different light.

Here are some of Arizona's most photogenic spots, from the famous to the less known, and where to shoot to show off their best sides.

THE OBVIOUS

Grand Canyon

The full majesty of the canyon is almost impossible to capture on film, but a shot of Kolb Studio, a cabin perched on the edge of the South Rim, offers a perspective many photos lack.

The spot: Head to the west side of the studio and walk up the slope. At some point you’ll see how the canyon serves as a backdrop, the cliffs of the North Rim slightly higher than the roofline.

Best time: Sunset illuminates the studio while painting the canyon walls with a warm glow. At the very least, wait until late afternoon with the sun lingering to the west, ensuring the studio is brightly lit.

While you're there: Stroll the easy South Rim Trail, camera in hand; take the shuttle to the Yavapai Geology Museum, right on the rim with a stunning vista through its picture windows; enjoy beer, wine or a cocktail in the casually elegant bar inside El Tovar lodge.

Details: www.nps.gov/grca.

Horseshoe Bend

The hike to this improbably curvy stretch of the Colorado River has become an international favorite thanks to the hundreds of thousands of photos of it on social media.

The spot: After you hike over the hill between the parking lot and the rim — it's three-quarters of a mile along a sunny, sandy trail — veer right. Most people center the bend in their photos, which is fine. But for a different angle, stand above the point at which the river starts to bend. To your left is a slightly higher promontory jutting farther into the canyon. Position someone near the ledge (not too close — safety above all) and get a shot of a solitary figure looking toward the horizon. Your human subject adds a striking perspective to the landscape.

Best time: As with most scenic photography, the best light comes in low at the start or end of the day. But if you can't be there during sunrise or sunset, the best time is when you're there.

While you're there: Peer over the ledge safely from the viewing deck; take a tour of the nearby Glen Canyon Dam, where you'll see the large generators as well as a view of the dam from the bottom; have dinner at the Rainbow Room at Wawheap Marina on the shore of Lake Powell.

Details: www.nps.gov/glca.

Monument Valley

There are no bad photos at Monument Valley, unless you accidentally touch the shutter button while putting the phone back in your pocket. Everyone shoots the iconic Two Mittens from the visitor center parking lot. It’s lovely, but typical. Your target is the Three Sisters.

The spot: You can see the Three Sisters from the 17-mile loop road ($20 per vehicle). Two immense spires flank a frail third that tilts precariously, the formation appearing as if a modernist sculpture on a grand scale. For a much better view, take one of the many private tours available at the visitor center. Rates start at $60. Hint: They're worth it.

Best time: Anyone who appreciates nature's magnificence must experience Monument Valley at sunrise. The buttes and columns glow seemingly from inside, throwing shadows that crease the landscape in a complex geometry.

While you're there: If you don't take a tour, be sure to drive the scenic loop (it's unpaved but fine for most cars) and stop at each overlooks; dine at the aptly named View Restaurant, offering several Navajo-inspired dishes; head back to U.S. 163 and drive north to Forrest Gump Point (about 18 miles from the visitor center) for the movie's iconic image of a lonely road leading toward the graceful formations of Monument Valley.

Details: navajonationparks.org/monument-valley.

UNDER THE RADAR

Havasupai Waterfalls

People from all over the world hike to the Havasupai falls in the Grand Canyon, tracing the turquoise water of Havasu Creek as it tumbles toward the Colorado River. The towering Havasu and Mooney falls captivate the imagination, but the lesser-known Navajo Falls is an idyllic destination. (Permits are required. They go on sale each Feb. 1 and disappear within hours.)

The spot: Navajo Falls (technically the "new" Navajo Falls, formed during a 2008 flood) is about a mile from Supai Village, halfway between the village and the campground. A narrow path veers off the main trail, taking visitors over a small rise, where a curtain of water tumbles roughly 30 feet along a ledge. Follow a path to the tumble of boulders overlooking the pools for a dramatic view of the falls' length.

Best time: The late afternoon sun backlights the falls from this vantage point. Normally the glare would wash out the photo, but in this case it puts a spotlight on the mist, crafting an ethereal look.

While you're there: Take a dip in one of Navajo Falls' swim-friendly pools; order a taco at the nearby frybread stand (hours vary); put down your phone, breathe deeply and revel in the moment because you are in one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.

Details: www.havasupaireservations.com.

Canyon de Chelly

This national monument's remote location in the northeast corner of Arizona does it no favors when it comes to tourism. Take the less-traveled road to this gem on the Navajo Reservation where the centerpiece is the towering column that is Spider Rock.

The spot: While getting to Canyon de Chelly isn't easy, a gorgeous view of Spider Rock is easily accessible once you’re there. Take the paved rim trail to Spider Rock Overlook. Below, the spire rises gracefully from the canyon floor. Behind it, the red and green spreads toward the horizon.

Best time: Anytime a patchwork of clouds is floating by. The shadows add lovely contrast, especially if Spider Rock is brightly lit against a darker canyon.

While you're there: Stop at Face Rock Overlook, another scenic spot; take a guided tour, the only way to explore the floor of the canyon, which remains home to many Navajos; spend a night in the Spider Rock Campground, not far from the canyon's rim.

Details: www.nps.gov/cach.

Chiricahua National Monument

Amid the whimsical landscape created by the immense stone pillars of the Chiricahua Mountains, few formations capture the imagination like Pinnacle Rock. The immense boulder poised on the tip of its pedestal has no business remaining upright if gravity had any say.

The spot: Pinnacle Rock is unmistakable along the Heart of Rocks Trail, a somewhat strenuous 7.3-mile loop from the visitor center.

Best time: The formation's uniqueness stands out in any light. Sunset is nice, but hardly mandatory.

While you're there: Take a tour of Faraway Ranch, a former guest ranch dating back to 1917; do some birdwatching, as southeastern Arizona is along a popular migratory route; visit Willcox, a small town 35 minutes away and home to wine-tasting rooms and the Rex Allen Museum.

Details: www.nps.gov/chir.

SURPRISING FINDS

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

A nondescript cove — more a nook than anything else — slips past unnoticed by those unaware of the treasure tucked at the back. Visit at the right time of day and Emerald Cave glows with a bright green hue, thanks to water-diffused sunlight reflecting off the shallow bottom.

The spot: Emerald Cave is reachable only by boat, so most visitors rent a kayak or pay for a tour out of Willow Beach, 2 ½ miles downstream. The cove is on the east side of the Colorado River. Enter it to see the cave near the back. It packs a scenic punch despite its smallish size.

Best time: Any clear day between noon and 3 p.m., when the afternoon sun typically lights up the cave.

While you're there: Rent a boat from Willow Beach Marina and explore Lake Mead; take a tour of Hoover Dam (30 minutes away); head into Las Vegas (an hour away).

Details: www.nps.gov/lake.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

This may be the most beautiful house of worship in Arizona. It's not just the structure, which is quite elegant. It's also the setting, built into Sedona's famous red rocks.

The spot: There are two angles worth capturing. For the first, approach from below where the narrow, A-shaped chapel appears as if a natural formation against the formidable stone wall behind it. The second is from behind and above, revealing how the chapel peers over Sedona like a guardian.

Best time: Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., when the chapel and its parking lot is open to the public. Visitors who come by outside those hours often park along residential streets or on private property, clogging the roads and creating a nuisance for neighbors.

While you're there: Shop at Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, a Spanish-Mediterranean-influenced plaza; sip the signature Nut Brown Ale at Oak Creek Brewing Co.; stop by the Schnebly Hill Observation Site for some of the best views available without hiking. It's on Schnebly Hill Road a short distance past the end of the pavement.

Details: chapeloftheholycross.com.

TRUST US

Jerome Grand Hotel

Imagine a lonely road on a dark and stormy night, and suddenly your car gives out. A foreboding mansion lies ahead. OK, the Jerome Grand Hotel is not on a lonely road, and it boasts many warm, dry and well-appointed rooms. But perched on the side of Cleopatra Hill, the former hospital appears deliciously creepy.

The spot: You want to shoot from below. Head down the approaching road until you reach the point where the hotel looms. You'll know it when you see it.

Best time: Dusk. Sunlight provides an aura of normality. You're going more for implied dread.

While you're there: Spend the day exploring Jerome's shops and restaurants; have a cocktail at the hotel's Asylum bar; stay the night at the supposedly haunted Grand Hotel, where you might see the Head Nurse, a spirit reported by two visiting psychics.

Details: jeromegrandhotel.net.

Lake Havasu City

The $2.5 million that city founder Robert McCulloch paid for the London Bridge in 1967 was a relative bargain compared to the cost of shipping it and then dredging a channel ($7 million). But it all turned out to be a wise investment, as the city still benefits from having the historic landmark.

The spot: Cross the bridge and head to its base, following the concrete path to the northern side. Once you're about 50 feet from the bridge, pan up until you see only water at the bottom of the frame. The bridge arcs gracefully across the channel, the facades of the English Village across the way visible under the first arch.

Best time: While the bridge shines any time of day, lights framing its upper ledge shimmer in the water as the intricate lamps stationed along the road lend an ethereal glow at dusk and after dark.

While you're there: Explore the 27 scaled-down replicas of famous lighthouses scattered around the shore; relax on the beach in the no-wake zone of Bridgewater Channel; enjoy a freshly brewed beer at one of Lake Havasu City's three brewpubs (Mudshark, Barley Bros. and College Street).

Details: www.golakehavasu.com.

Have any tips on relatively unknown, must-see destinations in Arizona? Reach the reporter at scott.craven@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-8773. Follow him on Twitter @Scott_Craven2.

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