Wide field astrophotography near Phoenix?

So, the topic over in the nature forum about the Perseids coming this weekend got me to thinking: what're

some good places reasonably close to the Phoenix metro area (especially Tempe / the east valley) for

wide-field astrophotography? Obviously, areas relatively free from light pollution would be a must, but I'm

also thinking of places with stuff on Earth to include in the frame -- perhaps a not-too-distant mountain

ridge in the background, the usual desert flora in the foreground (painted with flash, etc., if necessary),

and the Milky Way (etc.) in the sky. And a meteor or three, if I'm especially lucky.

 

I don't know if I'll have a chance to make the time for a trip like this this weekend, but I sure hope I will.

But, if not this weekend, sometime relatively soon....

 

Cheers,

 

b&

I reside in Flagstaff which is a dark skies city and any of the rural locations in the area are excellent for astro phptpgraph. I have a folder on star trails taken in the local area. But of coarse the weather man says rain for the next week, so it will probably be a wash out as usual.

How close? Tucson is an astronomy-friendly area, dark skies, many observatories.