Arizona

Whether you are a full time resident or just a visitor, hiking in Arizona is a lot of fun. Pinnacle Peak Mountain was originally part of the Arizona State Trust Land, owned by the State of Arizona. The mountain’s elevation is around 3,170 feet. Pinnacle Peak park is now part of the Scottsdale Park Department. It is a terrific place for people of all ages. Pinnacle Peak Mountain and Park is a 150-acre natural preserve located in North Scottsdale, Arizona. Besides some of the best views of the Valley, moderate-level hiking and rock climbing is available. It’s a very well run park and it has a four-mile hiking and biking trail around the mountain peak. Climbing is allowed during daylight hours only.

It you’re looking for something to do outside on a fall, winter or spring weekend, try a hike at Pinnacle Peak Park. Be on the lookout for rattlesnakes and other creatures at the park. Summer is not a very enjoyable time because of the harshness of the desert and heat. When planning your hike please remember to wear hiking boots and keep hydrated. Don’t hike alone. Pinnacle Peak Park is a treasure to the Scottsdale community and visitors alike.

One the most visited natural wonders in North America is the Grand Canyon with over six million visitors a year. The Grand Canyon is a rugged, vast and remote place in northern Arizona. The spectacular natural beauty of the pinions and juniper woodlands at the Grand Canyon is home to a lot of wildlife including deer, bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyotes, and more. The best time to see or photograph the Grand Canyon is in the early morning or late afternoon on sunny days. Hiking and backpacking is rigorous because the 7,000 foot elevation, extreme temperatures and difficult trails. The inner canyon can become as hot as 120 degrees in the summertime. You should be in excellent physical condition if you plan to hike down into the canyon. All overnight camping below the rim requires a backcountry permit. The Colorado River flows along the bottom of the canyon and it is about one mile below the rim. Some visitors make arrangements with tour businesses to go whitewater rafting in the river. The Skywalk located on the west rim is a glass-bottom U-shaped walkway projecting 70 feet out over the edge. It allows visitors to look straight down, nearly 4,000 feet below to the bottom of the canyon. There is a fee to walk the Skywalk and to enter the Grand Canyon. No cameras are allowed on the Skywalk.

Tucson, Arizona is significantly older than Phoenix. It holds a strong historical tradition. Tucson is the second largest city in the state. Tucson is known as the “Old Pueblo” and is well-known for its western hospitality and friendliness of its residents. It is located in a valley and is a little cooler than Phoenix. Elevation is 2,584 feet. Tucson is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is part of the Sonoran Desert. The mountains are the Santa Catalinas, the Rincons, the Tucson Mountains and the Santa Ritas. In the summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees, but the winters are very mild. Tucson is the home of the University of Arizona and Flandrau Planetarium, Tucson is an outdoor, active lifestyle community in the desert and people dress casually in Tucson. Tucson is famous for elegant spas and salons such as Canyon Ranch. Tucson is a great place if you like to go hiking, biking or running. Golfing, tennis and swimming are enjoyed anytime of the year. It is just a hop, skip and a jump to the Nogales, Mexico border. Kitt Peak National Observatory and many other attractions are within driving distance to Tucson. Tucson tourist industry attracts many winter visitors.

Scottsdale, Arizona is located in the “Valley of the Sun,” in Arizona. Scottsdale borders the city of Phoenix, Arizona and town of Paradise Valley to the west. Tempe, Arizona is located to the south and Fountain Hills to the east. Whether you are in Scottsdale, Arizona for business or to simply enjoy the relaxing, friendly environment, you will certainly enjoy the climate in the winter, but summers are very hot in northern reaches of the Sonoran Desert.

Scottsdale’s primary employer is tourism and it’s widely known as a premier destination for golf and rated number one for spas in the country. Upscale shopping with unique brand stores is available. Contemporary and Western Art can be found in Scottsdale; especially in downtown Scottsdale and the Civic Center Mall. Scottsdale’s Art Walk is every Thursday night. Here you can stroll the streets of downtown Scottsdale and enjoy special exhibits. Old Town Scottsdale is at the heart of the city’s art scene.

Did you know, a Frank Lloyd Wright memorial stands in North Scottsdale and a major street bears his name? The Scottsdale Culinary Festival draws many visitors looking to enjoy fabulous food, fun and festivities. Whether you come to Scottsdale for business or pleasure, there is certainly something to see or due to suit everyone.

Firebird Lake on the Gila Indian Reservation is a man-made lake in Maricopa County in the state of Arizona. Firebird International Raceway is south of Phoenix on I-10 at the Maricopa Road exit. If you’re into racing, there is plenty to get excited about in the Phoenix area. Some of the best drag boats in North America run on Firebird Raceway. Firebird Lake offers great conditions for water-sports tournaments and boat-testing. It is home of the ASU Water Ski team. Firebird Lake hosts boat racing in April and November.

Besides motor boat racing, Firebird International has a 1/4 mile drag strip and 4 distinct road courses. Drag racing is in February, April, June, September, and October. Firebird holds monthly and weekly drag racing programs for the benefit of the amateur racer as well. Firebird is currently home to the Bob Bondurant School or Racing. Former sports car and Formula One racer Bob Bondurant has run one of the best-known racing and street-driving schools since the late 1960s. The school offers street driving, grand prix racing and executive anti-terrorist maneuvers. What man could resist all this place has to offer!

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Willcox, Arizona is just 75 east of Tucson, Arizona and is located in Cochise County. Willcox is a rural community known as an “apple-growing town” and hometown of the “Arizona Cowboy,” Rex Allen. Be sure and visit the Rex Allen Museum and Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame on your trip.

Apple harvesting in Arizona begins in August and runs through October. It’s traditional for many Arizona families to drive over to Willcox for the day to have some old-fashioned fun apple picking. There are dozens of U-Pick-It farms in Willcox. You can pick your own peaches, pears and apples. There is nothing like picking your own organic tree-ripened fruit. Peaches, pears, apple bread, apple pies, apple cider and apple butter are also produced en mass in the kitchens of these farms. If you don’t want to explore the fields and orchards, many farmers sell just-picked fruits and vegetables from roadside stands. This agricultural community along with traditional crops, also has pistachio and pecan groves, grape vineyards. One summer when I was in Willcox, I picked my own beautiful bouquet of zinnias from a huge field of colorful flowers. In the summer we brought home green beans, squash, corn and of course, tomatoes.

In October the pumpkin patches are harvested. You can pick your own pumpkin and enjoy pumpkin pie at one of the many farms. One of the farms even offers a traditional hayride for the kids to enjoy. It is a great way to get away from the stress and traffic of living in the big city and have some old-fashioned fun.

The Phoenix Zoo is one of the nation’s largest privately owned, non-profit zoological parks. It is located on 125 acres in Phoenix’s Papago Park. The Phoenix zoo is a very lively attraction for the entire family. The zoo is located at 455 N. Galvin Parkway in Phoenix, Arizona. The zoo’s phone number is (602) 273-1341. The Phoenix Zoo is home to approximately 1,400 animals including 200 species of endangered or threatened birds, mammals and reptiles from around the world. The zoo attracts many tourists visiting this desert city. The zoo has exhibits that make you feel like you are in the animals’ natural habitat. I especially enjoyed the monkies.

The Phoenix Zoo is open year-round. You can buy your tickets online. The zoo has four themed areas that lead visitors to exhibits that represent different areas in the world. These areas are the Arizona Trail, the Africa Trail, the Tropics Trail, and the Discovery/Children’s Trail. There are lots of special events at the zoo such as Starry Safari and Nights at the Zoo. You can check these events out online. Phoenix zoo offers many programs, lectures and workshops for people of all ages from children to adults. A visit to the Phoenix Zoo is sure to be a lot of fun.

Tuzigoot National Monument is a magnificent place to visit. There is a fee to enter the area. There is museum exhibiting Sinaguan artifacts in Arizona. There is also a small bookstore in the Visitor Center. Summers are generally hot and dry. Tuzigoot National Monument is 52 miles south of Flagstaff and 90 miles north of Phoenix and is located in Yavapai County, Arizona. The ancient village is located near the towns of Clarkdale and Cottonwood. The ruins are close to the Verde River valley. Tuzigoot is the largest and best-preserved of the many Sinagua pueblo ruins in the Verde Valley. At Tuzigoot there is a cluster of buildings on top of a small ridge. This ridge sits above Arizona’s Verde River. Tuzigoot is an Apache word meaning “crooked water”.

At Tuzigoot you will find the ruins of the Sinagua Indians and; these ruins are dated between 1100 and 1450 AD. The ruins consisted of two stories and 110 rooms. The Sinagua people were peaceful prehistoric people who were farmers as well as hunters. They grew corn, beans and squash. Sinagua is the Spanish word for “without water”. The origins of the Sinagua people are uncertain as well as why they vanished.

Sabino Canyon, known for its magnificent canyons and running water creeks, is a natural desert oasis located in Tucson’s Coronado National Forest. No cars are allowed in Sabino Canyon. There is a system of hiking trails that lead into the high country and also lead deeper into the canyon. There is also a paved roadway for the tram and those people who don’t want to walk down the trails. There are lots of picnic tables along the way, so it might be fun to bring along a lunch.

Sabino Canyon is rugged and beautiful area. The canyon is rich in plant and wildlife. Sabino Canyon has over a million visitors a year. Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is open to visitors 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The visitor’s center has restrooms, beverage machines, and information about trails in the canyon. A shuttle tram operates in the canyon. It is a narrated tram ride that takes visitors up and down the canyon throughout the day. There is a fee for entering the canyon as well as a fee for riding the tram. The tour last about 45 minute and you can exit the tram at different locations to explore the area and catch the next shuttle back. The tram crosses the creek on nine stone bridges as it winds its way up the canyon. Lower Sabino Canyon is a popular area for picnicing and wading. Mountain lions have been spotted in the canyon as well as deer and other wildlife. The canyon is a great place for spotting birds. Moonlight tram rides on nights when there is a full moon is another great way to experience the canyon.

Set in an incrediblly lush Sonoran Desert landscape, with views of nearby mountains, spectacular sunsets, and views of the Phoenix North Valley, Anthem, Arizona, a master planned community is located just north of Phoenix, Arizona. Take Interstate 17 north about 34 miles. I-17 is a congested road and traffic slows down as you leave Phoenix heading north. Located in Maricopa County Arizona, Anthem is built on the foothills of Daisy Mountain. The town’s elevation ranges from 1,760 to 2,428 feet. Anthem is currently an unincorporated community that opened in 1998. The quiet residential community has two championship golf courses winding thru the desert and the Anthem community. It is a community of about 35,000 people.

Anthem is being built on 5,856 acres, or nearly 10 square miles. Anthem award winning master planned community, is located in a desert setting that has diverse desert vegetation and animals. Anthem is planned for approximately 10,000 homes. Anthem offers a wide variety of housing, medical, commercial, recreational and educational facilities. It one of the best places to live in Arizona. You can participate in golf, tennis, swimming, baseball, basketball, rock climbing, hiking, walking trails, fishing, skating, fitness gym, the waterpark, train rides. They even have community park with stocked lakes for catch & release fishing, The area is close to other desirable areas, such as Cave Creek and Sun City and Anthem is a great place to appreciate the mountains, deserts and lakes in the region. For shopping there is the Anthem Outlet Mall.