Best places to go camping in Arizona?

Samantha

Me and my family are thinking about going camping end of this month, so what are the best places for camping??? My husband wanted to go Payson but I didn't like it, it looked weird. We have a 9 month old baby too so it would have to be somewhere nice and safe... We live in Paradise Valley which is a suburbs of Phoenix and didn't wanna go far, maybe 1.5 hr drive maybe 2 but not more than that. Does anyone know a place that's beautiful and not too hot for camping???
FYI we're looking for developed camp with bathrooms and everything else :).

Answer
Woods Canyon lake
http://www.arizona-leisure.com/woods-canyon-lake.html

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.33256,-110.94170&z=15&t=T&marker0=34.33893%2C-110.79985%2CForest%20lakes%5C%2C%20az.&marker1=34.33256%2C-110.94170%2C19.9%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ

Willow springs lake
Canyon point campground
http://www.arizona-leisure.com/willow-springs-lake.html

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.31859,-110.82323&z=16&t=T&marker0=34.33256%2C-110.94170%2C19.9%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker1=34.33893%2C-110.79985%2CForest%20lakes%5C%2C%20az.&marker2=34.31859%2C-110.82323%2C10.2%20km%20NW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ

Best Camping in Arizona?

jancanyon

Hi! My friends and I were going to go hiking in a week to Havasu Falls and then camp out. The only problem is that one girl hurt her back (but already paid for the plane ticket to Arizona). Is there an awesome place to camp in Arizona that doesnt involve hiking 10 miles down a canyon with a heavy pack?

Answer
There are many great places to go camping in Arizona that do not require backpacking. The biggest limiting factor for next weekend is weather since it is already getting a bit warm for camping in the lower desert areas.

The rim country north of Payson is pretty nice. There are a number of small lakes along the rim where you camp out either by the lake or just about anywhere in the nearby National Forest. The few established campgrounds (all of which are pretty 'rustic') will be pretty busy with the three day weekend, but if you don't mind just throwing a tent off the side of a dirt road somewhere out in the forest than your options are pretty limitless. Areas to consider include Woods Canyon Lake, Knoll Lake, Bear Canyon Lake and Will Springs Lake. All are just above the rim, north of Payson. If you are not familiar with the area, than you will need either Forest Service maps (Coconino and Tonto) or the DeLorme Arizona Atlas.

Another neat area that is at nice cool elevations is the area around Aztec Peak in the Sierra Ancha Mountains east of Lake Roosevelt. Along the road from Lake Roosevelt to Heber (AZ288) is a turn off to Workman's Creek and Aztec Peak. Worksman's Creek usually has at least a trickle of water even in summer and at 8,000 feet elevation, Aztec Peak is quite cool in the pines with excellent views. This is pretty far off the beaten path (about 3 hours from Phoenix) and you should have maps with you.

Just about any place that is covered by National Forest will allow you to camp out anywhere you want down a dirt road (unless there are extreme fire restrictions in place). The biggest challenge is find a nice place near water - those places are much more rare in Arizona and will generally be popular with other people too.

Finally, I might note that if you have the money for it, you should be able to hire a helicopter to take your friend down to Havasu village near the falls and campground (there is a helicopter service that routinely takes tourists in and out of the canyon). That way the rest of you could hike in and she could meet you there. Just a thought. A somewhat cheaper option would be to have them pack her gear in on a mule (again, you can hire this service from the Indians) to make it easier on her. The first mile of trail is pretty rough (descending into the canyon), but the remaining hike along the stream bed is long, but not really difficult.

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Where is a great secluded place for camping in Arizona?

best camping places in arizona image

peaceandqu

I'm trying to find a place in the mountains to get away from the summer heat, to be near a lake or river so I can fish (preferably have the fishing area right by or in my campsite), and where I would hardly see any other people?

Somewhere in the White mountains or near the Mogollon Rim would be ideal.

Answer
And so is everybody else. That is a big issue in az where 90% of the state is dry hot desert. There will be folks anywhere you go wanting the same escape. Of the places I enjoyed the Mongollon rim is my top choice and the Christopher creek area was the most quiet. As for a lake or two woods canyon lake and willow springs lake are as quiet a place you can find.

Good Luck
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.31126,-110.95058&z=13&t=T&marker0=34.30558%2C-110.88690%2C14.0%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker1=34.33256%2C-110.94187%2C19.9%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker2=34.32111%2C-111.01111%2CChristopher%20creek

Best places to visit at and around the Grand Canyon?

sam

I am looking to get the best of the best in for a 3 day trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. I am trying to treat my Michigan born boyfriend to some great parts of Arizona in this short time.

What are the best lookout points at the Grand Canyon easily accessible by car or *short* hike? For daytime? For sunset?

What are the best restaurants (and ones to avoid) in the Grand Canyon village?

Which helicopter tour can you reccommend?

Best romantic experiences in general?
We have reservations at Bright Angel Lodge.

Answer
Bright Angel Lodge is nice (comfy, historic, affordable and near the rim).

Probably the best place to eat at the canyon is the fancy diningroom at the El Tovar lodge. This is a fancy formal diningroom with high-end dishes and a good wine list. It is also pretty pricy and you should get reservations. I also very much like Arizona Grill which is located on the east end of the Bright Angel Lodge building (but you have to go outside and around to reach the front door). They also have nice views and I would say the food is almost as good as El Tovar, but quite a bit cheaper and more casual. The cafeteria in Maswik lodge is certainly not fine dining, but is good for quick (and relatively cheap) eats - I especially like it for breakfast.

The only place I would really avoid food-wise is the diningroom in the Bright Angel Lodge which tends to be crowded and the food is bland and mediocre. The little saloon in Bright Angel is a nice place to have a drink in the evening (as is the one at Maswik lodge).

As for lookouts and viewpoints - they are all pretty amazing and each a little bit different. Mather and Yavapai Points (near the park entrance) are impressive, but are often overcrowded. Grandview, Lipan Point and Desertview to the east are also very impressive and usually less crowded, but a little bit of a drive. Probably the best views-for-the-effort is to take the free shuttle that runs from the lodges west along the rim to Hermits Rest. The driver will point out things along the way and you can get on and off at a number of overlooks along the way (I especially like Hopi Point).

In addition to the views, don't overlook the many interesting historic buildings at Grand Canyon Village - many (including Bright Angel Lodge) were designed by famous Santa Fe railroad architect Mary J. Colter. Of special interest are the grand 1905 El Tovar lodge (big impressive lobby), the nearby 1905 Hopi House gift shop (built to look like an Indian pueblo), Lookout Studio, Kolb photo studio (which often has free art exhibits) and Desertview Watch Tower.

If the weather is good, I would highly recommend that you try to take at least a short hike down one of the trails as being inside the canyon and feeling the walls rise above you is a much more impactful experience than just walking on the rim. Going just a half-mile down Bright Angel Trail (near the lodges) is nice, but the best short easy day hike is the 1.4 miles down South Kaibab trail (take the Yaki Point shuttle) to Cedar Ridge where you will get sweeping canyon views and possibly see condors. Wear comfortable shoes, bring plenty of water, dress appropriate for the weather and remember it is much harder and slower going up than going down. The trailheads can be icy if you are going in winter.

Speaking of appropriate clothes for the weather... remember that the South Rim is at 7000 feet elevation and so (unlike much of Arizona) it has a real winter with snow storms and sub-freezing temperatures. If you are going before late April, you probably want to have a hat and heavy coat and a sweater or light jacket is a good idea even in late spring or early fall.

As far as other things in the area of interest...

Well, coming up from Phoenix, there is always Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon with the famous resorts and red rocks. You could detour through here on your way up by getting off I-17 north of Camp Verde and then from Sedona following 89A up the canyon through Flagstaff (a long winding and scenic route - best not done in icy conditions). A lot of people really like Sedona, although many locals consider it a bit touristy and overpriced.

Flagstaff (which you will pass through on the way up) is a neat historic lumber and railroad town with a nice historic downtown area filled with shops, cafes and art galleries. Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered in 1930) has a museum on the hill over town and the excellent Museum of Northern Arizona is just north of town on your way to the canyon. For food, I would recommend Beaver Street Brewery (on Beaver St south of the depot), Bun Hugger Burgers (South Milton on way into town), Mountain Oasis (downtown), Oreganos Pizza (near NAU) and Macy's coffee shop (across from Beaver Street). There are also a couple of good Thai places downtown.

If you are in the mood for more exploring, check out Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments just NE of town. Wupatki is a prehistoric indian ruin and Sunset Crater is an extinct volcanic field - both are very interesting and not well known to many visitors. They are located along 89A toward the eastern entrance to the canyon at Cameron.

And lastly, even though it is a bit out of the way, if you are into romantic spots and good food, than I have to mention the La Posada hotel in Winslow (an hour east of Flagstaff on I-40). This is one of the grand railroad hotels designed for the Santa Fe by Colter in 1930 and it has been recently beautifully restored and reopened. It is a fantastic place, neat building, little hidden gardens and very nice rooms. The hotel restuarant (The Turquoise Room) is probably the best in the Four Corners area - excellent food that would be worth taking a little detour for (the signature soup alone is worth the drive).

Have fun!

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Where is a great secluded place for camping in Arizona?

best camping places in arizona image

peaceandqu

I'm trying to find a place in the mountains to get away from the summer heat, to be near a lake or river so I can fish (preferably have the fishing area right by or in my campsite), and where I would hardly see any other people?

Somewhere in the White mountains or near the Mogollon Rim would be ideal.

Answer
And so is everybody else. That is a big issue in az where 90% of the state is dry hot desert. There will be folks anywhere you go wanting the same escape. Of the places I enjoyed the Mongollon rim is my top choice and the Christopher creek area was the most quiet. As for a lake or two woods canyon lake and willow springs lake are as quiet a place you can find.

Good Luck
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.31126,-110.95058&z=13&t=T&marker0=34.30558%2C-110.88690%2C14.0%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker1=34.33256%2C-110.94187%2C19.9%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker2=34.32111%2C-111.01111%2CChristopher%20creek

Best places to visit at and around the Grand Canyon?

sam

I am looking to get the best of the best in for a 3 day trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. I am trying to treat my Michigan born boyfriend to some great parts of Arizona in this short time.

What are the best lookout points at the Grand Canyon easily accessible by car or *short* hike? For daytime? For sunset?

What are the best restaurants (and ones to avoid) in the Grand Canyon village?

Which helicopter tour can you reccommend?

Best romantic experiences in general?
We have reservations at Bright Angel Lodge.

Answer
Bright Angel Lodge is nice (comfy, historic, affordable and near the rim).

Probably the best place to eat at the canyon is the fancy diningroom at the El Tovar lodge. This is a fancy formal diningroom with high-end dishes and a good wine list. It is also pretty pricy and you should get reservations. I also very much like Arizona Grill which is located on the east end of the Bright Angel Lodge building (but you have to go outside and around to reach the front door). They also have nice views and I would say the food is almost as good as El Tovar, but quite a bit cheaper and more casual. The cafeteria in Maswik lodge is certainly not fine dining, but is good for quick (and relatively cheap) eats - I especially like it for breakfast.

The only place I would really avoid food-wise is the diningroom in the Bright Angel Lodge which tends to be crowded and the food is bland and mediocre. The little saloon in Bright Angel is a nice place to have a drink in the evening (as is the one at Maswik lodge).

As for lookouts and viewpoints - they are all pretty amazing and each a little bit different. Mather and Yavapai Points (near the park entrance) are impressive, but are often overcrowded. Grandview, Lipan Point and Desertview to the east are also very impressive and usually less crowded, but a little bit of a drive. Probably the best views-for-the-effort is to take the free shuttle that runs from the lodges west along the rim to Hermits Rest. The driver will point out things along the way and you can get on and off at a number of overlooks along the way (I especially like Hopi Point).

In addition to the views, don't overlook the many interesting historic buildings at Grand Canyon Village - many (including Bright Angel Lodge) were designed by famous Santa Fe railroad architect Mary J. Colter. Of special interest are the grand 1905 El Tovar lodge (big impressive lobby), the nearby 1905 Hopi House gift shop (built to look like an Indian pueblo), Lookout Studio, Kolb photo studio (which often has free art exhibits) and Desertview Watch Tower.

If the weather is good, I would highly recommend that you try to take at least a short hike down one of the trails as being inside the canyon and feeling the walls rise above you is a much more impactful experience than just walking on the rim. Going just a half-mile down Bright Angel Trail (near the lodges) is nice, but the best short easy day hike is the 1.4 miles down South Kaibab trail (take the Yaki Point shuttle) to Cedar Ridge where you will get sweeping canyon views and possibly see condors. Wear comfortable shoes, bring plenty of water, dress appropriate for the weather and remember it is much harder and slower going up than going down. The trailheads can be icy if you are going in winter.

Speaking of appropriate clothes for the weather... remember that the South Rim is at 7000 feet elevation and so (unlike much of Arizona) it has a real winter with snow storms and sub-freezing temperatures. If you are going before late April, you probably want to have a hat and heavy coat and a sweater or light jacket is a good idea even in late spring or early fall.

As far as other things in the area of interest...

Well, coming up from Phoenix, there is always Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon with the famous resorts and red rocks. You could detour through here on your way up by getting off I-17 north of Camp Verde and then from Sedona following 89A up the canyon through Flagstaff (a long winding and scenic route - best not done in icy conditions). A lot of people really like Sedona, although many locals consider it a bit touristy and overpriced.

Flagstaff (which you will pass through on the way up) is a neat historic lumber and railroad town with a nice historic downtown area filled with shops, cafes and art galleries. Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered in 1930) has a museum on the hill over town and the excellent Museum of Northern Arizona is just north of town on your way to the canyon. For food, I would recommend Beaver Street Brewery (on Beaver St south of the depot), Bun Hugger Burgers (South Milton on way into town), Mountain Oasis (downtown), Oreganos Pizza (near NAU) and Macy's coffee shop (across from Beaver Street). There are also a couple of good Thai places downtown.

If you are in the mood for more exploring, check out Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments just NE of town. Wupatki is a prehistoric indian ruin and Sunset Crater is an extinct volcanic field - both are very interesting and not well known to many visitors. They are located along 89A toward the eastern entrance to the canyon at Cameron.

And lastly, even though it is a bit out of the way, if you are into romantic spots and good food, than I have to mention the La Posada hotel in Winslow (an hour east of Flagstaff on I-40). This is one of the grand railroad hotels designed for the Santa Fe by Colter in 1930 and it has been recently beautifully restored and reopened. It is a fantastic place, neat building, little hidden gardens and very nice rooms. The hotel restuarant (The Turquoise Room) is probably the best in the Four Corners area - excellent food that would be worth taking a little detour for (the signature soup alone is worth the drive).

Have fun!

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Where do I go to look up historical information about Arizona ghost towns?

best camping places in arizona image

Carlito

Specifics: Looking for info on Bond Canyon, history of Alto Camp, folks who lived in the area, schools, Alto Cemetery, and Josiah and Minnie Bond. Minnie was killed by lightning on 9/1/22. Her husband, Josiah was a mine egineer. Also looking for info on the Alto Camp Post Office and General Store that was supposedly owned by Josiah and Minnie. Any offspring of them would be nice to find.

Answer
I have done some historical research on other mining activities in that area and can give you a few places to look for more details:

The mining camp of Alto was located in Santa Cruz county on the southwest slope of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. Just to the south was the larger and better known mining camp of Salero, so you may want to look for info on Salero as well. The entire area was considered part of the Tyndall Mining District. The district was worked back in the Spanish period (1700s) and was a small producer of lead, gold, and silver until the 1960s.

There are several good books on Arizona ghost towns including Phil Varney's "Arizona Ghost Towns and Mining Camps" and James Sherman's "Ghost Towns of Arizona". The entry for Alto on the website that another poster lists above is pretty much copied exactly from Varney's book (with out giving credit, I might add). As you can read, it only gives a brief background on the camp.

The most detailed account of the mining activities in that area is in the book "History of Mining in Arizona, Vol 3" (various authors). In Chapter 3, "The Patagonia Area Mining Districts, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, 1536-1930", Robert Lenon gives a detailed description of the various mining companies and owners. He specifically mentions Josiah Bond as well as George Clark, Jens Peterson, Albert Steinfeld, Mark Lulley, Mike Hogan and Herb McCutchin as operating mines in the area after 1911. It refers to an 'Alto Mines Co.' that combined the 'Alto' and 'Wandering Jew' mine claims (Lulley referred to himself as the 'wandering jew').

Another good resource is the booklet, "Index of Mining Properties in Santa Cruz County, Arizona" by the Arizona Bureau of Mines. For the Alto Mine Group, it also lists Bond as an owner and notes that the mine produced 3,500 tons of ore averaging 12% lead, 14oz silver per ton and 3% copper in an ore body of quartz-barite fissure veins running through Creataceous rhyodacite and Jurassic granite. Despite its long life-span, the mine was a usually a comparative small-time operation.

The book "Arizona Post Offices" by Patera and Gallagher notes that the Alto post office was established on June 6, 1912 and discontinued on Dec 30, 1933.

Depending on how much detail you want, here are some other sources of info you should check:

Arizona Historical Society Archives (Tucson, near UofA) - Many people and companies donated their papers and records there.

University of Arizona Library, Special Collections - Also a good source of documents and records. I seem to recall at least one collect there that had a lot of info on the nearby Aztec mines group.

United States Census - If they lived there at a decade mark (1910, 1920) than you should be able to find them listed in the census. This would give their age, income, occupation and other useful information. These can usually be found on microfiche at major libraries.

Local Newspapers - The Arizona Historical Society has archives of many old AZ papers. The Tucson papers (Citizen and Star) often carried mining news and probably would have noted somebody being killed by lightening.

Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources (Phoenix) - They usually keep a folder with a lot of good ownership and operations information on each major mining claim in AZ.

Arizona Corporation Commission (Phoenix) - If they incorporated a company in Arizona (especially after statehood in 1912) than there is a good chance that the company papers would still be on file (including owners and funding).

The people at the Arizona Historical Society or Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources could probably give you other leads.

Where is a great secluded place for camping in Arizona?

peaceandqu

I'm trying to find a place in the mountains to get away from the summer heat, to be near a lake or river so I can fish (preferably have the fishing area right by or in my campsite), and where I would hardly see any other people?

Somewhere in the White mountains or near the Mogollon Rim would be ideal.

Answer
And so is everybody else. That is a big issue in az where 90% of the state is dry hot desert. There will be folks anywhere you go wanting the same escape. Of the places I enjoyed the Mongollon rim is my top choice and the Christopher creek area was the most quiet. As for a lake or two woods canyon lake and willow springs lake are as quiet a place you can find.

Good Luck
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.31126,-110.95058&z=13&t=T&marker0=34.30558%2C-110.88690%2C14.0%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker1=34.33256%2C-110.94187%2C19.9%20km%20WxNW%20of%20Mogollon%20Rim%20AZ&marker2=34.32111%2C-111.01111%2CChristopher%20creek

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