Rim Country THE HEART OF ARIZONA
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
Rim Country
Heart of Arizona elcome to Rim Country — the Heart of Arizona. Rim Country is comprised of the towns of Payson and Star Valley, as well as the communities of Pine, Strawberry and Christopher Creek. The Mogollon Rim provides a backdrop to these communities, located on Arizona State Highways 87 and 260. The crossing of these two highways is located in central Payson, and provides north-south as well as east-west easy access to all the attractions and activities in Rim Country. The town of Payson acts as the hub of activities in Rim Country, and has the title of “Festival Capital of Arizona.” The famous “World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo” heads a long list of events, including the “Payson Mountain High Games,” “Beeline Cruise-In,” “Arizona State Fiddlers Championship,” and many others that are held in Rim Country. Located at the intersection of the Tonto, Coconino and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, the Rim Country lies just 90 minutes from Phoenix, Flagstaff and Prescott. In other words: “It’s a half a tank of gas — round trip.” The scenic, four-lane Highway 87 connects Phoenix to Payson, where it intersects with Highway 260, providing easy access. The elevation rises some 3,000 feet from the saguaro-graced shores of Roosevelt Lake, to the mingling of pinyons, junipers and pines in Payson and finally to the ponderosa pine forests atop the Rim. Much of central Arizona’s rain and snowmelt drains through Rim Country, providing a wealth of streams and lakes. So welcome to Rim Country and our cool mountain forests and the hot seasonal activities. Enjoy our visitors guide that highlights the activities and family-oriented events and attractions that geography and small-town hospitality has made possible — here in the Heart of Arizona.
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Pete Aleshire
Table of Contents Cool place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mogollon Rim . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rim Country Streams . . . . . . 8 Rim Country Lakes . . . . . . . 12 Tonto Natural Bridge . . . . . . 16 The Rodeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Zane Grey Cabin . . . . . . . . . 20 Rim Country History . . . . . . . 22 Perfect Week . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Take a Hike . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Pine & Strawberry . . . . . . . . 28 Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Campgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce
Produced by Roundup Publishing
100 W. Main Box 1380 Payson, AZ 85547 928.474.4515/800.627.9766 www.rimcountrychamber.com
708 N. Beeline Highway Box 2520 Payson, AZ 85547 928.474.5251 www.payson.com
Publisher’s Note: Despite our best editing, the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Information is current as of June 2011. Photos and stories copyright Payson Roundup.
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
the rim country
COOL PLACE, KILLER VIEWS Tom Brossart
Lots of people who move to Arizona from elsewhere, give up the interplay of the seasons — trading mild winters for the pleasure of fall colors and spring green. But here’s one of Arizona’s great secrets: You can still savor four seasons and a short, mild winter in Rim Country — running along the Mogollon Rim that lets you change your elevation from 5,000 to 7,000 feet with a scenic 20-minute drive. This mountainous topography allows wanderers to change their season by changing elevations. This byproduct of geology wasn’t lost on the people who made their living here for some 10,000 years before their mysterious disappearance in the 1400s. They often moved with the seasons, as elk, deer, bluebirds, bears and others still do today. These days, that 3,000-foot elevation change from the shores of Roosevelt Lake to the pines of the great plateau of the Mogollon Rim itself creates the setting for year-round adventures that include cool mountain lakes, steep, leafy trout streams, trails with 100-mile views, shaded campsites within earshot of tumbling water and hundreds of miles of Jeep, ATV, hiking, skiing, biking and horseback trails.
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
drop and spectacular cross-country skiing atop the Rim, plus silent forest roads on which to snowmobile. Visitors based in Payson could go crosscountry skiing on Saturday, bass fishing on Roosevelt Lake Sunday and mountain biking to Indian ruins in Payson on Monday. In the spring, a meadow of wildflowers offers the ideal setting to discover a rare bird or two. Sudden spring storms provide drama and contribute to Payson’s 22 inches of rainfall. Spring also prompts the Arizona Game and Fish Department to begin stocking hundreds of miles of streams with trout and the Forest Service to open developed campgrounds to visitors. Come summer, the 20- or 30-degree temperature difference between the Valley and Rim Country lures a weekend rush of heat refugees. The easily accessible campgrounds, lakes and fishing holes fill up on weekends — but often remain blissfully quiet during the week. Hikers can still go for days without seeing another person on hundreds of trails both at the base of the Rim and along the top of that chain of 2,000-foot cliffs. They can find swimming holes along Tonto Creek or the East Verde River, rent a horse at Kohl’s Ranch, fish the Rim Pete Aleshire
The mingling of habitats, wildlife and the seasons has long drawn writers and artists, including Zane Grey, one of the most successful Western fiction writers of all time. He penned this description of Rim Country: “In places where Lucy could see the Rim she was astounded and delighted. She had carried away a picture of the colored walls, but now there was a blaze of gold, purple, cerise, scarlet, all the hues of fire. Frost had touched maples, aspens, oaks, with a magic wand. It seemed another and more beautiful forest land she was entering.” Zane Grey’s descriptive words aptly capture the robust colors of autumn. But this area is spectacular in every season — with a range of activities to match the variety of the seasons.
All four seasons In the winter, a snow-blanketed Rim provides a sparkling holiday back-
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA Country lakes or cover 30 miles on an ATV trail through the deep forest. In the fall, visitors can wander first through the red and gold cottonwoods along stream banks near Payson and Pine, enjoy the change of leaves at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park and drive quiet roads through groves of golden, quivering aspen atop the Mogollon Rim, or fish all day on Roosevelt Lake.
Gateway to national forests Not only does the Rim Country reap the benefits of the intersection of elevation where high desert, pinyon, juniper, riparian cottonwoods and ponderosa pine forests overlap, visitors can move easily between three of the nation’s largest, most scenic and most varied national forests — the Tonto, the Coconino and the Apache-Sitgreaves. The three forests meet here to form a woodland area the size of Massachusetts. Larger than many nations, this scenic landscape offers a haven for campers, hikers, joggers, trekkers, fishermen, hunters, golfers, tennis players, equestrians, water and cross-country skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all persuasions. A network of dirt roads and trails for bikes, horses, hikers and off-roaders provide access to this vast, publicly owned resource. That includes one of the most scenic dirt roads in the state — the 42-mile stretch of the old Forest Road 300 between Highway 87 near Strawberry and Highway 260. The road hugs the edge of the cliffs of the Mogollon Rim, with frequent scenic turnouts. The road follows the historic wagon road General George Crook built to shuttle supplies between Prescott, the Verde Valley and Fort Apache in the White Mountains during his long war with the Apache. In addition, the area offers thousands of miles of trails for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The more than 50mile long Highline Trail along the base of the Rim offers breathtaking views and a wilderness feel, with periodic road access and many springs and streams. Many trails in the area date
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
Pete Aleshire
find Arizona Rim Country a Mecca for game in season, including quail, duck, elk, deer, javelina, big horn Maps and detailed information are sheep, turkey, antelope, bear and available at the Chamber’s Visitor mountain lion hunting. For permit Center. Call 1-800-6-PAYSON regulations, call the Arizona Game (1-800-672-9766). and Fish Department at (602) 9423000 or visit the Payson Ranger Staback to the 1800s when they linked tion. For rockhounds, Arizona Rim early homesteads and ranches. Get maps at the Payson Ranger Station, Country is a mineralogist’s dream one mile east of Payson on East High- come true. Chert, quartz, gem-quality way 260. A smaller selection is avail- geodes and fossils are plentiful, and able at the Chamber’s Visitor Center. just about any prospector or local rock For those seeking a hike closer to club member can put you onto a scatthe lodging, restaurants and shopping ter of handsome red jasper or agate. A round of golf in the crisp, clean opportunities of Payson, the town has already completed 30 miles of an even- mountain air is also a delight. So to help visitors get the most tual 50-mile trail system that allows visitors to hike right out of town and out of their visit, we’d like to offer this connect with most of the major Forest brief overview of some of the vistas, adventures and comforts that await Service trails. If that’s not enough, hunters also visitors to Arizona Rim Country.
Information
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
The Mogollon Rim Tom Brossart
T
he Mogollon Rim — Arizona’s mighty backbone — has patterned both natural and human history. It gives the region both it’s history — rife with hardship and adventure — and it’s future, as an outdoor playground marked by private treasures on public lands. The Mogollon Rim forms a wilderness rampart, topped by the historic Forest Road 300, a graveled route with a vivid history and a limitless supply of 100-mile views. The deep gorges cut into this edge of the uplift that forms southern edge of the Colorado Plateau each expose walls of horizontally layered, sedimentary rocks that reveal a titanic contortion of the Earth. Rocks that started out as layers of mud and ooze on the bottom of inland seas were first buried, then thrust upward thousands of feet due to shifts in gigantic crustal plates. Those same forces pushed up the
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
Rocky Mountains. The Colorado River then went to work on the southern edge of the uplift, creating the Grand Canyon. But along the eastern two-thirds of central Arizona, the rivers were less ambitious and so the uplift instead formed a massive line of cliffs sweeping from northwest to southwest into New Mexico. Most of the streams couldn’t cut through the lip and so drain north. A few managed to chew through the rising layers of limestone and flow south. From Pine to Young, the Rim’s buttressed face is rarely less than a near vertical drop of 2,000 feet. At many overlook points, the world drops away and views extend across a vast landscape. South of Show Low the escarpment is again blanketed by comparatively recent volcanism. These volcanoes formed the core of the White Mountains from a once molten layer of rock that covers much evidence of the plateau’s edge as one
travels on into New Mexico. Central Arizona is dependent upon the storm patterns created by that great barrier of stone. Storms brewed in the Pacific roar past the lower deserts, hit the wall of the Mogollon Rim and release their burden of moisture as they push over that barrier. As a result, while Phoenix gets perhaps 8 inches of precipitation a year, Payson gets 22 — and the forests on top of the Rim get more than twice that amount. The Rim divides the drainage in the state north to south. Much of the water drains off through the Salt, Gila and Verde rivers, providing water for Phoenix. The rest drains to the north, down into the Little Colorado and on into the chain of reservoirs on the Colorado River. The top of the Rim flows into the Little Colorado, and all runoff below the backbone flows into the Verde, the Salt and the Gila rivers.
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rim country STREAMS Poor Arizonans. So dry. So thirsty. Except in Rim County – where three of the most remarkable streams in the southwest converge. As a result, Rim Country offers some of the best trout streams in the state, thanks once again to the effects of its shifts in elevation. The Rim first gathers, then releases, most of the snowfall and much of the rain that falls on the state, providing millions of acre feet of runoff during rains and more gradually through springs along the base of the limestone creeks. Many of the resulting streams are stocked weekly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Most of those fish come out of the Tonto Creek Hatchery, which welcomes visitors at the end of the good dirt road that follows the creek. The trout generally don’t feed for a day after being moved, so the best fishing will be within about 30 to 50 yards of the release sites late in the week. For details on the stocking schedule, check the Arizona Game and Fish web site. Each creek gets 400 to 600 fish a week. Tonto, Christopher and Haigler creeks all get weekly infusions of fish, so does the East Verde River. Here’s a little information about three of the most distinctive streams in Rim Country.
East Verde River The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks all the good pools along the East Verde off Flowing Springs Road and Houston Mesa Road. Anglers here can work their way up and down stream in an open creek shaded by cottonwoods, willows and sycamores. Game and Fish stocks
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
Pete Aleshire
The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks Rim Country lakes and streams on a regular basis throughout the summer.
down to the big pool at the entrance to East Verde Estates. Downstream from that development, the river enters Forest Service land and eventually a wilderness area. Hikers and campers can enjoy access to miles of wild river and fishermen can work the pools for bass, catfish and other warm water species. The East Verde connects to the main stem of the Verde River near Childs. Several excellent campsites
along Houston Mesa and Flowing Springs roads fill up quickly on the weekend, but often sit nearly empty during the week. The release of some 11,000 acre-feet of water from the Blue Ridge Reservoir atop the Rim each year into the East Verde should make the flows more reliable, even in dry years. The waterfall and pools above Water Wheel off Houston Mesa Road remain popular with locals all summer.
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
BEST BET STREAMS Rim Country offers a greater variety of streams in a shorter space than anywhere in Arizona. Stocked streams include: Tonto, East Verde, Haigler, Christopher and Workman. travertine. This travertine gives the water that unearthly blue-green color that has made Havasupi in the Grand Canyon world famous. The travertine also precipitates out of the water, forming dikes and dams of drip castle design. It takes a rugged hike to access the upper reaches of Fossil Creek near Pine, but the effort yields a blissful wilderness experience, in a stream where native fish like the Verde Trout, Gila Chub and the Sonoran Sucker are making a comeback.
Tonto Creek
Tom Brossart
High mountain streams are fun for the whole family.
Fossil Creek Just outside of Pine lies one of the most remarkable streams in Arizona — Fossil Creek. The U.S. Forest Service has barred fires and camping along the creek to protect it. However, the creek still has several beautiful waterfalls and deep, crystal clear pools filled with native fish. The Arizona Game and Fish Department, in fact, has established a catch-and-release fishery where anglers can fish for Verde Trout and other na-
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
tive species. Yet few people even know the creek exists, since for a century a Phoenix power company diverted most of the flow of the spring-fed creek into a flume to generate power. Several years ago, the power company dismantled the flume and returned Fossil Creek to its streambed. That decision re-created one of the most distinctive streams in Arizona, since the spring water seeps through fissures in ancient layers of limestone and picks up dissolved
Once the weather warms as the summer idles along, Game and Fish stops stocking the East Verde and concentrates on Tonto Creek, about 1,000 feet higher in elevation and about halfway between Payson and the vast plateau of the Rim itself. Here, anglers find a beautiful, spring-fed stream, well stocked with rainbows. Fishermen can stick to the stocked pools close by the good road and campgrounds or work upstream toward the hatchery. They can also get onto Tonto Creek at the end of a steep, five-mile dirt road at Bear Flat. Here, they can go after the stocked trout — or work their way downstream into the Hellsgate Wilderness area. That route offers an arduous canyoneering adventure all the way to Roosevelt Lake. The journey involves swimming the pools, hiking and fishing for bass and native desert fish in one of the most beautiful and other-worldly areas in the state.
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The living is easy on
rim country LAKES Tom Brossart
Now this is fishing. For those who like to relax or who take fishing a bit more seriously, the Rim Country offers some of the most diverse and treasured fishing lakes in Arizona.
T
he great rampart of the Mogollon Rim divides the waters — determining the shape of the major watersheds of Arizona. As a result, Rim Country boasts some of the most diverse fishing, boating, swimming and splashing about opportunities in the southwest. The region boasts both the most popular trout streams in Arizona and a nationally ranked bass fishing tournament on Lake Roosevelt. That’s reflected in the great variety of lakes, every single one of them man made. Much of the rain that falls on Arizona passes through Rim Country, including water that ends up in the state’s major rivers. The Rim catches storms, extracts their rain and snow, hoards it through the winter and releases it through the spring. Early settlers took advantage of that terrain to build a network of dams that would hold the water back, rather then let-
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
ting it run on down into the thirsty desert. As a result, the Rim Country offers easy access to both high-altitude trout lakes and the bass fishing and boating joys of Roosevelt Lake, with its shoreline saguaros and water storage sufficient to see Phoenix through major droughts. Bass fishing tournaments attest to Roosevelt Lake’s status as one of the best fisheries in the country. Last year, the lake attracted three different professional bass tournaments, including a stop on the prestigious FLW tour. Meanwhile, generations of heat-seared Phoenix residents have escaped to the lakes above 7,500 feet as an essential rite of summer. Green Valley Lakes: Payson operates a chain of lakes set in an expansive park, complete with stocked fish, a bandstand, a war memorial and historical museum. Payson uses treated wastewater to fill this chain of lakes in Green Valley Park. People enjoy the lake year-round in non-mo-
torized boats and sailboats and fish for stocked trout and sometimes giant catfish. Bear Canyon Lake: A fisherman’s favorite, this 60-acre lake holds rainbows, brookies, cutthroat and arctic grayling. A steep trail limits access to the hardy, just right for keeping the crowds down. The contrast between the blue water and green pines is absolutely stunning. Black Canyon Lake: An idyllic spot where bank casting after rainbows and browns is a productive way to spend a day. The lake has a paved ramp and a campground. Blue Ridge Reservoir: This narrow man-made lake that covers 200 acres when full, also fills up with rainbows and browns. Always a good bet early in the spring. Chevelon Lake: A steep trail thins out the potential crowds at this 200acre lake, which winds back through canyon walls. The biggest fish on top of the Rim live here, but catching them usually involves floaters and
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
Tom Brossart
Bass fishermen at Roosevelt Lake.
effort. Knoll Lake: At nearly 8,000 feet, this cool country lake covers 75 acres and features Pete Aleshire stocked rainbows and browns, plus a campground. Arizona Game and Fish stocks 200,000 trout into Rim Country lakes and streams every summer. Try fishing from the shoreArizona’s favorite water playgrounds. It also offers some line that runs from the boat ramp toward the island. of the best bass fishing in the country, especially during Willow Springs Lake: Easy access, a paved boat ramp high water years when the lake covers shore-side vegetaand a campground make this lake popular. Fish the tion, creating the “new lake” effect sought so eagerly by upper ends of the two long coves that form the “Y” in bass and catfish lovers. The lake covers 19,000 surface the lake for rainbows and brown trout. acres and is 25 miles long and up to two miles wide. Woods Canyon Lake: Dammed in 1956, the store at The lake is home to large- and smallmouth bass, crapthis lake sells more fishing licenses than any other spot in pie, channel and flathead catfish, and is a playground for Arizona. The lake offers boat rentals, a picnic area, five water skiing, sailing, wind surfing, jet skiing and swimcampgrounds, and nature trails — plus loads of stocked ming. The wet winter in 2009 filled the reservoir to the trout. The best fishing is in the spring and fall, but sumbrim, submerging brush and trees that had grown up mer is good too. A pair of bald eagles has started to nest along the shoreline in the dry years. As a result, fish like at the lake, delighting visitors but also prompting the Ari- bass have great new hiding places to lay in wait for the zona Department to close off a section of the lakeshore small fish making the most of all the new nutrients in the during the nesting season. water, which should make for a banner year for fisherRoosevelt Lake: A half-hour drive from Payson, the men. That could also explain why major professional biggest reservoir on the Salt River system remains one of bass tournaments will be held there this year.
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
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tonto natural BRIDGE All-out effort saves Rim’s crown jewel
Tom Brossart
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
The world’s largest natural travertine bridge represents Rim Country’s bestknown tourist attraction – but it has also required a tenacious fight to make sure it stays open all summer. The town of Payson and a band of volunteers who love the soaring, cavernous arch that forms a grotto through which Pine Creek flows, struck a deal with the State Parks Board this year to keep the park open, despite budget woes that have forced the closure of many other state parks. As a result, the drip castle formations dissolved in the ancient cliff of travertine can continue to draw crowds all summer – many of them from other continents. The cavernous tunnel has been used as a hiding place by settlers hunted by raiding Apaches. On the plateau above sits an historic lodge that now houses a visitors center. The 83-feet-high, 400-foot-long tunnel through the cliff face was created by the inconspicuous Pine Creek as it chewed through the layers of ancient rock, thanks to the intricate marvel of time and chemistry. Fascinating geological processes lie behind the formation of the bridge, 150 feet wide at its widest point. The story of the bridge starts millions of years ago with the deposit of layers of travertine, a porous form of calcite. The layers were buried, cemented, upTonto Natural Bridge lifted and then exposed to the waters of
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Carolyn Stanley 928-970-0337
Carolynii@q.com
Carolyn Stanley Tim Ehrhardt Local Real Estate Experts Tom Brossart
Pine Creek water splashing at Tonto Natural Bridge
Pine Creek. Prospector David Gowan discovered the natural phenomenon in 1877. He tried to make a go of farming in the area, although he had to sometimes hide in the caverns and caves to escape raids by Apaches. Various private parties owned it until 1990 when Arizona State Parks bought it. The once torturous road leading to the bridge has been paved and widened for easy access, and the centuryold lodge has been converted to include a gift shop. The state’s master plan calls for the eventual restoration of rooms in the lodge, and creekside cabins. Visitors have been flocking back to the park since the Memorial Day reopening. Most must struggle to understand the complex geological processes that created the bridge. The fine crystals of travertine are a form of dissolved limestone, comprised of calcium carbonate — often from the skeletons of aquatic animals. Nearby Fossil Creek is rich in this same mineral. Natural acids in groundwater dissolve the calcium carbonate as water seeps through fractures in the limestone. Once the spring water bubbles back to the surface, dissolved carbon dioxide escapes like gas from popping open a bottle of carbonated soda. As the water evaporates, calcite comes out of the solution and creates travertine. The ecology of the park is in many ways as remarkable as the geology. Straddling Pine Creek at the base of the Mogollon Rim, the bridge lies in the overlap between several major habitat types. As a result, it nurtures a wide mix of wildlife. Five different species of bats live in the park, plus bobcats, cottontails, black bears, coyotes, grey foxes, elk, mountain lion and a host of other species.
x
Carolyn has been here over 30 years x Tim is a published historian & valuation expert
Tim Ehrhardt 602-478-9655
timothy@zanegrey.net
ZaneGreyCountry.com
Anderson Dental Group Creating Beautiful Smiles 712 N. Beeline Hwy., Payson (928) 474-4581 www.rimcountrychamber.com
17
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
august doin’s THE RODEO
Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo bucks up August
In the 1800s, Payson was mostly a flat, grassy spot where cowboys could gather up their scattered, near-wild herds during the fall roundups, preparing to drive them down to Phoenix or to the railroad line at Winslow. Naturally enough, the cowboys spent a lot of time drinking and boasting and then staging impromptu contests to both establish bragging rights and win enough money to keep on drinking. So began “August Doin’s” — the Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, repeated every year since 1884. The Payson Pro-Rodeo Committee will stage the 127th rodeo in that unbroken string on August 19, 20 and 21 – with a total of four shows. The lure of $50,000 in prize money will attract some of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the country – and spur a week-long celebration – with dances, dinners and related activities. This year will continue a new era for the rodeo, with the 120 members of the Payson Pro-Rodeo Committee taking over the rodeo, hoping to involve the whole community and raise money for many local charities. Other rodeos held each year in Rim Country include the Payson Spring Rodeo and the action-packed High School Rodeo. Arizona’s early rodeos featured
18
Rim Country Visitors Guide
Dennis Fendler
Payson started out as a ranching and rodeo town, and now hosts rodeos in May and August of each year.
Dennis Fendler
THE HEART OF ARIZONA only a few events, but soon cowboys from all over were showing up to compete in events like bronc busting, bull riding and steer roping. The original venue was a meadow near the current-day intersection of Main Street and Highway 87. Wagons, and later autos, created barriers to form the “arena.” An extra attraction: gambling tables were set up in the open street, especially at the intersection of McLane Road and Main Street. But those early rodeos had a wholesome side as well. As local historian Jinx Pyle put it, they became a week-long celebration that “rivaled Christmas as a time when family and friends gathered for reunions and visiting.” Area ranchers began preparing food
Dennis Fendler
weeks in advance for visitors and relatives. Recently dubbed the country’s “Best Small Rodeo” by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association, the event attracts some of the world’s best cowboys — and cowgirls. The week-long festivities include an old-fashioned parade, dances, other rodeo-related activities and four rodeo performances. The Spring Rodeo provides a long-established warmup, with a full range of events. The women’s rodeo draws world champion riders. Tickets for the rodeo can be purchased in advance online at the Town of Payson Web site, paysonrimcountry. com under the events listing and at ticketforce.com.
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19
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
ZANE GREY CABIN & rim country museum Every summer since the Dude Fire of 1990, visitors to the Rim Country have noticed the void left by the destruction of the Zane Grey Cabin. A cherished landmark near Kohl’s Ranch, the famous western writer used the cabin as a hunting lodge and retreat. When the original property was sold as a private subdivision after the fire, many wondered if a replicated cabin would return to the Rim Country. Like the heroes of Grey’s novels, a group of local western aficionados banded together to benefit their community. They formed the nonprofit Zane Grey Cabin Foundation (ZGCF) to build a historic replica of the cabin in Payson. If there are any doubts about the determination of these folks, take a look at what has materialized in Green Valley Park. And don’t hold back any whoops and hollers — the Zane Grey Cabin was completed in 2006. No doubt, Zane Grey (1872-1939) would be proud of this location because the environment played a prominent role in his novels. Against the backdrop of the western landscape, his valiant cowboys, honorable ranchers, chaste women, noble horses and unscrupulous outlaws caught the imaginations of his readers. This “father of the western novel” penned 57 westerns, more than 200 short stories, 10 nonfiction westerns and numerous hunting and fishing articles and books. His books spawned more than 130 movies and, at one time, only the Bible and McGuffey’s Reader could outsell Zane Grey. His books have been published in more than 20 languages and have sold tens of millions of copies. His “The Riders of the Purple Sage” is considered the quintessential western classic.
20
Rim Country Visitors Guide
Tom Brossart
A reproduction of Zane Grey’s Cabin (above) in Green Valley Park compares favorably to the original before it burned.
As a mountain town with a rich Western heritage, Payson brags about its affiliation with this American icon. Exhibits in the cabin focus on life in the 1920s, when Grey was at home in his cabin. Tourists will enjoy the lakefront view from the cabin’s panoramic porch. School children, adult learners and history buffs will discover the adventures of the pioneers, which inspired Grey to write “Under the Tonto Rim,” “To the Last Man” and “Code of the West.” The cabin each year draws groups from historical and western societies, schools and colleges, elderhostels and tour excursions. With this endeavor, Payson has eagerly retrieved the Zane Grey Country mantle.
ZANE GREY CABIN LOCATION: Green Valley Park, next to Rim Country Museum. OPEN: Six days a week (closed Tuesdays) Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact: 928-474-3483
Museum opens new exhibit The new exhibit for 2011 at the Rim Country Museum is on the centennial of Roosevelt Dam. Also new for this year, the museum plans a series of tours this summer for visitors and residents alike. Called the Walking in History tours, the program started May 14 with a visit to the site described by Zane Grey in his novel, Code of the West. The next tour will be July 9, 2011 —
THE HEART OF ARIZONA the Arizona Charlie Meadows guided auto tour. In it, participants will see the site of Meadows’ family ranch in Whispering Pines; visit historic Main Street where Payson’s Rodeo was held (Charlie and John Chilson founded rodeo); see where Charlie arranged his sisters’ double wedding. The free tour will depart Rim Country Museum at 10 a.m. On Aug. 13, 2011, there will be a rodeo-themed program on Bucking Bulls by Farrell Hoosava of the Tonto Apache Tribe, who will be speaking on bucking bulls, which he raises on his New Mexico ranch. The free event will be at the Rim Country Museum at a time to be announced. The friends, supporters and members of the Northern Gila County Historical Society and its museums at Green Valley Park will enjoy another Evening Under the Rim Sept. 17, 2011 with dinner, music and a tour of the original site of the Zane Grey Cabin, lost in the 1990 Dude Fire. The time and price of this event have not yet been set. The next day, the museum will play
RIM COUNTRY MUSEUM LOCATION: Green Valley Park OPEN: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact: 928-474-3483 host to the Zane Grey Classic Vintage Baseball game featuring 1860s rules and replicas of antique uniforms and equipment. The play will be between the senior Payson Cougars vs. Stars & Stripes at Green Valley Park. The time has yet to be set. Payson historian Jinx Pyle is scheduled to give a guided tour of the Payson Pioneer Cemetery on Oct. 8 and tell about the area’s settlers buried there. The time has not yet been set. For more information go online to rimcountrymuseums.com or call (928) 474-3483.
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The Rim Country Museum will open an exhibit this summer to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Dude Fire.
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21
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
Rim Country History
Taking the long view
Pete Aleshire
Fabled “Rim Country,” which embraces a 50-mile radius around Payson, drew its name from the Mogollon Rim, named after a Spanish governor of the region in the 16th century. Rising 2,000 feet above the foothills and canyons, this spectacular escarpment dominates the lives of all who live in and visit the area. When writer Zane Grey’s travels brought him to Payson in 1918, he hired a guide from the pioneer Haught family to take him to the top of the Rim. “At last, we surmounted the Rim,” he wrote in “Tales of Lonely Trails,” “from which I saw a scene that defied words. It was different from any I had seen before. Black timber as far as the eye could see! Then I saw a vast bowl of forested ridges, and dark lines I knew to be canyons. For wild, rugged beauty I had not seen its equal.” Some artifacts date back as far as 10,000 years. But most of the shards and ruins left by “The Ancient People” like the Sinagua, the Salado and the Mogollon date to between AD 600 and 1350. After these farmers left — for reasons that probably had to do with overpopulation, overuse of the land, a long drought and, perhaps, pressure from outsiders — new groups of Native Americans took over the Rim Country. Yavapai bands moved in from the
22
Rim Country Visitors Guide
Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce For more information, contact: Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, 100 W. Main, P.O. Box 1380, Payson, AZ 85547. (800) 672-9766, (928) 474-4515. west and Tonto Apaches came from the north and east. For several hundred years, their world was untroubled, except by rivalries between their bands. Starting in the 1850s, white trappers and gold prospectors encroached upon Rim Country. Congress formally established the Arizona Territory in February 1863, and settlers established a territorial capital near present-day Prescott. Gold hunters and settlers clashed with the Indian bands, eventually triggering open warfare. The U.S. government set up Army posts to pursue the war. The guerrilla tactics of the natives made traditional warfare impossible, but by destroying their food supply and driving them into the snowy mountains, the Army enlisted starvation as their winning ally. The Army then confined the Yavapai and Apache in reservations in the 1870s. At first, the Army established a reservation for them in the fertile Verde
Valley. But when settlers pressured the government to move the Indians off the irrigated land, the government moved the Indians to the San Carlos Reservation. After a century of exile and lawsuits, Tonto and Yavapai tribes regained reservation land in the Verde Valley and in Payson — where they now operate casinos on small reservations. Once the Army had removed the tribes, European-American settlers established cattle ranches and mining operations, establishing the villages of Strawberry, Pine, Gisela, Young and Payson. Payson was named in 1884 after an Illinois Congressman who sponsored a bill establishing the post office. That same year, local cowboys got together to hold a rodeo, which became an annual affair called “The August Doin’s.” During the 1890s, military control of the San Carlos Reservation was relaxed, and the Apache people began to drift back to the places of their birth. They camped wherever jobs were available, and began to establish a working relationship with the new landholders. Ranchers brought so many cattle, sheep and goats to the region that the land became deeply eroded. In response, the government formed the Tonto National Forest in 1907 to preserve the land. The sheep were limited
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Tom Brossart
Tonto National Monument
to “driveways,” goats were eliminated and cattle ranchers operated under grazing allotments. After the turn of the century, the automobile and new roads began to open up Rim Country to the outside world. Until then, pioneers struggled to bring their families and earthly goods in wagons, but travel in and out for supplies was limited to burro trains and foot paths. Meanwhile, growth in the Phoenix area, some 100 miles away by crow flight, but a rough journey of several days on horseback, required control of the Salt and Gila rivers, which often flooded homes and farms. Roosevelt Dam, in 1911, was the first of many western reclamation dams constructed. Not only did this provide employment for whites and Apaches from the Rim Country, but also it resulted in development of the Apache Trail, the first usable auto road from the Valley to the Rim Country. In the 1920s, crews built a second auto road into the area over the Mazatzal Mountains called the Bush Highway, for Valley businessman Harvey Bush. Traveling from the Valley to Payson over this rough grade still required a minimum of five hours, with time out for blowouts and repairs. The state completed the first paved road in 1958 and dubbed it the Beeline Highway, because of a shortcut it took across two Indian reservations. The completion of the paved highway ushered in a period of intensive population growth as Rim Country became a haven for visitors seeking its many recreational opportunities.
These are just a few of more than 200 non-profit organizations serving the Rim Country. 812 S. McLane Rd. Payson, AZ 85541 Mail: P.O. Box 242 Payson, AZ 85547
Phone: 928-474-5590 Fax: 928-474-4341 Email: hs@humanesocietycentralaz.org Web: www.humanesocietycentralaz.org
Promoting Art and Art Education in the Rim Country
Building Homes. Building Hope. Business Office & ReStore 103 E. Hwy. 260, Payson, AZ
(928) 474-0330
BUILD. DONATE. VOLUNTEER.
Helping underserved children and their families
Visit our website for upcoming events:
Suzy Tubbs, Interim Director
Sue Jones 928-472-8147
P.O. Box 1856, Payson, AZ 85547
paysonartleague.org
(928) 478-7160
Payson Senior Center 514 W. Main Street (928) 474-4876 Daily Lunches • Meal Delivery for the Homebound • Van Transportation • Activities • Thrift Store • Informative Seminars Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8AM to 4PM pseniors@npgcable.com
Thrift Store (928) 476-4633 Dining Room (928) 476-2151 3916 N. Highway 87 P.O. Box 1281, Pine, AZ 85544
Rimcountryquiltroundup.com
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23
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
perfect week in RIM COUNTRY Payson makes great base for adventures Payson makes great base for adventures. Put a map of Arizona on the wall. Get a dart. Now, aim for the center. If you’re a good shot — you probably hit Payson. So what, you say? For starters, that makes Payson the perfect base of operations to explore a huge chunk of Arizona. Turns out, Payson’s quiet and out of the way — but it’s also just about an hour from everywhere. So instead of paying Sedona prices, you can set up shop in Payson for a week and have the most amazing variety of individual or family adventures — depending on the season. So roughly an hour’s drive from Payson, you can fish a high country lake, troll for bass on Lake Roosevelt, sample the 800-year-old ruins of Tonto National Monument, paddle down the Verde River, take a plunge in Fossil Creek, have a gourmet dinner at Fargo’s or La Posada, get a massage at a Sedona resort or ride horses through the deep forest. That makes Rim Country the perfect base of operations for a weeklong vacation. To prove the point, we offer this suggested itinerary for a week in Rim Country.
Tom Brossart
There are many spots along the Mogollon Rim that offer breathtaking views.
MONDAY Start off easy with a close-to-town adventure to explore the East Verde River out Houston Mesa Road. Turn onto the road off Highway 87 north of Payson. — Shoofly Ruins. The signs along the trail through the overgrown remains of sandstone walls tell a little about the farmers who lived here for centuries, before disappearing mysteriously in the 1400s. — Water Wheel. Continue up past the bridge over the Verde to the turnout at the unsigned Water Wheel. For a nom-
inal fee, you can park in the paved lot there and enjoy the creek, complete with an upstream waterfall and plunge pool. You’ll find additional day use picnic areas further along Houston Mesa Road. — Dinner: Try Gerardo’s Firewood Cafe in Payson – varied menu, nice wine selection. Alternatively, Fargo’s Steakhouse offers steaks and seafood in a quiet setting. TUESDAY Sleep in, relax, you’re on vacation —
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
Bookstore Coffee House Event Center Fitness Studio 100 N. Tonto St., Payson, AZ 928-468-2435 www.ew-exchange.com
THE HEART OF ARIZONA unless you get up early to fish in the Green Valley Lakes at the end of Main Street or in the numerous pools along the East Verde stocked weekly with rainbows. — Tonto Natural Bridge, which lies off Highway 87 about halfway to Pine. Hike down to the world’s largest travertine arch and bring a picnic lunch. — Pine and Strawberry, where you can browse the art, crafts and antique shops. Don’t miss the historic schoolhouse, for a cozy dose of history. You might also look up Betsy Ross Acres in Strawberry, a horse rescue operation that has also taken up renting out well behaved saddle horses. — Dinner: Try Macky’s Grill in Payson, with a creative menu. Also, El Rancho does great Mexican food in Payson, and has cheap beer specials on Tuesdays. — Breakfast: Sometime during the week, treat yourself to the gourmet menu at the Small Café in Payson. Tiny’s Restaurant and The 260 Café also have great breakfast offerings and a rural, mountain atmosphere. WEDNESDAY Forest Road 300: Time to wander – head east for one of the state’s great, backroad adventures atop the Mogollon Rim. Drive east on Highway 260 through Star Valley, past Tonto Creek and on for about 30 miles to the top of the Mogollon Rim. Right after you top out, Forest Road 300 crosses the highway. Go right to drive along the Rim past Willow Springs and Black Canyon lakes all the way to Show Low, but come back home to Payson on Highway 260. Alternatively, you can go west from the highway on Forest Road 300 and pass Woods Canyon, Bear Canyon and Knoll
lakes. You eventually come out on Highway 87 near Pine. Either route will take the day if done right and guarantee so many stunning views you’ll grow jaded. Camp on the Rim if you’re inclined, but check on whether the Forest Service has fire restrictions in effect. Bring your fishing pole for great fishing in a string of trout-stocked lakes. — Dinner: In Strawberry try the Strawberry Lodge. In Payson, The Buffalo Bar and Grill normally has karaoke night on Thursdays, a DJ on Friday and live entertainment Saturday evening. THURSDAY Already? Jeeze. So much left to see. Still, take a break. Don’t drive so much today. Take in the antique stores and art galleries on Main Street in Payson and Pine. Fish for the stocked trout and sometimes giant catfish in the Green Valley Park lakes. Stop by the Rim Country Historical Society Museum and the replica of Zane Grey’s Cabin. — Tonto Creek. By afternoon, you’ll need a fresh dose of scenery, so get back on Highway 260 through Star Valley back on down to Tonto Creek. You can drive up the good dirt road to visit the fish hatchery, which stocks Rim streams and lakes with some 300,000 trout annually. — Horton Trail: This secluded hike through the forest shades the stream and eventually connects with the Highline Trail, which runs from Hwy. 260 along the base of the Rim all the way to Pine. One of the prettiest hikes in Arizona. — Dinner: You can also enjoy steaks and salads in a rustic atmosphere at the Christopher Creek Lodge. FRIDAY How’d the week go so fast? Haven’t even taken advantage of Rim Country’s
Pete Aleshire
The East Verde River is one of the most accessible streams in Arizona.
Payson Golf Course Enjoy golf in Arizona’s Cool Rim Country 1504 West Country Club Drive Payson, AZ 85541
928-474-2273
For reservations call 928-970-9511
Pine Creek Cabins and Gazebo Weddings 3901 N. Hwy 87 • Pine, Arizona 85544 www.pinecreekcabinsaz.com
www.rimcountrychamber.com
25
THE HEART OF ARIZONA central location for those just barely outof-town adventures. But let’s take a quick day trip from Payson. So many choices. — Due east: Two hours gets you to the White Mountains and deep forest streams like the Black River and fishing hot spots like Big Lake or to the White Mountain Apache reservation, with Christmas Tree Lake with its trophy-sized Apache Trout, and Fort Apache. — Northeast: About 90 minutes and you’re in Winslow with its wonderfully restored La Posada Inn and not far from Meteor Crater, the rock and fossil shops of Holbrook or the marvels of Petrified Forest National Monument. — Go northwest: Takes about an hour to get to the Verde Valley, with Camp Verde, Montezuma’s Castle and Well National Monument and the Tuzigoot ruins. By then, you’re nearly to Jerome, a mining town turned artist colony. You could also drop by Sedona to shop and feel smug that you avoided the crowds and expensive hotels by staying in Payson. — Dinner: La Posada in Winslow serves some of the best dishes in the whole state. Otherwise, come on back to the Mazatzal Casino in Payson and live it up a little, including dinner in the Cedar Ridge Restaurant. SATURDAY This is ridiculous. Out of time. — Fossil Creek: Still, can’t leave without a wonderful, if arduous, wilderness adventure in Fossil Creek, just outside of Strawberry. Whether you drive or take a steep trail down to the creek, you’ll enjoy one of the most remarkable streams in Arizona, its waters tinged with travertine and its pools filled with big fish. On your way back to Payson, stop at Fossil Creek
Tom Brossart
Roosevelt Lake offers plenty of fishing and water recreation opportunities.
Creamery for fresh goat cheese and fudge. Alternatively, you could also get a great wilderness experience by going north out of Pine to West Clear Creek – or maybe to the Blue Ridge Reservoir. — Dinner: If you make it back to Payson in time, try Cardo’s Italian Restaurant. SUNDAY Out of time already? But we haven’t visited Bear Flat and hiked into Hellsgate Wilderness, canyoneered down Tonto Creek or the East Verde, hiked the Highline Trail, fished for wild brown trout on Haigler Creek, spent anywhere near enough time exploring lakes along the Rim, made the journey through deep forest to Chevelon Lake, hiked or biked any of the 30 miles of trails encircling Payson or the hundreds of miles of Forest Service trails, gone to any of the more than 200 special events, like the Gary Hardt Memorial Spring Rodeo or the Mountain High Games, the Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, the First Friday Art
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26
Rim Country Visitors Guide
and Antique Walks on Main Street, the artist studio tours. We need at least two more weeks. Make that a month. But what to do with the one more day? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tonto National Monument lies about 40 miles south of Payson. The cliff dwellings overlooking Roosevelt Lake offer a wonderful glimpse of a mysterious, vanished ancient culture. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Roosevelt Lake: Since youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here, might as well drop by the marina in the Tonto Basin and rent a boat to either water ski or fish for bass. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really a full day. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Apache Trail: If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a couple hours of daylight left and are now foolishly heading back to Phoenix, consider the slow but scenic route on the Apache Trail. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dinner: Hit Tortilla Flats if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re heading down the Apache Trail, but if you want our advice go back to Payson, sign up for another week and go do some two-stepping at the Buffalo Bar and Grill, with live music on Sunday and great pulled pork. 6HW <RXU 6LJKWV RQ &HQWUDO $UL]RQD V 0RXQWDLQ &RPPXQLWLHV
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
TONTO NATIONAL FOREST TRAILS Get complete descriptions at www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rec-hiking-index.shtml#mogollonrim. EASY: Horton Creek #285: 3.8 miles Derrick Spur #32: 1 mile Pump Station #296: 1 mile Abert (Interpretive) #3: 1 mile DIFFICULT: Highline #31: 50 miles Oak #16: 3.2 miles Pine Canyon #26: 7.9 miles Derrick #33: 2.2 miles Sinkhole #179: 2.3 miles West Webber #228: 2.1 miles East Webber #289: 3.1 miles Redrock #294: 1 mile R.R. Tunnel #390: .3 mile Valentine #551: .7 mile MOST DIFFICULT: Horton Spring #292: 1.2 miles Dans #550: 4.8 miles Colonel Devin #290: 2 miles Drew #291: 1 mile See Canyon #184: 2.4 miles Turkey #217: 2.5 miles Myrtle #30: 0.5 mile Babe Haught #143: 2.6 miles
PAYSON AREA TRAILS SYSTEM Payson has developed 30 miles of riding and hiking trails throughout town connecting to Forest Service Trails. For details, go to the town of Payson’s Web site: www.paysonrimcountry.com/MountainRecreation/HikingTrails/PaysonAreaTrailsSystem. PAYSON TRAILS INCLUDE: American Gulch: South 1.1 miles American Gulch: North 0.4 mile Boulders Loop Trail: 2.4-mile loop Cypress Trail: 2 miles Event Center 3.7 miles Houston: 4.2 miles Houston Loop: 3.6-mile loop Monument Peak Loop: 3 miles Round Valley: 4.5 miles
Andy Towle
The region has thousands of miles of hiking and riding trails.
RIM COUNTRY’S BEST TRAILS
take a hike The same elevation changes crowded into a small space that make Payson so diverse when it comes to scenery, plants and animals, also provide some of the most scenic and diverse hiking, biking and horseback riding trails in Arizona. For starters, the area boasts hundreds of miles of trails through the national forests, along streams, lakes and along cliff tops. But that’s not all: Payson also has developed one of the most extensive networks of hiking and biking trails in the state — which pass through town and connect to the wealth of Forest Service trails just outside of town. Day trippers can amble for some 3.8 miles along an easy trail that hugs the banks of Horton Creek, or set off for a 50-mile adventure along the Highline Trail. Horseback riders can take advantage of horse camps and hundreds of miles of well-marked and maintained trails. Photographers and scenery junkies can stroll along a trail that hugs the edge of the Mogollon Rim, with its spectacular sunsets and a chance to watch the clouds roll
across a forested landscape 2,000 feet below. Some strenuous trails crawl up through canyons that top out on the Rim. Others follow streams, like the East Verde, Tonto Creek, Horton Creek and others. The three National Forests surrounding Payson also have thousands of miles of dirt roads and trails open to offroad vehicles. The forest managers have moved to reduce or eliminate cross country travel and to close roads and trails in sensitive areas, but that still leaves most of the existing roads and trails ready and waiting for off-roaders. Closer to town — usually right out the front door of the hotel — Payson is also developing the Payson Area Trails System (PATS). So far, the town has completed 30 miles of the 50-mile system, which lead through town and out into the forest. Those town trails include the Boulders, Houston and Monument Peak loop trails. Here, on the left side of the page, we offer a sampling of the trails available and how to get additional information.
www.rimcountrychamber.com
27
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
PINE and STRAWBERRY
I
t’s commonplace to motor through Pine and never take notice of the historic pioneer homes that line both sides of Beeline
Highway. Or to know that a museum is tucked away in the old schoolhouse which also serves as the Pine Community Center, a senior center and thrift store. But the museum and the historic homes play an important role in preserving the area’s history. The museum has its roots in a small room inside the Isabelle Hunt Memorial Public Library. About two decades ago it was moved into old Pine School, which also once served as “the LDS Chapel.” The new facility is much larger allowing for more room to display artifacts and documents — some of which Tom Brossart Mormon settlers brought to the area in the 1800s. Among the artifacts that stirs the The Randall House in Pine offers a delicious dining experience. curiosity of visitors are World War II uniforms, a barber chair used in the sewing machines more than 100 years ceiling in the Main Room, which re1920s, farming implements from the old and period clothing. mains today exactly as it was in pio1800s, cupboards, tableware and Also drawing attention is the tin neer days.
Economy Inn 101 W. Phoenix St. Payson, AZ 85541 Pets OK Reservations: 1-800-482-5719
Phone: (928) 474-4526 • Fax: (928) 474-0263
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
Quality Resale
Payson Airport Unicom 122.8 Runway 06-24 5500’ x 75’ AWOS 119.325 or (928) 472-4260
Gently used and uniquely new clothing, accessories, housewares, furniture & more SW Corner of Beeline Hwy. & Bonita (Behind One Stop Gas Station)
928-468-6553
806 w. airport road • payson, arizona 85541 928-472-4748 beth@paysonairport.com www.paysonairport.com
THE HEART OF ARIZONA
As intriguing as the museum is, a thorough understanding of the history of this tiny mountain hamlet can’t be obtained without a walk along Beeline to marvel at the pioneer homes, some of which were built just after Pine was settled in 1879. Members of the Pine-Strawberry Archaeological and Historical Society call the stroll a “Walking History Trail” and markers have been erected in front of each structure to identify the pioneer homes. Some of the houses were originally small log cabins that were added onto over the years. Others were more elaborate and remain much the same as they were when built. Bert D. Randall, the first white male born in Pine, originally built the home adjacent to the Pine Post Office in 1905 after marrying Lucy Pearl. Tales abound that Randall hired a craftsmen who spent a year hand-carving banisters, casings and molding in the home. Current Pine residents remember the Bondurant family living in the home for decades. On the south end of town and the east side of Beeline is Pine’s first post office built by Frank Fuller in about 1928. It was later converted into a service station and now is a stand in which honey and other products are sold. A must see on the trail is the Lazear home in the middle of town. It began as a log structure which remains the heart of the house. Lazear, his wife, Margaret and their three children lived in the home until the 1930s. Also on the trail is the original Mulberry Inn — the area’s first motel-type accommodations Near the Inn is a ditch that once served as an irrigation channel for the entire town running parallel to Beeline. For more about the Walking History Trail visit: http://www.pinestrawhs.org/tour.html.
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA
Strawberry Schoolhouse A short drive down the winding Fossil Creek Road, past dozens of modern homes, is a piece of history quietly nestled on a corner lot in Strawberry. Surrounded by development, the Strawberry Schoolhouse, a 125-year old “fossil” has outlasted most everything around it and will likely outlive these new structures. You wouldn’t know it from the outside, but this little schoolhouse has been around since Geronimo was still on the loose and being pursued by 20 percent of the U.S. Army, the Pleasant Valley War was raging in Tonto Basin and pioneers were still settling the state. The Strawberry Schoolhouse stands as evidence of the pioneer’s quest for knowledge. The schoolhouse is made of thick, worn pine logs, chopped from the surrounding forests and hoisted into place during a one-day log-raising party in the autumn of 1884. Today, the logs grudgingly support a refurbished roof of shingles. Although tired, evident by a slight tilt and slouch the entire building takes, these boards, crafted together with a half dovetail notch, have held up through enough students, cowboys, landowners and ranchers to make anything keel over in exhaustion. Where others have fallen, however, dedicated volunteers and residents have kept this one room
Mary said her husband loved to visit the schoolhouse and its restoration meant a lot to him, like so many other old-timers in the area. Mary can recall nearly the whole history of the schoolhouse, from its humble beginnings to its current state today. Tom Brossart She explained in 1884, The Strawberry Schoolhouse is the oldest the beginnings of the schoolstanding schoolhouse in Arizona. house took shape. Families living in the area at the time schoolhouse standing, allowing visitors the opportunity to peek at what it was asked the county school superintendlike to attend school in the Wild West. ent to build a school for local children. The interior, painstakingly refur- The superintendent approved the rebished, holds what you might expect quest and the Strawberry Valley school to find in a sparse, turn of the century district was formed. The location for the schoolhouse schoolhouse: a few rows of seating, a black, pot-belly stove, slate chalkboard, was decided by cowboys who used a organ and teacher’s desk. The space cattle rope to count the distance in also holds a few surprises that hint at lengths between one cabin on the west end of the valley and another cabin on the social norms of the time. A dunce’s corner for misbehaving the east end. In the middle, the pupils and a set of rules hung neatly schoolhouse was built. Inside, the interior was outfitted on the wall. The rules for teachers, elegantly for the time. Wainscoting who were primarily woman, include no keeping company with men, loi- covered the lower half of the walls with tering in ice cream stores, smoking, wallpaper above. The ceiling, origidressing in bright colors and under no nally cloth, was replaced with wood and the floor was made of sawn circumstances, dying your hair. Schoolhouse volunteer Mary boards. Students sat at two-person facHunt laughs at the list, noting things tory-made desks, an upgrade from sure have changed for teachers in the wooden benches and tables common at the time. 21st century. After three decades of use, offiHunt’s family history is deeply connected to the schoolhouse and the cials were forced to close the school family donated several items to the due to a lack of students. Several families subsequently lived building when it was restored.
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Rim Country Visitors Guide
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THE HEART OF ARIZONA in the building until it was ultimately abandoned and left to rot. Finally, in 1967, an official from the Page Land and Cattle Company bought the site just before the schoolhouse was to be torn down and handed it over to the Payson-Pine Chamber of Commerce. Volunteers shored up the outside of the structure so it was weatherproof and secure. More than a decade later, the historical society restored the interior and opened the schoolhouse to visitors. In 1981, the building was dedicated as a historical monument. The Strawberry Schoolhouse is a place of history and rightfully holds the title of Oldest Standing Schoolhouse in Arizona. If you go, the schoolhouse is located on Fossil Creek Road, 1.75 miles from Highway 87 in Strawberry. It is open on weekends and holidays May through September. If you are lucky, Hunt might even let you in during the off-season. Hunt still lives nearby and often lets curious travelers in if she sees them standing outside. For more information, visit www. pinestrawhs.org/schoolhouse. html.
Tom Brossart
The interior of the Strawberry Schoolhouse was outfitted elegantly for its time.
Antiques, collectibles and historic memorabilia In the cool, tall pines of Rim Country, treasure hunting is still a favorite art. The goal is to find that “treasure” that reminds us of our youth, our history or family members that “had one just like that”. Historic areas, such as the Rim Country, with its history of cattle rustling, Indian attacks, rodeos, speak-easys and its location as the crossroads in the center of Arizona, tend to gather unique shops and hard- to- find- items that fill them. And, in small towns, prices tend to be more reasonable than in large towns. Antique shops, second- hand stores, thrift shops and yard sales thrive in Rim Country. Your chance to find that one thing that has eluded your search for your collection may be here in one of our many
“treasure shops”. Our “gold fields” include; Bootleg Alley, Granny’s Attic, Payson Galleria, Moose Mountain, Pine Country Antiques, Loot Resale as well as the Payson Senior Center Thrift Shop, The Pine/Strawberry Thrift Shop, the Mogollon Health Alliance Thrift Shop, the Time Out Thrift Shop and the Habitat For Humanity ReStore. The Payson Roundup carries complete listings of yard sales in its Friday night edition. Full listings of each of these businesses is available on www.rimcountrychamber.com So plan on doing your “treasure hunting” in Rim Country, directly at the center of Arizona and the center of Antiques, collectibles and historic memorabilia. www.rimcountrychamber.com
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Dining Guide
The 260 Cafe Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-5881 803 E. Highway 260, Payson Sunday-Wednesday 6am-2pm, Thursday-Saturday 6am-8pm
Buffalo Bar & Grill Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-3900 311 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson
Cardo’s Pizza Family Dining/Italian . . . . . . . . . .468-1626 203 E. Hwy. 260, Payson
Cedar Ridge Restaurant Family Dining/Steaks . . . . . . . . . .474-6044 Inside Mazatzal Casino, Hwy. 87, Payson
the 260 cafe
HOME OF THE $1.99 BREAKFAST Breakfast & Lunch Served Daily • Breakfast Served All Day 7 Days a Week Dine in or Carry Out • Daily Specials
803 east highway 260 • 928-474-5881 Hours: Sunday-Wednesday 6am-2pm • Thursday-Saturday 6am-8pm
EL RANCHO
The biggest burger in town (1/2 pound). Authentic hickory smoked ribs, chicken, beef, steaks and seafood. Open Sunday thru Thursday, 6am-9pm, Friday and Saturday, 6am-10pm.
Del Taco 108 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson . . . . .468-1505
El Rancho Mexican Restaurant Family Dining/Mexican . . . . . . . . .474-3111 200 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson www.elranchorestaurant.net Mexican food and lounge. Open Monday thru Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am9:30pm, Sunday 11am-8pm.
MEXICAN RESTAURANT Authentic Mexican & American Dining Lounge OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - Lunch & Dinner
Fargo’s Steakhouse Fine Dining/Steaks . . . . . . . . . . . .474-7455 620 E. Hwy. 260, Payson www.FargosSteakhouse.com
928.474.3111 - Lounge 474.9906 200 S. Beeline Hwy, Across from Chase - Payson, AZ
www.elranchorestaurant.net
Specialties are aged Angus beef, fresh seafood and prime rib, daily features, salads, sandwiches and burgers. Open Sunday thru Thursday 11am9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm.
Gerardo’s Firewood Cafe Family Bistro Dining . . . . . . . . . . .468-6500 512 N. Beeline Hwy., Payson www.gerardosfirewoodcafe.com Fresh fish, seafood, veal, chicken specialties. Authentic wood burning oven pizzas/pastas. Catering services available.
Catering Services Available
Arizona Highways Magazine Best 25 Favorite Restaurants
GERARDO’S
512 N. BEELINE HWY. PAYSON B R I C K
O V E N
G E R A R D O
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P I Z Z E R I A
M O C E R I ,
Rim Country Visitors Guide
C H E F
468-6500 www.gerardosfirewoodcafe.com
Jakes Corner Bar & Grill Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-0679 57564 N. Az. Highway 188, Jakes Corner
Laura’s Small Cafe Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-4209 512 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson
Macky’s Grill
Macky’s Grill Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-7411 201 W. Main St. Suite J, Payson carijo@npgcable.com Come dine in our family restaurant, home of the Macky Burger. We now sell domestic and imported beer and wine. Open Sunday thru Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm.
McDonald’s of Payson 107 E. Hwy. 260, Payson . . . . . . . .474-3698
Pine Deli Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-3536 6240 Hardscabble Road, Pine Deli foods, dinner specials, homemade pizza and gourmet desserts. Open 7 days a week.
• Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner • Great Food & Service • • Pets Welcome on the Patio • 40 New Menu Items •
201 W Main St. Payson Located next to Sawmill Theatre 928.474.7411 VOTED “BEST OF RIM COUNTRY” BY THE COMMUNITY OF PAYSON BEST PLACE FOR LUNCH AND BEST HAMBURGER
BREAKFAST LUNCH PASTRIES CAPPUCCINO CATERING GIFTS GUEST COTTAGE
• GOOD FOOD & GIFTS •
928.476.4077
Open Wednesday - Sunday for Lunch & Dinner Breakfast Fri - Sunday
The Randall House Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-4077 3821 N Highway 87, Pine Charming coffee house, bakery and cafe serving breakfast and lunch, featuring unique handmade gifts. Open Wednesday-Saturday, 8am-3pm. Sunday, 8am-2pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Guest cottage available on premises.
3821 Hwy 87 P.O. Box 428 Pine, AZ 85544
928-476-3349 13 Miles North of Payson 3270 N Highway 87 Pine, AZ www.rimsidegrill.com
Homemade Country Fried Steak, Jumbo Biscuits, Trail Cakes, Reubens, Amazing Homemade Burgers, Whiskey Chops, Salmon, Trout, Brats, Fried Green Beans, Great Salads, Dales Delicious Soups & Great Daily Specials Like Breakfast Scrambles, Prime Rib Sandwiches, Albacore Tuna and so much more!
Weekend Music Outdoor Dining Sand Volleyball Horseshoes Full Bar Great Wines Craft Tap Beer Take-Out 2010 Rim Country's Large Business of the Year
Rimside Grill Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-3349 Highway 87, Pine www.rimsidegrill.com Come on in and try our delicious, homemade country fried steak, jumbo biscuits, trail cakes, fresh made burgers, whiskey chops, salmon, trout, brats, fried green beans, great salads, Dale’s homemade soups and great daily specials like: Breakfast scrambles, prime rib sandwiches, albacore tuna and much more! Open Wed-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 8am-8pm, Closed Mon-Tues.
Scoops Ice Cream & Espresso Ice Cream Parlor/Coffee House . . . .474-3957 201 W. Main St., Suite H, Payson www.paysonscoops.com Something for the entire family — shakes, sundaes, malts, floats, coffee, lattes, tea, baked goods, fruit smoothies and much more! Free WiFi. Open 7 days a week.
Strawberry Lodge • Open daily for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner • • Great Food • Famous Pies • Cozy Rooms with Fireplaces • At the foot of the Mogollon Rim on Highway 87 - 17 miles north of Payson
8039 Fossil Creek Road • Strawberry • 928-476-3333
Strawberry Lodge Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-3333 8039 W. Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry www.strawberrylodgeaz.com Historic mountain lodge established in 1956. Featuring country breakfasts, chef’s daily specials, hand-cut steaks, seafood, homemade soups and famous pies. Weekend entertainment.
Tiny’s Family Restaurant Sidewinders Saloon Bar & Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-6434 6114 W. Hardscrabble Mesa Rd., Pine
Sonic Drive-In Milepost 251, Hwy. 87, Payson . . .468-1863
Family Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-5429 600 E. Hwy. 260, Payson
Zane Grey Steakhouse & Saloon Fine Dining/Steaks . . . . . . .928-478-4211 Highway 260 at Kohl’s Ranch Lodge www.kohlsranch.com
www.rimcountrychamber.com
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Lodging Hotels & Motels Mazatzal Hotel & Casino POOL/SPA • NO SMOKING • FITNESS CENTER
Highway 87, Mile Marker 251, Payson 1-800-777-PLAY (7529) www.777play.com
Hotels & Motels
Paysonglo Lodge FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK
Best Western Payson Inn FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK
801 N Beeline Highway, Payson • 928-474-3241 www.bestwesternpaysoninn.com
Comfort Inn 100% NON-SMOKING • INDOOR POOL/SPA • PET FREE COMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST • FREE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
206 S. Beeline Highway, Payson • 928-472-7484 www.comfortinn.com
1005 S. Beeline Highway, Payson 928-474-2382 800-772-9766 www.paysonglolodgeaz.com
Super 8 Inn & Suites FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK
809 E. Highway 260, Payson 928-474-5241
Days Inn & Suites FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK
301-A S. Beeline Hwy., Payson • 928-474-9800 www.paysondaysinn.com
Economy Inn PETS OK
101 W. Phoenix Street, Payson • 928-474-4526 paysoneconomyinn@gmail.com
Lone Pine Hotel 610 W. Main St., Payson 928-978-9234
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Cabins & Lodges Cabins on Strawberry Hill SPA SERVICES AVAILABLE, INCLUDING MASSAGE AND AESTHETICS
5306 N. Hwy. 87, Strawberry • 928-476-4252 www.azcabins.com
Creekside Cabins RESTAURANT • FIREPLACES • PETS OK
21 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260 928-478-4389
Majestic Mountain Inn
Forest Lakes Lodge
FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA
PETS OK
602 E. Highway 260, Payson • 928-474-0185 www.majesticmountaininn.com
928-535-4047 www.forestlakeslodge.com
Rim Country Visitors Guide
Guide
Cabins & Lodges Rustic Rim Hideaway 918 N. Mulesprings (off Highway 260) 928-535-9030 • 888-801-9030 (toll free) www.rimhideaway.com
Strawberry Lodge
Cabins & Lodges
8039 Fossil Creek Road, Strawberry 928-476-3333
Kohl’s Ranch Lodge RESTAURANT • FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK HORSES • CABINS ON THE CREEK
17 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260 928-478-4211 • 800-521-3131 www.kohlsvacation.com
Bed & Breakfasts
Mountain Ridge Cabins
Falcon Crest Bed & Breakfast
OPEN MAY 1 THROUGH OCTOBER 31
30 minutes north of Payson, 1 mile from the crest of the Mogollon Rim, Forest Road 32 480-368-1504 www.mountainridgecabins.com
Pine Creek Cabins FIREPLACES • PETS OK ON APPROVAL • JACUZZI TUBS RESTAURANT ON SITE
3901 N. Highway 87, Pine • 928-970-9511 www.pinecreekcabinsaz.com
Ranch at Fossil Creek 10379 W. Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry 928-476-5178 www.fossilcreekllamas.com
1105 N. Falcon Crest Drive, Payson 928-474-5249 www.arizonabednbreakfast.com
Up The Creek Bed & Breakfast FIREPLACES
10491 Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry 928-476-6571 www.upthecreekbedandbreakfast.com
Verde River Rock House Bed & Breakfast East Verde Estates Lot 12, East Verde Estates On the banks of the East Verde River 928-472-4304 or 602-696-0213 www.verderiverrockhouse.com
Rancho Tonto Guest House FIREPLACES • PETS OK
18 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260 Exit left at Kohl’s Ranch exit Zane Grey Cabin Rd. Payson, AZ 85541 928-478-0002
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3270 N. Hwy. 87, Mile Marker 267, Pine 928-476-3349 www.rimsidegrill.com
Paradise in Payson 819 E. Verde Circle, Payson 928-710-7399 www.paradiseinpayson.com
www.rimcountrychamber.com
35
Campground Guide Developed: Provides water, parking, and toilet facilities. Most require Developed: reservations. Semi-Developed: May provide water, parking and toilet facilities. May Semi-Developed: require reservations. Group Campgrounds: Can accommodate large groups of people for Group Campgrounds: overnight camping. May require reservations. Public Campgrounds: Open to general public on a first-come, first-camp Public Campgrounds: basis. For Reservations: National Forest Recreation Reservation System: 1-877-444-6777 or www.reserveusa.com Christopher Creek Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-6777 21 miles east of Payson on Highway 260. 43 campsites with tables, fire pits, grills, handicapped accessible toilet and other vault toilets; drinking water and trash collection. Roads and spurs are paved. Creek runs through the campground with cool spots for wading and fishing. Open mid-May through midOctober. East Verde Crossing Public Campground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required 5 miles north of Payson on Highway 87, then left on Forest Road 622. Flowing Springs Public Campground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required 3 miles north of Payson. Right one-half mile on Forest Road 272. Houston Mesa Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-468-7135 Highway 87, two miles north of Payson. Turn right on Houston Mesa Road. Within the next 13 miles are several campgrounds: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Crossings, Water Wheel & Verde Glen (all are public campgrounds). Payson Campground Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-2267 808 E. Highway 260 in Payson. Ponderosa Campground Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-6777 12 miles east of Payson on Highway 260. 61 units with tables, grills, drinking water, vault toilets, nature trail and amphitheater. Spaces can handle up to 60foot trailers. Open year-round. Hosts are available. Sharp Creek Semi Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-6777 23 miles northeast of Payson, 1.5 miles east of Christopher Creek. 28 units with tables, grills, drinking water, vault toilets and nature trails. Spaces can handle up to 45-foot trailers. No more than two vehicles per unit. No more than eight people per unit. Three group units (50 people). Open mid-May through mid-October. Hosts are available. Sink Hole Semi Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481 Located at Willow Springs Lake. Upper Tonto Creek Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required 17 miles east of Payson on Highway 260 to Forest Road 289. Nine sites with tables, fire pits, grills, drinking water, vault toilets and garbage collection. Some sites accommodate trailers up to 16 feet. Access to Derrick & Horton Creek Trails. Fishing on Tonto and Horton creeks. Popular campground, so get there early on weekends. Open mid-May through October. Woods Canyon Lake Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-6777 Woods Canyon Lake, northeast of Payson on Highway 260 and Forest Service Road 300.
36
Rim Country Visitors Guide
Ranger Districts For Campground Information Apache-Sitgreaves Forest (Woods Canyon area) . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481 Happy Jack (Long Valley) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-527-3640 Heber (Willow Springs Lake) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481 Payson Ranger Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-7900 Pleasant Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-462-3311 Mobile Home and RV Parks Cyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shady Haven RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-8222 3 miles east on Highway 260 to Valley Road in Star Valley. Happy Jack Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-477-2805 292.5 Forest Hwy. 3 in Happy Jack | www.happyjacklodge.com Houston Creek RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-2636 408 S. Rainbow Drive in Star Valley. Jakes Corner RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4802 3 miles off Highway 87 on Highway 188 at Jakes Corner. Lamplighter RV Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-5048 3 miles east at 3933 Highway 260 in Star Valley. Lazy D Ranch RV & Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-2442 3 miles east at 3675 Highway 260 in Star Valley. Payson Campground & RV Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-2267 808 E. Hwy. 260 Payson | Pool | Pets Welcome | www.paysoncampground.com Pineview RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-978-6542 3 miles east at 3680 Highway 260 in Star Valley. Sky Run RV Resort & Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4728 93 N. Sky Run Lane in Star Valley | www.skyrunresort.com Star Vale Mobile Home Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4242 4 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260 | Age-qualified park | Well maintained Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-6532 903 Granite Dells Road | Payson | Pets Welcome
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602 E. Highway 260 • Payson, AZ 85541
928-474-0185 • 1-800-408-2442 www.majesticmountaininn.com
• Seasonal Swimming Pool
• DVD Players
• In-Room Spa & Fireplace Rooms
• Handicapped Rooms
• Courtyard Rooms with Patios
• BBQ Grill
• Wireless Internet Service • Refrigerators • In-Room Coffee
• Romantic Packages • Special Occasions are our Specialty!
WINDOW & DOOR Commercial - Residential ROC#166692
928.468.0591 107 W. Wade Lane, Suite #3 (behind Alfonso’s Mexican Restaurant)
www.LoweryZ.com ROC 166692
Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Long Term Care Respite Care Behavioral Health Advanced Dementia
• Meeting Facilities
Lowerys’ We provide Solutions, Experience & Excellence 24 Hour Emergency Service FREE ESTIMATES
Serving Payson and the Rim Country
• New, replacement and custom windows and doors • Commercial storefront • Glass repairs and glass railing • Custom mirrors • Trim packages • Door hardware • And more!
Delicious Meals Fun Activities Transportation Apartments Meeting Facilities Dialysis
Health, Hope & Home Since 1985 (928) 474-1120 • www.RimCountryHealth.com 807 W. Longhorn Rd. • Payson, AZ • 85541