Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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(Maricopa County) – Who's ready to enjoy a free night's stay in one of Maricopa County's regional parks? Starting September 18, the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department is bringing back its popular Buy One, Get One camping promotion! The promotion allows park visitors who pay the camping fee for one night or more at a participating desert mountain county park to receive one night of equal or lesser value for free during that same stay. "Maricopa County is home to 12 beautiful r... Full story
This is the perfect time of year to take your winter guests or your family to some of the wonderful places in Arizona that get a bit warm in the summertime. We've taken the granddaughters to all of these places, and believe it or not, Trinity tells us that the Hassayampa Preserve was her favorite hike ever! Some of these places are free to visit, and others are not, so I'm including current prices as well as how to get there and what not to miss! Enjoy! Boyce Thompson Arboretum The girls have... Full story
Recently, small brush fires have started popping up around the valley. In late June, a five-acre brush fire exploded into a 2,500-acre wildfire in a matter of hours. This wildfire, now known as the Diamond Fire, borders McDowell Mountain Regional Park, which is managed by Maricopa County. " ... working closely with Scottsdale Fire Department, we evacuated and closed McDowell Mountain Regional Park to protect visitors and staff," said Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin, who represents... Full story
Who's ready to enjoy a free night's stay in one of Maricopa County's regional parks? Starting October 1, the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department is bringing back its popular Buy One, Get One camping promotion! The promotion allows park visitors who pay the camping fee for one night, or more, at a participating desert mountain county park to receive one night of equal or lesser value for free during that same stay. "This Buy One, Get One camping promotion allows our residents to... Full story
The Belmont Mountains are full of history. The Belmont Mine is now abandoned, but back in the 1920s up until the' 30s, it was a busy copper mine that also produced gold and silver. Now the big adit and mine opening have metal grates over them – the main one is over 500 feet deep, and a couple of people fell to their deaths in the abandoned mine, which led to the grates being installed. There is lots to see around the Belmont Mountains, especially at the site of the old mine. You can drive up t... Full story
Flagstaff We went up to Flagstaff at the beginning of September, and even at that altitude, it was still warm. We even went way up the mountain to hike the Kachina Trail and it was still warm in the sun. But Kachina is a gorgeous trail and in October, it should be a glorious time to do that hike. The Kachina is very long and joins a lot of other nice long hikes on the mountain. It is an out-and-back trail, so we usually just hike until we decide we need to turn back. To get to the Kachina... Full story
EVENING UPDATE: Sears Fire - Oct. 1 PHOENIX, Oct. 1, 2020 -Firefighters continue to patrol, monitor and mop up hotspots along the perimeter of the Sears Fire. The fire remains at 14,476 acres and is now 48 percent contained. Higher temperatures today caused an increase in fire activity which resulted in an unburned pocket of vegetation to ignite within the fire's interior, however there was no threat of it spotting over containment lines. Fire crews continue to monitor and protect critical... Full story
Maps Are Guides To So Many Cool Spots In Arizona Somebody asked me recently how John and I find so many cool places around Arizona. The answer is maps. I have a lot of maps. When we were planning our recent trip to Williams, I spread several maps out on the kitchen table: a DeLorme Atlas and Gazettee; a Forest Service Map of Kaibab National Forest Williams, Chalendar and Tusayan Ranger Districts; a National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographic map of Sycamore Canyon and Verde Valley... Full story
The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department initiated its annual fire ban at the first of May. “Given the abundance of rain we’ve received this year, we’ve had an outstanding wildflower season. Unfortunately, as the blooms and brush die off and dry out, the parks are left with dangerous levels of fuel loads on the ground that can ignite a wildfire with just a small spark. As a land manager, we believe the decision to implement sooner rather than later is the responsible thing to do to... Full story
Jewel Of The Creek – Dragonfly Trail (Easy) Jewel of the Creek is a 26.6-acre preserve that protects a beautiful riparian area - one of the last remaining perennial streams in Maricopa County. The Desert Foothills Land Trust bought the land in 2001. The Dragonfly Trail is simply a one-mile loop through the riparian area. It is one of the prettiest desert hikes you will ever see, with towering trees, lush vegetation and flowers near the creek, and giant saguaros and other cacti a stone's throw a... Full story
The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department initiated its annual fire ban on May 1. Now, the department is taking additional steps to protect the parks due to the extremely dry conditions. The first week in June, Parks and Rec also added this: Smoking in Maricopa County parks will be prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or at developed recreation sites such as parking lots, picnic ramadas or campsites. "We've added the smoking restriction to our fire ban in hopes of lessening... Full story
We decided to take the granddaughters to Monument Valley for spring break this year. Excellent decision! John and the girls had never been there, and I hadn't been there since I was a kid, so we were all excited about going. We drove up to Flagstaff and spent the night – Em was able to stay in Trinity's apartment dorm with her – then we drove from Flagstaff to Monument Valley in the morning. It's about a three-hour drive from Flagstaff, which isn't too bad. Monument Valley actually extends ove... Full story
We have a family tradition of going on a fun hike on New Year's Day each year. Since we live in the desert, this is the best time of year to hike close to home. If you are also a desert rat, now is a great time to go for a hike. Here are some great hikes near Phoenix to get you started. Wave Cave Hike This trail is in the Superstitions and it gets quite a bit of traffic - for good reason. The trail takes you to a large cave with incredible views. It's called the Wave Cave because right in front... Full story
(Phoenix, AZ - February 18, 2016) - For the entire month of March 2016, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)/Arizona State Parks (ASP) is coordinating activities throughout the state for the 34th annual celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM). These events will focus on efforts to preserve our past by protecting our cultural resources. AAHAM combines education with entertainment to reach both adults and children in an effort to teach responsible... Full story
Events Scheduled throughout Arizona In March (Phoenix, AZ - February 19, 2015) - For the entire month of March 2015, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)/Arizona State Parks (ASP) is coordinating activities throughout the state for the 33rd annual celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM). These events will focus on current efforts to preserve our past by protecting our fragile and non-renewable cultural resources. AAHAM combines education with... Full story
May 26 Monday 7:30 am Take Your Walk to the Desert (moderate) Join park docent Coni for a moderate 3 to 5 mile hike (ability of hikers and weather will determine the length of hike). We might hike through riparian areas with seasonal water in Cave Creek or hike across the mesa tops in the upland Sonoran Desert vegetation. We may see wildlife, petroglyphs, and colorful wildflowers. You may learn about cochineal (wow, whats that?), agave, mesquite, prickly pear, and maybe even taste some... Full story
When conditions are right, you don't have to go far from Phoenix to see spectacular wildflower displays. We've had some decent rains this winter, so this might be one of those years. One place you should definitely try is Cave Creek Regional Park. The park has over 11 miles of trails, and the hikes range from less than a quarter mile in length to almost six miles. We hiked the Overton Trail and part of the Go John in early April one year and the flowers were incredible - in places, the blossoms... Full story
Things can get hectic in the winter – the kids are still in school and the holidays can make everyone feel rushed. Getting outside and taking a nice long hike can be one of the most relaxing things you can do. Exercise reduces stress, and if your kids are going stir crazy, letting them burn off steam on the trail will go a long way toward restoring peace in your home. You don't have to take the entire weekend off, or even a whole day – there are probably places to hike right near where you liv... Full story
While the National Park Service is being forced to turn visitors away due to a government shutdown, Maricopa County’s regional park system is welcoming individuals seeking recreational experiences in the Sonoran Desert. “While the folks in Washington remain at odds, we’re doing our jobs and will continue to remain open to the public. Not only are we here to provide services to our regular visitors, we’re also here to serve visitors who have been displaced by the shutdown of the National Park Se... Full story
Phoenix) – The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department will initiate its annual fire ban on Tuesday, May 28. “This winter, portions of the Valley received a significant amount of rain. While the showers produced a beautiful wildflower season, they also increased fuel loads of ground coverage and brush in the parks which intensifies the possibility of wildfires. As a precaution, the department will initiate its annual fire after Memorial Day weekend,” said Maricopa County Parks and Recre... Full story
