Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Every summer we pack up the grandkids and head for the hills for a week or so of hiking and outdoor fun. I've been going camping, hunting, and fishing since I was a kid so I have a lot of experience with various kinds of camping gear. When my dad and my brother and I went camping way back in the day, all our gear was U.S. Army surplus. This meant everything for cooking was metal and weighed a ton, our tents were olive drab canvas and weighed a ton, our packs were olive drab canvas and weighed a... Full story
When the weather starts heating up in Arizona, everyone begins to long for a large body of water to dive into. In an ideal situation, this body of water would also be beautiful and have lots of things to do and to look at. This pretty much describes Saguaro Lake in a nutshell. Now before I go getting you all excited about Saguaro, let me first tell you that Saguaro is a very popular lake and if you want to find a parking place for your boat trailer, you need to get there early. Fat Bass Add To L... Full story
We in Arizona are blessed to have a world-class birding destination in our own backyard. Madera Canyon and Madera Creek cover four different habitat types, from the desert to the top of the Santa Rita Mountains. There are tons of great trails to hike, ranging in difficulty from paved and handicapped-accessible walking trails, to steep and difficult trails that will take experienced hikers to the top of the mountains. You'll not only see beautiful birds here, but also you'll have the chance to... Full story
Most Arizonans plus many others from out-of-state know and love the Flagstaff area. In fact, for Valley of the Sun residents, it offers a popular cool escape from the searing summer temperatures of the southern part of the state. Some Flag visitors camp, others fish and many just enjoy the ambiance of this lovely town in the "high country". As the cover photo indicates, there is another very popular activity in the Flagstaff area: hiking. Our Outdoors Editor Margie Anderson explains one of her... Full story
Until this past year, our visits to Flagstaff have always been during the summer. Since they were old enough to walk, we've been taking our granddaughters there to hike every summer, and we spend about a week exploring trails, caves, and everything the gorgeous area around Flagstaff has to offer. But now one of our granddaughters is a student at Northern Arizona University, so we go up to visit her and have gotten to experience Flagstaff during the fall and the spring. What a difference!... Full story
The warming spring weather brings out "the best in show". Make that plural: shows! The first of the Arizona favorites is the 16th annual International Sportsmen Exposition & Arizona Boat Show, this year at WestWorld of Scottsdale from Thursday, March 10 through Sunday, March 13. One of the highlights of the Expo is shown on this month's cover - the giant WesternBass.com Aquarium Demonstration Tank, which is presented again this year by Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times news... Full story
The SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trades) was held in Las Vegas this past January. As always, the show was enormous and it took several days to get around to seeing everything. Even after several days, I'm sure I missed some great stuff, but I did see a bunch of things that I can't wait to tell you about. Wildo Campware I remember when my granddaughters were in grade school and I volunteered in the cafeteria. They would give the kids these little plastic sporks to eat with that were... Full story
One of our favorite places for a relaxing and beautiful hike is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park on Highway 60 just south of Superior, Ariz. This lovely place is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has over two miles of trails to explore. It is $10 per person to enter, and that includes guided nature walks if you want to go on one. They also have classes that you can sign up for, including photography and various craft classes. There are fees for the classes. 'Walk About' Australia... Full story
Margie Anderson has again been honored with the Arizona Game & Fish Commission's "Outdoor Writer of the Year" award. Anderson and her husband John are invaluable parts of our Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times team. Together, they contribute informative and meaningful articles on a plethora of outdoor topics: hiking, fishing, shooting, outdoors products and news, wildlife (including birding knowledge) and more. This couple knows and relishes the incredible wonders offered in... Full story
The State Parks in Arizona are offering guided hikes for New Years Day as part of a program called 1st Day Hikes. Guided hikes are great, even if you are an experienced hiker, because the guides will have lots of information about the area that you might not have known. The State Parks are great places to visit at any time, and the opportunity for a free guided hike is a bonus. Generally, the weather is cool on New Years Day, but at higher altitudes, you should add layers. Also, bring your own w... Full story
This destination provides not only beauty and serenity but also lessons from a history that was the opposite: bloody and violent. Fort Bowie is a National Historic Site near Willcox, Ariz., between the Dos Cabezes Mountains and the Chiricahuas. It's a fascinating place, and part of the charm is the fact that once you drive to the parking lot, you need to walk three miles to get to the site and back. This makes the visit an adventure. The hike is pretty easy, with under 200 feet elevation gain.... Full story
Every angler loves to get fishing gear as a gift, but if you're not a fisherman yourself, it can be difficult to pick out something useful and appropriate. A great gift for a bass angler is not necessarily a great gift for a trout fisherman or a crappie angler. So here are some ideas specific to what your angler loves to fish for. Bass Anglers Savage Gear won best of show for their 3D shrimp at ICAST this year, and they have other 3D lures as well. One thing that works particularly well for big... Full story
Editor's Note: All of us at Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times congratulate our Outdoor Editor Margie Anderson on her third win of the Arizona Game & Fish Commission's award for Outdoor Writer of the Year. We are especially honored to have her on our editorial staff, along with Don McDowell (our Sportfishing editor) of Shake, Rattle, and Troll Radio who has received the Media of the Year award twice: in 2012 and 2014. It has been our honor also to receive the Media of the Year... Full story
Before you know it, the annual gift-giving season will be upon us. I don't know about you, but I like to start the shopping early to spread the cost over a couple of months. If you've got outdoor types on your list, here are a few ideas that are sure to make them happy. Weego Chargers Weego has a great gift package this season: It's a Weego Jump Starter Battery+ bundled with a Weego smartphone charger. The Weego is pocket sized and capable of starting 12V batteries in cars, boats, trucks, etc,... Full story
Arizona is a dynamic state with a wide array of climate zones, and conditions particularly in the northern part of the Grand Canyon State allow for a beautiful array of fall foliage colors from mid-September through mid-November. Drives along U.S. Highway 89 will take you through an elevation change of more than 4,000 feet in the relatively short distance of 80 miles and plunge you into a mountainous kaleidoscope of fall color that covers the entire autumnal spectrum. Here are a few sites that... Full story
I've been telling you about a lot of great hikes lately, and hiking is one of my favorite outdoor activities. Because I've been hiking and hunting for so many years, I've learned a thing or two about what to carry. Thing is, you want to be prepared because you could be miles from the car with no cell service, but you don't want to lug around a lot of extra weight. I am always the one with the backpack on our family adventures, and I sure don't want that thing heavier than it needs to be. So,... Full story
We have been taking our granddaughters on hiking vacations to Flagstaff every summer for the past twelve years or so. Recently, the oldest received a scholarship to NAU and while she was at orientation, she attended a lecture on things to do around Flagstaff. "Grandma, I've been to every one of them!" she reported. There are just so many things to do in and around Flagstaff that one vacation can't cover them all. As the granddaughters have grown, the things we do together in Flagstaff have... Full story
Riordan State Park - Memories In A Mansion - Built in 1904 for two Riordan families, Riordan Mansion is an impressive reminder of gracious living in a small, territorial logging town. The historic building is an Arizona treasure - a remarkable example of Arts and Crafts style architecture featuring a rustic exterior of log-slab siding, volcanic stone arches, and hand-split wooden shingles. The expansive home has 40 rooms, over 13,000 square-feet of living area, and servants' quarters. The... Full story
The wonderful thing about living in Arizona is that we have such a range of altitudes and ecosystems. When it's too cold up north, we can mess around in the desert, and when the desert is broiling, we can either keep cool at one of the desert reservoirs or head up to higher altitudes and enjoy cooler weather. We enjoyed an unseasonably cool and wonderful May, but now that June and July are here, the summer weather has fully set in. So here are my picks of the top ten ways to enjoy the summer out... Full story
In her article that features ten places to "Beat the Heat" during an Arizona summer, Margie Anderson notes that one of her favorites is Prescott and nearby Watson Lake. She says that although this lake has fewer trees -- and therefore less shade -- than the area's Lynx Lake, the boulders are spectacular. If only just to see them, Anderson recommends a trip to Watson Lake. Also, readers may want to add to their summer enjoyment by four-wheeling the Mingus Mountains or fishing, hiking, swimming... Full story
The area around Sierra Vista Arizona is diverse: everything from pine forests to desert and riparian areas. It makes for a great little vacation, and there is plenty to do down there. Last month I told you about a couple of things to do on the way down there from Phoenix or Tucson, plus Ramsey Canyon which is just south of Sierra Vista. After hiking Ramsey Canyon, you may be in the mood for a drive and perhaps another little uphill hike along the way. Coronado National Memorial The perfect... Full story
This is a gorgeous time of year to visit Saguaro National Park. There are two different parts to this park: the Tucson District west of Tucson, and the Rincon District which is just southeast of Tucson. The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park is easy to get to: Take the Old Spanish Trail from Tucson to the Rincon Visitor Center. There is a loop drive through the western part of the Rincon District that you should definitely investigate. You can ask for trail maps and information... Full story
If you're looking for a great day trip from Phoenix, I've got a great idea for you - the Pinal Mountain Recreation Area. We have driven past the little brown sign for it in Globe dozens of times, and we finally decided to go check it out. I'm really glad we did, because it's a beautiful place. There are campgrounds and plenty to see up there, and the Forest Service site says the campgrounds are good for trailers up to 20 feet. We actually had a bit of a time finding it, even though we took the t... Full story
A few months ago I wrote about some hikes near Safford in the Pinaleno Mountains, and the hiking and fishing available at Roper Lake and Dankworth Pond. The Safford area has a lot to offer, and it's a great place to visit this time of year because the weather is gorgeous and it's the perfect time to hike or just camp somewhere beautiful. Beautiful Scenery If you take Highway 70 east from Safford for ten miles or so, you will come to Highway 191. Follow 191 to milepost 160, four miles south of... Full story
Margie Anderson recently snapped this photo of a deer poised above beautiful Bartlett Lake. He symbolizes to us the many opportunities to learn more about wildlife and outdoor activities at the two expos that traditionally begin the New Year: the International Sportsmen's Expo and Arizona Boat Show, Feb. 19-22 at the University of Phoenix Stadium and the Arizona Game & Fish Department's Outdoor Expo, March 28-29 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. Although wildlife per se is not its feature, ano... Full story
