Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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John and I are always looking for new roads to explore in the Jeep, and this past week we found one that we could have done in the car, so I thought I'd share it, because there were plenty of interesting things to see and some incredibly beautiful areas. You could do this whole loop in one day like we did, even taking time to hop out and wander around, plus a stop for a picnic lunch. In all, we covered 286 miles from the west valley, round trip. FIRST UP: DOLL BABY RANCH ROAD I saw this road on...
West & Preacher Fire Daily Update: September 12, 2024 West Fire - 1782 Acres Start Date: August 28, 2024 Location: Payson Ranger District, AZ Personnel: 481 Preacher Fire - 3161 Acres Cause: Lightning Containment: 0% Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Mixed Conifer, Chaparral Highlights/Operations: Firefighters held the perimeter on both fires yesterday in anticipation of increased winds. On the West Fire, some ignitions were conducted on top of the Rim to encourage beneficial moderate fire intensity above... Full story
Note - All photos courtesy of John and Margie Anderson Camping is the ideal outdoor adventure – it can be inexpensive and close to home, and gets you out in the fresh air and away from the news stories. If you're new to camping, don't feel like you need to go out and buy a bunch of stuff. You can probably borrow a lot of what you need from friends and family, or find used gear online. Find out if your neighborhood or church has a "Buy Nothing" program. Once you sign up, you can get a lot of g... Full story
Joint announcement from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish The wild population of Mexican wolves saw another year of growth in 2023, according to the results of the annual survey. The 2023 population census revealed a minimum of 257 Mexican wolves distributed across Arizona and New Mexico. This increase marks the eighth consecutive year of population growth, the longest continuous streak since recovery efforts began. Six... Full story
The annual interagency survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a decrease in the latest population estimate in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, resulted in an estimate of 144 squirrels. This is an increase from the 109 squirrels estimated in 2021, but lower than the 156 squirrels estimated after a new survey... Full story
Award of $24 million comes from Federal Highway Administration. PHOENIX - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded Arizona a $24 million grant for a wildlife overpass and other improvements designed to reduce crashes involving wildlife and better connect habitats across Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff in northern Arizona. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), sought the grant through FHWA's Wildlife... Full story
If you're looking for a cool getaway in Arizona that is a bit off the beaten path (and therefore not quite so packed with human beings), you should give the Pinaleno Mountains a try. There are lots of excellent hiking trails, a lake to fish in, and plenty of good campgrounds whether you favor a tent or an RV. The tallest peak is over 10,000 feet, and you may be familiar with the name – Mt. Graham: the mountain with the famous protected red squirrels. The Pinalenos are one of the "sky islands i... Full story
PHOENIX, August 29, 2022 – In observance of the Labor Day holiday, Tonto National Forest district ranger offices along with the Supervisor's Office will be closed Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. Ranger district offices will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 6 along with the Supervisor's Office. Note, the Supervisor's Office is only open Tuesdays and Thursdays due to a staffing shortage. The Forest Service offers the following tips to help visitors safely enjoy their visit: Campfires c... Full story
John and I and Mochi went to Williams again this past week and I've got to tell you, it's one of our favorite places to get away in the summer. It can be a bit warm during the day, but since we spend most of our time in the woods, it's shady, breezy, and wonderful! Camping was amazing. There are plenty of places for dispersed camping along the main roads, so you don't need a 4x4 – although I would recommend high clearance. We have the Jeep, so we took some true 4x4 trails, and that's always a... Full story
Thank You AZGFD For Sharing Here is a look at just a few of the wide variety in our state. How Did The Bighorn Sheep Cross The Road? The bighorn sheep population in northwest Arizona is important to outdoor enthusiasts of all types, yet highways have separated this population. As a result, wildlife-vehicle collisions, interference with access to adequate water and lack of habitat connectivity disrupt bighorn and put their population health at risk. Infrastructure Reduces Risk In a historic and i... Full story
PHOENIX, October 5, 2021 — Tonto National Forest officials signed the Final Record of Decision for the forest's Travel Management Plan today. Today's release of the Final Record of Decision is the culmination of a Forest-wide, multi-year planning effort that designates a more sustainable motorized transportation system for recreation, administrative and emergency response access. Following several years of public input and analyzing comments and objections, Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth is r... Full story
Visit To View Fantastic Fall Color In Arizona We ran up to NAU last October to visit our granddaughter for her 20th birthday. She's been hiking with us since she was three years old, so naturally we all wanted to go do some hiking in the forest, preferably with lots of fall color. A couple of years ago, her older sister had shown us a fantastic place only about 15 miles north of Flagstaff off Highway 180, so we decided to go there. Colorful Reward To get there, you just take Highway 180 about fi... Full story
When I was a kid, the only things I worried about when I was camping or hunting were bears and mountain lions. As it happens, I've only seen lions two or three times in my life, and each time the lion was hightailing it away from me. And sad to say, I've never seen a bear in the wild. However, I have had plenty of narrow escapes and a few times when I didn't escape some of the dangers that you might run into when you're enjoying Arizona's great outdoors. Most can be avoided if you simply pay... Full story
Record Number Of Mexican Wolf Pups Are Wild Fostered A record 22 captive-born Mexican wolf pups recently were placed in dens to be raised in the wild by their surrogate parents after another successful cross-foster season. For six years, wild Mexican wolves have been raising captive-born pups as their own, helping to boost the genetic diversity of this endangered subspecies and moving the wild population towards recovery.In April and May, nine pups were fostered into three different packs in eas... Full story
The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona's wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state's outdoor heritage. The 2021 Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Inductees are Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Bill Hardy, Margie Anderson, Charlie Kelly and Randy Babb. The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation invites you to join us and the Arizona Game and Fish Department in honoring these deserving and...
And the best gift of all is your love and your time. If you're like me, your dad probably had a lot to do with your love of the outdoors. A dad who hikes, fishes, hunts, camps, or goes off-road is so easy to buy for! Basically, when I bought stuff for my dad I just bought stuff I'd like to have myself. If that doesn't work for you, I've got some ideas for you. Here's a bunch of stuff I bet your outdoor dad will love. Ideas For The Off-Road Dad John and I go exploring a lot, so I know there are... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is forwarding this Grand Canyon National Park news release to constituents who may have an interest in this opportunity. GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), seeks skilled volunteers to assist with the removal of bison on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in the fall of 2021. Interested parties should carefully read this announcement and the information in the links b... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission (AZGFD) and the National Park Service (NPS) have entered into an agreement to reduce the number of bison present on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. In a concerted effort to disrupt the "refuge effect" that allows the bison herd to grow where there is no pressure on them, the agreement includes a number of tools for herd reduction, including live capture and translocations, hazing and lethal removal by skilled volunteers. Given the current... Full story
Jimmy Buffett might have been the son of a son of a sailor, but I grew up as the son of a sailor with one less degree of separation. My youth was spent traveling all over the western U.S. to Hobie Cat regattas. Our weekends and summers were filled with my younger brother, and I was packing up our sleeping bags and Star Wars figures into the family adventure wagon for a weekend near a lake or ocean for sailboat racing, campfires, and smores. Our first family adventure wagon was a 1973 converted D... 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
It's June and you know what that means – time to celebrate Dad! Here are some ideas for you to give to your hunting/shooting buddy. There is a wide range of prices to suit any wallet and dad is sure to love any of them. Grizzly Targets If you dad likes to go out in the desert to target practice, he probably already knows that the Forest Service says you must take your targets home with you. Personally, I think the targets that are the most fun are the metal ones because you can hear whether y... Full story
As of last month, people who ride an off-highway vehicle (OHV) in the Bulldog Canyon OHV area on the Mesa Ranger District must obtain a permit online through recreation.gov. The district will discontinue paper permits. According to Matt Lane, Mesa District Ranger, the permit process change is the result of growth. "An increase in public use of the Bulldog Canyon OHV area, along with the rising popularity of OHVs created a demand for permits that exceeds our capability to provide a quality... Full story
The Tonto National Forest will begin the orderly closure of the following developed recreation sites as early as Monday, March 23, to protect public health and safety and align with state and local measures already in place to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. The developed recreation site closures will remain in effect until further notice. The Forest Service thanks all visitors and partners for their cooperation. Please report any instances of vandalism to facilities to the local ranger district... Full story
Pat Horning Retires After Many Years Of Valuable Service Letter From Pat Horning ChiefBWFR@gmail.com The National Park Service (NPS) has been a major part of my life. I grew up at Grand Canyon where my father managed the NPS water utility at Phantom Ranch. My childhood heroes were famous rangers. In 1978, I joined the NPS trail crew at Grand Canyon where I worked seasonal NPS positions for the next 17 years. In 1986, my soon-to-be wife, Lisa had an accident. To be near during her recovery, I tra... Full story
Arizona: Draft Forest Plan for the Tonto National Forest Addresses both Recreational Shooting and Hunting The US Forest Service has released a plan for the Tonto National Forest that will guide its management for the next 10 to 15 years. The nearly three million-acre national forest is located north of Phoenix and is the 5th largest national forest in the US. Since its establishment in 1905, the Tonto has become of the most visited “urban” forests with over 5 million visitors annually. The pub... Full story
