Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Mother's Day is almost here and if you need ideas for gifts for your adventurous mom, look no further – we've got gifts and adventures here starting at under $20 and something on the list is sure to make your mom smile. Under $20 www.MyTopo.com is the place where you can make Mom a personalized map of her favorite place – that summer cabin, that lake where she and dad honeymooned, the rapids she ran, her favorite camping area, her home neighborhood, her favorite hunting area, or even her fav... Full story
'Pick a trail and lace up your shoes.' From Arizona State Parks And Trails Attention Arizona hikers! If you're looking for a great way to get outdoors any time of year with friends or the family, here are some insider tips about the best hiking trails in Arizona's state parks. Explore these diverse options throughout this amazingly beautiful state, and cross these hikes off your bucket list! From Arizona's hiking trails you will come across a variety of amazing sights and experiences that range... Full story
AZGFD’s Canyon Creek Hatchery will provide some trout for the department's Community Fishing Program waters this winter. The current drought conditions have caused reduced spring water flows at the hatchery, making it difficult to maintain the quality water flow needed to support the large number of fish in its raceways. Utilizing some of the fish for winter stockings in community waters will reduce numbers of trout at the hatchery and help ensure the fish there have adequate water to grow a... 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
It has long been speculated that bald eagles could utilize saguaro cacti as nesting sites. Now the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has documented proof. During recent eagle survey flights conducted by the department, officials were delighted to discover a pair of bald eagles with eaglets nesting in the arms of a large saguaro near a central Arizona reservoir. According to Kenneth "Tuk" Jacobson, AZGFD's raptor management coordinator, biologists searched historical records in the 1970s... Full story
Outdoor Recreationists, Pilots And Drone Operators Asked To Avoid Bald Eagle Nest Areas Arizona's bald eagles are back and they will soon be working on the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide. To assist with the state's continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state's 89 eagle breeding areas. As such, some... Full story
This Is A Seriously Fun Trip Living in Phoenix means that it is too darn hot to ride around in the desert in the summer, at least for me – and I'm a native. So when the temperatures get into the hundreds, we take to the hills like a lot of folks in Arizona. A couple of weeks ago we took what we call a "truck trip" – that means a road trip that doesn't require the side by side, so if it involves dirt roads, they are usually pretty tame. This trip was one I really enjoyed because we saw a lot of c... Full story
Bats get a bad rap, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) aims to change that by highlighting the good they do – such as eating pesky mosquitoes and flies – during a bat netting and monitoring workshop on Friday, Sept. 6. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Needle Rock Recreation Area northeast of Scottsdale and costs $25 per person, with proceeds going to help the department provide other wildlife viewing events statewide. During the event, participants will observe the cap... Full story
Three-year-old eagle undergoes surgery to repair broken leg, released at Horseshoe Lake. After a graceful half-mile flight across Horseshoe Lake, the three-year-old bald eagle released back into the wild by Arizona Game and Fish Department and Liberty Wildlife was free once again. It was a fitting conclusion for the bird that was found in February at a Queen Creek dairy suffering from a shattered femur. Left untreated, the bird would have certainly died, yet four months later, a small group of... Full story
For April: A Hike, A Ride, and A Drive April is a great month to explore the Arizona desert. It isn't too hot yet, not too cold, and there are still wildflowers and cactus blossoms to be found, not to mention the masses of yellow palo verde blossoms. To help you enjoy some of the prettiest places I know of in the desert, I've compiled three adventures for you: a walk, a ride, and a drive. No matter what your fitness level is, one of these will work for you this April. A Hike: Badgers Springs If... Full story
Outdoor recreationists, pilots and drone operators asked to avoid bald eagle nest areas. Arizona's bald eagle breeding season is on the horizon and multiple public land and water areas will be closed to protect the majestic animals and ensure even more young eagles take to the skies this spring. Highly Successful Program Each year as part of its highly successful program to conserve and protect bald eagles in the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) asks outdoor recreationists, ai... Full story
Ever wondered what happens to the thousands of trout that the Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks into streams all around the state every year? You’re not alone. We just completed a 4-year study (beginning in 2013) to investigate the fate of rainbow trout and Apache trout stocked into several of Arizona’s popular stream trout fisheries. As part of this project, AZGFD biologists conducted nearly 5,000 angler interviews on six different streams (Canyon Creek, East Fork Black River, East Verde... Full story
Beginning October 1, Maricopa County's Parks and Recreation Department will bring back the popular Buy One, Get One camping promotion! The promotion allows park visitors who pay the camping fee for one night, or more, at a desert mountain county park to receive one night of equal or lesser value for free during that same stay. "The Board takes a lot of pride in our parks system because it showcases so beautifully what is unique about living in the Sonoran desert," said Chairman Steve Chucri,... Full story
Father's Day is coming up sooner than you think, and sometimes dads can be super hard to buy for. If dad is a shooter, we've got you covered – here are some ideas for gifts any shooting dad would be delighted to receive. Peltor Electronic Hearing Protectors Every shooter needs hearing protection, and Peltor makes the ones Margie and I wear. We love the electronic ones – you can hear conversation, but they electronically detect the sound of gunshots and muffle them. We bought our new dau... Full story
Each year as part of its highly successful program to manage and conserve bald eagles in the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) asks outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to help this magnificent bird in Arizona. Various land and wildlife management agencies close areas around breeding locations during the birds' breeding season to protect the state's 67 breeding pairs of bald eagles. Some closure areas are located near popular... Full story
From the trickle of a few springs, Oak Creek gathers water from the southern part of the Mogollon Rim to start its thirteen-mile flow through the canyon that the creek helped form. From Oak Creek Canyon , the creek winds through Sedona and begins its eight-mile descent into the Verde Valley to meet up with the Verde River. Editor's Note: Each time we visit this gorgeous Arizona area, we are moved by its incredible beauty and are refreshed physically, mentally, and yes, spiritually. Land... Full story
Compiled By Carol L. Allen For lasting memories, visit the Verde Valley – recently named one of the Top 10 U.S. travel destinations by Lonely Planet. Located in the "heart" of Arizona, the Verde Valley is ideally situated above the heat of the desert and below the cold of Arizona's high country. Surrounded by the red rocks of Sedona to the northeast and Mingus Mountain to the southwest, its low elevation of 3,300' and moderate climate are enjoyed year-round. Ancient civilizations, with their u... Full story
Beginning October 1, Maricopa County's Parks and Recreation Department will bring back the Buy One, Get One campaign! The campaign allows park visitors who pay the camping fee for one night, or more, at a desert mountain county park to receive one night of equal or lesser value for free at any of the county's desert parks during that same stay. "We take a lot of pride in our park system because it showcases so beautifully what's unique about living in the desert southwest," said Chairman Denny... Full story
In Arizona, people tend to think of heading north to cool off in the summer, but there are many places in the southern and eastern areas of our beautiful state that also offer higher altitudes, cool forests, and great hikes. These places include Mt. Lemmon near Tucson, the Pinaleno mountains near Safford, and the Mt. Baldy Wilderness near Greer. Mt. Lemmon In July, the Burro fire was raging and crews were using the Mount Lemmon highway as a firebreak. Residents, campers and hikers were forced... Full story
At 5000 feet, Payson stays quite a bit cooler than Phoenix in the summer. Temperatures may reach the mid 90s, but if you're in a shady forest, it seems a lot cooler. We love to go to Payson, and started taking the granddaughters there years ago. There are plenty of good hotels and lots of great places to eat in Payson and the surrounding area, and there are great hikes as well. Tonto Natural Bridge One of the places near Payson that we love the most is Tonto Natural Bridge. It's actually more... Full story
Note - See the update at the bottom of this story for areas that have reopened since the issue date. PHOENIX, AZ, February 28, 2017—For Immediate Release. Forest Road 19, leading to Bartlett Lake, is closed due to flooding just east of the Cave Creek Ranger District office. Forest Road 20 which leads to Needle Rock and Box Bar is also closed due to flooding. Recreation sites around Horseshoe and Bartlett reservoirs have been closed because of water flowing into and through the Verde River s... Full story
If you have been reading my stories here on Arizona Boating & Watersports and Western Outdoor Times for long, you know that my husband John and I love to go outdoors adventuring with our granddaughters. We've been taking them fishing, hiking, shooting, exploring, and hunting almost since they could walk, but we had never been kayaking together until yesterday. I found a Groupon for the Clarkdale Kayak Company and it was such a bargain I signed up the four of us. First off, let me tell you that I... Full story
Tip Of The Week Bartlett Lake in the Tonto National Forest can be a great place for winter crappie and bass. Some of the best crappie fishing can be done in the cold of the morning - then anglers can switch to bass. Consider throwing crankbaits and spinnerbaits with a slow presentation. Trailers on spinnerbaits, and slow-rolling across the rock stringers, can work well at times. Once you get a feeling for where the bass are holding, switch to the finesse style of drop-shotting. Did you know the... Full story
Popular recreation sites on the Tonto National Forest near Phoenix are either opening for the season, or closing for the season, depending on the location. The Mesquite and Horseshoe campgrounds and Fisherman's Point (also known as Catfish Point) re-opened for the winter on Oct.1. These three areas are on the Cave Creek Ranger District near Horseshoe Lake. They are popular camping spots for fisherman. On the Mesa Ranger District, seasonal reductions in services at some developed recreation sites... Full story
These memorable destinations are enough to fill a lifetime of "bucket lists". As we celebrate the centennial of the National Parks Service, many will be visiting national sites throughout the country. A good place to start is here at home as Arizona has over two dozen of these spectacular destinations within the state. National Monuments In Arizona Canyon De Chelly Chinle, Ariz. For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons - longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on... Full story
