Fun in the Sun

Admirable Assistants Alethea Prewett

4. MCCORMICK-STILLMAN RAILROAD PARK

In the 1940s, Anne and Fowler McCormick (a grandson of John D. Rockefeller) built a ranch north of Scottsdale where they raised Angus cattle, Arabian horses and alfalfa. An Arabian horse enthusiast, Anne was a founder of the annual Arabian Horse Show, which later became the prestigious Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. Anne’s son from a previous marriage, Guy Stillman, was a businessman and railroad enthusiast.

In 1967, the McCormicks donated a piece of their ranchland to the City of Scottsdale to create a park for local families to enjoy. About four years later, Stillman founded the Scottsdale Railroad & Mechanical Society to establish a railroad park on the donated land. Stillman donated two of his narrow-gauge, 5/12scale Paradise & Pacific steam locomotives to the park for visitors to ride.

Dedicated in 1975, the McCormickStillman Railroad Park is a 30-acre playground for kids and train enthusiasts. Take a spin around the park on the Paradise & Pacific Railroad and ride the 1950s-era Allan Herschell carousel. Tour the 10,000-square-foot building filled with an interactive matrix of seven different scales of model trains and the Scottsdale Railroad Museum, includes the Roald Amiundsen Pullman car, built in 1928, and the Gabe Brooks Machine Shop as it appeared in the 1930s. There’s also a snack bar, museum store, picnic areas and playgrounds great to allow the youngest NRCHA fan to get a thrill!

Admission to the museums and playground are free. Rides on the train and carousel are $3 per person, or purchase an eight pack of tickets for $20 or an allday wristband for $12.

For more information: therailroadpark. com.

Families can have hours of fun riding the train and carousel, exploring the railroad exhibits and playing in the park at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.

5. CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN

The Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Recreation Area between Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, is home to one of the most popular rock formations and hiking areas for locals and tourists alike. Camelback Mountain, named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, offers two challenging yet exhilarating trails—Echo Canyon and Cholla (currently closed)—with the reward of scenic overlooks at the summits.

As you ascend the rocky mountain trail, you weave through ocotillo, palo verde, creosote bushes and a variety of cacti. Watch for wildlife above and at ground level on the trail. The Echo Canyon trail is a 2.5-mile out-andback trail that ascends from 1,324 to 2,704 feet in elevation. The Cholla trail, known for its sunrise views, gains 1,250 feet over 1.42 miles. To ensure you get a parking place, plan to arrive at the trailhead before 6 a.m., especially on weekends. Trails are open from sunrise to sunset, and both trails typically take two to three hours to complete. Guided hikes are available with reservations. No dogs are allowed.

For more information: climbcamelback.com.

6. PAPAGO PARK

Activities abound at this outdoor recreational area near Scottsdale, including hiking, fishing and golfing. And don’t miss visiting the Phoenix Zoo and Arizona Center for Nature Conservation, Desert Botanical Garden and Arizona firefighters’ Hall of Flame Museum. If that’s not enough, there is also an archery range and orienteering course.

Most trails are mild and designed for hiking, mountain biking and trail running, including the .3-mile path to the inside of the sandstone formation Hole in the Rock. The opening is a window overlooking nearby lagoons and the distant downtown skyline. It’s thought that the ancient Hohakam civilization used the towering formation to track the position of the sun.

For more information: https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/ trails/locations/papago-park; dbg.org; phoenixzoo.org.

Top: One of the most popular sunset hikes is the .3-mile Hole in the Rock Trail that overlooks the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Right: The Desert Botanical Gardens in Papago Park showcases a special exhibit featuring the blown glass installations of Dale Chihuly nestled within the gardens through June 19.