Visitors Guide 2015

RIM RIM COUNTRY COUNTRY

Visitors Guide

Insider tips for having

a perfect day Fishing Hiking Biking Shopping Entertainment

Camping Swimming holes Recreation Birding Off-roading

Lodging Dining Events Festivals Attractions

Summer 2015

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4: Favorite places 6-7: Fishing 8-9: Tonto Natural Bridge 10-11: Mogollon Rim 12-13 Camping 14: Old-timer’s perfect summer weekend 15: Forest tourism 16: Shoofly Ruins 18-19: Mountain biking 20-21: Her perfect weekend 22: Eagle watching 24-25: Cottonwoods 26-27: Off-road on a perfect day 28-29: Recreation in town 30-31: Birding 32: Birders’ best bets 33: Return of Gila trout 34-37: Pleasures of Pine & Strawberry 38-39: Tonto Basin dreaming 40-41: Christopher Creek treasures 42-43: Off-road forest plan 44: Dirt road adventures 45: Monsoon blessing 46-47: In town hikes 48-49: Payson Area Trails System map 50-51: Summer events 52: Tonto National Monument 53: Live music 54-55 Rim Country hikes 56-57 Swimming holes 58: Shopping delights 59: Casino fun and camaraderie 60: Pine & Strawberry festivals 60-66: Dining and Lodging Guide 67: Travels with Lobo

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 3

Our favorite places by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

Teetering along on two legs, I flounder through the streamside brush and over the crafty cobbles somewhere on the East Verde. I’m momentarily startled by a rustle among the willows to my right, figuring I’m far enough from the road by now to expect mountain lions, javelina or the Mogollon Monster.

Instead, Lobo emerges from the thicket to check on me, wagging his tail. I immediately feel better. I’d set off down the East Verde from Crackerjack Road to find a downstream waterfall I’d glimpsed once from the road. That’s the great thing about Rim Country, adventures without number lie just off the road, offering both solitude and a sense of discovery.

That’s why we prepared this insider’s guide to having fun in Rim Country — to pass along some of our favorite places.

As for me, I like to head off with Lobo for someplace I’ve never been — and hope we make it back.

I recently took note of Duke University researcher Brian Hare’s “The Genius of Dogs,” which examines canines’ remarkable ability to figure out what the heck we’re talking about. For instance, most animals ignore it when you try to point things out to them. But dogs readily read finger pointing. Hare also pointed out that dogs share our vulnerability to contagious yawning. Hare suggested it proves dogs can feel empathy.

I have tested the theory. I once spent an evening yawning at Lobo. I am almost sure he increased his yawn frequency — but fell asleep before I could complete the experiment.

Moreover, petting a dog produces a little surge in the “hug hormone,” oxytocin. And get this: dogs get a little bigger oxytocin boost when petted by women than by men. I cannot say this surprises me — especially in Lobo’s case. I mean, he’ll make a belly scratching fool of himself for a woman.

I catch Lobo’s eye and point downstream. He follows the motion alertly. “Pretty girl down there, you poor fool,” I say.

He cocks his head, gazing downstream. I feel an overpowering

urge to yawn, which I suppress.

“Lead on, McDuff,” I say, lurching into motion.

Overlooking one granite narrows, I find a great slab of granite with four grinding holes patiently, laboriously worn into the solid rock. Some 600 years ago, generations of women spent their afternoons sitting on these rocks — reducing the mesquite beans and corn to finely ground meal. No doubt, they watched their children splashing around in the creek, throwing sticks for their dogs. I lose track of Lobo for a while.

When I see him again, he’s poised on top of a boulder on the edge of the stream ahead of me, looking alertly downstream. He must have spotted something interesting downstream: maybe a pretty girl — although I couldn’t imagine how such a vision could have found her way into the heart of such a slick and bouldery wilderness.

I top the rock and stare eagerly downstream.

In a big pool below an impressive waterfall I see Rory Huff — real estate agent, school board member and the last person I expected to encounter. Turns out, you can park your car along a nondescript section of Crackerjack Road (look for the plastic tape on roadside tree branches) and easily hike down to the chain of three waterfalls I’d canyoneered for miles to reach.

But that’s the thing about Rim Country — it’s not the destination, it’s the journey, as they say.

I follow Lobo back to the Jeep, taking the short route along the road. I hoist myself into the driver’s seat and he leaps lightly into the passenger seat. He looks perfectly fresh — ready to do another 10 miles.

“All right, so you can hike me into the ground. But can you do this?” I add, twisting the key in the ignition (it’s in the thumbs).

The engine sputtered and I yawned, bone weary.

Lobo looked me right in the eye and yawned the Grand Canyon of yawns.

Now that’s empathy.

Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce

Produced by Roundup Publishing

100 W. Main Street P.O. Box 1380 Payson, AZ 85547 928.474.4515/800.672.9766 www.rimcountrychamber.com

708 N. Beeline Highway Payson, AZ 85541 928.474.5251 www.payson.com

Publisher’s Note: Despite our best editing, the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Information is current as of May 2015. Photos and stories copyright Payson Roundup.

4 | summer visitors guide | 2015

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 5

Fishing

Never too busy Pete Aleshire

The East Verde River harbors lots of trout-stocked fishing holes.

by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

I tore myself loose late, knowing I’d never make it to Whispering Pines where I’d promised faithfully to meet Jack Kearns, a genial, quietly enthusiastic, endlessly good-humored retired utility company crew chief who now lives to fish.

I’d put him off for months, pleading business. He always forgives, saying “I know, you’re busy. Heck. I used to be busy like that. Seems like I just never got it done.”

So I finally promised I’d meet him on the banks of the East Verde River in Whispering Pines. Isn’t that why I moved here — for a balanced life? So here it is, Wednesday, and I’m late.

“Hey,” he says, as I scramble out of the car.

“Sorry I’m late.”

He shrugs and smiles. “But we got a problem,” he says.

“They turned off the river.”

The Salt River Project puts water from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir into the East Verde up by Washington Park all summer long as they run about 11,000 acre-feet down the East Verde to reservoirs on the Verde near Phoenix.

“What do we do?” I ask.

“Don’t know,” he says, looking down at the trickle of water passing under the Control Road bridge.

“Might as well look since we’re here,” I say.

He grins. “Let’s do it.”

So I change into my fishing gear, feeling already lighter.

We leave my car and meander up on the thready dirt track that leads along the river. We park in his accustomed spot and pick up some trash left by careless hikers and campers. I talk him out of the white, curly-tailed grubs he swears by, rig up the drop shot to his specifications and off we tromp.

6 | summer visitors guide | 2015

He shows me where he caught the monster, which is barely a pool at all at this flow. He urges me to make some little wrist flick casts to see if there’s anything hiding under the log.

Nothing.

But I don’t care. Even at this flow, the stream’s gurgle — a happy limerick for the ear. The wind’s telling secrets to the pine needles overhead, although they keep shsssshing it. The light’s playing hide-and-seek with the clouds. The air’s freshly washed, full of damp forest smells.

So Jack leads on to his favorite pool, the one he saves as a special gift. He ushers me to his favorite, like a maître d’ presenting the window seat with the view of the Champs-Élysées.

I cast and get two definite bites on the recovery.

On the third cast, I pull in a fish — nice little rainbow.

Jack’s standing back, a delighted and generous grin fixed on his elfin face. I know his type, taking more pleasure in others’ pleasure than in his own.

Thus began the best hour of fishing ever. I caught eight trout — and had another 30 bites. I kept three, as I have been eager to make use of a ripe mango and some garden herbs on a foil-wrapped trout on the grill.

Jack caught maybe 10 trout and put them all carefully back.

Afterward, we drove down the Control Road, stopping to exclaim over an unhurried, 5-foot-long rattler. Then headed for the Sidewinder bar to debrief.

Now, here’s the funny thing about the day: I cannot now remember a single one of the neglected tasks that so nearly convinced me to cancel. But I never will forget the golden hour when the fish were hitting everything I offered and Jack was grinning like a largemouth.

Pete’s favorite fishing holes

Tonto Creek: Any of the deeper pools on the way up to the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery. Turn off by Kohl’s Ranch and drive past the little bridge, then work your way upstream. The water’s crystal clear except after a rain and heavily stocked. All the streams offer a great experience for fly fishermen. Tonto Creek has more stream-side vegetation, but also consistently clear water.

East Verde River (Houston Mesa): Turn off Highway 87 on Houston Mesa Road and drive about 14 miles to the first bridge over the East Verde.

Game and Fish stocks the creek weekly all the way upstream wherever the road passes by one of the deeper pools. The stretch from Water Wheel up to the waterfalls is especially fun. Lots of opportunities to fly fish, but most people use lures on spin casters or power bait with a bobber.

East Verde River (Whispering Pines): Get on the dirt road near the junction of Houston Mesa Road and the Control Road, which follows the creek up toward Whispering Pines and Verde Glen. The road gets pretty marginal, but that doesn’t stop the stocking truck. Work the deeper pools. I’ve had the best luck with white, curly tailed grubs — which combine visibility and motion in the often silty water.

Pete Aleshire

Ducks forage in Woods Canyon Lake. The shop there sells more fishing licenses than any other outlet in the state.

Green Valley Park Lakes: Maybe you don’t have time for a full-fledge fishing expedition — or want something easy. Try the trout-stocked lakes in Payson’s Green Valley Park. You’ll need an urban fishing stamp.

Rim Lakes: The Woods Canyon Lake store sells more fishing licenses than any outlet in Arizona. It’s a lot of fun to watch the osprey and the bald eagles catch fish, but can be hard on a fisherman’s ego. Lots of anglers love Bear Canyon and Willow Springs lakes as well. Chevelon Lake requires a longer drive and a serious hike down into the canyon, but you can savor the solitude and the big hold-over trout.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 7

Natural Bridge

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park protects the world’s largest travertine arch and an historic lodge.

Rebounds

by

Alexis Bechman

roundup staff reporter

Rim Country’s best-known tourist attraction has made a striking comeback with visitors in the past two years.

During the recession and budget crisis, frequent closures drove visitation at the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park down to about 60,000 annually.

But visitation passed 100,000 in 2014, a 60 percent increase from 2013.

8 | summer visitors guide | 2015

The state park protects the world’s largest natural travertine arch and an historic inn.

The surge in visitation reflects both the recovery of the economy and a remarkable partnership between the state park system and the towns of Payson and Star Valley, plus the Tonto Apache Tribe. The three entities provided both donations and volunteers to keep the park open.

Pine Creek dissolved a massive cavern in a barrier of spring-deposited dissolved limestone, called travertine. The Bridge was once 1,000 feet long, but remains an impressive 400 feet long, 150 feet wide and 180 feet tall – the largest travertine bridge in the U.S. The travertine comes from limestone deposits in the bottom of a shallow, inland sea some 300 millions years ago. But the volcanic rock exposed on one side of the cavern are rhyolite forged some 1.6 million years ago. Between the two layers runs the “great non-conformity,” a gap of more than a billion years.

The state park draws thousands to Rim Country every year who stand below the soaring arch and marvel at one of nature’s largest travertine wonders. With visitation growing every year, the lodge and grounds at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park are getting some much-needed attention.

Work is currently under way to restore 10 guest rooms and the rest of the four-story lodge, including an observation deck, to its former glory.

Starting this year, guests can rent out the historic lodge for group use, such as weddings and family reunions, with up to 28 people allowed to stay the night in rooms named after local figures such as General George Cook and David Gowan Goodfellow.

Goodfellow built the lodge in 1925, one of the first guest ranches in Arizona, according to Roundup archives.

“If the enormous, 100-year-old mulberry tree east of the 80-year-old lodge could talk, it could tell tales of children swinging from its branches, weddings held beneath its boughs and guests of the lodge strolling toward the wonder of the 183-foot-high travertine bridge,” according to a 2007 Roundup article.

The tree is still there today as well as a number of original features in the lodge, including Celotex fiberboard walls, made from the waste of processed sugar cane, and an old knob and tube electrical system.

The highly flammable Celotex is going and the electrical system was upgraded last year. Everything else that is

safe is staying, said manager Steven Jakubowski.

“We are maintaining the history, the heritage, so anything that alters the historic fabric has to be approved by the state preservation office,” he said.

“Over the years, the building has changed. The floors used to be hardwood floors, so the carpet is not historic,” he says pointing to a thick pile carpet on the second-floor landing.

While the lodge has undergone updates throughout its history, the current renovation project started in August of 2014. And out near State Route 87, crews installed a $31,000 entrance sign. The Friends of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park contributed $10,000 toward the purchase of the sign. The 12-foot sign is the first for the state park system.

With the park open seven days a week again, visitation numbers have skyrocketed up 40,000 between 2013 and 2014. That is a big change from 2009 when the state parks board closed Tonto Natural Bridge along with 10 other parks due to a budget crisis. The closure didn’t last long, though, with the town, along with the Tonto Apache Tribe, Star Valley and a host of volunteers, partnering with the state parks board to help cover operating costs. The park re-opened on the weekends, then five days a week and finally a seven-day schedule resumed.

When complete, the lodge at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park will be the only accommodations of its kind for the state parks.

And the plan at Tonto Natural Bridge eventually includes building several cabin rentals south of the lodge.

While each room will come furnished and include a quaint, in-room sink, most of the rooms do not have bathrooms or share one with an adjoining room. Several of the rooms have enclosed porches. A lower level suite is handicap accessible.

“The marketing concept is rustic cabin retreat vs. resort,” Jakubowski said.

For information, visit http://azstateparks.com/Parks/TONA/.

Pete Aleshire

Travertine formations have created a drip-castle wonder inside the soaring cavern in Tonto Natural Bridge.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 9

The view from the Rim

Pete Aleshire

The Mogollon Rim forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau.

by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

The Mogollon Rim puts the world back in proper perspective, with the wind rushing past and the view extending for 100 miles. The wind whispers of vanished worlds and sudden death — as well as the stubborn persistence of life.

This great, 1,200-foot-tall escarpment of sea bottom limestone bears mute witness to the brave, futile struggle of life.

The cliff face includes a 300-foot-thick layer of cream-colored Kaibab limestone, made mostly of the squished and mineralized remains of sea sponges that drifted to the floor of a shallow sea between 240 million and 260 million years ago, during perhaps the most terrifying and mysterious period in life’s long history on the planet.

Some 252 million years ago, the world ended for most living things. At that geologic moment, the most convulsive mass extinction in the known fossil record wiped out 96 percent of all ocean-dwelling species and 70 percent of all the land-dwellers.

No one knows what happened.

Life for billions of years had flourished and diversified. The ancestors of bacteria and algae emerged mysteriously from the oceans 3.5 billion years ago and proceeded to remodel the planet. Their offspring filled the atmosphere with the oxygen.

The first cells emerged 1.8 billion years ago, the first plants colonized the land 450 million years ago and the first vertebrates developed 525 million years ago.

By the time the Kaibab limestone started to form, life had evolved into a riot of forms. The jostling of the earth’s tectonic plates had gathered all the continents of the world into a single land mass. Shelled creatures like mollusks, squids, ammonoids and trilobites dominated the oceans. Towering, fern-like trees formed forests across the vast lowlands. Giant cockroaches scuttled through the shrubbery, dragonflies with 28-inch wingspans buzzed and hovered. On the land dwelled huge

10 | summer visitors guide | 2015

dimetrodons sporting enormous, spiny sails on their backs and in their voracious shadow scuttled the tiny ancestors of the still humble dinosaurs and creatures that would one day give rise to mammals. The plants made oxygen, the animals breathed out carbon dioxide and the world seemed safe and snug and secure — life’s nursery.

Then something happened.

In a geologic eye blink, this vast world of living things died in a cataclysm unmatched before or since. Scientists have labored for decades to understand the “Great Dying.”

Maybe it stemmed from a still mysterious surge in volcanic activity, which covered nearly a million square miles with lava. Traces remain in the form of the Siberian Traps. That outpouring could have triggered other events, which multiplied the wrenching changes in the planet’s balance of heat and light. The volcanoes alone would have doubled the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere, causing an estimated 8-degree rise in global temperatures — similar to the projected effects of human pollutants.

In the end, the battered survivors persisted, although it took 15 million to 30 million years for life to make a painfully slow comeback.

All that triumph and disaster lies coded in the layered limestone before me. We all cling to that edge, to our lives, roots, tree trunks, quivering aspen, mottled lichen of ancient lineage, with the blood whispering in our ears.

Even so, I find some unspeakable comfort on this cliff edge, studying the Kaibab limestone and the Coconino sandstone and the hermit shale and the Supai sandstone. The cliff remembers 300 million years of death and rebirth and the stubborn persistence of life — neatly stacked.

In all the vast, shuffling, roaring, crawling crowd of species who have risen up and fallen down and passed so irretrievably away, only we have imagined extinction. We alone can see it coming. And continue, nonetheless.

Things to do atop the Mogollon Rim Rim Lakes Fish, paddle board, canoe or just listen to the water lap on the shores of Willow Springs, Bear Canyon, Woods Canyon, Knoll or Chevelon Lakes.

Great fishing all summer.

Woods Canyon has a little store and boat rentals.

Knoll and Chevelon Lakes are harder to get to — therefore less trafficked.

Camping The Forest Service has some wonderful campgrounds — including developed sites like Woods Canyon and informal sites on several loop roads off Forest Road 300, with terrific views.

it, with frequent stops to marvel at the scenery. Great escape on an historic road, originally developed to move troops and supplies from the Verde Valley to the White Mountains during the Apache Wars.

Rim Vista Trail This level trail runs for miles along the Rim between Highway 87 and Woods Canyon Lake. It’s paved along most of its length, which makes it great for mountain bikes, strollers, whatever. Surely has the best views of any trail its length in America.

Wildlife viewing Woods Canyon Lake has Pete Aleshire a pair of nesting bald eagles, The Mogollon Rim tops out 30 miles from Payson at more than 7,000 feet.

Summer temperatures are usually 20 or 30 degrees less than the Valley. which spend the summer chasForest Road 300 ing ospreys and fishing in the This dirt road runs from Woods Canyon Lake about 40 miles to Highway 260 Rim lakes. You can also usually see elk and deer and other just above Pine. Can take most of the day to meander along wildlife around the lakes.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 11

Camping

Room with a VIEW Pete Aleshire

The area offers dispersed camping with a view south to the Mazatzals (above) or sites along Haigler Creek (below).

by

Alexis Bechman

roundup staff reporter

Just as you would probably never get through all of Zane Grey’s western novels, you could not check out Rim Country’s entire library of campsites. And like your favorite book, you’ll probably return to your favorite site repeatedly anyway, finding new details in the character of the land.

The best thing about camping in Rim Country is the wide variety of sites to check out. For the anglers, there are sites nestled off the banks of creeks; panoramic sites from the Mogollon Rim for photographers; quiet spots tucked back into the woods and bustling campgrounds for those with a social aptitude.

With so many sites to choose from, you don’t need much help finding a great campsite below or on the Mogollon Rim. But during the holiday weekends, spaces are at a premium. Arrive as early as you can, preferably before noon, to get a good spot.

After falling asleep beneath a canopy of stars, awaken to the trill of birds, the crisp scent of pine trees and if you are lucky, a herd of elk grazing in a meadow or a flock of wild turkeys.

12 | summer visitors guide | 2015

With spring rains filling the creeks and lakes and the fish stocked, the forest is a lovely place to spend a weekend.

Note that even in the summertime, temperatures on the Rim fall at night and it is wise to pack a sweater and a warm sleeping bag.

While there are more than 40 campgrounds available to choose from in the three national forests of the Rim country, Forest Road 9350, with 50 free campsites, and Forest Road 171, with 20, offer the most stunning panoramic views of the forest. But if you arrive late and find all of these titles taken, there are hundreds of other sites to choose from.

But remember, you must return most in 14 days.

Rim Country Camping Sites … with a view • Forest Road 9350 and Forest Road 171 — Numbered sites off both roads, most with a fire ring and picnic table. From Payson, head east on Highway 260 to Forest Road 300.

Head east past the Mogollon Rim Visitor Center to reach FR 171 and west on FR 300 for FR 9350; free.

• Rim Campground — 26 campsites with access to drinking water; fee.

• Mogollon Campground — 26 sites; fee.

… near water • Sink Hole Campground — 26 sites, boat ramp access to Willow Springs Lake; fee.

• Aspen Campground — 136 sites, at Woods Canyon Lake; fee. Largest campground in the area.

• Spillway Campground — 26 sites, near Woods Canyon Lake; fee. Very popular.

• Forest Roads 84, 89 and 9018 — free dispersed camping sites near Bear Canyon Lake.

• Flowing Springs — several miles north of town off Flowing Springs Road.

Free dispersed camping, vault toilets.

• Knoll Lake Campground — 30 sites, boat ramp; $14 a night.

• Christopher Creek Campground — 21 miles east of Payson on Highway 260; 43 campsites with tables, fire pits, grills, handicapped accessible toilet and vault toilets; drinking water and trash collection; fee. Creek runs through the campground.

• Forest Road 9354 — 50 dispersed sites, no facilities, free.

• Sharp Creek Campground — 23 miles northeast of Payson, 1.5 miles south of Highway 260, camping is allowed along Forest Roads 171, 181, 9512E and 79. Watch for signs describing where you can camp.

… with easy access • Crook Campground — 26 sites off Forest Road 300; fee.

• Canyon Point Campground — 117 sites, fee.

• Houston Mesa Campground — two miles north of Payson off Houston Mesa Road. Picnic tables, rest rooms and showers; fee.

• Payson Campground — in-town developed campground at 808 E. Highway 260 has a pool and is open year-round; fee.

• Ponderosa Campground — 15 miles east of Payson off Highway 260. 61 units with tables, grills, drinking water, vault toilets, nature trail and amphitheater. Open year-round. Hosts available.

Pete Aleshire Some campsites include swimming holes.

• Christopher Creek. 28 units with … in the woods tables, grills, drinking water, vault toilets • Forest Road 195 — 20 dispersed sites, no facilities; free. and lantern holders; fee.

Tucked behind Woods Canyon Lake.

For more information, visit www.paysonrimcountry.com • Forest Road 237 — 20 dispersed sites, no facilities; free. or www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto.

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‘Old-timer’ shares perfect summer weekend Teresa McQuerrey

quality. I go on the “heft” of the thing — if it has a good weight to it, I am pretty sure it has not been damaged by worms and Among the members of the editorial staff at the Payson is dense and sweet.

Roundup, I am the “old-timer” — not quite the oldest, but I have I often head for the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino at some been in Payson the longest. point. I love playing the slots and poker machines.

My family came to the community in December 1970. In If it is a holiday weekend, I might head up to Pine for terms of the years members of pioneer families have been here, one of the Pine Strawberry Arts & Craft Guild festivals. The that isn’t so long ago — they can trace their arrivals back to organizers are careful about who they allow to participate, so the 1870s — but when compared to the majority of residents’ chances of finding quality items are good. There is usually a tenure … great pancake breakfast and a Navajo taco sale at every festival.

Anyway …

Pine also has some wonderful, little places to eat.

My perfect summer weekend in Rim Country starts by getEvery so often I grab an ting up with the sunrise. I proafternoon movie at the Sawmill gram my coffee pot to begin Theatres, in same location as the brewing by dawn. My cat, Farmers Market.

That offers a Aggie (short for Aggravation cool respite on a hot day. or Agitation or whatever “ag” Depending on the show descriptor fits her best at any time, I might get lunch at given moment), stirs with the Macky’s, Chili’s or the Sweet first light and starts “telling” Shoppe or Scoops Espresso me to get up. and Ice Cream, all at Sawmill After a little stretch to Crossing. The town’s mainstay get the kinks out, I slip into sawmill once operated on the shorts, a top and flip-flops site, but now it serves tourists — and head outside and fetch the paper, feed the cat, fix a our modern-day mainstay. cup of coffee, then take the Sometimes, I like to catch cup and paper out and head the sunset with an afternoon for the front porch to watch drive, usually up the Rim on the lazy sun rise over the top East Highway 260 is my usual of the trees. route of choice. But heading up The air is still cool and a Highway 87 toward Pine and little intoxicating as the night Strawberry and beyond is also a smells fade. So I sip and read pretty drive. and keep a close eye on the If it is Saturday, I could cat. also make a trip to the Payson Aggie likes to play escape Public Library in Rumsey Park Pete Aleshire artist when the weather Summer concerts in Green Valley Park draw crowds to sit on the grass — another cool spot on a hot warms, darting out the door in the warm evening and listen or dance to a different band each week. day. A visit to the gift shop at the and into bushes too prickly Rim Country Museum in Green for me to give chase. I worry, so aware of all the speeding cars Valley Park is another option on both Saturday and Sunday. on the road and the hungry coyotes in the woods.

Every Saturday night in June and July, the Payson Parks, The mix of town and forest offers a mixed blessing in Rim Recreation and Tourism Department presents a free concert in Country. On the one hand, I can sit on my porch in the still of Green Valley Park, a small-town delight.

The bandstand and the morning. On the other hand, the street has gotten busy in my time here — and I can still hear the coyotes — and at certain outdoor amphitheater are to the north of the big lake at the times of year, the elk — on an early morning and sometimes in park. If I get there early, I can claim a park bench or a spot at a picnic table, otherwise I haul out the blanket and sit on the the night.

Some Saturdays I will also make an early run to the grass.

Perhaps my favorite perfect weekend in the summer in Farmers Market, it is open from 8 a.m. to noon. If I have the cash, I will buy a couple dozen tamales or some shredded beef, Rim Country is to enjoy the treasure I have in calling this tasty cream cheese or mushrooms. Another favorite purchase magnificent place home — and just stay at my little house, at the Farmers Market is corn from Hauser Farms of Camp puttering around. After all, I get to live where people have to Verde. The stuff practically melts in your mouth. I am not one make plans and pack and travel to visit — and it has been home of those who rip back the husk at the top of the ear to see the for 45 years. by

roundup staff reporter

14 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Visitors support economy Visits to the nation’s 193 million acres of National Forest land add $13 billion to the gross domestic product and sustain about 190,000 full- and part-time jobs, according to a survey by the Department of Agriculture.

Forests in the Southwest account for about 10 percent of all visits.

The findings underscore the importance of forest-based recreation to rural economies like Rim Country’s. The 3-million-acre Tonto National Forest ranks as one of the most heavily visited forests, with about 6 million visits annually.

The national survey counted more than 160 million visitors to the vast expanses administered by the U.S. Forest Service.

Visits typically last less than six hours and the most common goal listed was “relaxing.” When asked to list their primary reason for visiting national forests, 19 percent said they wanted to hike, 13 percent come for the scenery and 14 percent went skiing.

About 70 million used day-use facili-

ties and only 17 million spent the night.

Most sought out undeveloped sites.

The nation’s forests include 150,000 miles of developed trails, 10,000 recreation sites, 57,000 miles of streams, 122 ski areas, 338,000 historic sites, 22 National Recreation Areas and seven National Monuments, which in Rim Country includes Tonto National Monument.

The Tonto National Forest alone has about 2,600 miles of dirt roads and has more off-road vehicle users than almost any other forest in the nation.

The national study concluded that the Forest Service lands also provide about 20 percent of the nation’s water supply, with a value of about $7.2 billion.

Favorite activities include: view scenery (47 percent), hike (36 percent), relax (32 percent), view wildlife (24 percent), fish (12 percent), picnic (10 percent), camp (9 percent), hunt (7 percent), study nature (7 percent), ride bikes (4 percent), off-road driving (4 percent), motorized trail activity (4 percent).

Pete Aleshire

The Tonto National Forest gets 6 million visitors a year, to use hiking trails like this one along the East Verde River.

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Shoofly Ruins The Shoofly Ruins alongside Houston Mesa Road offer a tumbled, evocative glimpse of a distant past and a deep mystery.

The site offers only a handful of partially rebuilt walls, with the faint outlines of 500-year-old rooms in the grass and scattered stones — both limestone made from ancient sea bottom laid down before the dinosaurs rose and much more recent blocks of gray, volcanic basalt. The Forest Service has put up a handful of signs, helping make sense of the piles of stone, the fragments of walls.

Turns out, hundreds of people lived here, in a loose collection of compounds.

Perhaps 1,000 years ago, people lived here in pit houses, with a low wall of stone at the base of a log and brush structure, with the limbs interwoven and plastered with mud. They lived in extended family groups, with no walls or defense.

Payson then and now lay at a crossroads — along a natural travel route that linked Mexico to Colorado and California to New Mexico. Travel depended on streams and springs.

Moreover, a people largely dependent on hunting and gathering to augment their rain-dependent crops could find a wealth

16 | summer visitors guide | 2015

of resources in Rim Country — with harvests of agave and pinyon nuts and acorns and deer and fish. They could change seasons by changing altitude, as the elk still do and the birds that move off the Rim in the winter and back up again in summer.

People settled along the waterways and trade routes.

Shoofly testified to this great cultural mingling. The pit houses gave way in the course of centuries to mud-mortared stone buildings — as they did throughout the Southwest. But here, archaeologists found a curious mixture of building types and influences. They found both round and square buildings — which seemed to reflect both the styles of the platform-mound building Hohokam in the Valley and the kiva-building Ancestral Puebloeans of Colorado.

Like many others, they gradually concentrated their settlements — then built walls around the compounds, as though they’d developed a more urgent need for defense.

Some archaeologists speculate that overpopulation in the Hohokam core area in the Valley resulted in a spread of regional conflict.

Archaeologists have found evidence of recurrent flood, drought and famine in the Valley in the 1200s and 1300s. Perhaps the Hohokam started raiding, desperately seeking to augment their faltering crops. Some evidence suggests this caused people in the Verde Valley and Rim Country to build more defensible settlements to resist the raiders.

More clues may lie buried in the ruins of Shoofly, which has never been thoroughly excavated.

Welcome to

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Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 1380, Payson, AZ 85547 (928) 474-4515 • Toll Free (800) 6PAYSON www.rimcountrychamber.com 2015 | summer visitors guide | 17

Mountain Biking

Just rolling along in Rim Country by

Alexis Bechman

roundup staff reporter

can’t get off and walk around a tricky section.

It is barely a year old, but already the Bearfoot Trail Bearfoot between Pine and Strawberry is making a name for itself as a The turnout for the trail is located on the east side of top singletrack mountain bike trail.

Highway 87 between Pine and Strawberry at milepost 270.

It is rare for a path to mix enough challenge for expert The Pine Strawberry Fuel Reduction trail volunteers recently riders and not scare off beginners. installed signage. The trail follows a ridgeline near some power Somehow, the volunlines and then heads south teers who built the Bearfoot toward Pine. got it right.

Designed by mountain Pine Trailhead loop bikers with mountain bikThe same folks who ers in mind, the trail never built the Bearfoot Trail have takes the obvious path and also been putting in time keeps riders guessing as it off the Pine Trailhead, just first hugs the side of a hill south of Pine. A three-mile and then dips down toward beginner/intermediate pracPine, crossing several creeks tice loop is accessible just off and passing under towering the parking lot. Head north pines and ravines of cypress through a gate and ride in a and juniper. counterclockwise direction, Portions of the ride following along portions of are like riding over a rock the Pine View, Highline and patio. Volunteers meticuArizona trails (trails 26, 28, lously placed native-stone 31). Volunteers have gone retaining walls and terraces. through most of the threeThey even included a rock mile loop, making it more bench a few miles into the ridable. ride to stop, sit and stare out over the hamlet of Pine Trail 200 and views of the Mazatzal While the Forest Service Mountains. has authorized the work of I cooed as the trail the P-S trail crew, another dipped and wove through group of anonymous riders the forest and then spit has been building a path me out at a vista of the through the forest south of Mogollon Rim. Breathless, Payson without as much I couldn’t decide if I wanted oversight. Riders say it is the to stop long enough to take most challenging ride in the a picture. The trail all but area, putting every skill to begged me to pedal on to see the test. What started as a where else it would take me. few miles through the forest Alexis Bechman The trail curved to the has grown into a dizzying mix northwest and we passed The Bearfoot Trail in Pine is the latest spectacular addition to Rim Country’s of trails interlaced around inventory of mountain biking trails. behind several cabins and granite boulders, up hillsides then Camp Lomia before and down steep ravines. The connecting with the Pine Canyon Trail. path has quite a few jumps, U-turns and “oh crap” sections.

Bearfoot will surely put Pine on the mountain biking map. 100 percent single-track, the path is also popular with neighOther trails that locals hit regularly include several in Payson borhood residents who often take it for a hike or morning run. and a few up on the Mogollon Rim. Most are suitable for the From the center of town, the trailhead is reached in less moderately experienced rider, but none is so difficult that you than 10 minutes off East Phoenix Street.

18 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Alexis Bechman

The Fire on the Rim Mountain Bike Race draw bikers from a wide area.

Crackerjack Mine Road If Trail 200 is not your speed, an excellent beginner’s ride is Cracker Jack Mine Road, north of town off Highway 87. Park at the only stop sign off the west side of the highway between Payson and East Verde Estates. Head west toward the mine. The dirt road is good for beginners, but there are also several high-speed descents into side canyons. The route offers fantastic views of the East Verde River and there are several access points to the river. Turn around at the mine, or for a longer, harder ride, follow the road to Doll Baby Ranch.

Boulders Trail The Boulders Trail starts at the end of Phoenix Street and is part of the Payson Area Trails System and is a favorite with local riders. The 4-mile trail winds through pine trees, creek bottoms and past big boulders, ending near the bottom of Granite Dells Road. From there, you can complete the loop or hop on a different trail. If you’re looking for more of a workout, take the 4-mile climb out on Granite Dells Road to the Cypress Trail, which joins back into the Boulders Trail east of where the ride starts. The trail also attracts hikers, dog walkers and horseback riders.

Horton Creek A popular trail with hikers, Horton Creek is also a great place to ride. The 4-mile trail hugs a creek for most of the rocky journey and ends at a spring, some 1,250 feet higher than where the trail started. While most riders go in and out on the trail, some elect to add on more miles by parking at the Horton Creek trailhead and riding the paved road to the fish hatchery.

From there, ride the very rocky and rough Highline Trail east.

After what feels like forever, the trail connects with the top of Horton Creek and it is an easy, quick ride back to the trailhead along the Horton Creek Trail. The Horton Creek trailhead is

17 miles east of Payson off Highway 260.

260 trail If you like to climb and want spectacular views, then check out the 260 trail, which offers a mix of technical and speedy sections. After several miles of riding, the trail climbs up the face of the Rim through a series of switchbacks. That makes for a gnarly descent. Many riders cross Christopher Creek and shuttle back to their vehicle instead of taking Highway 260.

The trail is located about 23 miles east of Payson, just past Horton Creek.

Rim Vista Trail/Willow Springs loop This ride is great for beginners. The Rim Vista Trail follows Forest Road 300 and includes stunning views of the Mogollon Rim. For added adventure, riders can swoop down to Woods Canyon Lake while advanced riders can take the Meadow Trail around the lake.

To get there, head east on Highway 260 roughly 30 miles to the top of the Rim. Take a left on FR 300 (heading toward Woods Canyon Lake) and park in the first parking lot on the right.

Biking tips Ride in the morning. The cool temperatures after sunrise offer perfect riding conditions in the summer. Waiting until later means high temperatures and in July and August, sunny conditions can quickly deteriorate when a monsoon storm strikes in the afternoon.

Bring plenty of water. Bring 20-30 ounces of water per hour of riding. It never hurts to have a little extra.

Also, don’t forget your repair kit. The terrain around Payson is rocky, so know how to fix a flat to prevent a long walk home.

2015 | summer visitors guide | 19

Her perfect weekend

Pete Aleshire

C.C. Cragin Reservoir, some 30 miles from Payson, not only has secured the area’s future water supply, it also offers great fishing and water sports.

by

Alexis Bechman

roundup staff reporter

Where earth and water meet, you’ll often find man swimming at the shores.

No place in Rim Country has captured my imagination more than the C.C. Cragin (formerly Blue Ridge) Reservoir.

I got my first glimpse of its horseshoe-shaped body from the sky during a helicopter tour with the Forest Service and local politicians. While an official spouted how the reservoir would be the lifeline for Payson, providing 3,000 acre-feet of water a year, I sat in silence, wondering why I had never heard of this place, tucked deep within the forest atop the Mogollon Rim. A few months later, I stood atop a paddleboard within its

20 | summer visitors guide | 2015

steep banks. For hours, a group of friends and I paddled around one end of the horseshoe. We passed singing Boy Scouts in canoes, went cliff jumping, ate cheese and crackers off our boards from tiny coolers strapped to the front of the boards, only stepping off onto the shores long enough to climb up the concrete dam and then fish. Unfortunately, the rainbow, brown or brook trout, stocked by Game and Fish, were not biting.

With our bellies empty, we headed down the Rim and stopped at the area’s own locally owned brewery, THAT Brewery. Popular for both its Roadrash IPA and strawberry blonde, THAT is quickly growing in popularity and is a favorite watering hole for those hiking or biking the nearby Arizona Trail.

After a loaded baked potato and a dessert of peach pie with crumb topping, we headed to the antique and art galleries in Pine.

One of the first antique shops I visited when I moved to the Rim six years ago was Moose Mountain off Hardscrabble Road. It is still a favorite for used furniture and cabin décor.

A newer discovery is Fancy Finds, a colorful gift shop at the north end of Pine, and Westwood Fine Art Gallery next to the Herb Stop, which offers everything from paintings to woodcarvings and local photography.

After dipping my toes in the cool, clean waters at the reservoir, filling up at THAT and then wandering around Pine’s many quaint shops, my perfect day in Rim Country is complete.

Pete Aleshire

Lakes atop the Mogollon Rim like the C.C. Cragin (Blue Ridge) Reservoir offer great fishing all summer and lots of remote coves and beaches — especially if you have a canoe, kayak or paddleboard.

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Photo courtesy of DJ Craig

Here’s an insider’s tip: If you want to gawk at bald eagles — maybe even get a great photo — no need to head for Alaska for the salmon spawning.

Just hang out for the afternoon at Payson’s Green Valley Park. Several resident bald eagles spend the summer fishing for the stocked trout in the lake and generally delighting residents and visitors. Photographer and disk jockey DJ Craig has a house overlooking the lakes, so he has an advantage when it comes to grabbing a camera when the eagles start to fish.

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A glory of cottonwoods Pete Aleshire

Rim Country has some of the state’s most diverse and productive riparian areas, including the East Verde River.

by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

Rim Country boasts some of the most diverse and healthy riparian areas in the state.

That includes miles of gloriously intact cottonwood and willow habitat along the banks of the East Verde River, just outside of Payson.

These giant galleries of cottonwoods attended by thickets of willows once dominated riparian areas in the state. But more than 90 percent of the riparian areas in the lower-elevation areas of the state have been destroyed or degraded by a century of water diversions, introduced plants and flood control.

That’s a potential tragedy for wildlife, since those riparian areas have the greatest diversity of species of plants of animals of anyplace north of the tropical rain forests. They form migratory corridors for songbirds, which pass through Arizona and fan out across North America every spring.

The giant, fast-growing trees dominate great stretches of the East Verde River and other streams fed by springs in the face of the Mogollon Rim, including lower Tonto Creek, Fossil Creek, Clear Creek and others.

The giant poplars go glorious gold in the fall, and then shed their heart-shaped, quivering leaves in the winter, to pre-

24 | summer visitors guide | 2015

vent frost damage. Waiting for the right combination of light and warmth, they awaken in the spring to unleash an outburst of luminous green leaves. Studies show that this prodigious burst of growth has created the most productive habitat in North America, as measured by biomass and species diversity.

These river-bound ribbons of green serve as the migratory highway for most North American songbirds and play a crucial role in the life cycle of hosts of animal and insect species.

The big trees once dominated riparian areas throughout Arizona. However, after a century of dams and water diversions have largely eliminated the floods and wet sandbars on which they seed. As a result, the once plentiful cottonwood-willow habitat has vanished or dwindled in about 90 percent of the state’s riparian areas.

And that has resulted in something of a genetic holocaust, according to startling research by an interdisciplinary team of scientists from Northern Arizona University. They discovered that trees that dominate an ecosystem like these giant cottonwoods play a far more complex role in shaping thousands of other species than scientists ever imagined.

The insight grew from an odd observation made 30 years ago by NAU Regent’s Professor Tom Whitham. He was studying aphids — tiny green insects that live by sucking the juice

out of leaves and often doing great damage in the process. covered that beavers pick the trees they want to chew through He noticed that aphids might cover one cottonwood, but not and cut down based on traits essential to the beaver — but bother the cottonwood next door. He theorized that some mysterious to the rest of the cottonwood-loving world. Since genetic difference between the the beaver dams create a distinct neighboring cottonwoods must ecosystem themselves, the genetaccount for the difference. ics of the cottonwoods affect a That started a decades-long whole host of additional species quest that eventually drew in a through the beaver. whole, interdisciplinary team of As a consequence, the genetscientists, now gathered together ics of an individual cottonwood as NAU’s Cottonwood Ecology tree affect a complex cascade of Group. other species. This discovery, in Much of the team’s work is turn, hints at the tremendous based on cuttings taken from 81 cost in evolutionary terms of the cottonwoods growing along the wreckage of the cottonwood-wilGreen River that the researchers low habitat across the West. It planted in a 160-acre experimenisn’t enough to save the last few tal garden. They then spent years cottonwoods in some nature-preAleshire exhaustively studying those trees Cottonwoods and sycamores along the East Verde harborPetehunserve ark, for every tree creates and the host of insects, fungus, dreds of bird species in the spring and summer. its own world. It also means that bacteria and other species that scientists who study the genetics depend on them. They did an unprecedented genetic analysis and variation of crucial “foundation species” like cottonwoods of the whole system so they could finally grasp the complexity or beaver, are really studying the echoing transformations of of those interactions. thousands of related species.

The researchers found that thousands of creatures adapt Something to think about, on a walk along the East Verde themselves at the genetic level not just to cottonwoods — but beneath the quivering shimmer of cottonwood leaves. The to individual trees. The study eventually encompassed 700 dis- luminous leaves of the cottonwood trembling in the spring tinct insect species, microbes in the soil, lichens on the trunk, breeze aren’t just a fresh start after a bleak winter; they’re a fungi in the twigs, birds that feed on the insects. They even dis- world unto themselves — a rooted ark, each and every one.

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Lost and lovin’ it on a perfect day

Pete Aleshire

Rim Country has two wildfire seasons — one in the spring and one after the onset of the monsoon rains in July or August.

This field of brittle brush overlooks the Tonto Basin. Below, the writer examines petroglyphs etched in the “desert varnish” formed from dust and minerals on the weathered surface of the rocks.

by

Michele Nelson

roundup staff reporter

The road, or more like two tire tracks through a magical carpet of bright yellow flowers, abruptly ended.

“I didn’t see the petroglyphs, did we miss them?” my mother asked with genuine concern.

We’d heard from locals that if we followed this road, we would see what they called the “post office” — a field of petroglyphs overlooking the Tonto Basin.

I had thought taking my parents on an off-road trip would be a unique experience.

They have visited the Rim Country for more than 20 years. Together we had seen the fish hatchery, driven along the Rim, visited Woods Canyon and Willow Springs lakes, watched concerts, and lazed by the East Verde River.

My intention this trip, was to show them something different, but I might have overdone it.

“I know I heard they were out here, I just never heard anyone say the road would just end …” I trailed off on my thought.

Tonto Basin offers some of the best off-roading experiences in Arizona. The environment changes drastically from Sonoran Desert, with cholla and saguaro cactus to ponderosa pine-topped ridges in the Sierra Ancha mountain range.

26 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Surrounding the Basin, the Mazatzal Mountains, the Superstitions, the Mogollon Rim and the Sierra Anchas offer breathtaking vistas.

To decide on a route, the Payson or Tonto Basin Ranger District Offices each have detailed maps for sale of all the roads available to explore with an all-terrain vehicle. The staff will happily answer any questions and give out helpful tips.

For years, the Sinagua peoples inhabited the Tonto Basin. As they wandered the hills hunting and in search of seasonal plants, they would stop and carve out messages on rocks — we call them petroglyphs now.

I figured I must have made a wrong turn, so I got out of the Jeep to look around.

My mom and dad followed.

“What a gorgeous view!” said my mom.

I had to agree with her. Below us spread a beautiful valley dotted with houses and the ribbon of Tonto Creek that slides into Roosevelt Lake.

For some reason, the clouds in Tonto Basin always coalesce into some sort of form that changes how I look at the Basin each time I visit.

Lost in my appreciation of the view, I almost didn’t hear my dad.

“Hey — what’s that stuff over there?” he asked.

I refocused my attention and saw a field on the other side of a group of trees littered with flat, red stones.

“Maybe those are them,” I said.

We all hopped back into the Jeep, somewhat dreading the way back. The way up had rocked the Jeep so much, my parents had quickly offered to walk some parts of the track. I worried that it was a just a touch too much excitement for my parents, but they had a grin on their faces as I revved up the engine to continue down the track.

Reaching the rough patch of steep, loose rock, my parents both jumped out again.

This time they had a different excuse. “Let us help you find the best way down,” said Mom. “Your dad will wait on top and I’ll make sure you do fine on the bottom.”

At the fork in the road, we went in the direction we had seen the meadow and rocks. Sure enough, we suddenly saw petroglyphs all around. We saw spirals, lizards and human figures. Some carried what looked like spears; others seemed to simply be dancing.

“These are so interesting!” said Mom, rushing from petroglyph to petroglyph. She seemed completely oblivious to the dust covering her hair and clothes. I simply wandered around, water bottle in hand, coming down from almost driving off the edge of a cliff.

I decided that once off the mountain, I deserved a steak and glass of wine at the Butcher Hook. That, I was sure my parents wouldn’t mind experiencing.

To plan a trip: Tonto Basin Ranger District 28079 N. Az Hwy 188 Roosevelt, AZ 85545 928-467-3200 Payson Ranger District 1009 E. Hwy 260 Payson, AZ 85541 928-474-7900 Butcher Hook Hwy 188 Sign 250 Tonto Basin, AZ 85553 928-479-2712 Punkin Center Grill 249 Old Hwy 188 Tonto Basin, AZ 85553 928-479-2627 Cactus Flats Cantina Pete Aleshire

A wildfire charred this alligator juniper more than 20 years ago, but the wildflowers return each spring.

Hwy 188 MM 260 Tonto Basin, AZ 85553 928-479-2233

2015 | summer visitors guide | 27

Recreation right in town

Pete Aleshire

Green Valley and Rumsey Parks host a wealth of summer recreational activities, from soccer and softball leagues to special events like the 4th of July, the Classic Car Show and summer concerts.

by

Keith Morris

roundup staff reporter

I’d enjoyed a fairly active summer life in Michigan before moving to Arizona eight years ago, playing slow-pitch softball with my buddies throughout my 20s and 30s.

But when we hit our 40s, most of us hung up the spikes. I guess many of us just lost the desire to keep going out there competing with younger and younger guys while getting older and older and nursing sore knees, backs or what have you. And many of us had growing families with kids playing games of their own dad needed to be at.

So my playing days pretty much ended a couple of years before I moved to Show Low in 2007, although I did play on a co-ed team one season with co-workers.

28 | summer visitors guide | 2015

But, other than daily hikes with my dogs, I’ve spent most of my summers watching others be active. I’ve wanted to get involved in some physical activity and have considered golf, but haven’t dusted off the makeshift set of clubs I put together by visiting a couple of garage sales when I was in my 20s. I’ve never spent much time on the links but am thinking maybe this is the summer I get out there and starting playing regularly.

Payson Golf Course is the perfect place to work on my game. I’d consider joining the great group of gentlemen from the Payson Men’s Golf Association who play the course every Wednesday morning if I could get away from the office. They seem to have a lot of fun competing with each other in various events throughout the season.

Maybe I can coax Roundup editor Pete Aleshire out on the

course for a weekly round of nine holes.

We got out the rackets and headed to the tennis courts at Rumsey Park for a great workout recently.

Tennis is a great game to help you stay in shape and we’re fortunate to live in a town featuring courts in such great condition. Take a look at the courts in many other towns and you’ll appreciate what we have here.

In fact, we are blessed to live in this beautiful small mountain town with no shortage of recreational options available from hiking numerous trails, fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, kayaking, boating, horseback riding, mountain biking, swimming, tennis, adult softball leagues, sand volleyball leagues, ATV trail rides, golf, bird watching, firearms and archery target shooting, and all sorts of kids’ activities, just to name a few.

In addition to fishing, canoeing and kayaking, Green Valley Lake also offers families a chance to sit in a beautiful setting and watch the ducks, geese and bald eagles.

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• Fishing at Rim Country streams, rivers and lakes, which are stocked regularly.

• Swimming at Taylor Pool, 504 N. McLane Road, daily from Memorial Day through July. Call (928) 474-2774 or visit www.paysonrimcountry.com for the schedule.

• Golf: Payson features three golf courses. Payson Golf Course is a public course located at 1504 W. Country Club Drive. Call (928) 474-2273 for a tee time. There are two private courses: Chaparral Pines (928) 4721420 and The Rim Golf Club (928) 472-1470.

• Tennis: Rumsey Park, 330 N. McLane Rd., open to the public.

• Firearm and archery target shooting at Jim Jones Range. Contact Tonto Rim Sports Club at (928) 4689075 for directions.

Keith Morris

Payson has three golf courses, including the public Payson Golf Course and the private courses at The Rim Club and Chaparral Pines.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 29

Pete Aleshire

Hummingbirds abound in Rim Country, especially in riparian areas like the East Verde River, which serves as a migratory highway for the tiny birds that can travel thousands of miles every year following the blossoms of the season.

Birdwatchers all abuzz in Rim Country by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

Rim Country remains one of the best places to watch birds in North America — especially hummingbirds.

Blame the Mogollon Rim, which creates so many of the features that distinguish the region – from the weather to the runoff to the plant life to the history.

The 200-mile-long chain of 1,000-foot-tall cliffs and ridgelines provides exactly the kind of diversity and opportunity that birds have evolved to maximize. The cliffs formed a formidable barrier for settlers, but represent nothing but advantages for these feathered descendants of dinosaurs.

That’s especially true for migratory birds like hummingbirds and songbirds.

These feathered flashes of color and courage travel hundreds or thousands

30 | summer visitors guide | 2015

of miles, following the edge of spring up out of the tropics, through Mexico, into southern Arizona and then up and out across North America.

They follow riparian corridors like the Salt River and Verde Rivers, Tonto Creek, Verde River, Haigler Creek, Christopher Creek and others, taking advantage of the water and cover — and all the insects and blossoms they produce.

That’s why Arizona boasts more species of hummingbirds than any other state, since we lie on the route along which many of the feathered tufts travel from the tropics on up into the rest of North America. People with hummingbird feeders along streams like the East Verde often get swarms of hummingbirds throughout the summer, with 20 or 30 crowding the feeder at once.

Research shows that not only do the feathered jewels buzz and whir with frantically beating wings, they also chirp, peep, squeak and sing whisper soft songs of such delicate complexity that it takes an obsessive researcher, a directional sound mike, and a patient computer to detect its mysterious grammar.

Evolutionary biologist Millicent “Penny” Ficken and electrical engineer turned ecologist Kathryn Rusch have plumbed the mysteries of hummingbirds’ songs. The University of WisconsinMilwaukee researchers conducted their work on field trips to Arizona — where

the 17 resident and migratory species draw hummingbird experts like a jar of red sugar water. Using tape recorders and computers, Ficken and Rusch discovered that some species of hummingbirds have whisper-soft songs whose complexity rivals the most operatic of songbirds. Moreover, computer analysis has so far revealed an unexpected, hidden grammar in the surprising complex trills, chirps, twitters and love songs of three hummingbird species.

Most of the 300 species of nectar-sipping, insect-gobbling hummingbirds live in the tropics. But some avoid the intense competition of the tropics by following the bloom of spring northward. Only a few species live year-round in North America and only 20 occur here at all.

The rufous covers as much as 2,700 miles a year in a journey from Mexico to Alaska. Ruby-throated hummingbirds bulk up then burn off body fat for a nonstop, 500-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico.

On the face of it hummingbirds remain implausible creatures, with prodigious appetites and metabolisms.

If you burned energy as fast, you’d need to devour 1,000 Big Macs a day.

Whereupon, your body temperature would rise to 750 degrees and you’d burst into flames. Hummingbirds take up to 600 breaths per minute and their oversized hearts beat up to 1,200 times per minute. They’re the only birds that

can hover motionless and fly backward thanks to single-jointed wings that rotate to generate lift on both the down and up stroke. Wings beating up to 52 times a second, they reach speeds of 60 miles per hour. They also have unusually large brains for their size, with expanded areas for learning and memory.

Their survival depends on frequent drinks of nectar — usually from trumpet-shaped, orange and red flowers for which they compete fiercely.

For instance, they flash their vivid colors to both intimidate rivals and impress would-be mates. Their shimmer comes from the prism-like refraction of light through microscopic bubbles in their intricately hollow feathers. Many species also rely on breathtaking flight displays to woo and intimidate.

But biologists have never given hummingbirds much credit for their squeaky songs and calls. Ficken and Rusch have helped change that with sound mics and computers. They discovered that the hummingbird songs have the same hidden complexity and variation as some of the much better studied songbirds. That raises fascinating questions, given how far back hummingbirds split off from the evolutionary line with most

of the other birds.

Ficken soon focused on the soft “whisper song” of the blue-throats, a complex sequence intended to charm a passing female. To her surprise, Ficken discovered the females perch nearby and join in, overlapping one another in a way different from almost all other songbirds.

In most songbirds, males sing and females make their choices based on the song.

Biologists can’t really explain why females would base their choice on a song, instead of more obviously useful qualities like age, size, territory or temperament. Why should a sweetly syllabic singer have the edge? Perhaps the females detect some quality in the song that demonstrates strength or experience. In any case, some studies link chick-rearing success with the quality of the song, for reasons that remain mysterious.

Ficken used a computer to decipher the a grammar-like series of rules governing the combination of five different notes. The whisper song could go on for long stretches and compared in complexity to the more celebrated songbirds. The female’s song proved equally complex.

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or visit www.westernvillageofpayson.com 2015 | summer visitors guide | 31

Birders’ Best Bets Photo courtesy of DJ Craig

Rim Country offers a bounty of bird-watching opportunities, including eagle watching in Green Valley Park. Most of the region’s riparian areas boast a great variety of species.

East Verde River Take your bird book and binoculars to anyplace with cottonwoods, willows and sycamores. That makes the East Verde prime territory.

You can get easy access in the East Verde Estates parking lot by the bridge or anywhere along Flowing Springs Road. You can also head up Houston Mesa Road for about 12 miles to where the bridge crosses the East Verde and work upstream from there.

Look for several species of hummingbirds, scarlet tanagers, black headed grosbeaks, an array of warblers, oriels, lazuli buntings, cardinals and an array of colorful songbirds. Every summer, emerald green swifts and cliff swallows make nests in the cliffs.

Fossil Creek The creek has a spring-fed stream and an intact cottonwood-willow habitat. You can either hike down the Fossil Creek Trail outside of Strawberry, which involves a day-long trek and a descent of 1,500 feet in a steep, five mile hike.

Alternatively, you can drive around to Fossil Creek Road just outside of Camp

32 | summer visitors guide | 2015

ponderosa pines border the stream, which makes for a completely different set of birds than you’ll find in the cottonwood galleries along the East Verde.

Look for the acorn woodpeckers, flickers, creepers and other forest species.

Green Valley Park The chain of lakes in the park draw a great variety of water birds, in addition to many different songbirds. Several bald eagles hang out at the park all summer long — so do osprey. The lake also draws snowy egrets, black-crowned night herons, green herons, killdeer and many other species.

Verde. A refuge for native species, you may see rare birds like the southwestern willow flycatcher, the black hawk and the sage sparrow.

Tonto Creek at Christopher Creek About 600 feet higher than Payson,

Tonto Creek at Roosevelt Tonto Creek comes out of the Hellsgate wilderness in Rye and makes its way down to Roosevelt Lake. It often goes dry in the early summer, then flows again once the monsoons start. The lower elevation and the proximity of the lake draws a different cast of feathered characters – including many desert species like the vermilion flycatcher. Some of the rare birds include the southwestern willow flycatcher and others.

The return of a native to Haigler Creek by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

If you want to hook a wary, wild German brown trout, head for Haigler Creek, off Colcord Road.

But hurry: In another couple of years, the creek may harbor an even rarer treat for anglers — a reintroduced population of endangered, native Gila trout.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department have already started the process of establishing a population of the endangered, iridescent gold native Arizona trout, which grows to a foot or even two feet in length.

Anglers who treasure the challenge of hooking the voracious but cautious brown trout now living in Haigler Creek will miss them — but they’re also looking forward to a chance to catch trout found in only a handful of other streams in the world.

Listed as endangered in 1973, biologists have raised enough of the fish in hatcheries to undertake the reintroduction effort in Arizona and New Mexico.

The effort has already gone well enough to change the listing to “threatened” in 2006.

The alliance of state and federal officials continues to seek streams in which the insect-eating native trout can thrive. That generally means going in and removing all of the non-native fish in the stream, including competing rainbow and brown trout.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hopes to remove non-native fish from a three-mile stretch of Haigler Creek in order to establish thousands of threatened Gila trout in Arizona. The stretch of spring-fed Haigler Creek below the hike-in trail at Fisherman Point offers a perfect place to plant a population of the gleaming native fish — and perhaps even to establish a recreational fishery that could draw anglers from all over the country, said Julie Canter, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The plan calls for perhaps electro-shocking and relocating non-native fish like the big wild brown trout and

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hopes to reintroduce native fish into Haigler Creek.

stocked rainbow trout that inhabit the stream now.

Federal officials would build fish barriers to keep non-native fish from repopulating the stream as they introduced not only Gila trout, but also other threatened native fish like Sonoran suckers, headwater chub, humpback chub and others.

“We want to do more species,” she said, “a whole assemblage of native fish.”

The stocking of huge numbers of hatchery-grown rainbow trout and the earlier stocking of fish-eating brown trout have largely displaced the native Gila and Apache trout. The stocked rainbow trout compete for most of the same food and interbreed with both the Apache and Gila trout, swamping them genetically.

Brown trout are voracious predators on the young of other fish.

As a result, the native trout quickly disappear in streams with rainbow or brown trout.

The Gila trout haven’t done as well.

In part, that’s because they historically lived in the lower-elevation reaches of the Gila River system, plus the headwaters of the Verde, San Francisco and Agua Fria rivers. Those streams have all been hammered by water diversions, drought, mines, fires, logging, grazing, stocking of non-native fish and other activities that are hard on trout.

A survey in 1975 found just five populations of the trout swimming against the current of extinction on

Pete Aleshire

about 20 miles of stream in five tributaries of the Gila River in New Mexico.

Perhaps 7,500 of the trout were left alive in the world. Thanks to the listing and recovery effort, by 1985 the Gila trout population had increased to about 18,000 to 26,000 in nine populations — one in Arizona and eight in New Mexico.

Unfortunately, repeated major fires have several times nearly wiped out all the fish in the streams in New Mexico where the Gila trout had done the best.

After the Dude Fire in Rim Country, mud flows wiped out a small population of Gila trout that had been established in Dude Creek.

Besides saving the species, backers hope that the establishment of healthy populations of Apache and Gila trout might attract anglers eager for a unique fishing experience.

State and federal biologists hope that establishing a population of Gila trout in Haigler Creek will protect against a disastrous wildfire in New Mexico that could wipe out multiple populations of the recovering native trout.

As a result, biologists won’t likely actually start removing the non-native fish for another year or two. Once they stock about 3,000 Gila trout flown in from the New Mexico hatchery, the fish will likely need two or three years to get used to the creek and establish a self-sustaining population.

2015 | summer visitors guide | 33

Pine & Strawberry: Small-town friendly

Rim Country Places Crafts and festivals draw crowds all summer long by

Michele Nelson

roundup staff reporter

Booths galore line the courtyard outside of the Pine Ramada filled with products from artisans such as woodworkers, jewelry makers, quilters, food specialties, and photographers.

It’s the annual 4th of July Arts and Crafts Festival.

There’s nothing much better than stopping by the festival early in the morning to grab a meal at the pancake breakfast. It’s then easy to spend the day wandering the rows of artisan’s booths to find the perfect gift or knick-knack to spruce up the house.

The little hamlet of Pine burgeons each weekend with second homeowners and visitors from Phoenix, while the year-round population falls under 2,000 people Both Pine and Strawberry sit in the middle of a wonderful weekend drive that starts in Phoenix either

34 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Pete Aleshire

You can get everything from antiques to an ice cream cone in Pine, which revels in summer and small-town charm.

from the 17 freeway that cuts over to Camp Verde off of 260 then drops down the Rim onto Highway 87 through Strawberry and Pine and Payson or from 87 up and over to the 17.

Many weekends, groups of cars or motorcycles zoom up to Pine or Strawberry to enjoy a meal at any one of the restaurants or to spend time in shops and galleries.

Throughout the summer, Pine holds arts and crafts or other festivals pretty much every month.

The first weekend in June (this year on June 6 & 7) the area holds its Annual Pine Strawberry Festival with more arts and crafts, live music and strawberry treats.

On Aug. 8 and 9, the area will host the Fifth Annual Mountain Daze Festival with food vendors, arts and crafts, hiking, biking, and camping available.

On Labor Day, Sept. 5 and 6, the summer ends with the

Pine & Strawberry cont’d.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 35

Labor Day Arts and Crafts Festival.

On Sept. 12, the community will hold its ever-popular Fire on the Rim Mountain Bike Race to help fund fuel reduction in the area.

The area, nestled next to the Mogollon Rim, boasts pastoral views of meadows populated with horses and old barns, but it also sits in one of the most heavily wooded areas in Arizona.

The Pine Creek Canyon has been designated one of the top 10 areas in the nation for catastrophic wildfire.

In order to protect their community, the Pine Strawberry Fuel Reduction Committee formed to find grants and raise money to thin the forests around Pine and Strawberry.

In the process, the group has put together a weekly trail building group that has completed some of the most pristine and enjoyable trails in Rim Country that take advantage of the views

Pine and Strawberry host festivals and craft fairs all summer long. The communities have some of the best quilters in the country. The summer starts and ends with craft festivals that draw artists from all over the region. In between, the community hosts things like the Fire on the Rim Mountain Bike Race.

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36 | summer visitors guide | 2015

of the Mogollon Rim, Mazatzals and Superstitions.

The towns of Pine and Strawberry were settled starting in the mid-1870s.

The inhabitants used the local streams to provide power to mills for lumber.

Numerous streams and abundant meadows allowed for gardens and crops.

Cattle ran free, until 1905 when the range management laws went into effect.

The area boasts the oldest schoolhouse in Arizona, the Strawberry schoolhouse off of Fossil Creek Road.

Also down Fossil Creek Road, the Fossil Creek Creamery and Goat Ranch.

Stop by and enjoy freshly made cheese and even fudge.

Pete Aleshire

About 600 feet higher than Payson, Pine get more snow and rain and serves as the jumping off point for a trip to the Rim.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 37

Tonto Basin Pete Aleshire

Roosevelt Lake dominates the recreation and lifestyles in the Tonto Basin. It draws fishermen, paddleboarders, boaters and people looking for a laid back, outdoors way of life.

by

Michele Nelson

roundup staff reporter

The sky first turned orange, then pink then a deep shade of red as we sat in our camp chairs, toes immersed in the waters of Roosevelt Lake.

My neighbor Lee and I love looking out over the expanse of water, sipping a drink and commenting on the different types of watercraft out on the lake.

Lee and her husband used to come to Roosevelt weekly with their pontoon to catch bass. He adored fishing and I thought Lee did too, until he passed and she sold the pontoon in a flash.

“I hate being on the water,” she said, “And I really don’t like fish.”

That explained why I so often got a huge bag of fish from her.

Sometimes Lee told me the bass seemed to jump into their boat, they were so plentiful. I admire her for her sacrifice to make a happy marriage.

But Lee loved being near the water so we regularly take ourselves down to Roosevelt on summer evenings to simply sit, talk, and enjoy the majesty of the sun setting behind the Sierra Anchas.

“There’s nothing like this lake,” Lee would say.

She’d tell me about all of the wildlife she and Joe would see from herons spearing fish or hawks screeching as they took off to find food, coyotes howling one last time before day fully broke or of elk that came to the shore to take a drink before skittering off as they sputtered by on their pontoon.

“There’s a lot going on early in the morning,” she said.

There’s a lot going on in Tonto Basin, too.

The Arizona Trail winds its way around one side of Roosevelt Lake before continuing up the mountains to Payson, Pine and Strawberry on its way to the Utah boarder.

The Basin attracts off road vehicles of all types that have miles and miles of forest roads to explore.

38 | summer visitors guide | 2015

The H-4 Ranch can book a trail ride or even allow folks to experience a roundup.

The main attraction, however, is Roosevelt Lake.

It’s actually a reservoir that has a length of up to 22 miles with a narrow width of two miles. Its 128 miles of shoreline has numerous campsites, day use areas and boat launches.

All year long fishermen, RV owners and campers dot the shoreline enjoying the mild weather of the area.

The lake is only 80 miles northeast of Phoenix.

Many city residents take a day trip up the historic Apache Trail highway past the tourist spot Tortilla Flats, before seeing Canyon and Apache Lakes. The drive ends at the Roosevelt Dam and Roosevelt Lake where Lee and I sit.

The sun setting leaves only an alpenglow. Lee and I decide to pack up the camp chairs and head back home to Payson before it gets too dark.

But we’re hungry. “You know, Joe loved to go to the Butcher Hook bar and play that shuffle board game,” said Lee with a gleam in her eye, “He also loved the steaks.”

“Well then, let’s go play a game in Joe’s memory and eat a steak too,” I say.

Couldn’t ask for a better end to a lovely evening.

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tontobasininn.com Mile Post 260-Highway 188 928.479.2891 P.O. Box 299, Tonto Basin, AZ 85553 2015 | summer visitors guide | 39

Christopher Creek by

Teresa McQuerrey

roundup staff reporter

The draw of Christopher Creek, first of all, is the drive up the Rim to the little community.

Up until just a few years ago, East Highway 260 went right through the little settlement. With cars, trucks and RVs zooming to and from, it was hard to consider it a destination.

A bypass has made a difference, though. Now, from Payson you can head up the hill and into the beauty of the forest that surrounds Christopher Creek. Then stop and enjoy a meal at either the Creekside Steakhouse & Tavern or the Landmark at The Creek.

Both have changed ownership a number of times over the last few years, but now have steady business and good food.

Creekside is open daily, with breakfast served from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant’s bar is open until 10 p.m. most nights.

Reservations are recommended; call (928) 478-4557 or email: Info@CabinsAtCreekside.com.

Landmark at The Creek is now open for the season, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The restaurant has a huge back patio right on the creek,

Susan G. Keown, PC

Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em Fishing Fun for EVERYONE!

On beautiful Tonto Creek below Arizona’s Mogollon Rim 928.478.0002 • www.ranchotonto.com 2097 N. Forest Service Rd 289 off of Hwy 260 16 miles east of Payson SUMMER HOURS 10-5 DAILY

40 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Associate Broker Multi-Million Dollar Club

Cell: 928.978.2308 E-Fax: 928.472.3648 Office: 928.478.4221 susan.keown@erayoung.net www.christophercreekrealestate.com

Young Realty & Investment

1389 E Christopher Creek Loop, Payson, AZ Each ERA® Office is independently Owned and Operated

along with four big-screen televisions, two pool tables, a foosball table and more, as well as special events throughout the summer.

To learn more, call (928) 478-4587 or go online to the website landmark@thecreek.com To spend more time in Christopher Creek, a variety of lodging options are available: Christopher Creek Lodge with 24 cabins on the creek; Grey Hackle Lodge cabin rentals; Creekside Mountain Cabins; Elk Haven Cabins and RV Ranch; Kohl’s Ranch Lodge; Wooden Nickel Cabins; and a few individual accommodations. Go online to www. christophercreekrealestate.com or call ERA Young Realty & Investment in Christopher Creek, (928) 478-4221.

Tonto Creek Just up the highway, Tonto Village and Kohl’s Ranch also welcome visitors to a community with lots of second-home and seasonal residents.

These communities remain oriented toward Tonto Creek, which also sustains the hatchery that provides trout for the lakes and streams in the region.

Historic Kohl’s Ranch offers cozy cabins and a top-flight lodge and restaurant, plus horse rentals and lots of stream frontage.

The area has several popular campsites and Bear Flat Road leads down to where Tonto Creek enters the Hellsgate Wilderness.

Pete Aleshire

Historic Kohl’s Ranch offers cabins fronting on Tonto Creek, keeping alive the traditions and love of Rim Country celebrated in Zane Grey’s novels.

Horseback Riding Kohl’s Ranch Stables LLC

WORLD FAMOUS, AWARD WINNING TRAIL RIDE OPERATION IN ARIZONA We offer some of the most scenic horseback riding trails in Arizona.

Professional guides will take you on trails of breathtaking scenery while telling you about the abundant plant and animal life found along the way and about the colorful history of the area.

Riding among the tall pines you will see the rugged mountains and feel the call of the west. Breathe fresh mountain air and listen to the cascading waterfalls of Tonto Creek.

Come join us for a 1, 2 or 3 hour ride in the beautiful Tonto National Forest. The 2 hour ride to the waterfall is our most popular.

Call for reservations: 928-478-0030 Located just 17 miles east of Payson on E. Highway 260, Mile marker 268 Under special use permit of the Tonto National Forest

2015 | summer visitors guide | 41

Tonto Forest seeks to limit off-road travel by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

After four years of study, the Tonto National Forest has proposed a plan to limit off-road vehicles to an existing network of roughly 3,700 miles of dirt roads and user-created trails.

Currently, people can drive off-road virtually anywhere in the Payson and Pleasant Valley ranger districts.

Off-road vehicle use has roughly tripled in the past decade and the Tonto National Forest has about 1 million off-roaders annually, making it the most heavily used forest in the country.

The Tonto Forest has proposed closing 1,290 miles of existing roads and trails – most of them little used or close to sensitive areas.

The plan would leave 1,340 miles of dirt roads and 2,230 miles of motorized trails open to public use and another 500 miles open to use by the Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Depart­ment.

The plan would also allow continued cross-country travel in certain areas — including about 4,500 acres between the high water line and the shoreline of Roosevelt Lake.

Off-roaders could drive freely all around the shore of the lake without staying on trails. The plan would also leave wide open another area in Sycamore Canyon between Phoenix and Payson.

The plan includes another 116,000 acres open to cross-country travel with a permit, most of them on the outskirts of Phoenix and Mesa.

The plan would allow hunters to drive up to a mile off designated roads to retrieve the bodies of elk and

42 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Rim Country has a wealth of off-road trails and roads, including Forest Road 300 atop the Rim shown here (photo above courtesy of Chuck Jacobs). Responsible off-roaders (photo below courtesy Max Foster) stick to roads and trails to avoid causing erosion and damage to the landscape.

deer they have shot. That would open another 1.2 million acres to cross-country travel, but only for the roughly 200 hunters a year, the study concluded.

Campers could drive up to 100 feet off a designated road to find a campsite.

People looking for firewood could drive into the forest for 300 feet on either side of a road to gather wood.

The plan the Forest Service approves would add about 330 miles of currently unauthorized roads and trails to the official system — mostly pathways created by users themselves. All told, this alternative would include 4,133 miles of roads and trails, about 3,569 miles of them open to the general public.

Of that, 544 miles could accommodate passenger vehi-

cles, 800 miles high-clearance vehicles and 2,100 only true, off-road vehicles. Another 78 miles would accommodate only dirt bikes.

In one telling section of the report, the Forest Service admits it only budgets about

one-quarter of the money it needs to actually maintain the existing road system.

While the report concludes that won’t change, at least closing down some roads will reduce the shortfall. The analysis shows “that the needed

budget to maintain our roads will exceed our available budget by five times,� the report concludes.

The miles of roads the Tonto National Forest can afford to maintain has declined steadily in recent years, shrinking from 800 miles in 2009 to about 500 miles in 2012.

The report concedes that the dense network of roads and trails has an impact on streams, wildlife and endangered species.

However, eliminating cross-country travel in most areas and closing down some of the existing roads and trails will reduce that impact.

Many off-roaders head for the high country because the Tonto National Forest and Maricopa County have shut down many dirt roads and trails in the Valley to comply with federal air quality regulations due to the dust thrown up by the offroad vehicles. That has increasingly diverted off-roaders to areas like Gila County, with its pristine air and lack of federal restrictions on dust-producing activities.

Surveys also show that even 82 percent of off-road vehicle users are critical of the behavior of fellow riders, who tear off cross country and drive straight up hillsides, leaving scars that quickly become gullies.

Studies also show that off-road vehicle use near streams sharply increases erosion and silt in the water, which affects a host of creatures.

An estimated 22 percent of the population of Arizona says they participate in off-roading, with about half of those regular users. Some estimates put the economic value of off-roading at $4 billion in Arizona.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 43

Dirt road adventures in Rim Country Forest Road 300 This well-maintained dirt road leads from Highway 260 where it tops out on the Rim some 40 miles to Highway 87 atop the Rim above Pine. The route leads past several trout-stocked lakes and a many camp sites. It follows the General Crook Trail, a wagon route linking Camp Verde and Fort Apache in the White Mountains during the Apache wars.

Crackerjack Road Look for the stop sign on the left about three miles outside of Payson on your way to Pine on Highway 87. The good dirt road hugs the East Verde River for about 30 miles all the way down to Doll Baby Ranch. Requires a high-clearance vehicle -- preferably four-wheel drive. Don’t drive it after a rain as the road turns to thick mud. Lots of access to the East Verde and striking views.

Pete Aleshire

Rim Country has thousands of miles of scenic and challenging jeep and ATV trails. Here a Jeep crosses Tonto Creek in the Tonto Basin

Rim Country Museum & Zane Grey Cabin Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm • Sunday 1pm-4pm

700 Green Valley Parkway Payson, Arizona

(928) 474-3483 • www.rimcountrymuseums.com

NGCHS — Preserving Our Western Heritage

44 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Back Road to Young This 42-mile route starts in the Tonto Basin on FR 71 at Punkin Center. The route heads up out of the Tonto Basin, offering sweeping views. You can make a loop keeping to the right on FR 71 at a y-intersection with FR 609. Get a good Forest Service map to avoid the potential confusion of roads. FR 71 intersects with FR 236, which then connects to FR 609. You can loop back around to where you started -- or take the road to Young and reward yourself with dinner at the Antlers Cafe.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church All Are Welcome Sunday Services 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Childcare Provided Wednesday Healing and Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m.

1000 N. Easy Street ~ Payson ~ (928) 474-3834 Website: stpaulspayson.org Email: pasepchurch@qwestoffice.net

Monsoon Blessings Pete Aleshire

The monsoon in July puts an end to fire season and delivers about half of the region’s annual rainfall. Sometimes it fails, but mostly it defines Rim Country.

by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

The air smells of ozone and pine. The clouds boil up from the lowlands, pregnant with rain and lightning. Lobo sits alertly five feet off, head cocked — his damp nose furiously working the wind that streamed across the Mogollon Rim. “Rain, rain, come today,” I whisper, “then come again every day.”

Lobo gives me a look, trying to decide if I am talking to him or just mumbling crazy human stuff. “Just mumbling,” I explain. He goes back to sniffing the wind, testing the intent of the storm.

I silently intone a monsoon prayer: Let the fire season end.

Let the rains come. Forgive us, for we know not what we do.

The monsoon defines Rim Country — creation and destruction made manifest by this uplifted barrier of cliffs stretching for 200 miles along the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. Rim Country sits in the wet, electric heart of the monsoon, which draws moisture from the flat, glittering surface of the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California and casts it against the ramparts of the Mogollon Rim. Without the monsoon, the Sonoran Desert would be despairing and unrelenting.

Without the monsoon, the pinyons and junipers would recoil to higher elevation.

Without the monsoon, the great vanilla-scented forest of ponderosa would fade away — driven to a last stand on the mountaintops.

Without the monsoon, the firefighter’s nightmare of May and June would stretch on into July and August — until we all burned down to chimneys.

So I wait for the rain, counting the days until what the weatherman calls the “subtropical ridge” of high pressure shifts

to the north. This will allow the wet air massing above Mexico’s Sierra Madre to come thundering into the state.

We pay a price for the blessing of the monsoon — weeks when the storms broil up like this one, full of lightning but stingy with their rain. Curiously enough, we don’t really understand lightning save in the most rudimentary way. The friction of the roiling clouds causes differences in electrical charge between one cloud and the next — or between the mass of clouds and the ground. The lightning strikes try furiously to equalize the charges. They send out cascading “leaders” of ionized air, which can draw upward from the ground great flashes of electricity.

Most years, the monsoon delivers. Some years, it fails — for reasons that remain mysterious. I read that the Hopi believe they came into this, the Fifth World, through a hole in the ground in the Grand Canyon after the Creator drowned the Fourth World. The Hopi clans fanned out across the world, looking for an easier place to live. They found many such places. But the ease of those places made them neglect the gods, making them irreverent and foolish. So they returned to this place, where life must sit carefully on this edge.

The Hopi resumed their prayers. They say that if they ever grow weary, lose faith and fall silent — then the Creator will end it all again. I don’t know about that. But Lobo and I have come to sniff the rain, in hope and expectation. One drop strikes my forearm. A second darkens the 280-million-year-old remnant of a sea bottom on which I sit. Nothing more. No. Wait: A rumble of thunder.

I turn my face hopefully to the clouds. Lobo studies me a moment, looking grave and wise — like a sphinx who nonetheless tried to catch bees in his mouth.

“Let us pray,” I say to him. Lobo says nothing, but sniffs the wind. Prayers come in many forms.

2015 | summer visitors guide | 45

Hiking with the elk without leaving town

Keith Morris

The Granite Dells trail is part of the Payson Area Trails System, offering solitude, exercise, beauty and close encounters with wildlife without ever leaving town.

by

Keith Morris

roundup staff reporter

Hiking with my dogs late in the day in Tonto National Forest regularly, we often come across elk.

It can be pretty exciting to come upon these magnificent creatures. Just ask Bear, my 9-year-old mixed breed, who loves to chase big game. Heck, he bolted after a herd of cattle on my parents’ farm in Alabama one day when my dad held the door open a few inches for a few seconds – long enough for him to recognize the opportunity and seize it.

Off he flew, pushing through the door and bolting off the deck, under the fence and into the pasture. The poor startled cows turned and ran for the hills with Bear hot on their heels.

I lost sight of the chase when they went over a ridge.

Several seconds later, here comes Bear, running as fast as his legs would carry him, followed closely by several mothers who decided they weren’t going to put up with any more of this nonsense from a pip squeak they could squash by sitting on him.

So, here we are wandering down a familiar path in the forest off of Monument Peak Trail near dusk and approximately 25 elk come running our way, leaping a fence bordering a large piece of private property and crossing just ahead of us on the

46 | summer visitors guide | 2015

edge of the forest. I’m in awe, thinking I need to get my cell phone out of my pocket and take a photo or a video, or both.

That’s easier said than done with Bear and Bailey, my 4-yearold Australian Shepherd, excited and pulling on the leash. But I managed to snap a few photos and shoot some video while keeping the pooches under control.

They seemed to be as engrossed in watching these beasts as I was. While several of them continued on out of sight, a group of about eight bulls and cows stopped about 50 feet from us and began to graze on weeds. We drew closer for a better look and photos. I was amazed we were able to get within about 25 feet and observe them.

Eventually, we went our separate ways, they disappearing into the woods to continue their nocturnal journey and we briefly continuing our hike before turning back in an effort to emerge from the forest before nightfall like a Transylvanian villager realizing he’s way too close to Castle Dracula with the sun rapidly descending.

This was just one of many close encounters with elk I’ve been fortunate enough to experience in my brief time living in Rim Country. my heart always beats a little faster each time and I just stop and marvel at them.

What a privilege we enjoy here in Rim Country.

Keith’s Favorite Payson Area Trails hikes.

Boulders Loop This moderately difficult trail is the pride of the Payson Area Trails System (PATS) because of its gorgeous scenery featuring the Granite Dells and, well, boulders. The loop consists of the 1.7-mile South Trail and the 1.0mile North Trail, making for a 2.7-mile loop. Unless you park at the trailhead off of Granite Dells Road, you’ll park at the end of Phoenix St. and hike a mile down Cypress Trial to reach the loop, making for a 4.8-mile hike around the loop.

Monument Peak Trail This 3-mile easy loop is the one I travel most because I live in Star Valley and only need to walk across the road to reach the forest and am on the trail within 20 minutes. So I generally am not on the official trail for most of my hour-long hikes, rather on trails that run off of it.

Either way, it’s a great route through the Tonto National Forest trees.

Cypress Trail I like this easy 2.1-mile trail most when water fills the stream bed that meanders across it because, who doesn’t love a pretty stream. I generally embark at the midpoint of the trail off

of Phoenix St. and head to the Boulders Loop 1.0 miles away and continue on either the Boulders South or North of make a big day of it and do the entire loop. But if I’ve only about an hour or so, the 2.0-mile round trip on Cypress from Phoenix St. and back is one of my first choices. The Cypress Trailhead is actually off of Granite Dells Road.

Peach Loop Be ready for a workout if you take this 2.6-mile loop with access from the Peach Orchard Trailhead off of Country Club Road across from Payson Golf Course. It begins with about a half-mile stretch on the Peach Orchard Trail before you have the option to begin ascending the northern portion of the loop or continue down perhaps another half-mile to the southern portion of the loop. The southern portion of the loop features the most rapid change in elevation and is more of a challenge.

You won’t find a lot of trees, but this loop offers pretty vistas of Payson.

Houston Loop I’ve only hiked this 3.6-mile loop with access off of Mayfield Canyon Road off of Highway 260 in Star Valley once but plan to return because it’s a workout. I’d rate it moderate but I had trouble maneuvering through a couple of steep stretches.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 47

Summer’s off & running Roundup file photo

Payson’s 4th of July celebration has become one of the big draws in a summer season crowded with special events with a small-town flavor.

by

Teresa McQuerrey

Rodeo Finals, student rodeo athletes from around the state compete at Payson Event Center.

roundup staff reporter

Time is a precious commodity. No one wants to waste it. But “down” time is not a waste — it’s a chance to recharge.

At some point “down” time can become boring, so having something to do is important — even on vacation; or maybe especially on vacation.

So, welcome to the Rim Country.

Enjoy your “down” time in the cool, pine-scented mountains, but plan to include one of the area’s great summer events while vacationing here.

A few regular events planned during the summer are available: Farmers Market Every Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon — Payson Farmers Market, Sawmill Crossing parking lot, 816 S. Beeline Highway (Hwy. 87), behind Chili’s.

Summer Concerts Every Saturday, June through July, 7 p.m. — Concert Under the Stars, Green Valley Park amphitheater area (go west on Main Street to Green Valley Parkway and turn right).

Monster Mudder June 5, 6, 7 - Mogollon Monster Mudder 5K and Mountain High Games

50 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Quilt Show June 12-13 — 19th Annual Strawberry Patchers Quilt Show, cultural hall of Pine Community Center, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., see www.strawberrypatchers. com for details.

July 4th Celebration July 4 — Fourth of July celebration, Green Valley Park; 8 a.m., patriotic ceremony; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., games for children and family activities; 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., live music with Take Cover Band; 9 p.m., fireworks. with assorted mud runs and ATV Trail Rides, Payson Event Center, see www. paysonrimcountry.com for details and online registration.

Pine Summer Fest June 6-7 — 25th Annual Pine Strawberry Summer Fest (formerly the Strawberry Festival), Pine Community Center.

High School Rodeo June 10-13 — Arizona High School

Pine-Strawberry Crafts Show July 4-5 — 35th Annual Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild Summer Craft Show, Pine Community Center.

Fun Run Aug. 8 — Glow in the Bowl Fun Run, Green Valley Park, see www. paysonrimcountry.com for details and online registration.

Mountain Daze Aug. 8-9 — 5th Annual Mountain Daze Festival, Pine Community Center.

Camp Tontozona Aug. 12-17 — ASU Sun Devil football practice at Camp Tontozona, Kohl’s Ranch, off East Hwy. 260.

August Doin’s Aug. 20, 21, 22 — 131st Annual World’s Oldest Con­ tinuous Rodeo, Payson Event Center, includes a parade on Payson’s historic West Main Saturday morning and the pageant to crown Miss Rodeo Arizona.

Pine Crafts Show Sept. 5-6 — 35th Annual Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild Autumn Craft Show, Pine Community Center.

Mountain Bike Race Sept. 11-13 — The Fire on the Rim race at the Mary Ellen Randall Arena, 6000 Bradshaw Dr., Pine; competitive bike race, with an Italian dinner and beer garden, see www.fireontherim. com for details and registration.

Pete Aleshire

The August Rodeo, the Indian Rodeo and the state High School Rodeo finals all draw people to the Payson Event Center. Payson hosts the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo in August, which dates back to Payson’s roots as a ranching community, where ranchers gathered up their scattered cattle in the summer.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 51

Tonto National Monument by

Michele Nelson

roundup staff reporter

The light shown through the doorway perfectly at any time of the day — a rare occurrence in photography.

“Mom, isn’t this cool?” asked my daughter, Brooke, as she snapped away at the shapes created by the shadows and angles of the architecture.

Usually, the best light for outdoor photos is either at dawn or dusk, but it took us two hours of hiking to make it to the top of the Upper Dwelling of the Tonto National Monument and dawn had faded into day hours ago.

Brooke and I had called ahead to make a reservation for the early morning photography hike because without a guide, the Upper Ruins of the Tonto National Monument are off limits.

However, Peg and Rex Lavoie have dedicated their retirement volunteering to host these photography hikes.

“We noticed that when photographers went on the hike to the cliff dwellings, they would often delay the group in order to get good shots,” said Rex to explain why the two decided to run the tours.

The Lower Ruins of the monument are available for viewing at any time, accessible by a well-paved path, but the Upper Ruins may only be accessed from November to April.

The ancient Salado peoples built the ruins sometime in the 1300s. Originally, they lived by the banks of Tonto Creek and the Salt River that join in the basin.

Yet by the early 1400s the painstakingly built cliff dwellings sat abandoned.

Why still remains a mystery.

Early American settlers to the Tonto Basin discovered the cliff dwellings and by 1900, the federal government realized it had to step in to save the architecture from visitors.

In 1907, President Teddy Roosevelt declared the site under the protection of the National Park Service.

The NPS has a beautiful visitors center and hosts numerous events during

52 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Pete Aleshire

Tonto National Monument lies just off Highway 88 in the Tonto Basin, about 30 miles from Payson. The monument protects cliff dwellings built by the Salado people more than 600 years ago. Archaeologists have also found Clovis sites in the monument dating back some 8,000 years. People have been drawn to the area for millennia by the presence of the Salt River.

the year.

The monument is a short drive from Payson and offers the perfect day trip, especially during the spring with the wildflowers in bloom.

For Brooke and I, both aspiring photographers, the one-on-one information shared by the Lavoies improved our shots.

The private viewing of the ruins allowed us plenty of time to examine the building methods. We even saw fingerprints in the mud between the bricks.

By the time we hiked down the hill, we were exhausted but elated at the results of our day.

Nice photos and the knowledge that we are lucky to not have to carry our food and water for two hours up a steep slope to home.

Tonto National Monument nps.gov/tont/planyourvisit/guidedtours www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tonto National Monument 26260 N AZ Highway 188 #2 Roosevelt, AZ 85545 928-467-2241

Live music on a summer night by

Teresa McQuerrey

roundup staff reporter

Pete Aleshire

MC6 A Cappella is one of the bands slated to perform at Payson’s Concert Under the Stars series. The free music lures crowds all through the summer. Local restaurants like the Buffalo Bar and Grill in Payson and Sidewinders Saloon in Pine also have live acts.

The best bet for live music this summer is the Concert Under the Stars program at Green Valley Park. The program showcases local groups this year.

Performers include: MC6 A Cappella - June 6: Reaching back through the years, MC6 will bring doo-wop favorites from the ’50s and ’60s to the stage in a way never heard before.

John Scott Band - June 13: Payson’s own rockin’ blues band, performs favorites from Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, and many others.

Back Roads - June 20: Classics and rock ’n’ roll from hometown talents.

Whiskey Rose - June 27: A country band featuring outstanding female and male vocals, rocking guitar and an amazing rhythm section.

Take Cover Band - July 4: Performs hits from The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Bob Seger, Journey, KISS, Van Halen,

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Bonfire Band - July 11: Performs classic country made famous by Patsy Cline Willie Nelson, George Strait, Gretchen Wilson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams and more.

Breaking Point Band - July 18: Plays top 40 tunes, jazz, blues and country.

Junction 87 - July 25: A popular, local, hard-working country band that rocks out.

The artists perform on the bandstand north of the big lake at Green Valley Park. Bring lawn chairs and blankets and treats to eat, but no alcohol.

Several local restaurants and bars also offer live entertainment, often featuring local artists.

The Buffalo Bar and Grill features Junction 87’s Jam Session every Sunday night.

The Ayothaya Thai Cafe in Payson, and the Sidewinders Saloon in Pine also often have live music.

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paysoncampground.com info@paysoncampground.com 2015 | summer visitors guide | 53

Hiking Rim Country Fossil Creek, Horton Creek among regions best treks by

Michele Nelson

roundup staff reporter

The water, so crystal clear.

The landscape, lush, tropical, green and so full of life.

Am I in the tropics? No, I’ve arrived at Fossil Creek a perpetually gushing calcium carbonate infused creek at the bottom of a four-mile hike.

I’m here with my daughter Crystal and her friends to enjoy a day of hiking and swimming on a creek so beautiful, the U.S. Forest Service has designated it a National Wild and Scenic treasure.

Before 2008, however, most of the creek’s flow had been diverted by APS. The power company had harnessed its flow to power two power plants. The energy generated originally went to the mines in Jerome and the Bradshaw Mountains and then powered Phoenix.

But by 2004, other sources generated more power, so APS decided to restore the flow of the creek. With the flow of water returned and a concerted effort by the Forest Service to return the stream to its natural riparian habitat, visitors have flooded the area often overtaxing its capacity.

Except at the headwaters of the creek where the Fossil Springs Trail plunges 1,200 feet down a canyon, the difficulty of the hike weeds out many who can’t make the hike. Still, the Tonto Rim Search and Rescue team spends most of its time saving people from this trail because they fail to recognize the dangers of heat exhaustion or the intense climb at the end of the day.

The girls and I have planned well. We each carry at least two or more liters of water and plenty of snacks. We have towels and lots of sunscreen.

Arriving at the creek, we find a sheltered shore and dive into the water that has a pretty consistent 72-degree temperature.

But it’s the otherworldly travertine pools that hold our attention.

The springs gush out of fissures in the limestone that filter out impurities, but infuse the water with calcium carbonate and a turquoise-colored shimmer.

Native fish such as the headwater chub, roundtail chub, speckled dace, longfin dace, Sonora sucker and desert sucker dart here and there unable to hide because of the clarity of the water.

Rare birds such as the southwestern willow flycatcher can now and then swoop out of the lush landscape of trees and bushes.

“Mom! Watch me!” said Crystal as she and her friends slid down rocks slick with algae.

54 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Pete Aleshire

The travertine in the water from the spring the feeds Fossil Creek makes it crystal clear. It’s now a refuge for a host of endangered species, like the Verde trout. It also offers one of the most rigorous hikes in Rim Country, with a 1,200-foot elevation drop. You can also reach the creek by road from the Camp Verde side, as these swimmers did.

After a quick dip, I decided to stretch out on the shore, content to watch the young ones use up their energy, while I saved mine for the intense hike back up the canyon.

The trailhead for the Fossil Creek hike lies at the end of a rutted dirt road at the end of Fossil Creek Road in Strawberry.

Make a left hand turn (if coming from Payson) onto Fossil Creek Road. Continue until the pavement ends. Follow the signs to the parking area. Plan on three hours each way.

Three great hikes

Horton Creek Trail – Moderate Trailhead: Upper Tonto Creek Campground Length: Seven miles round trip From Payson, drive east on Highway 260 for 16 miles. Just past Kohl’s Ranch, turn left onto the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery. One mile up this road, park in the trailhead parking on the west side. The trail begins across the road in the campground.

Highline Trail – Moderate Trailhead: At either the Pine Trailhead near Pine, or at the 260 Trailhead off of Highway 260 below the Rim lakes.

Length: 51 miles Directions to Pine Trailhead: From Payson, go north 14 miles to the Pine Trailhead. The trailhead is well marked on the east side of Highway 87. The trailhead is accessible without four-wheel drive.

Directions to 260 Trailhead: From Payson, go east 23 miles to the 260 Trailhead. The trailhead is well marked on the north side of Highway 260. Access does not require a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Pete Aleshire

Horton Creek Trail off the Tonto Creek Hatchery Road is one of Rim Country’s most popular hikes.

See Canyon Trail – Difficult Trailhead: Christopher Creek Length: Seven miles round trip Directions to trailhead: From Payson, head east on Highway 260 to Christopher Creek (mile marker 274). Drive past the fire station and make a left onto Forest Road 284. Take the gravel road for about two miles where it ends at a parking lot and the See Canyon trailhead. An off-road vehicle is not necessary to reach the trailhead.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 55

Swimming holes Pete Aleshire

Fossil Creek is not only a refuge for native fish — but maybe the perfect swimming hole.

by

Pete Aleshire

roundup editor

The water’s warm.

I’m wearing goggles — staring 30 feet across through the crystal clear water.

Fish dart around me on every side — rare and exotic species.

I could easily convince myself I’m in the Caribbean. But I know when I surface to take a breath, I’ll still be in Fossil Creek — probably the best swimming hole in Arizona.

The water from the spring that feeds the creek is full of travertine, which makes the water both crystal clear and the turquoise-blue.

Although U.S. Forest Service has shut down the road that once made it easy to get to the increasingly popular stream from Strawberry, you can still easily devote a day to Fossil Creek during an extended stay in Rim Country. You can make it an adventure by descending 1,200 feet on the six-mile-long trail from the Strawberry side. Or you can go through Pine, up over the Rim and down toward Camp Verde — a 45-minute drive. Then head into Fossil Creek on the 15-mile, well-graded dirt road.

That makes a great route home on Sunday after a weekend in Pine or Payson.

Better yet, visit Fossil Creek on a day trip from Pine or Payson during the week, when you won’t have to cope with the summertime crowds. On Saturdays, the Forest Service often closes the road in from Camp Verde when the visitor capacity has maxed out.

Fossil Creek remains my favorite swimming hole in Rim Country, thanks to the warm, clear water, deep pools, waterfalls and abundance of birds and wildlife.

But I far more often find myself on a summer day soaking

56 | summer visitors guide | 2015

in the East Verde River, especially now that water from C.C. Cragin Reservoir has made the East Verde one of the most reliable summer streams in the state. Game and Fish stocks it all summer, but mostly I wade downstream and find some secluded beach or rock in the middle of the stream to have a Rim Country beach day.

But when I’m willing to go to the extra trouble to get to Fossil Creek, I always wonder why I don’t do it every weekend — or at least every Friday before the crowds hit.

The creek’s role as an unparalleled wildlife refuge stems from the extraordinary properties of the water that gushes from a series of springs at the head of the canyon and the pristine qualities of a riparian area that seems uniquely reinvented.

The water emerges from 60 springs in a 100-foot-long section of the creek bed, with a flow of about 50 cubic feet per second at a temperature of about 72 degrees.

The travertine in the water readily precipitates out as the mineral-laden water tumbles over roots and stones and waterfalls, building check dams and drip castle formations. The stream deposits an estimated 13 tons of travertine precipitate every day.

The stream nurtures at least 166 species of permanent plants and 314 species of flowering plants and ferns.

It has also become a refuge for native fish, including at least seven species endangered elsewhere.

The same goes for a great variety of birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians. Fossil Creek has already become a birder’s paradise, as rich as the birding meccas in southeastern Arizona where eco-tourism has become an economic mainstay.

Biologists have recorded 200 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, but the habitat has the potential to support 300 additional species.

East Verde River: Water Wheel The stream runs through the heart of Rim Country, with access all along the way. Probably the most popular swimming hole on the whole stream lies just beyond Beaver Valley off Houston Mesa Road. Stop in the day use area at Water Wheel a mile or so beyond the bridge at first crossing. Hike upstream maybe a half mile and you come to a granite narrows.

Here you’ll find a waterfall, a deep pool and rock outcroppings popular with cliff jumpers.

East Verde: Flowing Springs Turn off to the right about five miles out of Payson on Highway 87 heading toward Pine. The road leads down to a crossing of the creek then meanders alongside the creek for another four miles or so before it comes to a gated private subdivision.

But the river offers lots of opportunities to park, get out of the car and splash around along the way.

Tonto Creek: Hatchery Road Just beyond the Control Road/Tonto Creek Village turnoff, you’ll hit Kohl’s Ranch and the hatchery road. Turn left onto the hatchery road and you can meander along Tonto Creek for the next five miles or so. It’s about 600 feet higher in elevation than the East Verde and shaded by pine trees instead of cottonwoods. But you’ll find lots of little spillovers and pools, popular with fishermen and stream splashers alike.

Tonto Creek: Bear Flat Before you get to the hatchery road, you’ll see a sign for Bear Flat.

This leads to a good dirt road that descends about five miles into the canyon Tonto Creek carves as it makes its way into the Hellsgate Wilderness. Park the car when you hit the creek, get out and work your way downstream. You’ll find lots of nice pools and spillovers that don’t get nearly as much visitation as the easier to access stretch of stream along the hatchery road.

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2015 | summer visitors guide | 57

Pete Aleshire

Pine has a wealth of antique and craft shops. Payson has three galleries with the work of local artists and craftsmen. And Star Valley has some treasures of its own.

Shopping for knickknacks and treasures by

Alexis Bechman

roundup staff reporter

From a back room where a painting had captured my friend’s attention, I could hear a group of women coo over finds in the main foyer of the antique shop, once a home.

From roosters to shabby chic dressers and western wares, there was something for everyone at the Carpenter’s Wife, tucked off a residential street in central Payson.

Pointing at two hutches at opposite ends of one of the home’s former bedrooms, my friend explained they were perfect for the living room of her new home, but which one to choose, the shorter wood one or taller, whitewashed hutch.

The group of friends continued to pile up purchases at the front counter. I pointed to the white hutch and then made my way to a back room where designer clothes hung.

The Carpenter’s Wife is routinely picked in a readers’ poll as one of the best local shops in town. But there are several other shops throughout the area that follow its scheme.

Carrying a little bit of this and that, Rim Country offers shoppers the thrill of the hunt. In any given mile, antique and thrift stores dominate the shopping scene. Some, like Granny’s Attic, are cooperative stores representing scores of dealers, who are each given a small space to decorate and fill as they wish.

One corner can therefore hold a collection of military memorabilia while another, doilies and quilts.

With most of the shops spread out in Payson, a vehicle is necessary. In Pine, it is easier to shop on foot. Stroll along

58 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Highway 87 and Hardscrabble Mesa Road where shops are tightly packed with both new and old collectibles.

Shopping areas PAYSON

Main Street – Several thrift stores, including those benefiting the Humane Society and Senior Center; a bike shop, Down the Street Art Gallery and antique stores.

Swiss Village shops off Highway 87, north of the 87/260 intersection. Several art galleries, a fudge shop and a candle factory.

Highway 260 corridor – The Time Out Shelter thrift store, Granny’s Attic and several chains, including Big Lots, Rue21 and PetSmart.

PINE

Park in the center of town, off the west side of the highway, at the community center. There is a thrift shop right there and several antique, art galleries and shops within walking distance.

STAR VALLEY

The small town just east of Payson harbors some treasures, like Country Chicks and Star Valley Furniture and Appliances.

Both have wonderful eclectic collections, informed by the owner’s eye for a one-of-a-kind bargain.

Mazatzal Casino offers fun and camaraderie by

Teresa McQuerrey

roundup staff reporter

The Humane Society of Central Arizona

Thrift Shop & Vintage Boutique We’re open Mon-Sat 9-4:30

510 W. Main Street, Payson 928-468-6419 Donations welcome during business hours!

Senior Center

514 W. Main St. Payson, AZ 85541 Phone 928.474.4876 Fax 928.474.6054

Senior Thrift Store 512 W. Main St. Payson, AZ 85541 Phone 928.474.3205

Promoting Art and Art Education in the Rim Country.

WE HAVE TWO ART SHOWS EACH YEAR, the Open Studio Tour in May and the ARToberFEST in October at the Mazatzal Casino.

For more information, visit: www.paysonartleague.org or call Sue Jones 928-472-8147

Join us for the

11thal Annu

SHOP DONATE VOLUNTEER

244 E. Hwy. 260 For large local donation pick-ups, call 474-3989 It is the mission of Time Out. Inc. to help individuals break the cycle of domestic violence.

Time Out, Inc. is a non-profit tax-exempt organization under IRS code 501c3.

Announcing new SHOW DATES for 2015!

Mazatzal Hotel & Casino Exhibition Hall Payson, Arizona Show-Classes-Vendor Mall

Show held on

Oct. 9, 10 & 11, 2015 Fri-Sat 9-5:30 / Sun 9-3 Classes by Sharon Schamber & Gina Parris-Perkes

(

The fun at Payson’s Mazatzal Hotel & Casino comes from the camaraderie. Don’t go expecting a Las Vegas type experience. Just go to have some fun and take a chance at walking out with a little extra money.

And even if you don’t have a hot slot or the best luck at the table games or bingo, your fellow players will more than likely lift your spirits commiserating and sharing their own hard-luck stories.

Also on hand to brighten your visit is a great wait staff — everyone almost always has a smile and time to visit a little.

To add to the good times, there is great food in the Cedar Ridge Restaurant and at The Grille and delicious beverages at the Coffee Korner and the Apache Spirits Lounge. Frequently on weekend evenings live entertainPete Aleshire ment is offered at the Apache Spirits Lounge too.

The Mazatzal Hotel and Casino is located just south of Payson on Highway 87.

A couple of times this summer, if you plan it right, you can also enjoy great frybread and help the Tonto Apache Tribe, which owns and operates the casino, help area families in need. The special Frybread for Families events are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, June 18 and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 20 in the Fireside Room of the casino (this is on the far west side of the facility). Enjoy frybread for only $6; for $1 more add ground beef. The choices are plain; honey and powdered sugar; bean and cheese; or Apache Taco style — with the works. A drink is included in the price.

From time to time special promotions are also offered at the casino. These have PROGRAMS OF HOPE included a number of vehicle giveaways over the years or games to give participants Time Out Thrift Shop an opportunity to win more money. supports our local On occasion, there are featured entertainers as well. Go to the casino’s website domestic violence to learn more: mazatzal-casino.com. shelter

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

PAYSON

THRIFT STORES

1006 S. Beeline Hwy, Payson, Az 928-474-4476 Open Thursday-Friday-Saturday

Free Local Pick Up with Large Donations!

2015 | summer visitors guide | 59

Pine lays claim to festival capital of Arizona by

Teresa McQuerrey roundup staff reporter

Pine and Strawberry can make a fair claim to being the festival and craft capital of the state, given the summer lineup of events.

Every summer, festivals and special celebrations take place at the Pine Community Center in the heart of Pine. Activities get rolling with the first of three summer Arts & Crafts Festivals over the Memorial Day weekend — presented by the Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild, the festivals will celebrate their 35th anniversary in 2015.

June 12, 13: Strawberry Patchers Quilt Show Held in the Pine Strawberry Community Center’s Cultural Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests vote for their favorite quilt to select the Viewers Choice award.

Get a raffle ticket for a special opportunity quilt. Get a quilt appraisal by Monika Hancock by appointment, call (928) 4760980.

July 4-5: Summer Craft Show The 35th Annual Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild Summer Craft Show takes place at the community center. The show offers a wonderful variety of craft items, with ever-popular pancake breakfasts and Navajo taco sales presented by other community groups. Proceeds help area residents through a variety of projects.

Aug. 8-9: Mountain Daze Festival The fifth annual festival takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Pine Community Center and Ramada. The weekend features vendors, food and entertainment.

Sept. 5-6: Fall Craft Show The 35th Annual Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild Fall Craft Show takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the community center. In addition to the show, food and beverage vendors will be at the event.

Sept. 11-13: Fire on the Rim Mountain Bike Race The increasingly popular Fire on the Rim Mountain Bike Race draws cyclists from all over the region for the three-day race on a challenging trail.

A visit to any of the events at the community center should include a stop at the little museum operated by the Pine-Strawberry Archaeological and Historical Society in the old building on the south side of the community center property. Between 1917 and 1981, the Main Room in the Pine-Strawberry Museum served the Mormon community as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “the LDS Chapel.” It served as a school from the early 1980s until 1990, when the museum relocated to the building.

The museum collection is from contributions by the families that built Pine and Strawberry, with many descendants still calling the little towns home.

Another stop at the community center is the Pine Thrift Shop — if it is open during a festival weekend. Stroll through the aisles and marvel at all the great goodies.

The community of Pine is a little mecca for antiquing. There are quite a few shops on the main road — Highway 87 and on Hardscrabble Mesa Road.

A trip to Strawberry demands a stop for a bite at one of the restaurants and a jaunt down Fossil Creek Road. Stop by the Strawberry Schoolhouse, the oldest standing schoolhouse in Arizona. The building is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from June 15 through Aug. 6.

Next, head west on Fossil Creek Road to the Fossil Creek Creamery at The Ranch at Fossil Creek. The creamery features goats milk products from the goats raised on the ranch including fudge, cheeses, soaps and lotions. The ranch also has llamas available for special hikes.

WOODY’S Performance Motorsports

We Specialize In: � Harley Davidson � Motorcycles � Parts & service � ATVs (All Makes) � Wilderness Recovery

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60 | summer visitors guide | 2015

“Experience the Power”

4208 E. HWY 260

IN

STAR VALLEY • (928) 468-6164

&

DINING LODGING G U I D E ALFONSO’S

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510 S. Beeline Hwy, Payson

928.468.6902

Open Mon-Thur 7-10, Fri 7-11, Sat-Sun 7-10

Breakfast Burritos • Fajitas • Talacios Burrito Don Ponchos Burritos • Menudo Sat & Sun Combination Plates served with Rice and Beans Tostadas • Tacos • Enchiladas • Tortas • Rolled Tacos Come try Alfonso’s Mexican Food ~ Muy Excelente!

Beeline Cafe

Oldest family owned restaurant in Payson

5 Generations of Owners serving Generations of families since 1962

Homemade Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner World Famous Food & Pies Delicious Daily Specials

815 S. Beeline Highway, Payson 474-9960 • Open 5-9

VOTED BEST OF PAYSON ill r G & r a B o Buffal r Great Food fo The Placned Friendly Service! a 311 S. Beeline Hwy, Payson, Az 928-474-3900

203 E. Hwy. 260 Open 11am to 9pm Daily (928) 468-1626 2015 | summer visitors guide | 61

&

DINING LODGING G U I D E C ROSSWINDS R ESTAURANT AT THE AIRPORT

900 S. Beeline Highway Payson, AZ (928) 468-7036 If you’re open to some great American food at America’s Diner, we’re open for you.

AMERICA’S DINER

is always open!

(928) 474-4717 312 S. Beeline Hwy. Payson, Arizona

Come to us for your fill of whatever it is you’re in the mood for. Fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, a juicy burger or something from our Fit Fare menu — you’ll always find delicious value and variety at Denny’s

And like any good diner, the coffee is always brewing!

Home of the Million Dollar View 800 W. AIRPORT ROAD, PAYSON • 928-474-1613 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

MEXICAN & AMERICAN FOOD OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER BREAKFAST SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS 8AM FULL BAR • PATIO DINING • PATIO PET FRIENDLY TACO TUESDAYS • $1 MARGARITAS WEDNESDAY

928.474.3111 200 S. Beeline Hwy. www.elranchorestaurant.net

The Flying Grizzly STEAKHOUSE • Steaks • Seafood • Cocktails • OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm | Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm

620 E. Highway 260 • Payson • 928-474-7455 Visit us at www.fargossteakhouse.com 62 | summer visitors guide | 2015

You won’t “Bear” to eat elsewhere!

• Pub & Grub • “Homemade” • American-Mexican • Fresh Pies & Soups • Traditonal Comfort Food • Open 7 days a week

5079 Highway 87, Strawberry, Az 928-978-1412

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DINING LODGING G U I D E

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KFC of Payson 303 S. Beeline Highway • (928) 474-3533 Open 7 Days a Week • Special Orders Available

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Macky’s Grill • Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner

• Great Food & Service

Go where great friends and

great food meet! ..

Awesome Home-Style Cooking for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• Pets Welcome on the Patio 201 W. Main St., Payson

located next to sawmill theatre

928.474.7411 VOTED “BEST OF RIM COUNTRY”

BY THE COMMUNITY OF PAYSON

803 E. Highway 260 in Payson 928-474-5881

Voted Best of Rim Country!

PAYSON • (928) 474-1895 238 E. Highway 260 WE DELIVER! 210 E. Highway 260 • Payson, AZ

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PIZZA & PASTA, CALZONES, SANDWICHES SALAD BAR, VIDEO GAMES, PARTY ROOM OPEN 7 DAYS/WEEK • DINE-IN, TAKE OUT, DELIVERY!

2015 | summer visitors guide | 63

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DINING LODGING G U I D E The

Strawbeary Bear STEAKHOUSE

ICE CREAM & ESPRESSO Sawmill Crossing ~ Payson, AZ Ice Cream, Coffee, Free Wireless Internet, Games and Fun for the Whole Family!

The BEST Bar on the Mountain!

Steaks, Ribs, Seafood Burgers & More 7783 Ralls Drive Strawberry, Az

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64 | summer visitors guide | 2015

H BEEF H PORK H CHICKEN H RIBS Smoked fresh everyday Open Wed thru Sun 10am until sold out

928-951-3775 1103 S. BEELINE HWY. PAYSON, AZ

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DINING LODGING G U I D E Free WiFi • Restaurants nearby • Near Mazatzal Casino Cable TV • HBO • Corporate, AARP, Senior Rates

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301 S. Beeline Highway, Ste. A (behind Burger King), Payson, AZ 85541 www.daysinn.com/hotel/11099

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was Majestic Mountain Inn s’ est gu r ou h designed wit . nd mi in t for utmost com le sty in ed Unmatch and comfort where your every need will be satisfied.

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800-408-2442 www.majesticmountaininn.com

2015 | summer visitors guide | 65

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Thank you for visiting Rim Country!

66 | summer visitors guide | 2015

Travels with Lobo

BY

PETE ALESHIRE

ROUNDUP EDITOR

The shrill whistle cut through the soft lapping of Woods Canyon Lake on the forested shore. I looked up, as I stepped over a gnarly ponderosa pine root.

This was a mistake.

Lobo came barreling down the trail from behind me, eyes fixed on the osprey that swept into view over my shoulder, following the shoreline. Lobo sideswiped my leg in mid-stretchedstep and bounded on down the thread of a shoreline trail after the osprey.

I spun, hopped, caught the root with my toe and pitched forward into a mercifully soft patch of mud at the shore’s edge.

My fishing pole went flying into the lake.

“Dumb dog,” I hollered. “As if you’re ever gonna catch him.”

Lobo’s got a thing about chasing birds. I figure it’s the wolf in him, not buried very deep behind his friendly, quizzical gold-brown eyes. Wolves have a complicated relationship with birds of prey and scavengers — especially ravens, which will lead a wolf back to a deer herd in hopes of dining on the scraps. The osprey suddenly went into a stoop, then plunged into the lake.

Lobo plunged without hesitation into the lake.

I groaned. Gonna sleep with that wet dog smell tonight.

The osprey rose, clutching a squirming fish in its talons.

Suddenly, the resident Woods Canyon Lake bald eagle appeared. He dove at the osprey in an effort to make the harried osprey drop its catch.

Of course, now Lobo’s in hawk heaven. He’s got an osprey and a bald eagle in sight and it’s blowing his little wolfish mind.

He dog-paddles back to shore, glances at me sitting like a mud turtle on a log. He shrugs and treats himself to a good shake, drenching me. Then he goes bounding on down the shoreline, watching those birds like the last hope for dinner. This is one of the many things I admire in Lobo: Darn near impossible to discourage that boy.

I waded into the lake, retrieved my fishing pole and spent an hour entertaining the trout. Lobo eventually came over and plopped himself down, grinning wolfishly. I know that’s just the shape of his mouth, with his big, old, throw-rug tongue.

But I couldn’t help but feel like he was amused by my damp muddiness — that wet fisherman smell.

But then, that’s one thing I’ve learned from Lobo — the key to happiness, if you will. Do what you love. Don’t hold back. Don’t matter if you ever catch the hawk — just go for it.

2015 | SUMMER VISITORS GUIDE | 67