Summer 2011 Visitors Guide

Summer 2011

Visitors Guide

Recreation in Rim Country A publication of the Payson Roundup Tonto Creek photo by Tom Brossart

PAGE 2 • SUMMER 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 3

Tom Brossart/Roundup

The historic lodge at the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is a testament to the will of the folks who wanted a secluded summer getaway in the Rim Country years ago.

Welcome to a Rim Country summer The Rim Country has been the center of the summer universe for untold thousands — maybe even millions — of people… dating back longer than anyone can remember.

Early Native Americans from the lower elevations would make their way to the high country. And when the Valley settlers wanted to get out of the heat, they’d make the long trek up to the mountains in wagons, on horseback and on foot.

Those Valley dwellers still make the climb in all manner of motorized vehicles.

Dead center

The Rim Country is in the physical middle of Arizona; with an intersection of ecosystems and three national forests overlapping in the area.

Anything else you want is about 90 miles away, including Phoenix, the Verde Valley and Sedona, Flagstaff, Winslow and the White Mountains.

Payson is the perfect base from which to explore the whole of Central

Arizona.

It’s all about geography.

Put a bull’s-eye on a map of Arizona, and you’ll find Payson, Star Valley, Pine and Strawberry sitting in the sweet spot — just as far from Utah as from Mexico, in the mid-point between California and New Mexico.

So a two-hour drive from Payson can dramatically change your altitude — and your attitude.

An easy day trip from a Payson base of operations can take you to Flagstaff, Sedona, the Verde Valley, Montezuma’s Castle National Monument, the Petrified Forest National Monument, Tonto National Monument, the White Mountain Apache Reservation, Prescott, Fort Apache, the trout streams of the White Mountains, Show Low, the rugged Salt River Canyon, Roosevelt Lake, a string of lakes along the Mogollon Rim and a host of other destinations.

But that central location at an altitude of 5,000 feet at the base of the

Mogollon Rim also means the landscape within 30 miles of Payson offers a wealth of opportunities to hike, bike, ride, fish, bird-watch, camp and gaze at the scenery.

The elevation rises some 3,000 feet from the saguaro-graced shores of Roosevelt Lake, to the mingling of piñons, junipers and pines in Payson, and finally to the Ponderosa pine forests along the top of the Rim. The highlands of Central Arizona mostly drain through Rim Country, accounting for a wealth of streams and lakes, most of them stocked regularly with trout.

The two busiest locations in the state for selling fishing licenses are at the Payson Walmart and Woods Canyon Lake, just 35 miles away, up on the Rim. The region’s central location is evidenced by the intersection here of the Tonto, Coconino and ApacheSitgreaves national forests — several million acres of forested land, with

thousands of miles of dirt roads and hiking trails.

All of that means that, in Rim Country, a half-hour drive can completely change your surroundings — from a campground shaded by cottonwoods alongside the East Verde, to a cool summer evening fly-fishing for trout under tall pines at Bear Canyon Lake — with hundreds of miles of hiking, riding and biking trails in between.

And for those who like to mingle outdoor adventure with good food and soft beds, the communities of Rim Country offer a wealth of activities for visitors.

Payson alone has a diverse variety of special events during the year, headlined by the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo in August.

Pine and Strawberry offer little restaurants, arts and crafts stores and antiquing beneath rustling pines.

So in our visitors guide, we’ll offer you a sampling of the varied activities that geography has made possible — here in the Heart of Arizona.

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 4 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Rim Country offers remarkable streams

BY PETE ALESHIRE ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

Be sure to check on fire restrictions before planning a trip this summer. The failure of the spring rains this year prompted the three national forests in Rim Country to impose tough fire restrictions, which bans almost any use of fire or activities likely to cause a fire. Most of the Apache Sitgreaves was closed down altogether as a result of the Wallow Fire, the largest in state history.

The restrictions on fire and perhaps complete closures will likely remain in effect until the summer monsoons deliver some relief and moisten the tinder-dry fuels. So take special care with fire this season and observe all restrictions. In the case of the

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Tom Brossart/Roundup

Two youths explore the upper reaches of the East Verde River as their family members camp nearby. The Salt River Project is releasing water from the Blue Ridge Reservoir into the river, making a great playground for swimming and fishing this summer.

Wallow Fire, it appears that an abandoned campfire ended up consuming more than 600 square miles of forest.

Here’s a little information about some of the most distinctive streams in Rim Country.

East Verde River The East Verde attracts big weekend crowds eager to camp, swim and fish.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks all the good pools along the East Verde off Flowing Springs Road and Houston Mesa Road. Anglers here can work their way up and downstream in an open creek shaded by cottonwoods, wil-

lows and sycamores. Game and Fish stocks down to the big pool at the entrance to East Verde Estates. Downstream from that development, the river enters Forest Service land and eventually a wilderness area. Hikers and campers can enjoy access to miles of wild river, and fishermen can work the pools for bass, catfish and other warm-water species.

The East Verde connects to the Verde River near Childs. Several excellent campsites can be found along Houston Mesa Road and Flowing Springs Road. The sites fill up quickly on the weekend, but often sit

L

Poor Arizonans.

So dry. So thirsty.

Except in Rim Country — where some of the most remarkable streams in the Southwest converge.

As a result, Rim Country offers some of the best places to fish, boat and just generally splash about in the state, thanks once again to its shifts in elevation.

The Rim first gathers, then releases, most of the snowfall and much of the rain that falls on the state, providing millions of acre-feet of runoff during rains and more gradually through springs along the base of the limestone creeks.

Many of the resulting streams are stocked weekly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department through the summer.

Most of those fish come out of the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery, which welcomes visitors at the end of the good dirt road that follows the creek.

This year, the largest wildfire in state history shut down a host of White Mountain streams and lakes that normally draw many visitors looking for a place to swim or for a fishing hole. As a result, many visitors and anglers may stop in Rim Country, rather than continuing on into the White Mountains.

The freshly stocked trout generally don’t feed for a day after being moved, so the best fishing will be within about 30 to 50 yards of the release sites late in the week.

For details on the stocking schedule, check the Arizona Game and Fish Web site. Each creek gets 400 to 600 fish a week. Tonto, Christopher and Haigler creeks all get weekly infusions of fish; so does the East Verde River.

In addition, Game and Fish also heavily stocks a chain of popular lakes atop the Mogollon Rim, which also draw many boaters, campers and picnickers — most of them Valley residents eager to escape the heat. Check the Arizona Department of Game and Fish’s Web site for a weekly fishing report, which includes both Rim Country streams and the high country lakes.

See Creek fun, page 6

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SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 5

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 6 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Creek fun abounds From page 4

nearly empty during the week.

The Forest Service this year used grant money to put in vault toilets and parking areas in four popular day use areas along Houston Mesa Road.

The Forest Service currently charges a $4 parking fee to park in those new lots. Check for restrictions on fires and camping, but generally you should assume that the ban remains in effect on virtually all fire-involved activities.

A series of deep pools and waterfalls remain a popular swimming and fishing area upstream from the Water Wheel day use site near Beaver Valley off Houston Mesa Road.

Swimmers can park in the developed lot off Houston Mesa Road and hike up to the pools and falls.

The planned release of some 11,000 acre-feet from the Blue Ridge Reservoir atop the Rim each year into the East Verde should make the flows more reliable, even in dry years.

L

Fossil Creek Just outside of Pine lies one of the most remarkable streams in Arizona — Fossil Creek. The U.S. Forest Service has barred fires and camping along the creek to protect it.

However, the creek still has several beautiful waterfalls and deep, crystal-clear pools filled with native fish.

The Arizona Department of Game and Fish, in fact, has established a catch-and-release fishery where anglers can fish for Verde Trout and other native species. However, the stream remains closed to all fishing during the summer. The creek does offer a unique fishing experience from fall to spring, when other options are limited.

In the past few years, the creek has become wildly popular during summer weekends. For a century, a Phoenix power company diverted most of the flow of the spring-fed

creek into a flume to generate power.

Several years ago, the power company dismantled the flume and returned Fossil Creek to its streambed.

That decision re-created one of the most distinctive streams in Arizona, since the spring water seeps through fissures in ancient layers of limestone and picks up dissolved travertine.

The travertine gives the water the unearthly blue-green color that has made Havasupai in the Grand Canyon world famous. The travertine also precipitates out of the water, forming dikes and dams of drip castle design.

It takes a rugged hike to access the upper reaches of Fossil Creek near Pine, but the effort yields a blissful wilderness experience, in a stream where native fish like the Verde Trout, Gila Chub and the Sonoran Sucker are making a comeback.

Visitors can also drive down to the creek along Fossil Springs Road, which connects to Highway 87 in Strawberry. The well-graded road hair-pins down into the canyon.

There, hikers and swimmers find a remarkable series of deep, crystalclear pools, with many beautiful spillovers and waterfalls — shaded by giant cottonwoods and sycamores.

Unfortunately, weekend visitors generally overwhelm the available parking spaces in the canyon bottom.

The Forest Service is working on drawing up a management plan to cope with the hoards of weekend visitors. Odds are, that will result in a ban on cars and access via a paid shuttle service within a year or two.

Forest Service officials say that such restrictions on the number of visitors in the summer are necessary to protect the unique treasure.

But in the meantime, this may be the last time people can take their own cars down into the canyon during the summer. So if you go, get See Rim, page 7

Tom Brossart/Roundup

The late evening stillness of the East Verde River below one of the many waterfalls makes for great viewing in the Rim Country.

PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 7 The Rim Country offers many scenic creeks and the East Verde River that can be enjoyed by hikers and fishermen. This view is along the popular East Verde River. Visitors to the Rim Country should be mindful that some areas along the creeks and rivers are private property and be sure you pack out any garbage.

Rim Country creek fun From page 6

there early, observe the ban on fires and camping and protect the place from the knuckleheads, who routinely leave untended fires and a galling amount of litter.

If possible, visit the canyon on weekdays and avoid the weekend crowds.

Tonto Creek

Gushing along through the pines, springfed Tonto Creek is higher and cooler than either Fossil Creek or the East Verde. It also gets heavy weekend use, both in several nearby campgrounds and several day use parking areas, which now also charge a fee.

Once the weather warms as the summer idles along, Game and Fish stops stocking the East Verde and concentrates on Tonto Creek, about 1,000 feet higher in elevation and about halfway between Payson and the vast plateau of the Rim itself.

Here, anglers find a beautiful, spring-fed stream, well stocked with rainbows.

Fishermen can stick to the stocked pools close by the good road and campgrounds or work upstream toward the hatchery.

They can also get onto Tonto Creek at the end of a steep, five-mile dirt road at Bear Flat. Here, they can go after the stocked trout — or work their way downstream into the Hellsgate Wilderness area. That route

Tom Brossart/ Roundup

offers an arduous canyoneering adventure all the way to Roosevelt Lake.

The journey involves swimming the pools, hiking and fishing for bass and native desert fish in one of the most beautiful and other-worldly areas in the state.

Several tributaries also offer some great recreational activities for hikers, swimmers and fishermen.

Other Creeks

Haigler Creek lies at the end of a dirt road, but gets a heavy stocking of trout every week. A popular hiking trail winds through the forest alongside the creek. To reach Haigler, turn off Highway 260 on the unpaved Forest Road 291, go three miles,

then turn right onto Forest Road 200. You’ll come to a trailhead in another five miles.

From there, it’s a quarter-mile walk to the creek.

Christopher Creek sometimes all but dries up in a drought, but Game and Fish stocks its small pools and riffles for most of the summer. To gain access, take the turnoff for Christopher Creek from Highway 260, then turn north onto Forest Road 284 toward C-Canyon. You’ll find a campground and small pools full of wary fish, shaded by poplars and spruce.

Horton Creek lies just one mile from Highway 260, just off the Tonto Creek Hatchery Road. Park at the Horton Trailhead and take the beautiful, two-mile

hike through the trees to Horton Creek, which twists and turns through slots in the limestone beneath a forest canopy. The creek sometimes goes dry in its lower reaches, but push on upstream toward the spring to regain the splash of water and work the small pools for wary, wild brown trout.

Canyon Creek offers soothing rewards for the adventurous, since it lies well off the highway. Head up onto the Rim on Highway 260 and just past the Young turnoff look for Forest Road 288. Go south to Forest Road 33 and turn east. Continue until you hit Forest Road 34 and turn left.

That road soon crosses the creek. Park there and work upstream or downstream to enjoy the small pools.

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Small museums have long reach into Rim’s past

BY TERESA MCQUERREY ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

M

useums in the Rim Country may be small, but they offer an important link to the area’s past. In fact, most are historic buildings.

The entrance to the Rim Country Museum in Green Valley Park was the residence of an early national forest ranger, and the small building to its west was the ranger station.

The museum’s main exhibit building is a replica of one of the community’s early hotels.

South of the museum is another replica of a beloved landmark, the Zane Grey cabin.

The original cabin, built almost 100 years ago near Kohl’s Ranch, was lost in the 1990 Dude Fire.

Volunteers worked for years to raise the funds and collect the furnishings and memorabilia for the cabin reproduction. Efforts of volunteers with the Northern Gila County Historical Society are responsible for the other part of the park’s museum complex as well.

Pine’s museum was originally the house of worship for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who settled the community. Later it served as the administrative office and board meeting

Photos by Tom Brossart/Roundup

A replica of Zane Grey cabin is open for viewing at Green Valley Park. It is next door to the Rim Country Museum (above and left).

room of the Pine-Strawberry School District. When the school moved to new facilities behind the Pine Community Center, the building was transformed into a museum.

The Strawberry School started life as a school built by the families of the children who would use it. When the school was closed, the building became a residence for a number of different families. Eventually it was abandoned and began to deteriorate, but before it became a total ruin, a group of volunteers was able to purchase it and began the long struggle to restore it and collect the materials to furnish it.

Many of the exhibits in these museums are permanent, but on occasion the Rim Country Museum brings in “new” material to showcase.

The new exhibit for 2011 at the Rim Country Museum is on the centennial of Roosevelt Dam. Also new for this year, the museum plans

a series of tours this summer for visitors and residents alike.

Called the Walking in History tours, the program started May 14 with a visit to the site described by Zane Grey in his novel, “Code of the West.”

The next tour will be July 9, 2011 — the Arizona Charlie Meadows guided auto tour.

In it, participants will see the site of the Meadows’ family ranch in Whispering Pines; visit historic Main Street where Payson’s Rodeo was held (Charlie and John Chilson founded the rodeo); see where Charlie arranged his sisters’ double wedding. The free tour will depart Rim Country Museum at 10 a.m.

On Aug. 13, 2011, there will be a rodeothemed program on Bucking Bulls by Farrell Hoosava of the Tonto Apache Tribe, who will be speaking on bucking bulls, which he raises on his New Mexico ranch.

The free event will be at the Rim Country Museum at a time to be announced.

The friends, supporters and members of the Northern Gila County Historical Society and its museums at Green Valley Park will enjoy another Evening Under the Rim Sept. 17, with dinner, music and a tour of the original site of the Zane Grey cabin.

The time and price of this event have not yet been set.

The next day, the museum will play host to the Zane Grey Classic Vintage Baseball game featuring 1860s rules and replicas of antique uniforms and equipment. The play will be between the senior Payson Cougars vs. Stars & Stripes at Green Valley Park.

The time has yet to be set.

Payson historian Jinx Pyle is scheduled to give a guided tour of the Payson Pioneer Cemetery on Oct. 8 and tell about the area’s settlers buried there. The time has not yet been set.

For more information go online to rimcountrymuseums.com or call (928) 4743483.

HUNGRY FOR LOCAL NEWS? Call 474-5251, ext. 108, to subscribe to the Payson Roundup — the Rim Country’s No. 1 news source.

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SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 11

Relive Western way of life at rodeo

BY TERESA MCQUERREY ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

Experience the thrill of the Western way of life at the 127th World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo Aug. 18 through Aug. 21 in Payson, Ariz.

Sanctioned as one of the featured Arizona Centennial Celebration events, the 127th Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo will be an event to remember.

For 127 continuous years, Payson has been celebrating the history and tradition of rodeo. According to the PRCA, which sanctions the event, it has been called the country’s Best Small Rodeo.

Some of the world’s greatest professional cowboys and cowgirls will keep the audience on the edge of their seats for more than two hours in four different performances. They’ll compete for cash and prizes totaling in excess of $50,000.

Part of the fun is the annual Rodeo Parade, held on Historic Main Street — where early rodeos were once held.

The parade, with the theme Western Leather & Lace is at 9 a.m., Saturday,

Your

Aug. 20. There will be an award for winners in each of eight categories.

The Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis of Zane Grey Country is producing this year’s parade and are seeking entrants.

Both experienced and new entrants are wanted, as well as sponsors for floats, event sponsors and volunteers to help with the parade.

For more information, please call the Chamber at (928) 474-4515.

The rodeo schedule: • Cactus WPRA Barrel Racing, 5 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 18, Payson Event Center • Men’s Pro Rodeo, “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night, 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 19, Payson Event Center • Rodeo Dance, 9 p.m., Oxbow Saloon, Main Street, Payson • Men’s Pro Rodeo, 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, Payson Event Center • Men’s Pro Rodeo, patriot performance to honor wounded and fallen veterans, 5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, Payson Event Center • Rodeo Dance, 9 p.m., Saturday, Aug.

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Dennis Fendler/Roundup

The 2011 World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo will feature four Men’s Pro Rodeo performances, a Women’s Professional Barrel Racing event and a parade. The event is Aug. 18-Aug. 21.

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PAGE 12 • SUMMER 2011

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Fly fishing — A pilgrimage of fluff and flies A fly-fisherman wannabe discovers why Rim Country boasts the greatest array of stream fishing opportunities in the state

BY PETER ALESHIRE ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

Photos by Tom Brossart/Roundup

Payson Flycaster and Trout Unlimited members Larry Hess and Gary Stull show writer and wannabe fly-fishing expert Peter Aleshire how to land the elusive rainbow trout who swim freely in the Tonto Creek waters in the Rim Country.

him and released him.

Holy barbless hooks, Batman — these dudes can teach me something.

That was, after all, why I had begged and wheedled, ditched work and followed this diffident pair of fly-fishing gurus to Tonto Creek, one of the most popular fly-fishing streams in Arizona.

I have flailed the waters of many streams with flies of random design for many years, with only the most fitful success. When it comes to fishing, I am like one of those first night hopefuls on American Idol, whose infectious optimism is dwarfed only by his appalling lack of talent — provoking in the onlooker some helpless mingling of pity and ridicule.

But after years of splashing about halfheartedly I moved to Rim Country. Once settled in, I resolved to get serious — or at least get to know some serious people.

After all, here in Rim Country you can fish for native Verde trout in Fossil Creek, for stocked rainbows in the East Verde, for both hatchery rainbows and wild browns in Tonto Creek and for browns, and wild rainbow in any number of smaller, less accessible creeks — like Haigler, Wet Beaver, Clear Creek and others.

And if stream fishing isn’t your thing, then you can jaunt on up Highway 260 to the chain of Rim lakes like Willow Springs, Bear Canyon, Woods Canyon, Chevelon

L

Like a neoprene Buddha, Larry Hess stood in perfect, strange, karmic balance with Tonto Creek, which flowed over a limestone ledge to create a textbook, troutfriendly eddy.

Hess drew back his fly rod, pausing on the backstroke to let the mellow yellow backing uncoil behind him. At just the perfect moment, he brought his stiff-elbowed flycaster’s arm forward smoothly, letting the pheasant-hair nymph drift out across the melodic pool.

I studied his every move with laborious care, convinced his fish karma must surely reside in the meditative prayers of his movement. For I was but a bereft pilgrim with cold feet and a cheap rod, standing mutely on the road to Mecca — seeking absolution and grace.

His cunningly crafted flit of thread and fluff alighted on the water like the Patron Saint of Larvae, then sank without demur.

A 14-inch rainbow trout immediately hit the nymph and Hess set the hook with offhand dexterity, bringing the foolishly gullible trout to his net. He then quickly released the undoubtedly older and wiser trout back into the pool.

The trout darted away, chastised for playing hooky from the school of hatchery raised rubes dumped into this very pool this very morning by those delightful fellows on the Tonto Hatchery stocking truck.

“Wow,” said I, marveling. “First cast.”

Larry Hess smiled modestly, enigmatic as the Mona Lisa — his mystique curiously enhanced by the insulated waders, jaunty hat and fishing vest a dangle with hook pluckers and do-dads of mysterious purpose.

I shifted my attention to Gary Stull, the second stalwart of the Payson Flycaster/Trout Unlimited chapter, who had promised to initiate me into the rituals of the sacred sport.

Gary was carefully traversing the top of the natural limestone dam that created the spillover that in turn created the pool and eddy to serve as a refuge for these poor, doomed hatchery rainbows.

He held his pole carefully, beset by the twin complications of the slippery rock and the rush of water. Abruptly he slipped, flailed briefly and recovered his balance. In that flail, he inadvertently set the hook in the mouth of the big rainbow trout that had been nibbling his neglected nymph.

Looking like that had been the plan all along Gary brought the trout close netted

See Casting, page 18

Fly-fishing expert Larry Hess smiled modestly, enigmatic as the Mona Lisa — his mystique curiously enhanced by the insulated waders, jaunty hat and fishing vest a dangle with hook pluckers and dodads of mysterious purpose as he showed writer Peter Aleshire how to best tie his fly to his fishing line.

PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 13

PAGE 14 • SUMMER 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Lowell Observatory still making discoveries Visit to Flagstaff reveals brilliant legacy of man who was right for all the wrong reasons

BY PETER ALESHIRE ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

Percival Lowell’s my role model.

Way wrong — but brilliant.

Well known for a big mistake — much less known for all the things he did right.

And remembered affectionately by schoolchildren nearly 100 years after his death.

Of course, I’m neither brilliant nor sufficiently ambitious in my mistakes to match him — but I still feel hopeful every time I go to visit the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, where children marvel at the universe and scientists still work to pick the lock on the riddle of the universe.

The small observatory on a hill overlooking Flagstaff was founded by Lowell in 1894 and played a key role in the discovery of Pluto — the tiny, frozen, ninth planet in the solar system — demoted recently by some official astronomical bodies to “planetoid” status.

The wealthy, Harvard-educated Lowell also gained international fame with an early report that he had detected a network of ancient, abandoned canals on Mars. He speculated that a vanished race built the canals as the planet dried out to bring water from the polar caps to their dying cities.

Other astronomers concluded he was imagining things and Lowell was cast into the scientific wilderness. Later, more powerful telescopes revealed his canals were natural, geological features. Some later critics concluded he was really seeing the blood vessels in his own eyes as he strained to discern details on the fuzzy orb.

Nonetheless, the undaunted Lowell devoted his final years to the search for Planet X — a hoped-for ninth planet in the solar system. With a degree in mathematics, he calculated where in the sky such a ninth planet ought to lie, based on tiny irregularities in the orbits of other planets. Lowell spent years searching for a telltale speck of moving light.

Another Lowell Observatory researcher Clyde Tombaugh, finally found Pluto about where Lowell had predicted. Strangely enough, other

astronomers later proved that Lowell had miscalculated — Pluto turned up more or less where he predicted by coincidence.

The observatory has continued to host astronomers — and now visitors.

Now, the observatory offers a host of kid-friendly activities — including letting visitors view nearby planets and strange clusters of stars and galaxies.

Visitors can enjoy a mini-planetarium show, listen to bluegrass and polka bands and get fascinating tours of the observatory.

In the meantime, research continues — with an emphasis on tasks still vital for a telescope far less powerful than the cutting-edge monsters with multiple, giant mirrors on remote mountaintops.

For instance, the observatory has continued one of Lowell’s early obsessions as it searchers for asteroids — especially big ones in orbits that might eventually intersect with the Earth.

Such an asteroid most likely killed of the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago.

Other ongoing research includes a survey of star formation in nearby dwarf irregular galaxies to cast light on questions about how stars actually form. The hard-working telescope continues to study comets, survey star types, compare the sun’s spectrum to other stars and a host of other projects.

As for me, I mostly like to drop by when I’m feeling discouraged.

Generally, I end up dropping by Lowell’s tomb on site to pay my respects.

After all, if Lowell could end up being right for all the wrong reasons and still get children so excited a century after his death — then I guess there’s hope for me.

Schedule

Daily events Guided Tours On the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Mars Tour, 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and explore Percival Lowell’s Alvan Clark refractor and the historic Rotunda Library; Pluto Tour, 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and see the Pluto Discovery Telescope as well as research facilities old and new.

Every Friday through Monday during the summer (June through August), there are also a Mars Tour at 5 p.m. and Pluto Tour at 6 p.m.

Solar Viewing — every day from 12:15 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. view the Sun

Tom Brossart/Roundup

Aspiring astronomers of all ages have access to the historic telescopes and much more at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Food and entertainment are part of the observatory’s summer offerings.

through a specially equipped solar tele- enjoy musical performances, and snack scope. on tasty delights from Frank’s Daily Bread. This is all in addition to regular Evening events programming that includes evening telTelescope Viewing — The telescopes escope viewing, daytime tours and will be opened (weather permitting) for more. Tuesday through Thursday, 6 viewing planets, the Moon, star clus- p.m. to 8 p.m., (June through August) ters, and more, all with the assistance of — Enjoy music on the Rotunda the observatory’s knowledgeable edu- Museum patio and purchase inexpencators. sive Pluto Dogs, Pigs in Space Pulled Viewing Schedule (Subject to change Pork Sandwiches, Cosmic Cranberry/ based on weather and other conditions): Turkey/Avocado Wraps, and more, June 18 to June 30 — Saturn and M5 (a supplied by Frank’s Daily Bread. globular star cluster) Telescope Viewing and Mini July 1 to July 22 — M5 Planetarium shows — 8:30 p.m. to 10 July 23 to July 31 — M5 and M11 (an p.m. open star cluster) Musical performers in June include: Aug. 1 to Aug. 31 — M11 Tuesdays: Big Willie and the Polka Sept. 1 to Sept. 16 — M11 and M15 (a Meisters globular star cluster) Wednesdays: Pony Express (featurSept. 17 to Sept. 31 — M15 and M2 (a ing classic rock, country, blues, jazz, globular star cluster) folk, bluegrass and originals) Thursdays: The Polka Katzen (Polka) Summer special events Meet one of Lowell’s astronomers — Through Aug 31 meet astronomers 7 p m to 10 p m Monday

PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

OBSERVATORY

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 15

PAGE 16 • SUMMER 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

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PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 17

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 18 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Casting is the trick From page 12 and Knoll — arguably the most popular trout fishing hot spots in the whole state.

So I flicked my dry fly imitation of a hapless Caddis fly on the deep, quiet pool and watched it float upstream in the grip of the eddy, like an illustration from a fly-fishing magazine. I have read the books. I have studied the entrails of the advice. Trout love such eddies, where they can float without effort out of the main flow and wait for the delivery of dinner on the conveyor belt of the current.

My fly floated perfectly: Utterly unmolested.

Gary pulled out another trout.

Larry laughed — and pulled out one of his own.

I cast again. And again. And again.

A perfect float. Why, if I were a trout observing such a scrumptious and perfectly presented pseudo-bug, I would not only bite — I would invite all my friends and relatives to the party.

Nothing.

Gary pulled out another.

L

See It is all about, page 23

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Fly-fisherman Larry Hess casts his line into one of the many pools along Tonto Creek in the Rim Country.

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Tom Brossart /Roundup

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 19

Smithsonian exhibit is all about food “Creating Your Best Quality of Life “Naturally” with FOOD and your BODY~N~MIND” Healthy Perspectives, LLC and the Au Naturale’ Café embodies Hippocrates nutritional approach using; “Food As Your Medicine and Medicine As Your Food.”

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Smithsonian Institution photo

Menomonee River Boom Co. garden, Marinette Wis., Sept. 5, 1895. Photograph by W.A. Henry, State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Learn food’s story at the library

BY TERESA MCQUERREY ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

F

L

ood tells a story — several in fact.

Where did the recipe for that dish originate? Where did the raw ingredients come from and how did they get here?

Food’s story and the answers to those questions are found in the Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition Key Ingredients: America by Food.

The Payson Public Library, in cooperation with the Arizona Humanities Council, will host the exhibit from June 25 through Aug. 7.

Most of us eat day in and day out without giving a second through to wealth of history and culture that shapes our dining habits and taste preferences. Our recipes, menus, ceremonies, etiquette and even our fast food are directly affected by our country’s rich immigrant experience, the history and innovations of food preparation technology and the ever-changing availability of key ingredients.

Key Ingredients: America by Food explains the little known, the everyday and the obvious through an entertaining and informative overview of our country’s diverse regional cooking and eating traditions. It investigates how culture, ethnicity, landscape and tradition influence foods and flavors we enjoy across the nations. Key Ingredients demonstrates how food on the American table is rooted in centuries of continuous borrowing and sharing between people across generations, across cultures and across the land. In addition, it underscores the contributions made by Native

American cultures to our palate and eating habits. It also addresses the entrepreneurial spirit on which many food production industries are based, such as those of food pioneers Heinz, Campbell and Borden.

Curated by Charley Camp, Key Ingredients: America by Food explores the connection between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare, preserve and present at the table — a provocative and thoughtful look at the historical, regional and social traditions that merge in everyday meals and celebrations.

Through a selection of artifacts, photographs and illustrations, Key Ingredients also looks beyond the home to restaurants, diners and celebrations that help build a sense of community through food. The exhibit addresses farming, table manners, history, markets and kitchen gadgets in a lively presentation that stimulates comparisons of back then and right now, over there and right here.

“We are very pleased to be able to bring Key Ingredients to our area,” said Terry Morris, director of the Payson Public Library.

“We hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life of our community,” she said.

Special features of the Payson exhibit are a photo showcase of mining and ranching history, including the “August Doin’s” Rodeo, deep-pit barbecue and Dutch oven cooking; a photo exhibit of the Tonto Apache’s food traditions, including acorn and pinion harvest; a 1940s kitchen display with antique stove and utensils; a display of historic and current cookbooks; and passes to the Rim Country Museum to see the historic kitchen of pioneer daughter, the late Anna Mae Deming.

See Smithsonian, page 20

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 20 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Smithsonian exhibit is all about food From page 19

Smithsonian Institution photo

The children’s table at the Crouch family Thanksgiving Day dinner, Ledyard, Conn., November 1940. Photo by Jack Delano courtesy of the Library of Congress.

saw someone’s pictures online of groceries, and was curious to see why they were posting pictures of food, saw that they had only paid pennies on the dollar for it and wanted

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to know how I could do that too.

Researched it, and started. Now I too post coupon pictures and have gotten several people turned on to couponing. I will never

buy things the way I used to again. I have a small stockpile in my garage of canned

L

The exhibit at the Payson library will include a series of special events, some in advance of the opening of the exhibit June 25.

• Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting and grand opening for Key Ingredients, the Smithsonian traveling exhibit at the Payson Public Library, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, June 24.

The evening will feature the exhibit and refreshments. Reservations are required, call (928) 474-4515.

• Saturday, June 25 - Sunday, Aug. 7 — Key Ingredients: America by Food, Smithsonian exhibit at the Payson Public Library; open to the public and free of charge.

• Tuesday, June 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Extreme Couponing Class with Monica Vaughn, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event, Payson Public Library.

Vaughn is 35, married and the mother of three girls, ages 10, 11 and 13. She started couponing a little in August 2010 and really went nuts with it just last December. “I

See Smithsonian, page 22

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 21

Payson Care Center Payson’s First Long Term Care Facility

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Special Alzheimer’s Care Unit

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Please call or stop by for a tour, our admissions director will be glad to meet with you!

Located adjacent to Payson Regional Medical Center 107 E. Lone Pine Drive, Payson, AZ 85541

(928) 474-6896 or (928) 970-1835

PAGE 22 • SUMMER 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Smithsonian Key Ingredients From page 20

foods, toiletries, laundry products, oral care items, and more. I will never pay for razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, body wash, lotion and many more items ever again. I have taught a few classes at my home and have even gone to the store with people to help them shop.”

This is a free event, but registration is required. Call (928) 474-9260 to register.

• Thursday, June 30, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Fry Bread for Families fry bread lunch sale, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event at the Payson Public Library.

Fry Bread for Families evolved from a decision by Mazatzal Hotel & Casino employees, while planning the annual Christmas party, to focus on the giving aspect of the holidays. The Fry Bread for Families team held four fry bread sales from September 2009 through December 2009 to raise money to help 10 families identified by local school districts.

Veteran fry bread cooks, Sophie Davis, Kathy Hinton, Randy Lewis and Arlinda Waterman prepared the fry bread while the remaining members of the team ran the event. Proceeds from the fry bread sales, as well as numerous donations of food, toys and household items by employees and casino vendors combined to make Christmas magical for the 10 Payson area

families. In 2010 the program expanded and helped 21 local families. In addition, the fry bread team purchased school supplies for Payson’s three elementary schools.

“We want to extend our outreach efforts in 2011,” says program coordinator, Michell Marinelli.

• Tuesday, July 12, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Eloiza’s Flour Tortilla Making Class. Free, but space is limited. To reserve a seat at the library, call (928) 474-9260.

• Saturday, July 16 — Rim Country Auto Club Exhibit, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event at the Payson Public Library. Free admission.

• Tuesday, July 26, 10 a.m. to noon; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Picnic in a Jar Cooking Classes, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event at the Payson Public Library. Call (928) 4749260 to register for the class of your choice; the fee is $10 per person.

• Thursday, July 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Fry Bread for Families fry bread lunch sale, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event at the Payson Public Library.

• Saturday, Aug. 6, noon — Deep Pit Cooking Demonstration, a Key Ingredients Smithsonian Exhibit event at the Payson Public Library. Call (928) 474-9260 to register for this free event.

The project Web site, keyingredients.org invites people across the country to share

Smithsonian Institution image

Purchasing a new appliance meant getting a recipe book, such as this one with a Hotpoint Electric Range, circa 1950, along with the operator’s manual — and still does today.

their family recipes and food stories, learn about others’ food traditions and identify favorite small town eateries. Basque fami-

lies in Nevada can swap recipes with Finnish towns in Wisconsin and Cuban communities in Florida.

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PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

SUMMER 2011• PAGE 23

Photos by Tom Brossart/Roundup

Finding the perfect fishing pool is possible along Tonto Creek (above), but it can be a rocky trip up and down the stream as Larry and Pete look for the best place to fish (right).

It is all about the temptations From page 18

And Larry laughed.

“What am I doing wrong?” I asked, once my false pride had sunk like a punctured beer can to the bottom of the pool.

Larry smiled that ineffable smile and splashed over to my position.

“Well,” he said. “Maybe you ought to try a nymph instead of a dry fly.”

“How do you decide which one to use?”

“Well,” he observed carefully, “I guess I wouldn’t use a dry fly unless I saw them feeding at the surface.”

Oh. Yeah. Well. Duh. So he deftly tied on a new length of leader, since I’d long ago snapped off or bit through the tapered, slender, almost invisible tip of my leader. I should have long ago replaced that tip with new leader, but I had no confidence in my ability to tie the new leader knot. Not only did Larry replace my leader, but he rigged no less than two nymphs — using a series of knots that had been taught to him one afternoon by a voice out of a burning bush.

“Try that,” he said after a few moments of incomprehensively complicated finger movements.

I cast.

Nothing.

I cast.

Nothing.

I sighed.

I cast.

STRIKE. In comes a beautiful gleam of a trout.

They’re all happy for me — except for the trout who seems not only surprised but faintly embarrassed to have been caught by me instead of Larry or Gary.

My gurus then suggest we move to another pool.

So we head back downstream to find a narrow pool at the base of a Zen waterfall, a soul-soothing cascade down a 12-foot high-limestone drop.

I cast into the pool without much conviction — it seems too narrow to harbor many trout.

Strike.

I’m so astonished that I fail to set the hook and he vanishes.

Shaken, I cast again.

Strike.

So now started the best 50 minutes in my entire, speckled fishing career, as the trout go as mad for my nymph as a stadium full of 12-year-old girls at a Justin Bieber concert.

They were just flinging themselves at me in their demented need to get caught. In that holy hour, I landed four fish and hooked, but quickly lost, four others.

Larry and Gary smile, between their own strikes and releases, beaming like parents on the morning of the toddler’s first steps.

And for that golden hour, I am beloved by the Fish Gods. My halo gleams. My prayers are answered. I am a righteous man in a state of grace — beloved by the Lord of Hosts (and fish that school).

Darkness finally puts an end to my glory.

I left that pool convinced that a New Age

had dawned. I understood the secret — two nymphs, stocking schedule, small deep pools.

I have been back to that pool time and again since. And don’t get me wrong — I usually catch something. One. Maybe two.

And that’s a big change from the pattern of my life as a fisherman.

But I have not since that day had such a frenzy of biting fish.

But that’s all right.

I still faithfully recite my prayers in the swishing of the fly line overhead.

I still go and stand in a respectful way. I still talk to the fish, when no one is looking.

Heck. Even Moses came only to the mountaintop, where he looked down upon the Promised Land he could not enter.

I’m OK with that.

So I’ll just stand here on the shore of the Promised Land for another hour, listening to the song of the waters.

PAGE 24 • SUMMER 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAYSON ROUNDUP

SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 25

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YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 26 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Trails tempt Rim travelers to get out, explore Payson, at an elevation of 5,000 feet, sits at the gateway of numerous trails covering a vast diversity of ecosystems, waterways and topography. The world’s largest ponderosa pine forest surrounds the town and sits atop the Mogollon Rim. Taking a drive along the Rim Road provides access to numerous lakes with meandering trails.

Taking hikes along the East Verde River expands the experience with a riparian ecosystem including oak, ash, cottonwood, sycamore and willows.

Fossil Creek is one of the seven federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers, while Tonto and Horton creeks provide hikes with an alpine flare.

A note of caution: remote trails are not well traveled, lack clear signage and can have damage from storms.

Before heading out, consult the Forest Service.

The Tonto Forest Service office is located off of Highway 260 east of Payson. The address is 1009 E. Highway 260; the phone number, (928) 474-7900; the Web site is www.fs.fed .us/r3/tonto/recreation/rec-hikingindex.shtml#mogollonrim. The Web site gives updates on fire restrictions, forest news and programs available.

The trails around the town of Payson, called the Payson Area Trails System (PATS), include 30 miles of riding and hiking trails that connect to Forest Service trails. The trails are well maintained with clear signs. Pick up a map at the Chamber of Commerce on Main Street and Hwy. 87 or go to the Town of Payson’s Web site, www.paysonrimcountry.com/MountainRecreation/ HikingTrails/PaysonAreaTrailsSystem.

aspx. The longest hike in the system is 4.7 miles and the shortest is 0.4 miles.

Rim Country visitors who would like to see more of the area around Payson can take part in upcoming free group hikes hosted by the Payson Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department: at 8 a.m., Saturday, July 16 there will be a hike of the Round Valley Trail, which is rated at moderate difficulty and is 4.5 miles. Hikers will meet at the South Phoenix Trail Access, which is approximately a mile east of Hwy. 87 on the south side of Phoenix Street, north of the traffic light on 87 at the Payson Event Center and Mazatzal Hotel & Casino. Turn right on South Gibson Court and the trail access will be on the right; at 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, hike from the Event Center to Peach Orchard Trailhead. Meet at the PEC for this 4-mile, moderately difficult hike.

Shuttle service will be provided from the end of the hike back to the PEC. Be sure to wear hiking boots and bring water.

Fossil Creek offers two adventures.

One is a strenuous, 4-mile hike down a canyon to the spring source; the other offers a dirt road access to the creek farther downstream. To find either trail, go to Fossil Creek Road off of Hwy. 87/260 in Strawberry. Continue to the end of the paved road where it turns into a dirt road; signs indicate where to park and find trailheads.

Fossil Creek gets heavily used during the weekends, but the scenery and wildlife are unique in the world. The creek source comes from water percolating through the limestone cliffs of the Mogollon Rim. The water comes out full of travertine, which gives it a greenish color. The high levels of calcium in the water create pools clinging to

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The Monument Peak Trail, part of the PATS, runs along the side of a seasonal stream bed.

The three-mile hike is classed as easy. The trailhead is 3.3 miles east of Highway 260 on Granite Dells Road.

the edge of the creek. Rare fish and amphibians populate these pools. Take plenty of water; hikers often suffer from the heat when climbing up from the spring source.

Horton and Tonto creeks sit off of Hwy. 260 near Kohl’s Ranch and the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery. From Payson, go east on Hwy. 260 about 21 miles; follow the signs to the fish hatchery, but park in the parking lot next to

the bridge over the stream. The Horton Creek trailhead is across the street opposite the entrance to the campground. The spring source is located 4 miles up the trail. The water is so pure, hikers can fill up their water bottles directly from the gushing source. The walk back to the car at the end of the hike goes downhill and gets plenty of shade from the trees overhanging the trail.

There are numerous entrances to Tonto Creek off of the Fish Hatchery road. Since the hatchery stocks the creek, fishermen line the shores.

Waterfalls and shallow pools line the walk.

Payson, Pine and Strawberry also have the honor of being gateway communities to the Arizona Trail. The Arizona Trail goes from the Mexico border to the Utah border. It covers 800-plus miles of Arizona terrain.

Passages #25 - Whiterock Mesa and 26 - Hardscrabble Mesa lay between the three towns. For more information, maps, news and information, please visit the Arizona Trail Association’s Web site at: www.aztrail.org.

To find further trails, check out the Arizona Hiking Trails Web site: www.arizonahikingtrails.com/paysonhikes.asp.

This Web site describes the location of trails, difficulty, length of hikes and whether or not the trail is kid-friendly.

Enjoy some of the most scenic and diverse hiking, biking and horseback riding trails in Arizona. From easy to survival-enthusiast difficult, the Payson area offers hikers, horseback riders, mountain bike riders, photographers and backpackers adventures for every level.

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SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 27

Tonto Natural Bridge a magnetic attraction The world’s largest natural travertine bridge represents Rim Country’s bestknown tourist attraction — but it has also required a tenacious fight to make sure it stays open all summer.

Officials from Town of Payson and a band of volunteers who love the soaring, cavernous arch that forms a grotto through which Pine Creek flows, struck a deal with the Arizona State Parks Board to keep the park open, despite budget woes that have forced the closure of many other state parks.

As a result, the drip castle formations dissolved in the ancient cliff of travertine can continue to draw crowds all summer — many of them from other continents.

Despite its financial woes, the State Parks Board announced plans to keep the park open seven days a week this summer, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition, work continues on repairing damage caused by pipes that burst during a severe January cold snap.

The damage forced the state parks system to temporarily postpone plans to seek a private contractor to run the park and perhaps upgrade the facilities.

The cavernous tunnel has been used as a hiding place by settlers hunted by raiding Apaches. On the plateau above sits an historic lodge that now houses a visitor’s center.

The 83-feet-high, 400-foot-long tunnel through the cliff face was created by the inconspicuous Pine Creek as it chewed through the layers of ancient rock, thanks to the intricate marvel of time and chemistry.

Fascinating geological processes lie behind the formation of the bridge, 150 feet wide at its widest point.

The story of the bridge starts millions of years ago with the deposit of layers

Tom Brossart/Roundup

The Tonto Natural Bridge offers a unique escape in the Rim Country from the wide, grassy area that is the bridge’s top, to the challenging hike to beneath the bridge and assorted trails.

of travertine, a porous form of calcite.

The layers were buried, cemented, uplifted and then exposed to the water of Pine Creek.

Prospector David Gowan is credited with the discovery of the natural phenomenon in 1877 while running from Apaches. It is said he hid in the caves found in the cavern.

Later, he tried to make a go of farming in the area, but eventually turned the property over to family who joined

him from Scotland.

Various private parties owned it until 1990 when Arizona State Parks bought it.

The once torturous road leading to the bridge has been paved and widened for easy access, and the century-old lodge has been converted to include a gift shop. The state’s master plan calls for the eventual restoration of rooms in the lodge, and creekside cabins.

Visitors flock to the park to enjoy its

vistas, the hike down to the bottom of the bridge and the cool mountain stream that wore away the rocks that created the arch. Most must struggle to understand the complex geological processes that created the bridge.

The fine crystals of travertine are a form of dissolved limestone, comprised of calcium carbonate — often from the skeletons of aquatic animals. Nearby Fossil Creek is rich in this same mineral.

Natural acids in groundwater dissolve the calcium carbonate as water seeps through fractures in the limestone. Once the spring water bubbles back to the surface, dissolved carbon dioxide escapes like gas from popping open a bottle of carbonated soda. As the water evaporates, calcite comes out of the solution and creates travertine.

The ecology of the park is in many ways as remarkable as the geology.

Straddling Pine Creek at the base of the Mogollon Rim, the bridge lies in the overlap between several major habitat types.

Five different species of bats live in the park, plus bobcats, cottontails, black bears, coyotes, gray foxes, elk, mountain lion and a host of other species. It has also been the scene of special bird watching activities in the past.

The marks of the hardy settlers who made their home in the valley that is the top of bridge are a testament to human tenacity in the face of hardships. A large variety of fruit trees and berry bushes, plus flowers grace the site.

Plan to spend a whole day at the Tonto Natural Bridge to enjoy the full extent of this wonder. Take Highway 87 approximately 15 miles north of Payson and turn left at the sign.

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A perfect week in the Rim Country Come to Rim Country and a day’s drive will take you to a host of attractions

BY PETE ALESHIRE ROUNDUP STAFF REPORTER

Tom Brossart/Roundup

The lakes on top of the Mogollon Rim are just a short drive away when Payson is your “home base” for a summer vacation in the cool mountain country. High fire hazards may keep the forests closed until the monsoons can dampen the vegetation enough to keep things safe.

then take a left turn on the designated road. Hike down to the world’s largest travertine arch and bring a picnic lunch.

The state park will remain open seven days a week all summer, thanks to help from volunteers plus the towns of Payson and Star Valley.

— Pine and Strawberry: Browse the arts, crafts and antique shops. Don’t miss the museum and historic schoolhouse for a cozy dose of history.

— Flowing Springs Road: On the way back to Payson, turn just outside of town onto Flowing Springs Road. You can stop on a little, limestone peninsula with a great view of the East Verde River — look sharp for bald eagles.

Then continue along the road that hugs the stream. There’s a nice campground here and lots of picnic spots. Bring your fishing pole.

— Dinner: Head back to Payson and try Macky’s Grill, located next to the theatres in the Sawmill Crossing complex. Macky’s is open daily for lunch

and dinner and recently added 40 new items to their menu.

WEDNESDAY: — Breakfast: Sometime during the week, treat yourself to breakfast at The 260 Café on Highway 260. This popular diner opens daily at 6 a.m. and offers breakfast specials starting at $1.99.

— Forest Road 300: Time to wander — head east for one of the state’s great, backroad adventures atop the Mogollon Rim. Drive east on Highway 260 through Star Valley, past Tonto Creek and on for about 30 miles to the top of the Mogollon Rim. Right after you top out, Forest Road 300 crosses the highway. Go right to drive along the Rim past Willow Springs and Black Canyon lakes all the way to Show Low. Alternatively, you can go west from the highway on Forest Road 300 and pass Woods Canyon, Bear Canyon and Knoll lakes on your way to eventually come out on Highway 87 near Pine.

Either route will take the day if done right and guarantee so many stunning views you’ll grow jaded. Camp on the Rim if you’re inclined, but check on whether the Forest Service has fire restrictions in effect. Bring your fishing pole for great fishing in a string of trout-stocked lakes.

THURSDAY: Already? Jeeze. So much left to see.

Still, take a break. Don’t drive so much today. Take in the antique stores and art galleries on Main Street in Payson. Fish for the stocked trout and sometimes giant catfish in the Green Valley Park lakes. Stop by the Rim Country Museum and the replica of Zane Grey’s Cabin.

— Tonto Creek: By afternoon, you’ll need a fresh dose of scenery, so get back on Highway 260 through Star Valley back on up to Tonto Creek. You can drive up the good dirt road to visit the fish hatchery, which stocks Rim L

Put a map of Arizona on the wall.

Get a dart.

Now, aim for the center.

If you’re a good shot — you probably hit Payson.

That is what makes Payson the perfect base of operations to explore a huge chunk of Arizona. Turns out, Payson’s quiet and out of the way — but it’s also just about an hour from everywhere.

So instead of paying Sedona prices, set up shop in Payson for a week and have the most amazing variety of adventures — depending on the season.

Within an hour’s drive, you could fish a high country lake, troll for bass on Roosevelt Lake, sample the 800-yearold ruins of Tonto National Monument, paddle down the Verde River, take a plunge in Fossil Creek, have a gourmet dinner at La Posada, get a massage at a Sedona resort, picnic on the banks of Tonto Creek.

To prove the point, we offer this suggested itinerary for a week in Rim Country.

MONDAY: — Start off easy with an in-town adventure to explore the East Verde River out Houston Mesa Road. Turn onto the road off Highway 87 north of Payson.

— ShooFly Ruins: The signs along the trail through the overgrown remains of sandstone walls tell a little about the farmers who lived here for centuries, before disappearing mysteriously in the 1400s.

— Water Wheel: Continue up past the bridge over the Verde to the turnout at the unsigned Water Wheel. Park in the day use area and hike along the creek to reach a waterfall and plunge pool upstream. Observe the strict fire restrictions and ban on camping, which will remain in effect at least until the monsoons wet everything down in late summer.

TUESDAY: Sleep in, relax, you’re on vacation — unless you get up early to fish in the Green Valley Lakes at the end of Main Street or in the East Verde River.

— Tonto Natural Bridge: Go north on Highway 87 about halfway to Pine,

See Based, page 30

PAYSON ROUNDUP

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

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SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 29

YOUR GUIDE TO ARIZONA RIM COUNTRY

PAGE 30 • SUMMER 2011

PAYSON ROUNDUP

Based in Payson, all Arizona is at your fingertips From page 28

streams and lakes with some 300,000 trout annually.

— Horton Trail: This secluded hike through the deep forest that shades the stream eventually connects with the Highline Trail, which runs from Highway 260 along the base of the Rim all the way to Pine; it’s one of the prettiest hikes in Arizona.

— Kohl’s Ranch: Just south of the highway along Tonto Creek lies historic Kohl’s Ranch, where you can rent a creekside cabin or just enjoy dinner in the historic lodge.

FRIDAY: How’d the week go so fast? Haven’t even taken advantage of Rim Country’s central location for those out-of-town adventures. Time for a quick day trip.

Northeast: Two hours gets you to the White Mountains and deep forest streams and fishing hot spots. But check on conditions before you go; many areas here were devastated by the Wallow Fire.

Northwest: About 90 minutes and you’re in Winslow with its wonderfully

restored La Posada Inn and not far from Holbrook or the marvels of Petrified Forest National Monument. Besides boasting a fascinating history, La Posada serves some of the best gourmet food in the state.

— Go to the west side of the Rim: It takes about an hour to get to the Verde Valley, with Camp Verde, Montezuma’s Castle and Well National Monument and the Tuzigoot ruins. By then, you’re nearly to Jerome, a mining town turned artist colony. You could also drop by Sedona to shop and feel smug that you avoided the crowds and expensive hotels by staying in Payson.

— Dinner: Come on back to the Mazatzal Casino just south of Payson and live it up a little, including dinner in the Cedar Ridge Restaurant. Enjoy authentic hickory smoked ribs, chicken, beef, steaks and seafood.

SATURDAY: This is ridiculous. Out of time.

— Fossil Creek: Still, can’t leave without a wonderful, if arduous, wilderness adventure in Fossil Creek, just outside of Strawberry. Take a steep trail down to the creek, then you’ll

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enjoy one of the most remarkable streams in Arizona, its waters tinged with travertine and its pools filled with big fish. You can also drive down and park alongside the stream — although that means dealing with the summer crowds. In fact, if you like swimming in paradise — you might reorder your itinerary and visit Fossil Creek during the week, when the crowds are less frantic.

On your way back to Payson, stop at Fossil Creek Creamery for fresh goat cheese and fudge. You can also rent horses nearby.

Alternatively, you could also get a great wilderness experience by going north out of Pine to West Clear Creek — or maybe to the Blue Ridge Reservoir.

Be back in Payson by 7 p.m. and go to Green Valley Park at the end of Payson’s historic West Main. Take a blanket to spread on the grass and enjoy a free concert under the stars.

SUNDAY: Out of time already? But we haven’t visited Bear Flat and hiked into Hellsgate Wilderness, canyoneered

down Tonto Creek or the East Verde, hiked the Highline Trail, fished for wild brown trout on Haigler Creek, spent anywhere near enough time exploring lakes along the Rim, made the journey through deep forest to Chevelon Lake, hiked or biked any of the 30 miles of trails encircling Payson or the hundreds of miles of Forest Service trails, gone to any of the more than 200 special events, like the Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, the First Friday Art and Antique Walks on Main Street, the artist studio tours, the big Fourth of July Bash, or the Civil War re-enactment. We need at least two more weeks.

Make that a month. But what to do with the one more day?

— Tonto National Monument lies about 40 miles south of Payson on Highway 188. The cliff dwellings overlooking Roosevelt Lake offer a wonderful glimpse of a mysterious, vanished ancient culture.

— Roosevelt Lake: Since you’re here, might as well drop by the marina in Tonto Basin and rent a boat to either water ski or fish for bass. That’s really a full day.

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SUMMER 2011 • PAGE 31

Rim Country summer’s calendar of events To help you enjoy your time in Rim Country, here is a listing of some of the continuing and upcoming summer events.

The first Friday of each month, many of the merchants and galleries along Historic West Main in Payson stay open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with food, fun and entertainment for Rim Country residents and guests.

Every Saturday morning there is a Farmers Market at the Sawmill Crossing, on the southwest corner of the junction of the Beeline Highway and Historic West Main Street.

Also every Saturday, through the end of July, at 7 p.m. in Green Valley Park’s amphitheater area is a free Concert Under the Stars. The following performers are scheduled to appear: • Dr. Jass and The Heart Beats present New Orleans jazz, June 25 • Terry McFee Orchestra brings Big Band music, July 2 • Junction 87 offers country music, July 9 • Jerry & Judy of the Missouri Opry play swing and oldies rock, July 16 • The Top Cats present blues, July 23 The second Saturday of each month there is a Shop Hop in Pine, where merchants on Highway 87 and Hardscrabble Road offer specials and entertainment from 1 p.m. until close.

July

• 5th Annual Rim Country Open Arizona Disc Golf Tournament, 8 a.m., • 4th of July Weekend — Starts with the First Friday festivities on Historic Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, Main Street from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Rumsey Park, 328 N. McLane Road.

Friday, July 1; this is followed by a Participants at the Novice, Intermediate Concert Under the and Professional levels will play 18 Stars in Green “holes,” with three rounds of competiValley Park with tion. Contact the parks office for the Big Band details, (928) 474-5242, ext. 7 or go music of the Terry online to www.paysonrimcountry.com.

McFee Orchestra August at 7 p.m., Saturday, • Monsoon 4 Miler — Starts at 8 July 2; and then the a.m., Saturday, Aug. 6 at Rumsey Park Payson Pro Rodeo Ramada 6; $25 entry fee. This 4-mile Committee’s Chili race course is flat and fast and takes Cook-Off from 9 runners through Payson neighbora.m. to 4 p.m., hoods. Pre-registration is due by July Sunday, July 3 at 25, however race-day registrations will the Payson Event Center. Admission is be taken. See the parks contact infor$4 and buys a cup, spoon and a ticket to mation above for details. vote for your favorite People’s Choice • 127th World’s Oldest Continuous Chili. For information about entering, Rodeo is Aug. 18 through Aug. 21 at the contact: Ernie Payson Event Padilla, (928) 468Center with its 0008 or (928) 595accompanying 0731.

August Doin’s Festivities for the Rodeo Parade, Fourth of July “Western Leather begin at 8 a.m. with & Lace” at 9 a.m., a patriotic ceremoSaturday, Aug. 20 ny at the Green on Historic Main Valley Veterans Street in Payson.

Memorial; oldFor parade applicafashioned games tions, please go to and fun from 1 the Chamber on the p.m. to 3 p.m., including sack races, an northwest corner of Beeline and Main egg toss, a tug-of-war and foot races. Street, call (928) 474-4515, or online The band Higher Power will present a visit www.rimcountrychamber.com. free concert from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Applications are due by Aug. 14.

Fireworks over the lake will begin at 9 Additional rodeo details can be found in p.m. a separate story on page 11 of this publi-

cation.

September

• The old-fashioned 57th Annual Northern Gila County Fair starts Sept. 8 at the Payson Event Center. Gates open at 9 a.m. This is truly a “home-grown” fair, featuring everything from farm animals to blue ribbon pies.

• The Payson Demolition Derby will be Sept. 11 at the Payson Event Center; gates open at 11:30 a.m. and the event starts at 1 p.m. For further information, contact Nelson Beck at (928) 4745242, ext. 306 • Vertilee Floyd Memorial 41st Annual Old Time Fiddlers Contest and Acoustic Music Celebration is Sept.

24-25 at the Payson Event Center, the event is where the Arizona State Champion will be crowned.

Other

Throughout the summer there will be numerous other events presented by area clubs, organizations and churches.

For instance, the Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild has craft shows on all the holiday weekends of the summer. They are held at the Community Center in Pine. The next will be over the Fourth of July weekend, followed by another over the Labor Day weekend. The Fireflies, the auxiliary of the Hellsgate Fire Department, also has regular events during the long holiday weekends, generally at the Tonto Village Fire Station.

To get the latest listings, visit the Payson Roundup’s Web site, www.payson.com and check out the Almanac. The newspaper is uploaded each Tuesday and Friday afternoon.

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