Souvenirs From The Road: Truckin’ Across Arizona!

Day 8 (March 31) of our trip found us leaving New Mexico after driving 551 miles through it. We got an early start for two reasons (1) to avoid the wind and (2) to try and beat the rain. Our route had us hitting I-10 for a short distance and there was wind and sandstorms. Once we got off the interstate, it was all much better. And when we crossed into Arizona it was like someone changed the lightbulb – it was beautiful! There are wildflowers and snow capped mountains. But the crazy time change kinda has us messed up. (Arizona doesn’t observe daylight savings time).

Welcome to Arizona!

We got into Lost Dutchman State Park around 1:00. It’s raining and it’s cold. But it’s breathtaking! The Superstition Mountains are in our view from the campsite. I wish we were staying longer, but when I was making reservations, this was all I could find. We napped while it rained. Then we made Easter dinner and enjoyed our propane campfire.

Superstition Mountains behind our campsite.

Rain can make a picture look so different!

Our campsite. Can't beat that!

The saguaro is massive.

Beautiful "weeds"

Springtime blooms

Rain drops

The birds were out!

Day 9 (April 1) we set our sights on Dead Horse Ranch State Park, south of Sedona, Arizona. What an interesting and beautiful ride over we had. We listened to the local weather before leaving. They said it hasn’t rained or snowed on Easter since 1989. Well, yesterday it rained. And today while traveling through the high country, it snowed. We traveled highway 260/87, skirting around Phoenix.

Once we got settled into our campsite, here came the rain. The park is along the Verde River. The park is 423 acres. In case you wonder how the park was named…..The Ireys family came to Arizona from Minnesota in the late 1940s looking to buy a ranch. At one property they discovered a dead horse by the road. When Mr. Ireys asked the kids which ranch they liked best, they said, “The one with the dead horse.” When Arizona state parks acquired the park in 1973, the condition of the sale was retaining the name. The park is a good location for day trips to see the beautiful red rock country that Sedona is famous for. We stayed two days just for this reason, although we had to change campgrounds.

Day 10 (April 2) was our “tourist” day. Our first stop was Montezuma Castle National Monument. (By the way, keep in mind that if you visit here, get here early. It’s a very small parking lot and at 10:00 am it was pretty packed. When we left they were parking up and down the road.) I think it’s always cool to see cliff dwellings. Southern Sinagua farmers built this five-story, 20 room dwelling sometime between 1100 and 1300 AD. It occupies a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley. Early settlers assumed it was Aztec and therefore the name. The occupants here found water in the creek and fertile soil land to farm. No one knows why the Southern Sinagua migrated away from their pueblos by the early 1400s. Teddy Roosevelt created this 3^rd National Park.

Cute little bird out our window

Montezuma Castle NHP

Beaver Creek by the park - a little swollen from the rains

Next stop, since it was close by, was Fort Verde State Historic Park. This was a frontier soldier fort in Camp Verde, Arizona. The fort was a base for General Crook’s U.S. Army scouts and soldiers in the 1870s and 1880s. There are 3 historic house museums – The Commanding Officer’s Quarters, Bachelor Officer’s Quarters and the Surgeon’s Quarters on Officer Row.

A view of the Surgeon's House/Hospital and the Bachelor Quarters

Commanding Officer's Quarters where Tonto the Apache Chief and 300 of his men surrendered to Gen. George Crook in 1873.

The last stop of the day was Red Rock State Park. There is no camping here as it is a 286-acre nature preserve and environmental education center. What we enjoyed was the absolutely most stunning scenery! Hiking trails are abundant. They have a lot of mule deer here as well. We hiked up the Apache Fire Loop to see the Apache Fires House up close. In 1941 Helen and Jack Frye were looking for a get away place from the pressure’s of Jack’s job as president of Trans World Airlines (TWA). They acquired 5 small homesteads that became the 700 acre Smoke Trail Ranch. Before the home was completed, they divorced. Helen got the property here. Construction on the house began in 1947, but stopped with the divorce but Helen moved into the second floor. The park acquired the land in 1991.

Beautiful red rock scenery

Red Rock State Park

Apache Fires House and 3 Sisters

The creek is flowing pretty good after the rain.

Big Tree

All of this being a tourist for a day wears one out. We got to our new campsite to chill, cook a steak, and enjoy life. But our neighbors next door are camping in a Tesla pickup truck and it seems like it’s a magnet for everyone to stop and check it out lol.

The Tesla Pickup Truck. Not for us!

Day 11 and 12 - The last part of our stay in Arizona is Cattail Cove State Park, located on Lake Havasu. This is our second time here and I must say it’s a beautiful, well maintained state park. They have irrigation for the trees and seem to go out of the way to keep it clean. There’s another “Campground Full” sign out. We didn’t get here until 3:30 and low and behold, they close the office early and they lock the dump station. There are so many boondockers out here off of Hwy 95 that tend to make a mess of it is what we’re told. So…..keep that in mind if you’re traveling here with a pretty full tank that needs to be emptied lol. So let me share something about our drive over here. The GPS put us on Hwy. 89A through Jerome. Oh my gosh it’s a beautiful drive and the town looked like so much fun. We didn’t stop though. It’s a very narrow and winding road, the town is built on “levels” and parking a rig like ours would have been mostly impossible. Don’t even think of driving anything bigger than what we have over this road. But it was one of the prettiest drives we have been on so far. I-40 going west is VERY rough. The stars are absolutely amazing at night! We’re staying here 2 nights enjoying the park.