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May 23, 2003/Iyar 21 5763, Vol. 55, No. 39
Day tripping
Fun activities beat the heat
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Ah, summer in Phoenix. The air conditioning is on full blast, your shoes are sticking to the asphalt, and you've already been to the mall, the art museum and the movies four times this month.
What else is there to do?
Actually, summertime is the right time for early-morning hikes, sunset dinners, road trips, even fishing. You just have to know when - and where - to go.
Following are a few options for day-trippers who crave adventure. As they say, get out there and "do Arizona."
Take a sunset Jeep tour
What better way to become one with Arizona's desert than on a sunset Jeep tour? Arizona Jeep Tours offers a Sunset Dinner Tour that departs 2.5 hours before sundown. It includes approximately two hours in the desert with a stop and explanations about the Apache and Hohokam cultures, as well as native plants, animals, and the geology of gold. After the educational pause, it's off to a rustic western steakhouse (usually Pinnacle Peak Patio) for dinner. Cost is $65 for the tour, $105 with dinner. They will pick you up; sometimes there is a small fee. Call 602-942-3361 or visit www.arizona-jeeptours.com.
Make a scenic drive to Sedona
Whether you're in search of a vortex or just a pleasant way to while away a day, Sedona is one attraction too good to miss. By traveling along the scenic route (take Interstate 17 north to Arizona 179), you will experience beautiful scenery that is not visible from the main highway. Likewise, various exits provide easy access to fascinating Native American ruins such as Montezuma Castle National Monument (exit 285) and Tuzigoot National Monument (exit 287). Exit 262 (Cordes Junction) leads to Arcosanti, architect Paolo Soleri's visionary, futuristic city. Arcosanti holds city tours and also is a venue for concerts.
Fish Central Arizona lakes
According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, more fishing activity takes place on Central Arizona lakes than in any other area of the state. Their proximity to Phoenix and dark-blue waters provide some of the best fishing in the state. Lakes Pleasant and Roosevelt are best for largemouth bass and crappie, while Roosevelt and Bartlett are best for catfish. Are you more of a trout fisherman? Head out to the Salt River below Saguaro Lake. It's a year-round trout fishery, and when the air temperature hovers around 100 degrees, the water is a cool 65.
Arizona Snowbowl Scenic Skyride
The Arizona Snowbowl ski resort is just a few miles out of Flagstaff off Highway 180. In winter, it's a haven for skiers, snowboarders and those who just like to hang out in the lodge, enjoying the scenery.
Instead of closing down in summer, Snowbowl offers the Scenic Skyride. The chairlift takes visitors to the top of Mount Agassiz, Arizona's second-highest peak, at 11,500 feet.
The trip to the top hovers just above the tips of Ponderosa pines, and there are trails and scenic views at the peak. The skyride is open daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. After Labor Day, it's open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through mid-October. Call (520) 779-1951.
See Verde Canyon by starlight
The Verde Canyon Railroad, located in Clarkdale, offers Starlight Tours through Sept. 20. Passengers, who will experience the transition from day to night, will view a natural light show not visible from the city.
The open-air viewing car affords close proximity to the pristine landscape and wildlife in its natural rhythm of life.
From Phoenix, take I-17 north to exit 287 westbound onto Highway 260. Follow it to the junction of 260 and 89A. At 89A, turn left and proceed through Old Town Cottonwood to Clarkdale. The address is 300 N. Broadway.
Tickets are $39.95-$59.95. Call (800) 293-7245 or visit www.verdecanyonrr.com.
Visit the Wigwam Motel
A landmark on Route 66 since 1950 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Wigwam Motel is the only place in Arizona where visitors can spend a night in a teepee. Well, sort of.
The "wigwams," made of concrete, are surprisingly straightforward on the inside and have many of the amenities of a regular motel. But from the outside, they're pure kitsch.
Nearby attractions include the Painted Desert, Canyon de Chelly and the Petrified Forest National Park, so make a day of it.
The Wigwam Motel is located at 811 W. Hopi Drive, Holbrook. Call (928) 524-3048.
Hike to petroglyphs
We don't normally recommend long hikes under the hot Arizona sun, but if you leave early enough this trail is worth the hassle of getting up at the crack of dawn and toting an extra bottle of water. The carved petroglyphs in Hieroglyphic Canyon, attributed to the Hohokam Indians, provide a remarkable glimpse into early Arizona life. They are estimated to be 200 to 2,000 years old.
From Apache Junction, take Broadway Road east to its end. Park. You will start the hike on Jacob's Crosscut Trail. Though it makes a sharp left turn in about a half-mile, continue to go straight ahead and follow the contour of the mountain. Soon after (three miles), the Hiero-glyphic Trail will appear, which you can follow into the canyon and springs.
And finally: tubing on the Salt River
If you can fit in an inner tube and you don't mind a wet tush, this is the way to spend a day: tubing the Salt River. It's often called a "floating party" or "floating picnic" because so many people go in groups - tubes lashed together, beer-filled coolers floating alongside.
Take Shea Boulevard East, then go North on Highway 87 to the lake turnoff. From the East Valley, take Power Road North to the turnoff.
The all-day rate is $12 per person/tube. Cash only. No children under 8 years of age. Glass bottles are not permitted, and be sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen. There is no sunburn quite like a Salt River sunburn - it's crispy and painful. Please, reapply often.
Call 480-984-3305.
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