good-times-rollin

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Call of the Canyon...West Fork Trail

Distant Drums RV Resort
Camp Verde, AZ
April 29, 2015

Call of the Canyon is a novel written by Zane Gray in 1924 and became the first of many Hollywood films made in Red Rock Country that same year. This canyon has become my favorite Sedona hike!

Before the "true" trail begins there are points of interest...

twisted, gnarly apple trees that were planted by the first settlers (1880s) in the area line the path...

...majestic cliff walls on your right lure you in...

and the sound of running water on your left lets you know it is OK to relax, take your time and enjoy!

Another spot is the ruins of the home of Bear Howard...who was a fugitive from California. Arriving in West Fork in 1879 on the run from the law, he made his home here.

Years later his home became Mayhem Lodge and was quite famous for it's hospitality serving as a get away for movie stars and diplomats.

Just past the ruins the trail turns right and the hike begins following West Fork as it flows through a deep, forested canyon. After we did this trail last year, a fire which originated in near by Slide Rock State Park burned about 21,000 acres. West Fork lay directly in the path of the blaze, but was spared. The beginning of the trail showed the most signs of fire... bare trees, lots more sunlight and a thick blanket of green ferns covered the ground.

There is so much beauty here. Looking up, I especially love the contrast of the cliff walls and the blue sky with clouds floating by.

The red rock is a pretty backdrop for young tree leaves.

Over time the creek has carved the cave like appearance revealed in this picture. I love it !

This canyon hike simply grabs my attention and heart at every turn.

We passed a forestry volunteer with bucket in hand. He was collecting various moss and lichen for a park study on the different varieties found in the canyon.

West Fork Trail is rated an easy/longer hike at 6.6 miles round trip. We hurried last year when we did it in order to make it to the end in our allotted 6 hour window which included a two hour round trip drive from home. This year we decided to take our time and enjoy. We came within a half mile of the finish and had a wonderful time. Last years post is in the archives from April 2014.

What a wonderful, peaceful day...until next time, happy days and...

happy trails!

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Tuzigoot National Monument

Distant Drums RV Resort
Camp Verde, AZ
April 28, 2015

Tuesday, Joe and I put on out tourist hats and did some sightseeing. First stop of the day was Tuzigoot National Monument located on Historic Scenic 89A between Cottonwood and Clarkdale.

The site is an lengthy complex of masonry rooms. The first rooms were built between 1000 and 1400. The original pueblo was two stories high in places with 87 ground floor rooms.

There were very few doors. Instead, trapdoor openings in the roofs and ladders were used to enter each room.

Looking down on the museum

Tuzigoot was excavated from 1933 to 1935. In 1935-36, the ruins were prepared for public display and a pueblo style museum and visitor center was constructed.

FDR designated Tuzigoot ruins as a National Monument in 1939.

The museum had a very nice display of pottery, tools, grinding stones, bone awls and needles, baskets, and ornaments of shell, turquoise and a local red stone (argillite). All were found on site.

The Tuzigoot potters did not decorate their wares.

Our next stop was Jerome...the small hillside "mining" town under the big white J.

Photo of Jerome taken from Tuzigoot...

The entire town of Jerome is designated a historic landmark. Copper was discovered there in the 1880s and during the 70 years they were in business, two copper mines made hundreds of millions of dollars for its investors.

In fact, the town is named after one of those investors...Eugene Jerome, a New York Lawyer who never set foot in his namesake.

Today, Jerome is a year-round artist colony with a population around 500.

Lunch was Mexican at a quirky place called Vaqueros. It has new owners ( for about 3 months) and Joe and I were quite pleased with the service and yummy food.