Scottsdale is probably not the first city you think of when it comes to mountain biking. But it should actually be on your radar. Scottsdale is home to 200 plus miles of trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve ALONE with trails ranging from beginner through to advanced. Some trails like the ones we did at Brown's Ranch are made with crushed granite and compacted soil while others are rocky with loose gravel (and so more…
If you want a unique hiking experience, then the Aravaipa Canyon hike needs to go on the must hike list. The canyon, located between Phoenix and Tucson in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness, sits in a landscape of soaring cliffs with a beautiful creek flowing through it year-round. Massive trees, thick riparian vegetation and lots of birds and wildlife make this a one of a kind Arizona experience. Reportedly when the leaves change colours in the fall,…
If you've ever seen the photos of world-famous Havasu Falls, the images of the turquoise-blue water contrasted with the earthy tones of the Grand Canyon will forever be etched in your mind. A hike to Havasu Falls is the best way (and apart from helicoptering in, the only way) to appreciate the beauty of not just these falls, but the four other equally stunning waterfalls in the Havasupai area. They include Upper and Lower Navajo Falls,…
Updated January 2020 Looking for a variety of fun, outdoorsy things to do in Mesa, Arizona? It's been named the best city for Outdoor Lovers by Money Magazine, even though its Arizona's third largest city. What kind of outdoor things are there to do in Mesa, Arizona? I discovered a huge variety of things to do in Mesa, Arizona - largely because of where its sits in the state. There's easy access to the Lower…
My husband John is a very good sport about joining me on adventures, whether they interest him or not. Fortunately most do. But like any marriage there needs to be give and take so since he is an avid birder I agreed to several hours of birding - mostly to see sandhill cranes in Arizona. Whitewater Draw Specifically we visited Whitewater Draw, a globally important bird area in the southern part of the state. Don't get…
"Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me." You've all heard and sung Taking it Easy, written by Jackson Brown and Glenn Frey and recorded by the Eagles. For the rest of the day you may be hard-pressed to get the song out of your head. In October last year John…
The 10 best hikes in Arizona, at least in my humble opinion are described below. They showcase a huge swath of the state but they don't certainly don't cover everything. What's missing are two hikes - Coyote Buttes and The Wave - all bucket list worthy that are still very much on my wish list. The hikes in this blog start in the north at the Grand Canyon and take you right down to the…
After many days of hiking and checking out the trails in Sedona I would call the Courthouse Butte hike the best hike in Sedona. It offers stunning desert scenery over its entire length. It's easy, family-friendly and you can add mileage via additional loops very easily. Sedona, is famous for its gorgeous red rock buttes and pine forest so there are no shortage of exceptional hikes. But the town appears to be getting more popular…
To reach Petrified Forest National Park located in northeastern Arizona, drive east from Flagstaff through the city of Winslow, made famous by the song Take It Easy by the Eagles. After an hour of humming and singing you'll reach the park where the beauty of the multi-hued yet desolate landscape will fill your senses. Give yourself a solid day to hike and explore a landscape of colourful badlands filled with buttes, mesas and the remains of fossilized trees that were alive 200 million…
I hadn't even heard of the Dragoon Mountains until I arrived at Cochise Stronghold Retreat. We drove up at night and couldn't see a thing. It wasn't until I looked out the first morning that I realized what a beautiful area we had happened upon. We had booked the B&B as it was reasonably close to Chiricahua National Monument and figured it would make a great base for several days. But we didn't appreciate that right out our…