arizona highlands summer

SWIMMIN’ HOLES

SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY:

Winery Tour

RIM COUNTRY:

Biking with a view

WHITE MOUNTAINS:Great fishing holes

FLAGSTAFF:

Arizona’s Grand Falls

Summer 2010

10 spots to GET WET!

HighlandsARIZONA

Adventuring in Rim Country, White Mountains, Sedona, Flagstaff

Enhance your lifestyle

Contact Lisa Herrera at (928) 472-1439about non-property club memberships

or visit www.chaparralpines.com

Chaparral Pines is offering family golfand country club lifestyle memberships

Chaparral Pines features a variety of challenging holes, beautifullymanicured fairways and breathtaking views of the majestic Mogollon Rim –all of which exceed any golfer’s expectations.

• Arizona Top 25 Golf Course • Newly Remodeled Family Aquatic• 29,000 sq. ft. Club House • & Fitness Center• Fine Dining Restaurant & Bar • Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball Courts• Great Venue for Weddings, • Complete Golf Shop & Locker Rooms• Corporate Meetings, etc. • Just a short drive from Scottsdale

“Great Championship Golf brought us here. The Fitness Center, Swimmingareas and the Nature Hiking Trails help us maintain a healthy lifestyle. Thebest kept secret is the friendly, loving neighbors in the community. We are trulyliving the dream at Chaparral Pines!”

Steve and Julie JohnsonMembers since 1997

We’re just that

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207 E. Hwy 260 • Payson, AZ • 468-1008

Overman DesignsOverman Designs

e took the next generation down to Fossil Creekto see a stream that had risen from the dead andso made a new world. It is a pilgrimage for me togo down into the canyon, into the Earth — to

marvel at the blue-green travertine waters of a spring fed creekwe enslaved for a century only to finally relent and return itto its bed.

On this day, we took Nate and Ben down to those waters,which likely fell to earth thousands of years ago, filtered throughfractured limestone and emerged finally once more into thesunlight turned magical with their load of dissolved travertine.

Nate is 6, Ben is 4, and they bring a glad rush of hope andpurpose into my second-hand store life as surely as the rush ofFossil Creek brings life to this canyon. I feed on their laughter,the rush of their discovery. As the cottonwoods seed on thesand bars and the sycamores thread their roots among the rocks— so Nate and Ben give me purpose.

Why am I here? Why, to nurture Ben and Nate and Dannyand Ilana and Jaccobs and all those other little ones wide-eyedin the face of the world. That means I must fight to leave tothem the things that have nurtured me.

So I wonder whether I should even tell you about FossilCreek. For a century, we humans stole the creek and impris-oned it in a flume to generate power. But then Arizona PublicService put the stream back and so restored one of the most re-markable riparian areas in the state. The creek now nurturesone of the premier native fish streams in the Southwest in aglad succession of crystal clear, 15-foot-deep swimming holes.

Human beings have flocked to the risen river. Most revereit. Some trash it. Idiots leave garbage and untended campfires.So the Forest Service has banned camping and fires.

If I tell you about this most beautiful of places, have Iharmed the place I love? Will you trash it or revere it? Will yousave it for Ben and Nate? I pray so. Better yet, I think you’llnever leave without a bag of someone else’s trash — nor hesitateto speak up for the creek to those who do not understand.

So I will tell you: Go to Fossil Creek and the East Verdeand Tonto Creek and Oak Creek and the Black River and theWhite River and all the other places we brag on in this issue.Take a child — to feed on their laughter. But also to enlist themin the generations of effort needed to protect such places.

For such places are like liberty itself: They come to us as agift, but must be defended afresh with every generation.

W

John Naughton, Publisher • Tom Brossart, Managing Editor/Photographer • Peter Aleshire, Senior Editor708 N. Beeline Highway • PO Box 2520 • Payson, AZ 85547 • (928) 474-5251 • [email protected]

No portion of the Arizona Highlands Magazine may be used in any manner without the expressed written consent of the publisher. ArizonaHighlands Magazine is published by Roundup Publishing, a division of WorldWest Limited Liability Company. © 2010

HighlandsARIZONATo advertise in the

Arizona Highlands Magazine,call Bobby Davis, Advertising Director,

(928) 474-5251 ext. 105, or [email protected]

To purchase any of thephotos in this edition

of Arizona HighlandsMagazine, e-mail us at

[email protected]

by Peter Aleshire

Peter Aleshire

5Arizona Highlands

HighlandsARIZONA

Adventuring in Rim Country, White Mountains, Sedona, Flagstaff

Page 32: CoverSwimmin’ HolesWe scour the Highlands for our 10 favorite places tomake a splash and beat the summer heat.

Page 8: Rim CountryScenic Mountain BikingWriter wheels along the cracked edge of a continent— and reveals 10 great high country trails.

Tom Brossart

Page 14: Sedona Wine Country AmbleTurns out, the climatic hardships of Sedona and the VerdeValley have produced some great wines.

Page 20: White Mountains Best Fishing HolesMemories flow past like the cool summer waters of theWhite Mountains, where the lunkers await.

Page 26: FlagstaffArizona’s NiagraWhat’s higher than Niagra Falls and churns out more goodvibes than a chocolate factory? Grand Falls, of course.Come see for yourself.

Page 38: Icon of the American West Fort ApacheWhite Mountain Apache Tribe restores old military outpost.

Page 42: Town Profile Historic PineDowntown Pine’s got it all, history, a little bit of funkyand the world’s best honey.

7 Great Treks

10 Arizona Highlands

Story by Alexis BechmanPhotos by Tom Brossart

Pedal, pedal, pedal— gasp — pedal,pedal, pedal.

That’s me, pushing down on the pedals of my brother’sused white Trek mountain bike, once the epitome of bikingtechnology, now badly scratched and making an awful racketas I push to keep up with a group of riders high atop of theMogollon Rim.

With my brow sweaty, arms jiggling wildly with everybump, rut and furrow (likely because my suspension is shot),chest pounding fiercely and awesome single track below mywheels, it’s official: I am mountain biking!

Not only have I managed to get myself here, I am cyclingmile after mile, taking in one breathtaking view after anotheras we cruise the Rim Vista Trail late in the day.

“Wait … stop, I’ve got a flat,” Mick Wolf, my guideshouts from his top-of-the-line, brand-new bike.

I glance down at my old Trek and smile, it doesn’t lookpretty, but it rides.

It seems with all things technical, difficulties always getin the way.

Luckily, Wolf, who also owns the shop Hike, Bike &Run in Payson, whips out a new tube, tools and several aircanisters from a tiny pouch attached to the back of his seat.It is so small I had failed to notice it before he removed whatseemed like an awful lot of things — a gizmo for cranking, adoodad for loosening and a thingamabob for inflating.

Like an old pro, Wolf removes the old tube and replacesit with another before I can even stop panting.

This is one of my first times mountain biking and I havenot decided if it is for me.

Like most new bikers, I am leery about committing my-self to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a bikebuilt to handle the beatings of a trail.

Wolf explains it’s similar to buying a Jeep. You can go forthe base model, which can handle dirt roads and a few rockshere and there, or you can add the big tires, winch and sus-pension and hit the “real” Jeep trails.

Serious mountain bike riders, those who ride at leastonce a week, plop at least $1,800 down on a bike, Wolf said,but decent bikes start around $500.

Big box retailers sell bikes for $120, but those bikes arenot designed to handle off-road riding and most owners’manuals state they are not designed for such use.

If you have a decent bike, but have not ridden it inawhile, Wolf recommends a good tune-up including newtubes and tires, chain and cables. In addition, riders shouldalways wear a helmet and carry water. Gloves are also a goodidea.

Minus the gloves (didn’t get the memo, I guess), we con-tinue down the Rim, the world’s largest stand of ponderosapine forest meets our gaze, along with Highway 260, whichweaves its way far below us. The sight is impressive.

Luckily, we have the whole trail to ourselves it seems.Not another person passes us.

It is early spring, just before Forest Road 300, a path to

Mountainbikingnirvana

11Arizona Highlands

the Rim’s numerous lakes and trails, is reopened after winter. (Note to reader: When you hit this trail in the summer, expect quite a few

fellow travelers; when the Valley temperatures rise, so do the number of visitorson the Mogollon Rim.)

Wolf, his dog Taco, my boyfriend and I ride past the Rim and down toWoods Canyon Lake, passing over singletrack and paved road surfaces.

Tree limbs snapped during severe winter storms still litter the ground, mak-ing a maze for my tires to weave through. Since I am a novice rider, Wolf is start-ing me out slow, hitting up easier rides that do not test my lack of skill.

Miles more down the road and we arrive at Woods Canyon Lake, a breath-taking lake hugged by pines. The water is chilly and placid and several inches ofsnow still line its banks. With a clear blue sky overhead and no one around tocrowd us, we rest at the lake’s bank.

I am glad to take a break from the bike. After only a few miles, my rear isstarting to ache along with nearly every muscle in my body. The lake’s quietbeauty makes up for any aches and pains.

Taco frolics around us, bobbing his head in the chilly lake, anxious to retrievea stick just beyond his reach. Wolf said biking with a dog is fun, but can be a nui-sance when Taco falls behind, distracted by a rabbit or squirrel. On a recent ridethrough the Cabin Loop trail system, Wolf biked an extra two miles on an al-ready 22-mile ride because Taco fell behind chasing some unfortunate creature.By the time Wolf made it back to his van, it was pouring rain and hailing. Mountain bike riding is a great alternative to hiking. With a faster pace, it iseasy to cover 20 miles in only a few hours. More ground means more opportu-nity to see new things. Sitting on the banks of the lake, I wonder why I hadnever biked before and then I look over at my Trek, all chipped and dinged. After a few more minutes of reveling in my new-found respect for riding, Wolfknocks some sense back in me, “It is time to ride back,” he says, obviously un-aware that I was having a moment of inner serenity.

Highlands trail guide

White Mountains1. LUNA LAKE LOOPThis ride takes you from the Luna Lake Camp-ground, onto a singletrack trail, through severalgates and over water crossings before hooking upwith Forest Road 275 and then US 180, where youloop back around to the campground. Highlights: Forest of mixed conifer and aspens. Length: 8-mile loop / two hoursRating: EasyElevation range: 8,000 to 8,200 feetGetting there: From Alpine, travel east on US 1802.5 miles to FR 570. Go north to Luna Lake Camp-ground. Info: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, (602)339-4633.

SEDONA2. Buddha Beach via Cathedral RockThis is a great track for adventurous beginners andintermediate riders. The track offers great views ofCathedral Rock and Bell Rock and a place to stopand take a dip. The trek is a combination of trailsand there are multiple options so riders can

The view from the Rim Vista Trail atsunset can be breathtaking.


tailor it to their level and interest. We like the Bell Rock to Templeton toCathedral trek and back out ride, but riders can also add the Baldwin Trailto Verde Valley Road, making a loop back to the parking lot.Highlights: Singletrack, views, downhill and uphill sections, slick rock.Length: 12 milesRating: IntermediateGetting there: Take Highway 179 south out of Sedona to the Bell RockPathways parking lot, just north of Bike & Bean II and Circle K. The trailstarts right of the Bell Rock Vistas and Pathway sign. Ride down the trail1.25 miles and take the tunnel under Highway 179 to Cathedral Rock. Overslick rock and down a set of switchbacks will drop you at Buddha Beach,on the banks of Oak Creek. For a loop, take Verde Valley Road around toHighway 179 and back to the Bell Rock parking lot.

PAYSON3. Rim Vista Trail/Woods Canyon LakeThis ride is great for beginners new to mountain bike riding. The Rim VistaTrail follows Forest Road 300 most of the way and includes stunning viewsof the Mogollon Rim. For added adventure, riders can swoop down toWoods Canyon Lake on a mostly paved road. Advanced riders can take theMeadow Trail to the lake and ride around the lake.The shortest and easiest ride is 12-13 miles, on the Rim Vista Loop toWoods Canyon Lake and then returns to the parking lot.The medium loop, a 16- to 18-mile ride, also starts on the Rim Vista Trailthen links with the Meadow Trail, Woods Canyon Lake Trail, around WoodsCanyon Lake, back on Meadow Trail to the Rim Vista Trail and back to theparking lot.The medium loop can be extended to 25 miles by going west on the RimVista Trail, riding to the Mogollon Campground then taking the GeneralCrook Trail to the Carr Lake trailhead, riding the Boulder Hop Trail, then rid-ing back to the parking lot.The long loop, 30-35 miles, includes the extended medium route trails, butafter the Boulder Hop Trail, riders take the Drew Trail and ride down theface of the Rim. Once down the Rim, riders will take the Highline Trail toSee Canyon, then ride back to Christopher Creek where you would need tohave someone pick you up and shuttle back to the parking lot on the Rim.Highlights: Largest stand of ponderosa pines, views, cool temperatures.Length: Varies depending on which trails taken / 2-4 hoursRating: Beginning to intermediateGetting there: Head east on Highway 260 out of Payson roughly 30 milesto the top of the Rim. Take a left on FR 300 (heading toward Woods CanyonLake) and park in the first parking lot on the right.Info: Mogollon Rim Ranger District, HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack AZ 86024,(928) 477-2255.

4. Cabin Loop This great trail system offers riders of all skill levels a chance to test theirability. The ride starts at the General Springs Cabin and connects with aseveral trails for an awesome ride on the Cabin Loop trail system. From thecabin, riders can take one of three loop options, varying in distance and dif-ficulty.The short loop, out and back on the Fred Haught Trail, is 12 miles roundtrip. The standard loop is a difficult 20 miles and includes the Fred HaughtTrail and back around to the cabin on FR 300. The long loop, a difficult 30to 40 miles of hiking and biking, starts on the Fred Haught Trail, connectswith the U-Bar Trail, Barbershop Trail, Houston Brothers Trail and back tothe cabin on FR 300.Highlights: Awesome scenery, wildlife.Length: Varies from 12 miles to 40 milesRating: Beginning to intermediate.Getting there: To find General Springs Cabin, take Highway 87 north fromStrawberry to Forest Road 300. Turn right (east) onto 300 and drive approx-imately 10 miles. Look for a war monument at the junction. The GeneralSprings Cabin is about a half mile down the dirt road to the north.

Arizona Highlands 13

Info: Mogollon Rim Ranger District, HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack AZ86024, (928) 477-2255.

FLAGSTAFF5. Sunset TrailThis great ride combines an easy but grueling climb up Mount EldenLookout Road and then a steep, technical singletrack down SunsetTrail. Begin by huffing seven miles to the lookout tower, where youcan catch your breath. Look for Sunset Trail a quarter mile from thelookout on the right. The trail bobs up and down and then meets upwith the Schultz Pass Road, which will loop around to the parking lot. Highlights: Views from the top of the Mount Elden Lookout, mountainscenery.Length: 15-mile loop / 3-4 hoursRating: Moderate to difficultElevation range: 7,000 to 9,300 feetGetting there: From downtown Flagstaff, head north on Fort ValleyRoad for two miles. Head east onto Schultz Pass/Mount Elden Road,park at the fork. Info: Coconino National Forest, (928) 527-3600 (recent fires in thearea may have created restrictions).

6. Oldham TrailThis trek begins at Buffalo Park and winds below Mount Elden. Fromthe park, take Oldham Trail north until you reach Pipeline Road. Go lefton the road until you see a trail on the right. Take the trail until youmeet up with Mount Elden Road where you will ride for less than amile until reaching a trail beyond the cattle guard. Go downhill on thistrail until you encounter Pipeline Road. Take the road back to the park. Highlights: Incredible views, hard-packed road and singletrack sur-faces.

Length: 7 miles / 2-3 hoursRating: IntermediateElevation range: 7,140 to 7,400 feetGetting there: Take San Francisco Street north to Cedar Street. Headright (north) on Cedar to Buffalo Park.Info: Coconino National Forest, (928) 527-3600 (recent fires in thearea may have created restrictions).

WILLIAMS7. Bill Williams Mountain Trail #21This is a great ride for intermediate riders in good shape. Since it isnot widely known, there should be few if any other riders on the trail.The trail starts at the Williams Ranger District Office and heads up themountains. There are plenty of good places to stop and check out theview of the valley below. Slopes are moderate to steep up the moun-tain. The trail was originally built to reach the fire lookout at the top.Today, there is also a gravel road (FR 111) to access the lookout. Atthe intersection of the trail and road, there are several log benches forrelaxing. For the return ride, bikers can head down the way they cameor take the Benham Trail. You will need to have a shuttle pick up at theBenham trailhead on the eastern side of the mountain to get back tothe ranger station.Highlights: Downhill singletrack, switchbacks, views, wildflowers,rock formations.Length: 8 miles round trip / 3-4 hoursRating: IntermediateElevation range: 6,770 to 9,265 feetGetting there: From Flagstaff, head west on Interstate 40 for 30miles. Take the Williams exit and drive south to the ranger station.Continue a quarter-mile east to the trailhead parking area.Info: 742 South Clover Road, Williams, AZ 86046, (928) 635-5600.

P YSOA N

A Z

85541

Having the time of mylife on the banks ofTonto Creek ... wishyou were here!!

RESERVATIONS: 800-521-3131East Highway 260, Payson, AZ 85541 • (928) 478-4211 • www.kohlsranch.com

Chef Andrew Opeyokeof The Gathering atCliff Castle Casino,samples an Alcantarwine during a bottlingevent this past spring.

It’s all about grapes


The dusty road through northern Arizona’s wine country doesnot immediately leave the impression that one is in prime grapeland. The rocky, hard soil leaves one wondering what, exactly,

could grow here except for the low-lying brush and scattered trees.But, the same dry summer heat that brings sweat to the skin — the

same dusty soil that swirls in the air, gives grapes the stress they need to de-velop into good wines, winemakers say.

“You don’t grow grapes in loamy, potato soil,” said Rod Snapp, whoowns Javelina Leap Vineyard in Cornville. “You grow grapes in rocky, hardsoil. That’s what stresses the grapes.”

Paula Woolsey, sales manager for Arizona Stronghold Vineyards andseveral others, agreed. “Grapes like to struggle. That’s what makes goodwines.”

These stressful conditions result in fewer, but more intensely flavoredgrapes.

Just as human struggle builds character, grapes struggling to grow from

Story by Suzanne Jacobson Photographs by Tom Brossart

‘I created my own Shangri-La here. Without the vineyards, I don’t exist. Our wine and our grapes are an extension of ourselves’

— Barbara Predmore, owner of Alcantara Vineyard

A high school student helps tend the vines as they mature throughthe spring, into the summer for harvesting during in the fall. A warm,setting Arizona sun highlights the grape vines (photo right).

17Arizona Highlands

this rocky turf also develop deep disposition — delicate hints of floral,berry and fruit.

The national wine scene has begun acknowledging the self-sufficientvintners building this wine community. These leaders have a vision ofcommunity, sustainability, and of developing a new type of economy in anarea that used to be largely out of tourism’s view.

“First it was France, then it was California, then it was Washington,then it was Oregon, and now it’s Arizona,” said Snapp.

Four wineries sit on the Verde Valley Wine Trail. The journey startswest of I-17 at sprawling Alcantara Vineyard and Winery on ThousandTrails Road off Highway 260 north of Camp Verde. Then, swings ontoHighway 89A, and turn right onto Page Springs Road, a picturesque paththat would make a nice drive even without the wine.

Three vineyards with tasting rooms lie on Page Springs Road — PageSprings Cellars, Oak Creek Vineyards and Javelina Leap Vineyard.

Each April, the Predmores, who own Alcantara, host the Zinful event,which combines wine, chocolate, bottling, and a pre-release wine sale.

Bob Predmore and visitors to the vineyard worked in the bustling bot-

A single hummingbird

may visit10,000 flowersin a single day

Barbara Predmore of Alcantara Vineyard and Winerytalks wine with a visitor during their annual bottlingday at the winery each April.

JaidynMeyers,a friend ofthe Pred-moreshelps outwith thebottling ofthe wine.


Bob Predmore tends his Alcantar vines in late spring.

tling area while his wife, Barbara, mingled with the crowd, herEuropean upbringing seeping through her Italian-style viva-ciousness.

Barbara has a vision, and the spiel to accompany her dis-arming passion.

“It’s very much not an attraction — it’s a destination,” shesaid of Alcantara. “I don’t want to go to Disneyland, I don’teven want to go to Tlaquepaque. I want a place where people cansit and enjoy — use their senses.”

Barbara’s ultimate vision is to develop her 87 acres into aTuscan village complete with a bed and breakfast, shops, a piazza,and a co-op winery so other small vineyards can share the costsof making wine.

The Predmores still need to find money to complete thedream project, but Barbara seems content with the vision cre-ated heretofore.

“I created my own Shangri-La here,” she said. “Without thevineyards, I don’t exist. Our wine and our grapes are an exten-sion of ourselves.”

The Predmores have owned the property since 2005. Theygrow more than 13,000 vines and craft 12 different types ofwine.

At Javelina Leap Vineyard, a 10-acre spread on Page SpringsRoad, Snapp says, “we can’t make enough wine.”

He sells 24,000 bottles of wine annually. He plans to bottle

an extra 1,000 cases next year, up to 3,000, and says he’ll keepgrowing up until 8,000 cases.

“That’s it,” he said. “We don’t want to be any bigger. That’sbig enough for a small winery.”

Snapp said 20,000 people come to his winery annually.“This is the fastest growing single industry in the state of Ari-zona,” he said. “This is everybody’s dream.”

Having vineyards and tasting rooms provides travelers witha fun activity, and people can even take tours like the Water toWine Tour that features a float down the Verde River to Al-cantara.

Javelina Leap’s award-winning wines include a WholefoodsConsumer Choice Award for the 2009 100% Estate Barbera, a2009 Arizona Growers Cup Gold Medal for the 100% PetiteSirah, and a 2009 Arizona Growers Cup Silver Medal for the100% Cabernet Franc.

At Page Springs Cellars, owner Eric Glomski grows hiswines without chemicals, although they are not certified organic.

“We want anybody to be able to run through the vineyardnaked if they wanted to,” said Woolsey. “That’s the way it shouldbe. We’re not even trying to be cool.”

Glomski has gained recent fame in his partnership withTool frontman Maynard James Keenan, who jointly own Ari-zona Stronghold Vineyards. The company has vineyards aroundthe state.

19Arizona Highlands

A documentary released earlier this yearfeatures their plight to develop their vine-yards “amidst wine industry prejudice andthe harsh Arizona terrain,” according to thePage Springs Web site. Themovie, “Blood Into Wine,” isnow on a screening touraround the nation, and a DVDwill release in September.

Woolsey also teaches wineclasses at Yavapai CommunityCollege, where leaders are alsoworking toward planting a 30-acre vineyard.

“There’s a push to make along-lasting cultural improve-ment,” said Woolsey. “We’renot doing this to get peopledrunk.”

She added, “Our idea of sustainable isnot hopping in your Prius and driving towork.” It’s riding a bike to work.

At Oak Creek Winery, roughly 4,000plants grow on 10 acres.

Owner Deb Wahl offers a variety ofcheese and dried meats to enjoy with wine inthe tasting room.

“If people want to have a nice glass ofwine and sit on the patio, it is really beautifulto overlook the vineyard,” said Lisa Billings-ley, who works at the winery. “I just think it’s

a very welcoming tastingroom,” she added. “It feels verywarm and people can comehere and try all of our differentwines.”

Local artwork decoratesthe walls, keeping with theVerde Valley wine commu-nity’s emphasis on supportingthe region.

Woolsey, the nationalsales manager for ArizonaStronghold, said Arizona winesare well-received. “I sell thesewines based on they’re inter-

esting wines from an interesting place.”Indeed, the wine culture has taken root

in a place where cowboys and Indians used towrestle. In the Verde Valley, this emergingatmosphere allows the best of bothworlds.

For more information, visit www.vv -winetrail.com.

RIM COUNTRY REGIONALCHAMBER OF COMMERCEPAYSON • PINE • STRAWBERRYSTAR VALLEY • CHRISTOPHER CREEK

Rim CountryWelcomes You!

Just a scenic, 90-minute drive from Phoenix willtake you to the majestic, mountain paradise knownas Rim Country. The communities of Rim Countryfeature friendly people and wonderful tourist andrecreation opportunities, including:

• Zane Grey’s Cabin

• Tonto Natural Bridge

• Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails

• Campgrounds

• Lakes and Rivers with year-round fishing

• Green Valley Park

• And so much more

100 W. Main Street • Payson, AZ(928) 474-4515 • www.rimcountrychamber.com

The Verde Valley Wine Trail con-nects the dots between fourwineries: Alcantara Vineyards,Page Springs Cellars, Oak CreekVineyards and Javelina LeapVineyards, and four tastingrooms: Caduceus Cellars,Jerome Winery, Arizona Strong-hold Vineyards and PillsburyWine Company. While on thetrail, visitors will not only experi-ence the skillfully crafted winesthat each produces, but also thebeauty of the region. What bet-ter way to enjoy a day or morethan touring the wineries, tast-ing rooms, area attractions andthe great restaurants and bistrosthat dot the landscape?


I stand in the Black River tomy waist, my hapless fakecaddis fly whipping about inthe air over my head at theend of my fly line.

Memories flow past me, hurrying downstream.

I should focus. I’ve already donated enough $2 dryflies to the capricious Water Gods of the Black River.

Still, I can’t quite decide if that’s the log.Looks like it.Just like it.Must be it.That’s silly, of course.Noah and Seth staged their Robin Hood battle of

the pikes for rights to cross that log some 15 years ago.Couldn’t be the same log. Could it?

This thought requires so much of my mental effortthat I snag my fly on a willow branch on the long backstroke. All this time — I’ve still not learned to just flickthe little wooly bugger out there instead of indulging indangerous sky writing.

So I wade back downstream, flounder in among thebranches of the willow and extract my fly. Then I splash

White Mountain Fishing:

Peter Aleshire

Memories rise with t

21Arizona Highlands

back out into the approximate middle of the stream,which remains the only spot I have even a smallchance of staying out of the shrubbery here in thetight, soothing, gleaming confines of the Black River— my favorite White Mountain stream (except all theothers).

Back in position: I study the log.Gosh. How long ago was it? Seth must have been

12. Noah maybe 8. We rented a cabin in Alpine andspent a golden two weeks splashing about.

I taught them to fish that summer. This is thegreat thing about fatherhood. Even if you’re nearhopeless — your children are so ignorant and credu-lous, that you can seem wise — haloed in your experi-ence. I miss that. Only lasted a little while, but I liked

wise and strong. Grows on you. But then it’s gone.Next thing you know, you’re chubby and winded andthey’re mountain goats — leaping up the mountainaway from you.

Seth is a middle school teacher now, finishing uphis Ph.D. in educational administration so he can be-come a principal. Noah just graduated from lawschool — has a job with the federal Centers for Dis-ease Control to work on medical policy analysis.

But I remember that summer — that great clashof pine staffs on the log.

That’s when I realized something remarkableabout Seth, watching them bash away on that log. Inoticed that they’d become much more rough andtumble in their play in the past year or so. That puz-

Noah and Seth Aleshire do the RobinHood-Little John thing on a summer logspanning the Black River, one of the bestfishing spots in the White Mountains.

h the troutStory by Peter Aleshire


zled me until I put it together. Noah had finally gottennearly as big as Seth, so Seth figured it was fair to rough-house — which he never did when he had a huge size ad-vantage.

Now, where’d he learn that rule? I never taught it tohim. How’d my son turn into a better man than I?

Now, they whacked away happily — well matched.First one, then the other, tumbledinto the water with a holler and agreat splash, while I continued toamuse the trout upstream.

That was nearly two decades ago.I’m losing track a little, for the river isthe same and the log is the same —only I am different. And all the while,the river flows on past, swirling withmemories.

I remember that the trout fishing lessons were amixed success. They loved it — right up until they caughta fish. Then they discovered I intended to behead thepoor thing and feed them the corpse.

That didn’t go over very well.I did it anyway that first day — certain I could soothe

their scruples with the taste of fresh trout. They just satthere watching me eat it — their father, the murderer.

So we became catch-and-release fishermen: Some-thing else they taught me.

Just upstream now, a trout rises — making thatthrilling riffle in the water, just where I figured onemight be holding beneath the overhung bank.

I shift position, plan my cast.

Sitting on a branch atop a sentinel dead snag, a mag-nificent white osprey watches me. I try to concentrateunder the fierce gaze of this master fisherman — notwanting to make a fool of myself. He might report me tomy children.

I draw my arm back, wait a moment for my caddisfly imposter to reach the limit of the backstroke, then

bring my wonderfully straight-wristedarm forward, letting the weight of thebacking hurl the fly forward.

The fly alights on the dark, musi-cal water with the grace of a fairy,ginked and eager. The fly finds theseam of the current and floats downtoward the hidden trout. No actualcaddis ever looked so endearingly cad-

dis. Were I a trout, I would change streams and make adinner reservation for the chance to eat anything so per-fectly delicious. I think this even though I have neverseen a real caddis fly floating lightly atop the Black River.

Then, the trout, he rises.He takes the fly, I set the hook.I play him and take him in the net with a murmur of

appreciation. I extract my barbless hook as quickly as Ican then give him back to the stream. I feel only a smallpang at his foregone deliciousness.

“Thank Seth,” I call to him, as he surges back up-stream toward the log of my memory. “Thank Noah,” Iadd.

Then I stand in perfect happiness, as the memoriesrun past me.

Peter Aleshire

Tom Brossart

Peter Aleshire

23Arizona Highlands

Tom Brossart

WHITE MOUNTAINSTREAMS

EAST FORK BLACK RIVER:Apache trout stocked weekly. Try driftingworms through pools. Also try spinners,Rapalas or streamers for the residentbrown trout.

LITTLE COLORADO RIVER-GREER: Good flow this year due to thedeep winter snowpack. Catchable sizeApache and rainbow trout stocked regu-larly. Wild brown trout are also present.

SHEEPS CROSSING: Highway 273is open and fishing is fair. Apache troutstocked regularly through the summer.Anglers are catching trout on nightcrawlers.

SILVER CREEK: Silver Creek is reg-ularly stocked an open to lures, flies andbait; with a daily bag and possession limit

Peter Aleshire

TALL PINESMARKET

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of six trout from April 1 through Sept. 30. The upper section isclosed to fishing at this time. Try night crawlers or Power Bait,or small spinners or spoons in the deeper pools.

WEST FORK BLACK RIVER: Try drifting wormsthrough pools. Try worms, spinners, Rapalas or streamers forresident brown trout. The lower river near the campground isopen to statewide regulations, but the upper reaches are open tocatch-and-release fishing only, with artificial lure and fly.

WHITE MOUNTAIN LAKESHere’s a rundown of lakes you can fish in the White Moun-

tains. For up-to-date information about conditions, check outthe Arizona Game and Fish Fishing Report (http://azgfd.net)online or call the Pinetop Office of the Arizona Game and FishDepartment at (928) 367-4281.

BECKER LAKE: Stocked rainbow trout. Try wooly bug-gers, nymphs and small midges. Artificial lure and fly only, bar-bless hooks, and a two-trout bag and possession limit.

BIG LAKE: Lake is full for the first time in 15 years. An-glers are catching trout, some up to 5 pounds, on just aboutanything. Rooster Tail spinners and wooly bugger flies in brightgreen are working well, and the usual night crawlers, Power Bait,and salmon eggs. Boat anglers can try trolling cowbells and redPanther Martin spinners tipped with a night crawler.

CARNERO LAKE: Heavily stocked each spring, lake isbest fished from a float tube, canoe or kayak.

CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR: Try night crawlers andspinners for trout, and night crawlers on the bottom for bull-heads, sunfish and bass.

CONCHO LAKE: Anglers should try worms, Power Baitor small lures. Use caution when launching a boat because thewater level may be below bottom of the boat ramp.

CRESCENT LAKE: Heavily stocked since the winter freezekills off surviving summer fish. Anglers are catching fish onnight crawlers.

FOOL HOLLOW LAKE: One of the better fishing lakes,with good-sized stocked trout. Try night crawlers, Power Bait andlures. Also productive for catfish (try yellow Power Bait and nightcrawlers), Sunfish and crappie (try night crawlers and small jigsoff the west side piers).

GREER LAKES: All three reservoirs (Bunch, Tunnel andRiver) are stocked and have been productive, with some big troutcatches reported — including a recent 4.5 pounder at RiverReservoir on orange glitter Power Bait.

HULSEY LAKE: Heavily stocked. Try Power Bait andnight crawlers. Short hike down to the lake.

LEE VALLEY RESERVOIR: Apache trout are biting wellon bead head nymphs and zug bugs. Lee Valley Lake is open tolures and flies only with a two-trout bag and possession limit,and a minimum size of 12 inches.

25Arizona Highlands

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LUNA LAKE: Not one of the heavy action lakes, but it’shigh and cool and close to Alpine. Try night crawlers, PowerBait and salmon eggs. The concession store is under new man-agement.

LYMAN LAKE: Lyman Lake State Park is now open forthe summer. Anglers should try night crawlers and chickenlivers for catfish. Largemouth bass, sunfish and some walleyeare also present in the lake. The park has many campsites andother amenities.

NELSON RESERVOIR: Lake well stocked. Try worms,Power Bait, and salmon eggs.

RAINBOW LAKE: Stocked with larger trout, but algaebloom slowing down the catch. Try using the fishing pier fortrout and bullheads.

SCOTT RESERVOIR: Anglers are catching trout andcatfish on night crawlers and Power Bait.

SHOW LOW LAKE: Small lake that gets heavy use. An-glers are catching trout on night crawlers. Anglers have alsobeen catching smallmouth bass, sunfish, and a few walleye onleadhead jigs with chartreuse mister twister rubber worms offthe dam. Also stocked with channel catfish.

WOODLAND LAKE: Anglers are catching trout andcatfish on night crawlers, Power Bait and spinners. The dailybag and possession limit at Woodland Lake is four trout.

Tom Brossart

GrandFalls


Story by Alexis BechmanPhotos by Tom Brossart

After a 45-minute drive down a rutted dirt road in theheart of the Navajo Nation, I badly needed some positive en-ergy. I was feeling anything but optimistic about life’s possibili-ties, as my spirit guide Willy Wonka sings in the filmChocolate Factory.

After miles of dust and bumps, the air in my Subaru feltstripped of negative ions, those tiny particles that some saypositively affect the brain’s serotonin levels. Even my dog Kiwiwas feeling melancholy, a sad look on her face as she scannedthe windswept landscape void of vegetation or water.

To top it off, I was all out of chocolate, with all its feel-good brain chemicals. Hours earlier, during a moment ofweakness, I had indulged myself with a dark chocolate barwith bits of coffee. Now, I looked back on that moment withregret.

I gripped the wheel of the car as I picked my way throughthe far eastern edge of the San Francisco volcanic field, pastcinder cones and craters in northern Arizona.

Little did I know, Kiwi and I were headed for one of Ari-zona’s champion producers of the negative ions I craved, ourown version of Niagara Falls — Grand Falls.

Often referred to as chocolate falls for its muddy, richcolor (more of a milk chocolate than dark), Grand Falls is aplace that surprises you. Not only does a waterfall in the aridlandscape defy logic, its beauty is breathtaking.

Like Wonka’s magical chocolate river (much sweeter tast-ing than the little Colorado River I imagine), Grand Falls’beauty is a treat for the senses.

Water from the river plunges over terraces of limestone in

If you want to view paradiseSimply look around and view it

Anything you want to, do it— Willy Wonka

Chocolate falls giveswriter positive vibes

The road to the Grand Falls isbumpy to the say the least.

29Arizona Highlands

several greatcascades,crashingdown intothe canyon180 some-thing feetbelow, some10 feet higherthan NiagaraFalls.

And justas Wonkabased hisbusiness onthat choco-late river, Na-tive Americans living near the Little Colorado River haverelied on the Little Colorado River to feed their crops andquench their livestock’s thirst for centuries.

Today, I need the river’s mood boosting ions to kick mychocolate funk. With heady anticipation, I push onward downIndian Road 6910, Kiwi’s head and tongue bouncing inces-santly out the window.

Finally, at the lip of Grand Falls, Kiwi and I bound out ofthe car, anxious for a recharge.

It is early May, so thousands of gallons of water flow overthe falls.

The best time to see Grand Falls flows is in the springmonths during winter snow runoff from the White Moun-tains and Mogollon Rim. There is a possibility that after aheavy monsoonal rain the falls could be flowing. The rest ofthe year, the river’s channel, a major offshoot of the ColoradoRiver, is nearly barren. We offer this taste of its delights now,so you can scout it now, take a few “before” photos — and re-turn in the glory of spring.

Standing on the lip of the canyon, Grand Falls standsmightily across the way, thousands of gallons of latte-coloredwater rushing over the terraced edges.

Looking at my feet, I realize I am standing on black vol-canic rock, the same rock that flowed into the canyon andhelped create the falls.

To appreciate the falls, you have to scramble down a dirtpath to the west. Lacking any official trail, you must bush-whack down the path of least resistance. Kiwi bounded downthe canyon ahead as I picked my way carefully down the roughslope.

At the canyon bed, I sat and took in the falls and the ions.Granted, not as bracing as the ions wafting off waterfalls in

Havasupi,but delightfulnonetheless.

Some re-searchers sug-gest thatnegative ions,found inabundancenear water-falls, hotsprings andoceans wherewater mole-cules split,give people arefreshed feel-ing. The littlemood boost-ers are mole-culescomprised ofatoms thathave lostsome elec-trons — giving them a tiny, negative charge. The moleculesshed the electrons in the tumbling of waves or turbulence.Some evidence suggests that these negatively charged atoms ofoxygen and hydrogen get into the bloodstream and increasethe flow of blood to the brain, while perhaps also increasinglevels of serotonin and other mood-altering neurotransmitters.

No wonder Niagara Falls is such a popular place to get


Grand Falls isa favorite ofphotogra-phers andhigher thanNiagra.

married — you cannot help but feel happy with the ionscrashing down around you.

One Web site claimed the air around Niagara Falls con-tains between 30,000 and 100,000 negative ions per cubiccentimeter, far above the amount found in a closed-off car.

Luckily, at Grand Falls, you have all the time in theworld to sit down, rest, enjoy the splendor and absorb theions.

Grand Falls formed tens of thousands of years agowhen lava flowed into the Little Colorado River canyon,blocking the river’s natural flow. Some of the biggest rapidsin the Grand Canyon were formed by just such a process,after lava flows created instant dams and deep lakes, untilthe water managed to cut a path back down through thelava dam. Here on the wide plains the river shifted back andforth until it created a new path across the lava flow, in itsrelentless effort to merge with the Colorado River deep inthe Grand Canyon.

While nothing can substitute chocolate, a visit toGrand Falls is surely sweet.

Living thereYou’ll be free

If you truly wish to be— Willy Wonka

31Arizona Highlands

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Getting thereThe road to Grand Falls is bumpy, rough and poorly

marked. Although suitable for passenger cars, an SUV ispreferable. The trailhead is not marked.

Access the falls by heading northeast 15 miles out ofFlagstaff on Highway 40 to Winona, exit 211. Drive a littleover two miles to Leupp Road. Turn right and drive 20 milesto Indian Road 6910, marked by a small sign. Turn left andhead nine miles down the dirt road. Right before the rivercrossing, turn left to the falls overlook. There several coveredpicnic areas.

Swimming Holes

A clean dive. A cool plunge.A glad gurgle.The perfect swimming

hole conjures summerand soaks into memory.

Now, suffering Valley residents certainly deserve allsorts of credit for getting through yet another 115-degreesummer, basting there on their own little heat island.But don’t be ridiculous. We’ll still admire your fortitudeand discipline if you sneak off every so often to soak inone of Arizona’s rare treasures — a stream that burblesand splashes through a perfect swimming hole, whereyou can indulge your inner Huck Finn — and maybe

bond with the kids (or grandkids). So here I offer eightgreat creeks along which you can find the special joys ofa shaded swimming hole — strategically scatteredthroughout Arizona’s high country.

RIM COUNTRY

Tonto CreekTonto Creek boasts great trout fishing in a succession

of beautiful ponds that are stocked all summer. This easilyaccessible stretch of river perfectly combines water andscenery — but you’ll have to overlook the crowds. Thelower reaches of Tonto Creek in the Hellsgate wildernessarea offer an unforgettable stint of canyoneering. The riverreturns to civilization, often nearly exhausted, at Gisela,where it waits at the end of Forest Road 417 off Highway87. Tonto Creek continues into Roosevelt Lake.

Facilities: USFS campground streamside along FR289 and at the FR 269/260 junction, with another alongChristopher Creek at FR 260. The historic Kohl’s Ranchrents cabins.

Access: From Payson, follow AZ 260 15 miles.

Story by Peter

Aleshire

Tonto Creek (above) and the East Verde River qualify astwo of the best swimming holes in the highlands.


Pete Aleshire

Peter Aleshire

Fossil Creek (above) and Water Wheel on the EastVerde (left) get heavy weekend use so the ForestService has banned, camping and fires.


East Verde: Water Wheel

This little-known treasure just outsideof Payson offers one of the best all-aroundswimming holes in Arizona. The EastVerde River emerges from a spring at thebase of the Mogollon Rim and flows downpast Payson and to the Verde River. Hous-ton Mesa Road and Flowing Springs Roadoffer ample access. Water Wheel offers thebest single swimming hole, complete with adeep pool and 50-foot waterfall. A fireclosed the area most people use to get ac-cess, but you search for parking after thebridge and first crossing and hike up thestream.

Facilities: Several campgrounds nearthe stream.

Access: Take Highway 87 about 90miles out of Phoenix and on throughPayson toward Pine and Strawberry. Justoutside of Payson, take Houston MesaRoad. Water Wheel lies between the first,bridged crossing and the second crossing,where the stream flows across the road.

Fossil Creek

At the moment, Fossil Creek ranks asmy favorite swimming hole in the wholestate. The stream gushes from a streamladen with travertine at the base of theMogollon Rim and flows some 15 miles toits junction with the Verde River. Thetravertine gives the color a mind-blowing

blue-green cast, like the famous Havasupi.Moreover, the travertine builds strange dripcastles and stone dams, which creates a fas-cinating architecture, little spill-overs andalmost swampy stretches.

The spring feeding the stream gushesreliably, creating mile after mile of little wa-terfalls and deep pools. It’s now a refuge fornative fish and sweltering swimmers.

Facilities: No camping or fires alongthe creek, but great for day use.

Access: From Payson, take Highway87 to Pine and turn on Fossil Creek Road.Follow the dirt road down a hair-raising,hairpin road into the canyon. It’ll take youabout 40 minutes from Payson. You canalso pick up Fossil Creek Road in CampVerde, off Interstate 17.

SEDONA / VERDE VALLEY

Oak Creek

The weekend crowds constitute oneand only cracks in the dam of my affectionsfor Oak Creek. This creek has got it all —world-famous scenery, vortexes that cansooth your soul, brilliantly colored birds,trout pools, mud banks, cottonwoods dan-gling rope swings over deep pools, deepshade, bright sun, red rocks, gushy mud.

If you’re in a better income bracketthan scribes and scribblers like me — inves-tigate renting a streamside cabin for a week— preferably someplace with a deep pool

Tom Brossart

Peter Aleshire

and a long rope tied to a tall tree. Enjoythe crowd scene at Oak Creek Crossingand Slide Rock, or drive 89A lookingfor an unpopulated section of stream.

Facilities: Lots of hotels in Se-dona. Cheaper hotels available inCamp Verde and Cottonwood. Devel-oped campground at Page Springs andcommercial camps along 89A.

Access: Take I-17 to Highway 179then to 89A in Sedona.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park

The 423-acre Dead Horse RanchState Park provides easy access to thecharms of the Lower Verde River. Sit-ting at about 3,200 feet in the VerdeValley, the area remains warm enoughin the summer to make splashing aboutin the river a pleasure. The park has ex-cellent camping facilities plus good hik-ing and mountain biking trails. Theintact, cottonwood-willow galleries are arare, preserved healthy sample of themost biologically diverse and productivehabitat type in North America. Thiscombination of cottonwoods and wil-lows once dominated Arizona waterways, but has been soaffected by dewatering and the impact of invasive speciesthat only 5 to 10 percent of the pre-settlement habitat re-mains.

Elevation: 3,300 feetAccess: Take Highway 17 to Camp Verde, go north-

west on Highway 260 toward Cottonwood, bear rightonto South Main Street, turn right onto 10th Street afterthe curve and continue to the park entrance.

35Arizona Highlands

Peter Aleshire

WHITE MOUNTAINS

The Black River

The Black River gurgles happily along through the 8,000-foot-high forest from near Alpine and down onto the 7,000-foot mixedpine and oak woodlands of the San Carlos Apache Reservation.Pines, willows and alders line its banks, bunches of grass overhangits undercut banks where intermittently cooperative trout linger.

The blessing and the curse of the Black River remains the

Peter Aleshire

road that runs along its banks. This provides easy access to aneight-mile incantation of pools, riffles and bends — whichmeans you can spend the day exploring its banks, but mustcontend with others with the same yen. The dirt and gravelFR 276 follows the river’s east fork while FR 26 shadows WestFork.

Elevation: 7,900 to 6,500 feet. Facilities: Excellent campgrounds all along the river. Sev-

eral lodges and places rent cabins in Alpine to the north andHannigan Meadows to the south.

Access: Take Highway 77 from Globe through the spec-tacular Salt River Canyon, then either Highway 73 or High-way 260 to Springerville and then Highway 666 to Alpine. FR276 and FR 26 follow river.

The White River

The White River is generally lower and longer than theBlack River and flows mostly through the White MountainApache and San Carlos Apache Reservations. To enjoy theportions of the river on the reservation, you’ll need to get apermit to drive the dirt roads, which you can get from theWhite Mountain Apache Reservation in White River. Thecreek offers lots of great fishing and plenty of quiet stretcheswhere you’ll see hardly anyone.

The North Fork runs for some 50 miles and drops from6,800 feet to 5,000 feet. Access this stream along Upper LogRoad or the Roberts Ranch Turnoff — or McCoy Bridge offSR 473, south of SR 260. The North Fork joins the East Forknear Fort Apache, to form the White River — which thenflows on down into the Salt River. Hawley Lake and SunriseLake both provide great camping and fishing spots.

The East Fork of the White River runs for just six miles.Drive south from Whiteriver on SR 7 and turn east towardFort Apache. The road crosses the river then turns into Y5,which hugs the river on up to the closed area of the reserva-tion. Below R-30, the stream is stocked with Apache Trout.

Elevation: 7,000 to 5,000 feet.Facilities: Excellent campgrounds along some stretches

of the river, lodging in Show Low.Access: Take Highway 60 through the Salt River Canyon

or Highway 260 through Show Low. Be prepared for lots ofdirt road driving on confusing tribal roads.


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Peter Aleshire

37Arizona Highlands

Fort Apache, that ethically complex,historically rich, symbolically ambiguous, icon

of the American West was falling, bit by bit, into ruin.

Perched on a basaltic mesa overlooking the White Riverin the heart of the White Mountain Apache Reservation, thedecaying fort represented a mingling of pain and triumph.From this fort made mythic by countless movie westerns, theAmerican military campaigned against a proud people. Andonce the military abandoned the fort in 1922, it served as aboarding school intended originally to “civilize” the Apache bystripping away their culture.

Another tribe might have called in the bulldozers andhosted a bonfire.

But after more than 50 years of neglect, the White Moun-tain Apache Tribe decided to make Fort Apache into a uniqueplace to both explain their history to outsiders and serve theongoing needs of their community. In this, the tribe demon-strated its history of pragmatic persistence that has allowed theWhite Mountain Apache to bend like willows in a flood andthen spring back upright.

Now, after more than $4 million in reconstruction, reno-vation, and planning, Fort Apache has become a centerpiecefor the celebration of Apache culture and a gathering place forthe Apache community. The tribe recently added the ApacheCultural Center and Museum, with both permanent and ro-tating exhibits of things like Apache basketry woven from mul-berry, squawberry and willow branches with beautiful designscreated by twisting the weaving material to show either thelight inner surface or the dark outer surface.

Visitors can tour the 27 buildings on the 288-acre historicsite, including the 1870s log cabin that housed GeneralGeorge Crook and famed army surgeon Walter Reed, whowent on to pioneer a cure for malaria. Meticulously restoredsandstone and wood frame buildings that served as officer’squarters from the 1880s through the 1920s line one side ofthe huge parade ground. Exhibits also detail the role of thefort and of the White Mountain Apache scouts, who played a


Story by Peter AleshirePhotos by Tom Brossart

Fort celebrates culture of W

The exteriors of the homes once used by soldiers and officers stationed atFort Apache have been carefully restored. 39Arizona Highlands

f White Mountain Apaches


The 1870s log cabin that housed General George Crook and famed army surgeon Walter Reed,who went on to pioneer a cure for malaria has been restored.

crucial role in the decades of warfare in the region. In addi-tion, visitors can learn something of the bungled attempt to ar-rest an Apache religious leader that triggered a pitched battleon Cibicue Creek, a brief attack on the fort, and Geronimo’sescape.

Visitors can also see a restored Apache village, the re-mains of the village in which the Apache scouts lived, 800-year-old pueblo ruins, and pictoglyph panels on the sheer,sun-bronzed basalt walls of the canyon above which the fortsits.

A visit to the fort can serve as a jumping off point forother adventures on the 1.6-million-acre reservation which in-cludes rolling expanses of lower-elevation pinyon-juniperforests and expansive ponderosa pine forests plus the 11,459-foot Mt. Baldy and portions the deep gorge of the Salt River.

The tribe

The White Mountain Apache Tribe now numbers about8,000, up from 2,000 when the reservation was first estab-lished. The tribe operates a ski resort and the Hon-DahCasino outside of Show Low.

The casino includes a 128-room hotel, a 19,000-square-foot conference center, and a golf course, camping ground andRV park.

The Sunrise Ski Resort includes 65 runs, 13 miles of crosscountry ski trails, and a 106-room hotel. Located 24 milesfrom McNary on the eastern edge of the reservation, the re-sort offers a year-round resort hotel, a well-stocked fishing andboating lake, and miles of trails.

The tribe has also managed its wildlife population care-fully, and now sells hunting permits to outsiders eager for achance to hunt the world-renowned elk and other wildlife.Apache guides are also available for hunters. High country

lakes like Hawley, Horseshoe, Sunrise and McNary provideplentiful fishing and recreational opportunities. The reserva-tion is also criss-crossed by rivers and streams, many of whichoffer plentiful fishing opportunities. The most popular in-clude the two forks of the White River, Big and Little Dia-mon, Big and Little Bonito, Paradise, Trout, Snake, Becker,Cibecue and the Black River.

Through the guide program, the tribe now hopes to openmore areas of the reservation to interested tourists — withoutinfringing unduly on the lives of tribe members or turning thedurable and complex Apache ceremonies and culture into atourist sideshow.

It makes perfect sense that the pragmatic White Moun-tain Apache should seek a way to turn a painful history totheir advantage. In contrast to the violent resistance of Chiric-ahua Apache war leaders like Cochise and Geronimo, WhiteMountain Apache leaders in the late 1800s responded to in-vading whites with shrewd caution and restraint.

The fort’s history begins in July of 1869 when Major JohnGreen arrived on a mission to find a site for a fort and to setfire to the cornfields of the White Mountain Apache, on theassumption they had been providing food to other, hostilebands. To Major Green’s surprise, the White Mountain, Car-rizo and Cibicue bands greeted him warmly, insisting theywanted to be friends. The Apache leaders even recommendedthe ultimate site of the fort to Green, an ancient place used byancestors of today’s Hopi and Zuni for 1,000 years before theApache arrived and called it “Place Where the White ReedsGrow.”

Green had glimpsed the Apaches’ intensely felt connec-tion to certain places that was religious in its intensity. Cul-tural anthropologist Keith Basso, who has worked among theWhite Mountain Apache for decades, described some of the

reasons for that attach-ment in his seminal“Wisdom Sits in Places.”

The Apache havevividly descriptive namesfor hundreds of hills,meadows and outcrop-pings, each linked to astory about the ancestorswho first conferred thatname. These stories eachillustrate key elements ofApache philosophy andmorality. The landscapeitself, therefore, helpspreserve and strengthenmorality, knowledge,spirit and culture. That’swhy the White Mountainleaders resolved to do whatever they had todo to hold on to their sacred places.

Impressed by the restraint and warmthof the White Mountain Apache, Greenstopped burning their cornfields and recom-mended establishment of the fort. By thetime construction began on the fort in Mayof 1870, the soldiers often found themselvesprotecting the White Mountain Apachefrom attacks by the inrushing settlers andother Apache bands. Many White Moun-tain warriors soon enlisted as scouts for theArmy, generally fighting loyally and effectiveunder their own leaders alongside white sol-diers — generally against other Apachebands with which they’d long been rivals.

Apache leaders struggled to maintainpeace. Several times, soldiers and white set-tlers attacked peaceful White Mountainbands, perhaps mistaking them for hostileChiricahua and Tonto Apache bands thatraided throughout the region. In 1875, theIndian Bureau decided to force the WhiteMountain Apaches to move to San Carlos,to cut reservation expenses and open moreland to settlement. That decision promptedsome fighting with bands which refused tomove and created internal divisions whenthe Army decided to let one band continueliving near the fort.

Noch-ay-del-klinne, a medicine manand leader of one of the Cibicue bands,started an Apache form of the Ghost Dancein an effort to heal those divisions. A for-mer scout himself, Noch-ay-del-klinne urgedhis followers to stop fighting and await theresurrection of dead chiefs and warriorswhose return would herald the departure of

the whites.Fearing Noch-ay-del-klinne would unite

the various bands, army arrested him atCibicue Creek in August of 1881.

Shooting broke out, the scouts mu-tinied, and the soldiers killed Noch-ay-del-klinne, his wife, and son. The enragedwarriors attacked the soldiers, who escapedback to the fort. The warriors briefly be-sieged the fort, which marked the only at-tack on a fort by Indians in the Southwest.

The incident triggered several monthsof fighting by several White Mountainbands, the destruction of the remnant ofNoch-ay-del-klinne’s band at the battle atBig Dry Wash, and the eventual executionof three of the scouts for mutiny.

The conflict prompted Geronimo andseveral Chiricahua bands that had been liv-ing on the reservation to take once more tothe warpath. The White Mountain Apacheleaders managed to restore peace and WhiteMountain scouts played a crucial role infighting Geronimo’s Chiricahuas and restor-ing peace to the bloodstained Southwest.

The military value of the post declinedquickly after the end of the struggle with theApache in the late 1880s and was shutdown as a military base by 1922. It operatedas a boarding school starting in 1923 — ini-tially to “civilize” Indian children removedunwillingly from their homes. However, thetribe in recent decades assumed control ofthe school.

Now, tribal members hope Fort Apachecan become once again a distinctly Apacheplace, with a new set of stories, meaningsand uses.

41Arizona Highlands

This cupola atop one of the buildings at Fort Apachehas been restored to its original look.

PracticalitiesFort Apache is located on a loop

of Highway 73 a few minutessouth of Whiteriver.

All reservation land shouldbe treated as private land,which means you need a per-mit from the tribe for most ac-tivities including driving off themain highway, hunting, fishingand camping.

Permits are available fromthe White Mountain ApacheGame and Fish Department atBox 220, Whiteriver, AZ 85941.

You can stay overnight at theplush Sunrise Resort Hotel andthe Hon-Dah Motel near Mc-Nary at the junction of High-ways 73 and 173.


Pine’s best kept secret might be the tinymountain hamlet’s rows of aging pioneerhomes and the small but quaint museum,which has long played a role in preservingthe area’s history. Both exist in the town,but visitors often speed north and southon the Beeline Highway unaware that the

historical treasures are among the real gems to be found in theRim Country. Visiting the old homes, some were first builtabout the time Pine was settled in 1879, is a great way to fullyappreciate the spirit of the hearty Mormon pioneers who set-tled the area. But before strolling Beeline to marvel at thehomes, visitors should stop at the museum located in old Pine

School. There, a “Walking History Trail” pamphlet can be pur-chased for $1.

Members of the Pine-Strawberry Archaeological and His-torical Society have also erected markers in front of each homethat correspond to locations in the pamphlet.

Some of the houses were originally small log cabins thatwere added onto over the years. Others were more elaborateand remain much the same as when they were built.

The first home of the trail, located as marker #1, is actu-ally on Pine Creek Canyon Drive northeast of the LDSchurch.

Isaac Hunt, the fourth child of a pioneer family, built thehouse in 1912 for his wife Florence.

PineA town full of history and antiques

Story by Max FosterPhotos by Tom Brossart

43Arizona Highlands


It was one of the first homes in thearea to use rough sawn lumber, a big im-provement over logs.

At Marker #2, is a home in which cat-tleman John Hunt and his family lived foryears. It was originally a log cabin built byJohn’s uncle and then additions werebuilt to make room for seven children.

It is one of the first homes to have in-door plumbing, which came to Pine inthe mid-1920s. Pine did not have electricpower, as we know it today, until afterWorld War II.

Between marker #1 and #2 is the Hunt Family Monu-ment that honors the pioneering members of the family.

Among the homes that remain open to visitors is onewhich now is an antiquestore, located adjacent tothe Pine post office onthe east side of Beeline.

Bert D. Randall, thefirst white male born inPine, originally built it in1905 after marrying LucyPearl. Tales abound thatRandall hired a crafts-man who spent a yearhand-carving banisters,casings and molding inthe home.

Current Pine resi-dents remember theBondurant family livingin the home for decades.On the north side of thehome, the family care-fully nurtured a gardenthat produced mouth-watering vegetables the Bondurantsoften shared with family and friends.

Also on the trail, at the north end of town, is a buildingthat originally was the Ford Car Agency and garage.

On the south end of town and the east side of Beeline isPine’s first post office built by Frank Fuller in about 1928.

It was later converted into a service station and now is astand in which honey and other products are sold.

A must see on the trail is the Lazear home in the middleof town It began as a log structure which remains the heart ofthe house.

Lazear, his wife, Margaret, and their three children livedin the home until the 1930s.

Also on the trail is the original Mulberry Inn — the area’s

first motel-type accommodations.Near the Inn is a ditch that once served as an irrigation

channel for the entire town running parallel to the BeelineHighway.

The museum

The Pine-Strawberry Museum has its roots in a smallroom inside the Isabelle Hunt Memorial Public Library.

About two decades ago it was moved into old PineSchool, which also once served as “the LDS Chapel.” The newfacility is a much larger allowing for more room to display arti-facts and documents — some of which Mormon settlersbrought to the area in the 1800s.

Among the artifacts that stirs the curiosity of visitors areWorld War II uniforms, a barber chair used in the 1920s,farming implements from the 1800s, cupboards, tablewareand sewing machines more than 100 years old and periodclothing. Also drawing attention is the tin ceiling in the mainroom, which remains today exactly as it was in pioneer days.

Among the most popular exhibits is a slide show of histor-ical photographs that traces the building of the hydroelectricpower plants at Fossil Creek. The photo exhibit opened Me-morial Day 2001 and has been a big draw since.

Photos show the building of the 40-mile wagon road fromChilds to Mayer, the nearest railroad station.

To build the power plant and the twisting, turning roadfrom Strawberry to Childs, where the plants were located,took a labor force of 600 men and 400 mules hauling morethan 150 wagons.

The plant operated for about 100 years before ArizonaPublic Service decided on Dec. 31, 2004 to decommission theplant, which reunited Fossil Creek with its former route.

New to the museum is a store in which visitors can pur-chase historical and hometown recipe books. Some of the his-tory books tell of the trials and strains of the families whosettled the area and the recipe books contain ages-old recipescooked up by pioneers.

In the summer months the museum is open from 10 a.m.to 2 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.

This log cabin sits in the middle ofPine.

45Arizona Highlands

Pine’s first post office, built by Frank Fuller in about1928, was later converted into a service station andnow is a stand in which honey and other productsare sold.

GettingthereWhere: Locatedon Highway 87in the Rim Coun-try, Pine is about15 miles fromPayson, and 3miles fromStrawberry. FromCamp Verde,travel east onWest Highway260 (The GeneralCrook Trail), turnright whereHighway 87 and260 meet. Dis-tance fromCamp Verdeabout 42 miles.From Payson fol-low Highway 87north. The townhas arts andcrafts festivalson major holidayweekendsthroughout thesummer monthsalong with manyantique andother stores.

• Open Daily for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner • • Voted “People’s Choice Award” Taste of Rim Country 2009 •

• Weekly Entertainment •

Kohl’s Ranch Lodge on the banks of Tonto CreekEast Highway 260, Payson, AZ • (928) 478-4211

www.ilxresorts.com

201 W Main Street, Suite J. Payson, AZLocated next to the Sawmill Theatres

928-474-7411Voted “Best of Rim Country” by the community of Payson 13 YEARS IN A ROW for Burgers, Sandwiches & Lunch

• Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner from 10am• Pets Welcome on the Patio• Great Food & Great Service

40NEW MENUITEMS


DiningGuide

Gerardo’s Italian BistroFine Dining/Italian..............468-6500512 N. Beeline Highway, PaysonItalian style fish, veal and chicken; woodburning pizzas and pasta specialties.Open Tuesday thru Sunday, Lunch11am-2pm, Dinner 4pm-9pm

Macky’s GrillFamily Dining .....................474-7411201 W. Main St. Suite J, [email protected] dine in our recently remodeledfamily restaurant, home of the MackyBurger. We now sell domestic and im-ported beer and wine.Open Sunday thru Thursday 10am-8pm,Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm.

Zane Grey Steakhouse& SaloonFine Dining/Steaks .....928-478-4211Highway 260 at Kohl’s Ranch Lodgewww.kohlsvacation.comHearty, authentic, western cuisine. Liveentertainment on weekends (call tocheck). Steakhouse open for Breakfastdaily 7:30am-11am; Lunch, Monday thruFriday 11am-2pm, Saturday and Sunday11am-noon; Dinner, Monday thru Thurs-day 5pm-8pm, Friday and Saturday,5pm-9pm. Saloon open Monday thru Fri-day 5pm-8pm, Saturday and Sundaynoon to closing.

PIZZA • PASTA • SEAFOOD • WINE

GERARDO’sITALIAN BISTRO

928-468-6500Arizona Highways Magazine Best 25 Favorite Restaurants

GERARDO’sITALIAN BISTRO

512 N. Beeline Hwy. Payson, AZ 85541Catering Services Available

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