24/11/2020
ARIZONA 5 Day Road Trip. Phoenix-Prescott-Sedona-Payson-Jerome-Marana-Phoenix.
Day 1 - Arrived in Phoenix on a clear balmy November day, a high of 91° was very welcoming after a week of 50° days in Chicagoland.
First stop – Prescott - 2 hours from Phoenix. We stopped at Whiskey Row. Prescott is a quaint, historic town with tons of history dating back to 1864. There is shopping, golfing, hiking, boating, museums, bars and old town hotels.
We stopped at The Palace, this restaurant bar is steeped in history, their famous patrons were Doc Holliday, Big Nose Kate, Wyatt Earp and Virgil Earp. The interior definitely reflects the Old West era; an arched mirrored bar, Tin Square ceiling tiles, heavy swinging doors, and an interior balcony. There are a lot of Western artifacts and history decorating this place. Well worth the visit.
Second stop –1 hour 6 minutes to Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale AZ. - we took state route 89A through Woodchute Mountain, 89A is a winding mountain highway, with a lot of switchbacks and amazing scenery. We drove through Jerome, a town worth a second look. Tuzigoot is a 2 to 3 story Pueblo ruin on the summit of a sandstone ridge, the NPS runs the ruins and they also have a small museum showcasing the recovered pottery and history of the site.
Last stop Sedona – 34 minutes, this last leg took us through the town of Cottonwood, still on Highway 89A going north right at sunset produced incredible views. The sunset was reflecting on the red rock, turning the ordinary to extraordinary. We hit the best dive bar in Sedona - The Sundowner., where we met some amazing locals, in a terrific low key atmosphere.
Day 2 – Sedona to Mongollon Rim 2.5 hours. Hwy 179 to 17 to 260 to bring us to the visitor center. Then we embarked on an offroading adventure in a Nissan Rogue. The Mongollon Rim FR300 goes through extensive Ponderosa forests on either side, situated on high sandstone and limestone cliffs, with views of dramatic canyons. It took us 4 hours to travel from the visitor center on route 260 to Highway 87 Baker Lake, approximately 45 miles. Of course we stopped to take pictures and took a side trip to Knoll Lake. There are a couple of campsites on this Fire Road, as well as abundant dispersed camping spots available.
The final leg from Baker Lake to Jerome was 1.5 hours. Jerome is an old copper mining town built into the side of Cleopatra Hill, founded in the late 1800’s, it is a designated National Historic District. The town is a tourist town now, comprised of art galleries, eateries, shops, and lodging. We found turquoise jewelry made by the Hopi Indian Tribe, and indulged in a tasty Mexican meal there. On the ride down the hill you can see Sedona’s red rocks.
Day 3 – Sedona to Marana AZ. 3.5 hours. We took the morning to shop in Sedona, a town that caters to the tourist, shops, spas, art galleries. It was an incredible experience, the scenery, the shopping the atmosphere. The drive down Red Rock Scenic Byway SR 179 took us past Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock, the scenery took our breath away. A must drive if you are visiting Sedona.
We stopped at Montezuma’s Castle National Monument, it is a 20 room apartment complex, built into the limestone cliffs by native Americans many years ago. Ladders are needed to get into the rooms. The short trail depicts the flora and fauna of the surrounding countryside, and the history of the native Indians who lived there.
We dined at Lil Abner’s in Marana, an old stagecoach stop that cooks steak over an outdoor mesquite fire. The steak just melts in your mouth. It was beyond delicious. Lil Abner’s has live music, indoor/outdoor dining, and old west décor.
Day 4 – from Marana to the top of Mt Lemmon it is almost a 4 hour drive round trip. We downloaded the University of AZ app that took us through all the levels of the eco system as we went from the desert to the ponderosa forests at the top. The quaint town at the top had a ski hill, shops and hiking trails. All along the drive there are pull outs, and overlooks. The canyon views are beyond words, magical.
We stopped at Bottega Michelangelo for dinner, we were lucky enough to arrive during happy hour. Food and drink was delicious.
Day 5 – time to leave, we spent the morning hours shopping at the Phoenix outlet mall, then meeting family for lunch. What an awesome end to our road trip.
