Arizona Highways November 2015

NOVEMBER 2015
ARIZONAS 10 NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARKS
E SC A PE E X PLOR E E X PE R I E NCE
SALT
Life is either a great adventure or nothing. HELEN KELLER
RIVER
CANYON
Its a Grand Canyon, Too!
PHANTOM
RANCH:
Hunker Down ...

Way Down!
plus: SAVING THE SANTA CRUZ VAILS OLD POST OFFICE WILLIS PETERSON
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK SCENIC OAK CREEK CANYON JIM THOMPSON TRAIL
CONTENTS 11.15
2 EDITORS LETTER > 3 CONTRIBUTORS > 4 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR > 56 WHERE IS THIS?
5 THE JOURNAL
People, places and things from around the state, including a look
back at iconic photographer Willis Peterson; Saguaro National Park;
and loggerhead shrikes, the mercenaries of the songbird world.
16 ANOTHER GRAND CANYON

Some say the view from U.S. Route 60, where the steep road
crosses Salt River Canyon, is the most dramatic in the state keep
in mind, Arizona is home to another canyon, one that can be seen
from outer space. Whether its best or not is debatable, but theres
no doubt the states lesser-known gorge is spectacular. Thats why
we gave our photographer more than a year to capture its beauty.
A PORTFOLIO BY SHANE M CDERMOTT
28 CRUZ CONTROL
For more than 11,000 years, people have lived along the watershed
of the Santa Cruz River. However, climate change, agriculture, mining, groundwater-pumping and drought have left much of the river
dry. Thats where Claire Zugmeyer comes in. The 36-year-old ecologist is working to protect and restore the rivers watershed, with
the help of wastewater-treatment plants in and around Tucson.
BY KATHY MONTGOMERY
34 DESERT OASIS
There are some great places to spend the night in Arizona. One of
the best is located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Although it
takes some work to get down there, a night at Phantom Ranch is
anything but a hardship. Thanks to the impressive crew of 17 who
run the ranch, hikers, river runners and mule riders get to enjoy a
soft bed, a hot shower and a cold beer in one of the worlds most
unforgiving environments.
BY ANNETTE M CGIVNEY
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BURCHAM
40 NATURAL SELECTIONS
After 90 years of publishing, its rare to stumble upon something
big that hasnt been featured in our magazine, but the National
Natural Landmarks Program is new to us. In fact, until recently, we
hadnt even heard of it. Were guessing its news to you, too.
BY ROBERT STIEVE
48 LOCAL FLAVOR
An excerpt from our new cookbook.
EDITED BY KELLY VAUGHN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL MARKOW
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS AVAILABLE Prints of some photographs in this issue are available for purchase. To view options, visit www.arizona
Grand Canyon
National Park
Phantom Ranch
Oak Creek Canyon
Cornville
Salome
Salt River Canyon
PHOENIX
Saguaro
National Park
Vail
Santa Cruz River
POINTS OF INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE
GET MORE ONLINE

www.arizonahighways.com
52 SCENIC DRIVE
Oak Creek Canyon: Despite a re that burned the area in 2014,
the drive through Oak Creek Canyon a National Scenic
Byway still ranks as one of the best in America.
54 HIKE OF THE MONTH

Jim Thompson Trail: Of the many trails in Red Rock Country,
the Jim Thompson is one of the easiest. Its easy to hike,
and its easy to get to.
/azhighways
@azhighways
@arizonahighways
Z An American avocet rests in calm water

in Gilbert, a Phoenix suburb.
| JOHN SHERMAN
CAMERA: NIKON D600;
SHUTTER: 1/1000 SEC; APERTURE: F/7.1;
ISO: 1000; FOCAL LENGTH: 700 MM
FRONT COVER The water of Cibecue

Creek pours over Cibecue Falls as it
approaches the Salt River. For more photos of Salt River canyon, see page 16.
| SHANE MCDERMOTT
CAMERA: NIKON D800E;
SHUTTER: 4 SEC; APERTURE: F/14;
BACK COVER Sprucetop grama grass

(Bouteloua chondrosioides) grows at
Canelo Hills Cienega, a National Natural
Landmark southeast of Sonoita.
| EIRINI PAJAK
CAMERA: CANON EOS 5D MARK II;
SHUTTER: 1/200 SEC; APERTURE: F/5;
highwaysprints.com. For more information, call 866-962-1191.
w w w.arizonahighways.com
editors letter
The Coolest Squirrel in the World
NOVEMBER 2015
an option. Too remote.

Too rugged.
Salt River Canyon is
rugged, too. Although
its not a designated
landmark, by any
other measure, its
spectacular. Some
even say the view of
the canyon from U.S.
Route 60 is the most
dramatic in the state.
For all its majesty, the
canyon doesnt draw
a crowd. Most people
just drive through on their way to the
White Mountains. But not Shane McDermott. He spent almost a year in the canyon shooting this months portfolio.
I never realized how big the place is,
he says. I could have used a couple of
years to photograph it.
Before this assignment, Shane had
never been to Salt River Canyon. He
hadnt even looked at photos of it.
I wanted to discover it for myself and
have it be fresh, he says. My goal for
the whole project was to be adventurous.
I used Google Earth a lot and put my
four-wheel-drive to the test. For one
shot, he even hacked through tamarisks
with a machete to get the right angle.
As youll see in Another Grand Canyon,
his efforts paid off. Shane bushwhacked
to places no other photographers have
been, and came back with a collection
of images that mesmerized an editorial
team that isnt easily wowed. But wow.
Enjoy the photos, because unless youve
been trained as a Navy SEAL, seeing it
like he did isnt really an option. Its too
rugged. Instead, you might want to follow in the footsteps of John Burcham.
John recently hiked into the Grand
Canyon for us. He was there to shoot
Phantom Ranch, which is arguably the
best place in the world to spend a night.
Unlike El Tovar, Old Faithful Inn and the
other iconic park lodges, Phantom sits
in isolation in the middle of one of the
Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
The views are breathtaking, and the
ranch itself is on the National Register
of Historic Places. But

dont equate history
with hardship.
Compared to the
primitive camping
required anywhere
else below the rim,
Annette McGivney
writes in Desert Oasis,
a night at the lodge
is hardly roughing it.
Here, in a place that is
only accessible by foot,
mule or raft, you can
sleep in a soft bed with
clean sheets, take a hot shower, fill your
ice bucket and enjoy a cold beer after a
steak dinner.
Whats even more impressive is that
the entire operation is run by only
17 people. Youll meet some of them in
our story, which offers a glimpse into
their secluded world. It takes a special person to fit in here, says Joseph
Moullet, one of the staff members. You
have to be flexible with your living and
working conditions.
The trade-off, of course, is that you get
to live and work in the heart of a natural
wonder a World Heritage site that can
be seen from outer space. And if thats
not enough, the coolest squirrel in the
world lives just a few miles away. Right
up there on the North Rim.
DAVID MUENCH
PAUL MARKOW
ray squirrels, red squirrels, fox

squirrels ... the backyard of my
boyhood home was ruled by
squirrels. There were a lot of blue jays,
too, and cardinals, but the backyard
was a legion of squirrels. Cartel might be
a better word, because of the way the
squirrels tyrannized the birds on our
bird feeders. No matter what deterrents
were put in place, they were always tormenting the chickadees and nuthatches.
It was survival of the fittest, I get it, but
I never had much affection for squirrels.
Not until I saw a Kaibab squirrel on the
North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Its big tufted ears caught my eye. And
so did its fluffy white tail. It looked so
different from the oppressors I grew up
with. It was cool. And I was intrigued.
It would be another 25 years before Id
learn that Kaibab squirrels arent just
cool, theyre also protected as a National
Natural Landmark.
If youre scratching your head, youre
not alone. Until recently, no one at the
magazine had ever heard of that program, either. Turns out, its been around
since 1962, and its mission is to encourage the preservation of sites illustrating
the geological and ecological character of
the United States. There are 597 National
Natural Landmarks across the country,
including 10 in Arizona.
Kaibab squirrels were added to the list
in 1965 because they represent a classic
example of evolution through geographic
isolation. Heres the short version of
what happened: At one time, Kaibab
squirrels and Aberts squirrels were one
species on the South Rim of the Canyon.
Then, at some point, some of the squirrels wandered to the North Rim and took
on a new identity. Today, theyre recognized as a unique species.
In Natural Selections, youll learn more
about Kaibab squirrels, along with the
other nine landmarks, including Comb
Ridge, which is home to the only known
tritylodont fossils in North America. Of
all the places on the list, Comb Ridge is
the most remote. On paper, its open to
the public, with proper permits from the
Navajo Nation, but, realistically, its not
COMING IN DECEMBER ...
Our annual postcard to the world, featuring the remarkable work of legendary
photographer and longtime Arizona Highways contributor David Muench.
ROBERT STIEVE, EDITOR
Follow me on Twitter: @azhighways
contributors
VOL. 91, NO. 11
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www.arizonahighways.com
PUBLISHER Win Holden
EDITOR Robert Stieve
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DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Kelly Mero
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EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR Nikki Kimbel
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Jeff Kida
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Glynn Denney
ART DIRECTOR Keith Whitney
CHRIS TATUM
NOVEMBER 2015
JOHN BURCHAM
Photographer John Burcham has been in Flagstaff for
20 years and hiked a fair amount in the Grand Canyon, but hed never been to Phantom Ranch before
going there to photograph the ranch staff (see Desert
Oasis, page 34). A lot of visitors just see them in the
background, Burcham says, so it was cool to hang
out with the people behind the scenes and see how
they keep things running. Burchams other assignment for this issue took him down south, where he
helped document restoration efforts along the Santa Cruz River (see Cruz Control, page
28). We went to four different sections of the river, in places like Tucson and Tubac, Burcham says. A lot of it is really pretty, and I enjoyed tagging along with these biologists
and watching them do their stuff. Burcham is a regular contributor to Arizona Highways,
and when we spoke to him, he was preparing for a shoot on the Grand Canyons North
Rim for a story in the magazine next year.
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CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Nicole Bowman
PAUL MARKOW
Paul Markow admits hes not much of a foodie: My
favorite restaurants have drive-up windows, he jokes.
But that didnt stop him from driving nearly 6,000
miles over a ve-month period in 2014 to make all of
the photographs in Arizonas Best Recipes, our new
cookbook. You can see some of those photos, along
with a few recipes from the book, in this issue (see
Local Flavor, page 48). Markow grew up working
for his father, Robert, who founded Phoenixs rst
custom photo lab and has been called the Dean of
Arizona Photographers. From there, the younger Markow says, the family business grew
into his passion. He rst photographed for Arizona Highways in the mid-1970s and is a
regular contributor today, in addition to being a successful commercial photographer.
Shooting a book, though, is a bucket list item that he hopes will stand the test of time.
Ad campaigns come and go, Markow says, but a book will always be around.
SHANE McDERMOTT
Shane McDermotts portfolio in this issue (see Another Grand Canyon, page 16) began as
a conversation with Photo Editor Jeff Kida in June 2014. Jeff said he and Robert [Stieve]
had been pondering a portfolio of Salt River Canyon for a while, but they couldnt nd a
photographer who was the right t, McDermott says. The more Jeff and I talked, the
more it became obvious he felt I was the right t. McDermott does most of his work in
Northern Arizona and had never been to the canyon, but he quickly became acquainted
with its sprawling geography and relatively unexplored nature. He visited the canyon
seven times between September 2014 and May of this year, photographing a different
area each time. By going there in
different seasons, I got to see it in
different conditions, McDermott
says. But I never realized just how
big the place is. I could have used
a couple of years to photograph
it. Salt River isnt the only canyon
close to McDermotts heart: Hes in
the process of donating photos to
the Grand Canyon Trust for use in
a campaign against the proposed
Grand Canyon Escalade project.
PRODUCED IN THE USA
NOAH AUSTIN
RICK GOLDWASSER
MAP DESIGNER Kevin Kibsey

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Michael Bianchi
letters to the editor

editor@arizonahighways.com
very month, when the mailman delivers Arizona

Highways to my home here in Illinois, my first
thoughts are: Why do I still subscribe? What is left for
your photographers to chase down in Arizona after all
these years? And then, as I thumbed through my September
2015 issue, I found out why. Words cannot describe those
remaining wonders yet to be photographed. I used to
live in Southern Arizona, but World War II interrupted
my lifestyle and changed my life forever. I am still a desert rat, though, and return every year.
Bob Howell, Washington, Illinois
BEST
PICTURE
2015
And the winner is ... Peter Coskun of Phoenix.
Its not the rst time weve been impressed
with his work. Peter was an honorablemention winner in 2013, and last year, his
photo of Lost Dutchman State Park was our
Facebook Fan Favorite. Narrowing thousands
of entries to a single image isnt easy, but
when the nal vote was tallied, he was the
winner of our seventh annual photo contest.
EDITED BY JEFF KIDA & KEITH WHITNEY
GRAND-PRIZE WINNER
Mountain Minions, by Peter Coskun
Sunrise illuminates teddy bear chollas and ocotillos in the rugged Kofa Mountains of Western Arizona. This is one of the
nicest photos Ive seen from the Kofas, says Photo Editor Jeff Kida. Theres plenty of detail and texture in the foreground
and background, and the dead ocotillo in the foreground forms a triangle that leads the viewer up into the payoff: the
rising sun behind the mountain. Its a well-framed and complete photograph that tells a story.
Camera: Canon EOS 6D; Shutter: 1/15 sec; Aperture: f/16; ISO: 100; Focal Length: 19 mm
30
SEPTEMBER 2015
31
September 2015
ve been thoroughly engrossed in your

current Photo Issue [September 2015].
I do have a question: In the magnificent portfolio by Bill Hatcher and Tyler
Williams [The Mighty Colorado: Its Not What
Youre Thinking], a mention was made of
the proposed development at the confluence of the Little Colorado with the
Grand Canyons Colorado River. I have
not heard anything about it lately, and
Im wondering what the status is. This is
an affront and totally outrageous to the
special place, solitude, beauty, peace ...
well, I could go on and on, but you know
what I mean. Is there anything one can
do to keep this from happening: petitions, letters to someone, anything at all?
Marylee Peterson, Tucson
EDITORS NOTE: Thank you for your kind words,
Marylee. A good place to look for updates on

the proposed development is www.savethe
conuence.com.
your having to select a winner. Great

work on two beautiful issues that will
remain in our home for quite a while.
Keith Godshall, Souderton, Pennsylvania
wanted to thank you for a poignant

piece titled The Blue [July 2015], a place
near to our hearts (we ranch on its southern periphery). While I politely reject
your political conclusions, I commend
you for capturing the aura and mystique
of a wild and evocative place. Federal
protection is certainly one of many
possible tools to maintain a landscape in
status quo. Im not at all convinced, however, that it is the only let alone most
effective option we can muster.
I invite you to come visit our distant part
of the state and see what coalitions of
ranchers, environmentalists, capitalists
and conservationists have done to promote the conservation and stewardship
of our states stunning working landscapes.
Paul Schwennesen, Clifton, Arizona
he Photo Issue [September 2015] and

photo contest [Best Picture 2015] were
fantastic. Theres nothing like a professional photo straight from the camera.
Its a stark contrast to other publications that glorify images modified with
Photoshop. Keep up the good work!
like your Hike of the Month department.

I lived in Flagstaff in the 60s and 70s.
In those days, a bus ran up to OLeary
Peak [August 2015] several times a day.
We would ride up, and most of us would
hike back down.
Jim Murphy, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
our August and September issues

delivered a magnificent one-two
punch of stunning photography. I was
still reveling in the Best of Arizona issue
[August 2015] when the Photo Issue
[September 2015] arrived to match it
in content. While I envy your work of
scouring through photos, I dont envy
4
NOVEMBER 2015
Al Wheelock, Peoria, Arizona
have lived in Arizona now six years and

subscribed as soon as I discovered your
magazine. Arizona Highways is more than
just an ordinary magazine covering the
sights of our state. Its also breathtaking
photos and heartwarming stories honoring those who have made an impact in
their community and our state. I imme-
diately thought to write when the beautiful Salt River wild horses fate came into
question, but you had already started
to bring their story to light. The e-book
is a beautiful tribute to the horses, and
I hope it will make people realize that
we cannot just get rid of these amazing
animals.
Brenda Rentuma, San Tan Valley, Arizona
he article Sky Marshal [July 2015]

brought back recollections of my
first assignment after weather-observer
training at Luke Air Force Base in July
1953. Shortly before my arrival at Luke,
the Thunderbirds aerobatic team was
formed. They practiced on Saturday
mornings to avoid flight conflicts with
training flights. Often, Thunderbirds
flew overhead repeatedly until their contrails covered the sky, which required
me to file weather observations every
15 minutes. That groups pilots were veterans of combat missions over Korea. As
they filed flight plans at the base weather
station, they teased duty forecasters
about expected weather for the duration
of their flights. Our forecasters were frequently called, among other expressions,
weather guessers. Ninety-nine percent
of the time, the weather on their practice
days was clear with unlimited visibility.
It must have been a sad day when the
Thunderbirds were moved to Las Vegas.
Skip White, Portland, Oregon
contact us
If you have thoughts or comments about anything in Arizona Highways, wed

love to hear from you. We can be reached at editor@
arizonahighways.com, or by mail at 2039 W. Lewis
Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009. For more information,
visit www.arizonahighways.com.
THE JOURNAL 11.15

national parks centennial > history > photography
iconic photographers > dining > nature > lodging > things to do
Sedona Rocks
The placid water of Oak Creek
mirrors Sedonas iconic
Cathedral Rock. I wanted to do
something a bit different from
the normal take on this iconic
location, photographer Adam
Schallau says. Once I found the
boulders, I knew I had my shot.
| ADAM SCHALLAU
To learn more about Sedona, call
928-282-7722 or visit www.visit
sedona.com.
CAMERA: CANON EOS 5D MARK II;
SHUTTER: 6 SEC; APERTURE: F/16; ISO: 100;
FOCAL LENGTH: 55 MM
THE JOURNAL
Along with leafy ocotillos, the namesake cactuses of Saguaro National

Park frame a distant monsoon storm
in the parks western section.
| GEORGE STOCKING
NOVEMBER 2015
national parks centennial
ARIZONA STATE LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND PUBLIC RECORDS
EDITORS NOTE: In August 2016, the National Park

Service will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Leading
up to that milestone, well be spotlighting some of
Arizonas wonderful national parks.
Tourists admire a cluster of mature saguaros at Saguaro

National Monument now a national park in the 1940s.
SAGUARO
NATIONAL PARK
n March 1, 1933, in the last days of his presidency,

Herbert Hoover signed a proclamation establishing
Saguaro National Monument in the nearly empty desert
15 miles east of the sleepy town of Tucson. Wrenched
by the Great Depression and awaiting a new administration, few in
Washington paid any attention to Hoovers action. But it was a victory for botanists and boosters in Arizona whod worked for years
to protect the Sonoran Deserts premier stand of saguaros. Today,
Saguaro National Park protects approximately 1.6 million saguaros
in its two zones the park is bisected by the city of Tucson.
The best way to see the saguaros is to hike along the parks
165 miles of trails. While youre out there, watch your step underfoot might be young saguaros, which grow a mere inch and a half
during their rst eight years. Only when saguaros reach 50 years old
(or older, depending on precipitation) do they begin to sprout the
spindly limbs that make them a worldwide icon of the American
West. In general, saguaros can reach 50 feet tall, weigh more than
6 tons and live for 175 years or longer.
KAYLA FROST
1933 (national
monument), 1961 (western zone
added), 1994 (national park)
A R E A : 91,442 acres
W I L D E R N E S S AC R E AG E : 70,905 acres
A N N UA L V I S I TAT I O N : 673,572 (2014)
AV E R AG E E L E VAT I O N : 4,767 feet
Y E A R D E S I G N AT E D :
www.nps.gov/sagu
history
Vail Post Office
Once part of the national Railway Mail Service, the Vail post office
sold stamps and served customers from 1901 to 1973. Today, a
group of citizens is hoping to restore the old building.
THE JOURNAL
humble adobe building on

Colossal Cave Road in Vail
stands as a reminder of its
communitys pre-statehood
days. The former post office served as
a general store, stage stop and watering hole at what once was an important
crossroads.
Originally called Vails Siding, the
unincorporated community
owes its existence to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Siding
referred to the siding track
built alongside the main line
to allow east-west trains to
pass. Walter and Edward Vail
deeded the Southern Pacific a
right of way through their land
in the 1880s.
The original store stood midway on the stage line between
Tucson and the mining town
of Helvetia in the Santa Rita
Mountains. The railroad built
a passenger station at Vail in
1900, and in 1901, it became
a rail post office, part of the
national Railway Mail Service. A talented postal clerk aboard the train
would snag outgoing mail from a crane
with a hook and hurl incoming mail
from the moving train.
The rugged board-and-batten building by then a store, post office and
tavern burned in a 1908 fire while
Vails second postmaster, Otto Schley,
Mary Jane Warner, Vails longtime

postmaster, works at the Vail post
office in the 1940s or 50s. Warner
succeeded her mother as postmaster.
| VAIL PRESERVATION SOCIETY
this
month
in history
On November 5,
1915, Arizona receives
its rst airmail as aviator Katherine Stinson
drops letters near the
Tucson post office.
Q Two Tucson television stations, KVOA
and KOPO, receive
approval to operate
on November 13, 1952.
Q On the night of
November 15, 1915,
Q
NOVEMBER 2015
attended the Territorys Democratic

convention in Tucson. Schley rebuilt the
store using sturdier stuff: adobe bricks,
stone rubble, shipping crates and material salvaged from the original. It has
stood for more than 100 years.
Mary Jane Warner, the longest-serving postmaster, held that position from
1934 until the U.S. Postal Service decommissioned the building in
1973. Warner was the daughter of the previous postmaster, Dovie Woolsey, who came
to Vail when her car, loaded
with her four children and all
the familys possessions, ran
out of gas at the post office.
Warner took over after Woolseys death.
When the post office
closed, it was used for a time
as a feed store and general
store, then for storage. The
Vail Preservation Society
hopes to buy, restore and
return the building to its
place as a gathering spot at
the heart of the community.
KATHY MONTGOMERY
To learn more, visit

www.vailpreservationsociety.org.
burglars ransack
the Modern Store in
Nogales. The thieves
make off with plenty
of clothes, including
72 silk petticoats and
10 union suits (long
underwear).
Q The Department of
the Interior recognizes Tucsons claim to
ownership of Sentinel
Peak on November 18,
1928, putting an end

to a six-year ght and
saving the A on the
side of the mountain.
Q Red Cross volunteers give out 5,000
masks on November
23, 1918, after the Tucson Board of Health,
facing an inuenza
epidemic, orders that
no one go out in public without a mask.
ARIZONA HIGHWAYS
50 Years Ago
In November 1965,
Arizona Highways
featured the Sonoran
Desert, taking readers
on a journey to Organ
Pipe Cactus National
Monument with
photos of its stately
blooming cactuses.
The issue also introduced readers to the
proposed Sonoran
Desert National Park.
photography
The Salt River ows between verdant hills and jagged rocks. | SHANE McDERMOTT
Vantage Points
Photo Editor Jeff Kida and photographer Shane McDermott discuss
this months stunning portfolio of Salt River Canyon.
JK: You had never visited Salt River
SM: This was about 12 miles in from U.S.
JK: This was shot in March, and the
Canyon before this assignment (see
Route 60, but the last 3 miles were a seri-
green hills juxtapose beautifully with
Another Grand Canyon, page 16). How
ous drop into the canyon. Its a very rough
the rock in the foreground. Was that
did you get ready for it?
and steep road; you need a high-clearance
intentional?
SM: When I started preparing, I intention-
vehicle to get in there, and I ended up
SM: Yes. That was a huge slab of rock,
ally didnt look up photos of the canyon.
having to lock the differential to get out.
probably 40 feet high it goes up a lot
I wanted to discover it for myself and have
Additionally, I had to climb a steep scree
farther than what I showed here and
it be fresh and new. My goal for the whole
slope to get to this vantage point.
25 feet across. It was so beautifully
Google Earth a lot and put my four-
JK: What made you think there was a
countertop. I love the composition.
wheel-drive to the test.
worthwhile shot down there?
JK: How did you use Google Earth?
piece of the river. I knew it had potential, so
SM: Its a useful tool. It gives me a crude rep-
I just kept working my way down toward
textured, almost like a polished granite
project was to be adventurous. I used
SM: From the highway, I could see a tiny
resentation of what I might see. For example,
it. Also, its such a sketchy road. I know Im
when I found Horseshoe Bend, I had scouted
not the only one whos gone back there,
that vantage point on Google Earth.
but its not well traveled. It just led me to
JK: Tell me about the photo above.
yon that hadnt been photographed much.
believe there was a unique part of the can-
To learn more about photography, visit www.arizonahighways.com/photography.
ADDITIONAL READING
Look for our book Arizona Highways
Photography Guide, available at
bookstores and www.shoparizona
highways.com/books.
ARIZONA HIGHWAYS ARCHIVES
THE JOURNAL
iconic photographers
WILLIS PETERSON
never tired of photographing animals in their
natural environments. His works have appeared
Colorado in the 1920s and 30s, went
in exhibits around the U.S. and in London, and in
for the big creatures: rabbits, squir-
magazines such as National Geographic, Audu-
rels, skunks and, once, a badger. He kept them
bon and, of course, Arizona Highways. For 13 years,
all in his backyard. Not surprisingly, Petersons
Peterson was a photojournalist for The Arizona
mother tried to nudge him into a new hobby, so
Republic. He also started the photography pro-
she bought him a camera for his 14th birthday. He
gram at Glendale Community College, where he
immediately took to photographing the wildlife
loved working with his students on their photo-
he caught, unwittingly beginning his decades-
graphs as much as he loved making his own art.
long career as a nature photographer.

Peterson, who moved to Arizona in 1943, has
Peterson is now in his 90s. He lives in Clarkdale

with his wife.
ABOVE: Willis Peterson wrote in 1961 that being a successful wildlife photographer requires
a three-way mixture of technical skill, desire and an innate zeal to portray life.
RIGHT: Petersons photograph of a bighorn sheep in the Kofa Mountains appeared in
the April 1977 issue of Arizona Highways. In an accompanying essay, Peterson

called the sheep one of natures great symbols of freedom.
10
NOVEMBER 2015
KAYLA FROST
WILLIS PETERSON
any kids catch bugs or lizards, but
Willis Peterson, who grew up in
dining
Harrys Hideaway
A PATCH ON HARRY OLSONS UNIFORM READS,

Have Chef, Will Travel. And Olson
certainly has. He and his wife, Adele,
met as computer programmers in their
native Chicago and later
c o r nv i l l e
opened Burgundy Bistro
in a Windy City suburb.
They ran the restaurant for 16 years, but
after one of their customers relocated to
Arizona, when he came back to visit, it
was all he talked about, Adele says.
The Olsons decided to check out the
state for themselves. Ultimately, they
left behind Chicagos gray skies and
settled in the Village of Oak Creek, and
in September 2010, they opened Harrys
PAUL MARKOW
THE JOURNAL
Theres a reason Harrys Hideaway is a local favorite in Cornville.

Actually, there are many reasons, including the pulled-pork sandwiches,
the shoestring fries and the chocolate salad.
Hideaway in the out-of-the-way community of Cornville, southwest of Sedona.
Its quickly become a local favorite, not
just among Cornville residents, but also
for those in Sedona, Prescott and even
Flagstaff. Thats by design: Harry says
the menu, which features few items more
than $20, is priced for locals, and if we
get tourists, thats just icing on the cake.
But the food is the real key to the selftaught chefs success. Take the pulledpork sandwich: Harry dry-rubs a pork
shoulder with his own spice blend, then
slowly roasts it for at least six hours. The
sandwich is a half-pound of pork covered
with a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce
and served on a brioche bun. Order

it with the shoestring fries; you wont
regret it.
Other popular items include ratatouille (I have to offer something for
those vegetarians, Harry says), the New
Orleans-style crab cake and the shrimp
Albear appetizer. The latter sauted
shrimp in olive oil, with garlic, paprika,
chile de rbol and a Cuban seasoning
Harry buys in Miami is named after a
Cuban exile who was an anesthesiologist
in Chicago and a regular customer at the
Olsons restaurant there. He was missing Cuban food, so we collaborated with
him on this dish, Harry says.
Theres also a stable of rotating specials, one of which, the chocolate salad,
has been making a compelling case for
the everyday menu. Its mixed greens,
strawberries, mandarin oranges, goat
cheese and walnuts, drizzled with chocolate vinaigrette made with olive oil from
Queen Creek Olive Mill. And dont leave
without ordering a local beer or glass of
wine, or without trying the chocolatemousse cups, ice cream or other desserts,
all of which are made from scratch.
While Burgundy Bistro was all about
fine dining, the Olsons aimed for a
more casual feel with Harrys. The small,
homey restaurant is warm and inviting,
from the comfortable indoor booths to
the shaded patio. And Adele and a server
keep drinks flowing and diners satisfied.
As Harry talks about his labor of love,
hes interrupted by a regular customer
who congratulates him on his recent
weight loss. So how does he keep the
weight off while cooking up all this
mouthwatering food? A lot of willpower,
he says, laughing. And sometimes I call
Adele over to taste the stuff. NOAH AUSTIN
Harrys Hideaway is located at 10990 E. Cornville

Road, Suite C, in Cornville. Its open Tuesdays through
Saturdays for lunch and dinner. For more information,
call 928-639-2222 or visit www.harryshideaway.com.
nature
Loggerhead
Shrikes
The loggerhead name

comes from
the unusually
large size of
the birds
heads.
Their wings
are black,
with white at
the bases of
the primary
feathers.
BRUCE D. TAUBERT (2)
ou might call loggerhead shrikes

(Lanius ludovicianus) the mercenaries of the songbird world. They
scan the ground for prey from
elevated perches, and when they spot their
prey, they dive in, using the built-in points
on their beaks to jab the prey in the nape
of its neck, at the spinal cord, and paralyze
it. They can carry animals their own size in
their feet they transport smaller prey in
their beaks and will impale larger prey on
thorns or barbed wire to immobilize it. They
also impale poisonous prey in this way,
waiting up to three days before eating it to
allow the toxins to break down.
During mating season, the males court
females by feeding them and performing
a ight display. Once nesting starts, both
sexes gather materials to construct the
nest, but the females build the nests on
their own, which often takes about a week.
Theyll build their nests in areas with thorny
vegetation, ranging from trees and shrubs
to piles of brush or tumbleweeds.
Thorns are characteristic of loggerhead
shrikes territory, as the birds often live in
open areas that have short, spiny, wellspaced vegetation. Those include agricultural elds, pastures, orchards, savannas,
prairies, golf courses and even cemeteries.
The birds are common throughout Arizona
and the southern half of the United States,
and can often be seen on fence posts,
power lines and other elevated perches.
MOLLY BILKER
nature factoid
SPADEFOOT TOADS
Aptly named, spadefoot toads
spend the majority of the year in
underground burrows they dig with
their hind legs and bony, shovel-like
feet. Four species live in Arizona:
the Couchs (pictured), Great Basin,
southern and plains spadefoots.
They are characterized by their
stocky, round bodies; their smooth
skin; and their uniquely vertical pupils, which set them apart from most
other toad species. Spadefoot toads
can be found in desert-scrub and
grassland environments throughout
MOLLY BILKER
Arizona.
13
PAUL MARKOW
THE JOURNAL
lodging
Westward Motel
RANDE WOLTERS SPENT 25 YEARS OF HIS LIFE
Historic Route 66. Hes since completed a
the McMullen Valleys desert views. The
on the road, working for rock bands and
massive renovation of the entire property
Westward isnt what youd expect to nd
living in hotels. After he
and turned one of the rooms into a common
in a tiny Western Arizona town, and thats
left that line of work, he
area with a full kitchen for guests to use.
exactly how Wolters likes it: We dont do
says, I wanted something
The four remaining guest rooms feature gas
anything normal. Thats our goal.
that was totally different. In the mid-2000s,
replaces for chilly Sonoran Desert winters,
Wolters bought Salomes ve-room West-
along with plush beds, antique furniture and
ward Motel, which dates to 1942, because
Wi-Fi. But visitors often spend much of their
it reminded him of the iconic spots along
time relaxing on the veranda and enjoying
salome
NOAH AUSTIN
The Westward Motel is located at 66915 Avenue C in

Salome. For more information, call 208-610-3516 or
visit www.thewestwardmotel.com.
things to do in arizona
Arts and Crafts Festival
Bluegrass Festival
November 6-8, Tubac
November 13-15, Wickenburg
More than 100 juried artists

and crafters from around the
country will exhibit their work
just in time for holiday shopping. Information: 520-3982704 or www.tubacaz.com
Beer Festival
November 7, Lake Havasu City
The 11th annual Chillin N Swillin
event at Rotary Community Park
features more than 40 handcrafted and premium beers.
Information: www.golake
havasu.com
14
NOVEMBER 2015
This event at the Everett

Bowman Rodeo Grounds
includes continuous music by
noted bluegrass bands and
contestants competing in
13 categories for prizes and
cash awards. Limited reserved
camping is available. Information: 928-684-5479 or www.
facebook.com/wickenburgaz
bluegrass
El Tour de Tucson
November 21, Tucson
This massive cycling event
features rides of varying length

(the longest is 104 miles) and
is open to novice, intermediate,
advanced and professional
cyclists. Routes show off the
citys beautiful views of the
Sonoran Desert. Information:
520-745-2033 or www.
perimeterbicycling.com
Glendale Glitters
November 28-January 10,
Glendale
This multi-weekend event is
centered on downtown Glendale, where 1.5 million holiday
lights will cover a 16-block area.
Events include ice-skating, live

entertainment and carriage
rides. Information: www.
glendaleaz.com/glitters
Photo Workshop:
Balloon Festival
January 15-17, Lake Havasu City
Join Arizona Highways contributor Kerrick James to photograph
a three-day hot-air-balloon
festival over picturesque Lake
Havasu, along with skydivers, neon lights and the lakes
reections of historic London
Bridge. Information: 888-7907042 or www.ahpw.org
For more events, visit www.arizonahighways.com/events.
Some say the view from U.S. Route 60,

where the steep road crosses Salt
River Canyon, is the most dramatic in
the state keep in mind, Arizona is
home to another canyon, one that can
be seen from outer space. Whether its
best or not is debatable, but theres no
doubt the states lesser-known gorge
is spectacular. Thats why we gave
our photographer more than a year to
capture its beauty.
ANOTHER
GRAND CANYON
A portfolio by SHANE
McDERMOTT
17
Preceding panel: Cibecue Creek,

a major Salt River tributary, joins
the river at the bottom of Salt
River Canyon. I made this photo in
early spring, photographer Shane
McDermott says, but I didnt know
it was Cibecue Creek at the time.
I wanted to hike up the creek, but the
debris from the spring runoff was too
big and the water was too deep and
fast. I got about two-thirds of the way
to Cibecue Falls before turning back.
Above: The brown water of the Salt

River winds around one of the rivers
many bends. This was my very first
trip to the canyon, in the fall of 2014,
McDermott says. This vantage
point isnt far from U.S. Route 60,
but its tricky to get to. That whole
trip, the skies were just awesome,
and I photographed numerous nice
rainbows.
Right: Lichen-covered hoodoos rise
from a hillside overlooking the river.
I found these using Google Earth,
McDermott says. To reach them, I
had to go past the hoodoos, then
back up and around, before following
a tiny dirt track to a mesa where
I could access them. I camped up
there for a couple of nights.
18
NOVEMBER 2015
19
The Colorado isnt the

only Arizona river with
a Horseshoe Bend, as
McDermott discovered.
I consider this one of
the gem finds from this
project, he says. This
was at sunrise, and the
light made it so dynamic.
I explored this whole area,
including beating my way
through tamarisks with
a machete to get to the
orange cliffs on the left
side of the photo.
21
A placid pool along a small

Salt River tributary reflects
surrounding saguaros
and rocks. I think this
creek runs year-round,
McDermott says, because
I photographed it in late
spring, when it was very
hot. I stayed there for
two days, swimming and
making photos.
22
NOVEMBER 2015
23
Im a sucker for big

vistas, McDermott says.
I made this shot about
7 miles from U.S. 60.
I liked how the dirt road
followed the river around
the bend.
25
Left: McDermott made this photo while he was on his way to

the canyon from Globe. I was going down U.S. 60, watching
the clouds and hoping for a rainbow, he says. When I saw
this, I stopped and ran across the highway. The saguaro in the
foreground caught my eye, so I backed up a little to adjust the
shot and incorporate the saguaro into the composition.
Above: On McDermotts final trip to the canyon, in May of this
year, he finally made it to Cibecue Falls. Im so glad I didnt see
photos of this before I visited it, he says. I wanted to discover
it for myself not just set up my tripod in everyone elses holes.
The big overhangs close to the waterfall give a sense of being
deep in the canyon. Id love to do it again when the water is
clearer, but I still think its really cool.
27
Cruz
Control
For more than 11,000 years, people have lived
along the watershed of the Santa Cruz River.
However, climate change, agriculture, mining,
groundwater-pumping and drought have
left much of the river dry. Thats where Claire
Zugmeyer comes in. The 36-year-old ecologist
is working to protect and restore the rivers
watershed, with the help of wastewatertreatment plants in and around Tucson.
BY KATHY MONTGOMERY
28
NOVEMBER 2015
N A WARM FALL MORNING, two teams of biologists creep slowly along the
ankle-deep water of the Santa Cruz River in Marana, just north of Tucson. Midmorning sun glints off the ripples of the braided stream as an electronic whine
pulses through the air like a car alarm.
Along the rivers banks, one member of each team probes the water under the
overhanging grasses with a long wand attached to an electroshocking unit a
large, square backpack with a slender tail that drags behind in the water. Two netters flank each
operator, with a fourth person following behind, carrying a bucket. The electronic pulses lure tiny
mosquitofish toward the anode, which temporarily paralyzes them so they can be netted, placed
into buckets and counted.
Ecologists Scott Bonar

and Claire Zugmeyer use
a large net to catch sh
during a Santa Cruz River
sh survey, which provides
a snapshot of the rivers
ongoing recovery.
29
Were so linked to
water, wherever there
was water youre
going to find people.
Thinking about that
has been the biggest
surprise: how much
were part of the
landscape in our
history, how
we shaped it.
Claire Zugmeyer
30
NOVEMBER 2015
So begins the Sonoran Institutes annual fish survey of the lower

Santa Cruz River. Lean and fresh-faced, wearing hip-high waders and
a wide-brimmed hat, 36-year-old ecologist Claire Zugmeyer leads the
group, assembled from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arizona
Game and Fish Department, Pima County and the University of Arizona.
Over the next few months, Zugmeyer will analyze and incorporate
data from the survey into the institutes Living River report series. The
annual report documents the rivers health along a 23-mile stretch of
the lower Santa Cruz using 16 indicators, the presence and types of fish
being among them.
For more than 11,000 years, people have lived, farmed, mined and
ranched along the watershed of the Santa Cruz, one of the continents
longest-inhabited regions. Theyve pumped the groundwater that feeds
the river and diverted its flow. Stretches that once flowed year-round
have long since run dry, except during storms. But in a surprising way,
the people who live along the river are beginning to give back some of
whats been lost.
Three wastewater-treatment plants discharge as much as 60 million
gallons of effluent into the river each day, supporting about 40 miles of
precious riparian habitat and its fish, birds and other species.
More than 46 organizations have worked to protect and restore the
rivers watershed. The Tucson-based Sonoran
Institute, which has been working in the
OPPOSITE PAGE: Sonoran
Institute ecologist Claire Zugmeyer
watershed for 25 years, is documenting the
says protecting the Santa Cruz
rivers comeback and leading some pioneercomes down to how humans
ing efforts to help that process along.
manage and conserve water.
RIGHT, ABOVE: A member of the
ROM THE AIR, the Santa Cruz resemsurvey team uses an instrument to
measure the rivers pH levels.
bles a fishhook. From its headwaters
RIGHT, BELOW: Recent
in Southern Arizonas San Rafael Valefforts have allowed the longn
ley, the river flows south into Mexico, passdace, a native sh species, to
ing the village that gave the river its name,
thrive in the rivers upper section.
before making a U-turn and flowing north
into the United States, past Nogales, Rio
Rico, Mission San Jos de Tumaccori and Tubac Presidio, all of them
located where they are because of the river.
From Green Valley, the Santa Cruz once flowed through the Great
Mesquite Forest, the largest known mesquite bosque in the country,
before reaching Mission San Xavier del Bac. The forest is gone likely
the victim of overharvesting, groundwater-pumping, mining, agriculture and the deepening of the river channel, thanks in part to a Welsh
immigrant named Sam Hughes.
In the 1880s, Hughes cut a ditch perpendicular to the river near
what is now St. Marys Road in Tucson, intending to tap into the water
table to irrigate farmland. But after a series of storms, the ditch eroded
9 miles to San Xavier del Bac, taking with it prime agricultural land
and deepening the river channel. That helped lower the water table,
decreasing the rivers flow.
As a result, the river no longer flows near the mission or downtown
Tucson. A dike south of Martinez Hill, built in 1915, channeled the river
into its present course. But Hughes wasnt the first to use this method
for irrigation. Archaeologists believe the Hohokam people may have
done something similar long before.
From Martinez Hill, located on Tohono Oodham land, the river now
continues downstream through Tucson, past where ancient Hohokam
31
villages once dotted its banks, and Marana,

where the fish survey begins that fall day.
In the early 1900s, the Santa Cruz Reservoir Co. hoped to manage the seasonal runoff
on the lower Santa Cruz for agriculture.
As part of the project, Colonel William
C. Greene designed a 13-mile canal southeast
of Picacho Peak to connect the Santa Cruz
with a reservoir to the west.
Floods in 1914 and 1915 destroyed Greenes diversion dam and reservoir. As a result, rather than flowing past Eloy, Toltec and Casa Grande, the river now
takes a more westerly course, eventually emptying
into the Gila River near the village of Santa Cruz, a
tiny census-designated place on the Gila River Indian
Community.
In recorded history, water has flowed along the
rivers entire 200-mile course only during heavy
floods, with year-round flows marking places where
underlying bedrock forces water to the surface.
Springs and marshes once flowed around Martinez
From left, Scott Bonar,

Christina Perez and Brian
Powell catch and count
sh in the Santa Cruz.
Perez uses an electroshocking unit to stun the
sh, which then are
caught, counted and
released unharmed.
32
NOVEMBER 2015
Hill and Tucsons Sentinel Peak (commonly known

as A Mountain). Tucsons very name was derived
from an Oodham word meaning springs at the foot
of Black Mountain. But climate change, agriculture,
mining, groundwater-pumping and drought have left
them dry.
When Zugmeyer moved to Tucson, she had no idea
the river used to flow there year-round: I thought,
All the rivers here are dry most of the year. Thats just the
way it is in the desert.
N A SENSE, concern about the Santa Cruz inspired

the formation of the Sonoran Institute. Troubled by
development near a Santa Cruz tributary, founder
Luther Propst helped negotiate an agreement with a
major housing developer in the 1980s, then organized a
broad coalition to protect and care for the areas natural resources. He founded the Sonoran Institute in 1990
to extend this collaborative approach to conservation
efforts all over the West.
Today, the institute maintains offices in Bozeman,
Montana; Glenwood Springs, Colorado; and Mexicali,

Mexico, in addition to Phoenix and its headquarters
in Tucson. One of the institutes first projects was
to help conserve land along the headwaters of the
Santa Cruz in the San Rafael Valley. It also worked to
establish Las Cienegas National Conservation Area,
protecting another of the rivers tributaries.
These days, the institute focuses on the effluentdependent stretches of the river and its tributaries,
which include the upper Santa Cruz, between Rio
Rico and Amado, and the lower Santa Cruz, between
northwest Tucson and Marana. It started the Living
River series after trees began dying along an 8-mile
section of the river in 2005.
It surprised a lot of people, Zugmeyer says.
Because it seemed to happen overnight. At that point
they started thinking, If we keep track of things on a regular basis, we might be more prepared for these kinds of things
or avoid them altogether.
So with a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Sonoran Institute developed the
report series to document the health of the effluentdependent stretch of the upper Santa Cruz below the
Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The first time we did [a fish survey], we literally
found one individual fish, a mosquitofish, Zugmeyer
recalls. They upgraded [the water treatment plant]
halfway through 2009, and almost immediately, we
were finding fish again, including the longfin dace, a
native species.
The Sonoran Institutes approach considers human
culture as well as nature. Theyre really hard to
separate, especially in this area, Zugmeyer says.
Were so linked to water, wherever there was water
youre going to find people. Thinking about that has
been the biggest surprise: how much were part of the
landscape in our history, how we shaped it.
As human culture contributed to the rivers
decline, it must also be a factor in its recovery. So, in
addition to tracking natural conditions, the institute
is trying to find innovative ways the community can
use water differently to ensure that the river flows
during dry months.
In arid environments, it comes down to how we
manage and conserve water, Zugmeyer explains.
The Santa Cruz work is trying to look at the system
as a whole.
Those strategies include the Conserve to Enhance
program, launched in 2011. The program was the first
in the nation to link personal water use to environmental benefits.
More than 150 Tucson-area participants save water,
through methods such as installing water-efficient
fixtures or harvesting rainwater for landscaping,
and donate their savings to a fund that restores
and enhances the washes that feed the river. Another 800 households
donate via their water bills.
The improved washes filter pollutants before they end up in the river
and create green areas where people can enjoy the visible results of
their donations. Participants have saved more than 6 million gallons of
water and raised more than $40,000, funding seven projects.
Finally, the Sonoran Institute co-sponsors Research Days, an annual
event that grew out of research at Tumaccori National Historical Park.
The two-day event allows people and organizations doing research
along the river to share their findings.
It was during one of those events that Pima County learned of the
institutes Living River series, which happened to record conditions
along the upper Santa Cruz just before upgrades to the Nogales treatment plant.
The second report was during the upgrades, and the third report
was a full year after, Zugmeyer says. So we had this really nice
before, during and after.
Pima County planned a $600 million upgrade to its own two facilities and wanted to apply the same model to the lower Santa Cruz.
HE MORE THAN 23 MILES the Santa Cruz River courses

through northwest Tucson is Arizonas longest stretch of river
dominated by effluent, according to a 2007 mapping. A million
county residents turning on their showers each morning add a daily
ebb and flow to fluctuations that occur seasonally.
Effluent from the Agua Nueva Water Reclamation Facility also
feeds the Sweetwater Wetlands before percolating through the soil to
replenish the local aquifer. Opened in 1998, the wetlands have become
important bird and wildlife habitat. Bird sightings there include elegant
trogons and other species rarely seen in Arizona.
At press time, the citizen-science database eBird (www.ebird.org),
managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, listed 294 species spotted
in the wetlands, one of the highest counts in Arizona. The influx of
birders gives a boost to the local economy. Pima County is also constructing trails along the river to enhance recreation.
During the fall fish survey, teams net about 200 pollution-tolerant
mosquitofish on the lower Santa Cruz, but not the hoped-for longfin
daces seen in the rivers upper section. Nor do they find the catfish and
carp that have been reported. Zugmeyer suspects they were flushed out
during heavy monsoon flooding.
And while the survey finds fewer fish than the year before, it finds
them at more sites. That may be thanks to significantly reduced ammonia levels after the upgrades, improving conditions for fish. Nitrogen
levels also have decreased, accelerating the rate at which river water
percolates into the aquifer. The improvements have also nearly eliminated effluent-related odor.
The effluent isnt exactly a natural system, Zugmeyer explains.
But its maintaining a lot of benefit the wildlife and the community are
getting.
And while she wishes the treatment plants were built south of downtown, where the results would be more visible, she adds, Its still great
to have a flowing river, no matter where it is.
To learn more about the Sonoran Institutes work on the Santa Cruz River, call 520-290-0828 or
visit www.sonoraninstitute.org.
33
There are some great places to spend

the night in Arizona. One of the best
is located at the bottom of the Grand
Canyon. Although it takes some work
to get down there, a night at Phantom
Ranch is anything but a hardship.
Thanks to the impressive crew of 17 who
run the ranch, hikers, river runners and
mule riders get to enjoy a soft bed, a
hot shower and a cold beer in one of the
worlds most unforgiving environments.
BY ANNET TE McGIVNE Y
35
very afternoon at about 2:30 p.m., Joni Badley walks to

the Phantom Ranch corral carrying a sweating pitcher
of ice water in each hand. And the afternoon of March 7,
2015, is no different.
Hello, Phantom Ranch mule riders! Badley says as she sets
the pitchers down on a covered picnic table and turns with
a big smile toward the dust-covered group. Welcome to the
bottom of the Grand Canyon! She pours water into cups and
hands them to 10 guests who gingerly dismount from their
steeds and duck into the shade. After more than five hours
in the saddle while descending from the South Rim, they are
tired, thirsty and ready to relax.
As the general manager for Phantom Ranch, Badley is in
charge of everything from supervising employees to keeping the kitchen stocked, but she says greeting the guests who
arrive by mule every day is her favorite part of the job. Badley,
two female wranglers and the guests go over cabin assignments, when to eat dinner and where the bathhouse is located.
Between now and when they ride back up to the rim tomorrow
morning, the group will experience the rustic beauty of Phantom Ranch in much the same way guests did in 1922, when the
resort first opened.
We dont have TV or access to Wi-Fi down
here, Badley warns. But you can do old-fashioned
things for fun, like skip stones in the creek and
write postcards.
Compared to the primitive camping required
anywhere else below the rim, a stay at Phantom
Ranch is hardly roughing it. Here, in a place that is
only accessible by foot, mule or raft, you can sleep
in a soft bed with clean sheets, take a hot shower,
fill your ice bucket and enjoy a cold beer after a
steak dinner. This rare oasis of creature comforts is
made possible by a crew of 17 dedicated Phantom
Ranch employees who run a finely tuned operation,
one thats been perfected over the decades for maximum efficiency in one of the worlds most unforgiving environments. Largely invisible to guests,
the Phantom Ranch machine operates almost
24 hours a day, and often without a hitch, powered
not by technology but by people.
It takes a special person to fit in here, says
Joseph Moullet, one of the staff members. You
36
NOVEMBER 2015
have to be flexible with your living

Preceding panel: The
Phantom Ranch canteen
and working conditions. And you
welcomes more than
have to love hiking in the Canyon.
80 diners a day for
The employees live in a small
breakfast and dinner.
bunkhouse located in the middle of
Above, left: Tom Hagan,
one of 17 Phantom Ranch
Phantoms cluster of cabins. They
employees, prepares to
work shifts of 10 days on and four
open the canteen for dinner.
days off. Although hiking to and
Above: Mule packer Steve
from work is a job requirement, the
Trent arrives with supplies
from the South Rim.
connection to the Grand Canyon, for
Below: Dan Trenchard rings
Phantom employees, goes beyond
the historic Phantom Ranch
the bimonthly commute. This is a
dinner bell.
minimum-wage job, so its not about
the money, Moullet says. I do it for
the scenery.
After graduating from high school in his hometown of
Portland, Oregon, Moullet, 23, took a job at Maswik Lodge in
Grand Canyon Village. He planned to attend the University of
Arizona as soon as he gained in-state residency. But then he
hiked to Phantom his first week at the South Rim. This place
was like a sanctuary, he says. I started hiking down here
every time I could. After nine months, Moullet applied for a

job at Phantom and was hired. That was two years ago. Moullet
still intends to get his college degree, but hes no longer in such
a hurry.
Working here has made me slow down, Moullet says as
he sits at a picnic table in front of Phantoms dining hall. Hes
taking a break from running the cash register at the canteen,
where hes been selling candy and postcards all morning. In
addition, a steady stream of hikers have been limping in, asking for ice to nurse their swollen knees and ankles.
This job has made me think about what I want to do with
my life and how I want to enjoy my time between high school
and college, Moullet adds.
ven though a relaxed atmosphere prevails at Phantom,
the work isnt easy. The staff rotates between various
job duties, working morning, midday or evening shifts
that focus on running the kitchen and
dining hall and maintaining 11 guest
cabins. The well-oiled Phantom Ranch
machine usually serves breakfast and
dinner to more than 80 people, while
the resort, with room for 92 guests,
is booked solid years in advance. The
off-the-grid location, combined with
the demands of constantly operating
at capacity, leaves little room for error
among the staff.
The breakfast cook arrives at the
kitchen at 1:30 a.m. to make bacon,
eggs and pancakes, as well as bake
cakes and cornbread for dinner. The
dining-room wait staff reports by
4:15 a.m. to serve two breakfasts, at
5 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. After the cabin
guests check out at 7:30 a.m., the rooms
are cleaned and beds are made in
time for the next round of guests that
afternoon. Mule packers arrive from
the rim by about 9 a.m. with supplies
including approximately 2.5 tons of
food per week and carry out trash
and duffels.
On this morning in March, one of
the packers is Steve Trent, who goes by
the trail name of Captain Howdy. He
looks straight out of central casting for
a Hollywood Western. Trent, 46, grew
up in Montana, where he honed his
skills as a rancher, but hes also worked
as a banker in the mortgage industry.
I still do financial consulting on the
side, he says as he pulls crates of food
and duffels out of saddlebags. Hes
Bright Angel Creek runs

through Phantom Ranch.
been working as a packer for three years. I love doing this,

he says. Every day on the trail is a new adventure because the
mules all have different personalities.
Badley is standing by with a clipboard, checking off the
incoming inventory and feeding carrots to the mules, while
another employee, Robert Nance, 40, carries the cargo to the
kitchen in a wheelbarrow. Badley, 51, has been working at
Phantom off and on since the mid-1980s and was appointed
general manager four years ago.
We cant run out of steak or toilet paper, she says, noting
that Phantom keeps a constant 10-day stock of food and supplies. From the moment people check in, everything has to
run very smoothly. We are prepared for anything and operate
with maximum efficiency. We recycle and compost. We fold
our sheets a certain way and our towels a certain way. The
sheet technique is called the Phantom fold and enables two
employees assigned to make 92 beds in a few hours to function
at lightning speed by yanking the sheet from either end and

tucking it around the mattress in one fluid motion.
Just about everyone working at Phantom is what the staff
calls a maid, as employees cycle into and out of various jobs
on a weekly basis. On this March morning, Brandy Upton is
the maid. She has stripped all the beds and is now in the laundry room, loading sheets into the washing machine and putting towels into the dryer. Due to limited storage space in the
historic facility, Phantom does not have room for extra linens.
Everything must be laundered each morning in time for the
next round of guests. The towels are washed first because they
take the longest to dry.
Upton, 42, is from Louisville, Kentucky, and first came to
work at Phantom in 2008 to join friends who were employees at
the ranch. She stayed until 2010, when she thought it was time
to move on and take a better-paying office job in Louisville.
I really missed the Canyon when I was away, she says as she
rapidly folds towels coming out of the dryer. She moved back
to Phantom in 2013 when a position opened up. Hiking in
and out to get to work has given me a sense of independence,
she says. Last week, I was hiking down the South Kaibab
Trail during a snowstorm and I heard a rockslide. I was a little
freaked out, but I had the confidence to keep going. I wanted to
get home to Phantom.
However, a home at the bottom of the Grand Canyon has
its drawbacks, even if they are
negligible. Moullet finds the
triple-digit summer temperatures
difficult, especially in the laundry room, which isnt air-conditioned. Upton misses being able
Phantom Ranch employees,

including (from left) Robert
Nance, Brandy Upton and
Tom Hagan, come from a
variety of backgrounds.
What they have in common
is a love for the Canyon
and the people who visit.
38
NOVEMBER 2015
Above, left: Two suspension

to go to restaurants on a whim.
bridges cross the Colorado
Willie Nelson craves gummy bears
River near Phantom Ranch.
and his king-size mattress in storage
This is Silver Bridge, also
known as Bright Angel
back home in Tampa, Florida. I miss
Bridge.
that bed, he says after his mornAbove: Mary Jane Colter
ing waiter shift is done. Nelson, 32,
designed Phantom Ranch
applied to work at Phantom three
in what became known
years ago, when he was living in Floras National Park Service
ida. Badley insisted that she interview Rustic style.
him in person before offering him
the job, but he didnt have the funds to visit Arizona before
making the move. The first time I hiked in Grand Canyon
was for the job interview, he says. I sublet my apartment,
put all my stuff in storage and bought a one-way ticket to
Arizona. Fortunately, things worked out.
lthough Phantom employees seem to rarely stop moving, theres a brief period in the afternoon when many
kick back before the dinner shift begins. As hikers,
trail runners and river runners mill around in front of the
closed dining hall beneath towering cottonwoods, laughter,
singing and guitar-strumming can be heard coming from
the fenced yard of the bunkhouse. But by 4 p.m., the staff is
setting up for the 5 p.m. steak dinner.

This afternoon, Nelson, along with Tom Hagan and Dan
Trenchard, is sweeping the floors of the dining hall and laying
down 44 place settings. Hagan will also serve as the evening
waiter, and Trenchard as the dishwasher. One of numerous
traditions among Phantom staff is that the dishwasher gets to
choose the music played during setup and cleanup. R.E.M. is
pulsing in the dining hall as the three move in lockstep with
plates, silverware and glasses. They complete dinner preparations in a record 12 minutes.
Im the new guy, Trenchard says. He took the job at Phantom six months ago after graduating from Northern Arizona
Universitys Parks and Recreation Management Program.
Trenchard, 24, plans to pursue a career in outdoor-leadership
education when the right job opportunity opens up. For now,
being here keeps me close to nature, he says. And it is also
great for networking.
Other Phantom employees have been at the job for decades,
coming and going in what the staff jokingly calls the recycledrancher program. Like the Grand Canyon itself, Phantom
Ranch seems immune to the passage of time and is run in much
the same way today as it was 20 years ago. This allows employees who know the system to leave and then return months
or years later to seamlessly slip back into the workflow.
Hagan, 46, is one of those who cant stay away for long. He
started working at Phantom in 2001 after completing his first
Grand Canyon hike, a 52-day traverse from Havasupai Tribe
land all the way to the Little Colorado Tom Hagan (foreground)
and Dan Trenchard set the
River. On that trip, my thought procanteens tables for dinner
cesses slowed down and everything
service.
began to make sense for the first time
in my life, he says. The answers
would just show up. One of those answers was Phantom
Ranch, which he visited on Day 27. He was offered a job on
the spot and began working after his trek. Hagans routine is
to work at Phantom for a few years and save money. Then he
travels all over the world and eventually returns to Phantom
to plug back in. I dont own a house or a car. Im just having
fun, he says.
At 8 p.m., the dining room is converted into a beer hall. Its
filled with dozens of hikers telling stories and drinking beer
while donning their headlamps for the dark stumble back to
the campground. Boy Scout Troop 280 from Chandler, Arizona,
is huddled around a large table and playing checkers and card
games. Hagan cheerfully rings up a long line of customers buying one more drink.
At 10 p.m., the hall is supposed to close, but people are having such a good time, no ones getting up to leave.
My priority is to make people smile and laugh, Hagan says.
That is why I work here.
By 10:15 p.m., the crowd finally filters out. Hagan and others
quickly clean up the dining room and lay down place settings
for tomorrows breakfast. The lights turn off at 10:45 p.m. In
less than three hours, it will start all over again.
39
NATUR AL
Willcox Playa |
JACK DYKINGA
SELECTIONS
After 90 years of publishing, its rare to stumble upon
something big that hasnt been featured in our magazine,
but the National Natural Landmarks Program is new to
us. In fact, until recently, we hadnt even heard of it. Were
guessing its news to you, too. BY ROBERT STIEVE
41
1. Willcox Playa
EXT YEAR, on August 25, the National

Park Service will celebrate its centennial.
Although Ken Burns is usually credited with
the quote, it was Wallace Stegner who rst
proclaimed that national parks are the best idea we ever
had. If youve ever watched a sunset from Point Sublime on
the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, or hiked the Panorama
Trail in Yosemite, or made the drive to Mount McKinley along
Denali Park Road, you get it. Some of the worlds most impressive landscapes are within our national parks.
But the natural wonder goes beyond the marquee places.
The National Park Service manages and protects more than
84 million acres in parks, monuments, battleelds, historic
sites, preserves, seashores, lakeshores and more. It also
administers the National Natural Landmarks Program.
Established in 1962, the little-known program is intended
to encourage the preservation of sites illustrating the
geological and ecological character of the United States, to
enhance the scientic and educational value of sites thus preserved, to strengthen public appreciation of natural history,
and to foster a greater concern for the conservation of the
nations natural heritage.
In other words, it does some of what the other park units
do, but it focuses on biology and geology. Another distinction is that the Park Service doesnt manage the sites, and
the landmarks arent limited to federal land. The program
incorporates almost every form of ownership, including
federal, state, local, municipal, tribal and private. Currently,
there are 597 National Natural Landmarks, ranging in size
from less than 4 acres to more than 900,000. The rst site
was designated in 1964.
There are 10 landmarks in Arizona. As youll see, some are
familiar. Others are not. Most were added to the list in the 60s
and 70s. The exception is Barfoot Park, which was designated
in June 2011. Eight of the 10 sites are accessible to visitors, but
the protocol varies from place to place, so call ahead for specics. And when you get there, please adhere to the principles
of Leave No Trace. After all, these are Natural Landmarks.
10
42
NOVEMBER 2015
9
6
If you guessed sandhill cranes, guess again. Although thousands of

the long-legged birds migrate to Willcox Playa every year, the area was
designated a National Natural Landmark primarily for the rare fossil
pollens that exist in the black mud of the playa. Technically known as
an endorheic lake, Willcox Playa is a remnant of Lake Cochise, which,
about 15,000 years ago, was 40 feet deep and covered 140 square miles.
Like every other ice-age lake in the Great Basin except the Great Salt
Lake Lake Cochise eventually dried up. Today, the lake is a wetland
approximately 8 miles wide by 10 miles long. Its not very big, comparatively, but its enough to support a few shallow, ephemeral ponds that
form after heavy rains or snows. That water, of course, is what attracts
the cranes, as well as red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, Harris hawks,
prairie falcons, bald eagles, golden eagles, caracaras and great horned
owls. In addition to the wide array of birds and the exceedingly rare fossil
pollens, Willcox Playa is home to the greatest diversity of tiger beetles
in the United States. Its the sandhill cranes, however, that draw most of
the attention. They migrate to Willcox Playa as early as September and
stay as late as March. In the winter, its not unusual to see as many as
8,000 cranes huddled together for the night.
DIRECTIONS: The Apache Station Wildlife Area is a great place to experience Willcox Playa. From Willcox, go west on Interstate 10 for 9 miles to
U.S. Route 191 (Exit 331). Turn left (south) onto U.S. 191 and continue
9 miles to the viewing area, on the left. Its open November 1 through
March 15 from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
YEAR DESIGNATED: 1966
ACRES: 2,369
OWNERSHIP: Federal
INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management, Safford Field Office,
928-348-4400 or www.blm.gov/az
2. Kaibab Squirrel Area

Theyre not an endangered species,
but Kaibab squirrels have something
neither California condors nor Mexican wolves have: Natural Landmark
status. Although the site is identied
as the Kaibab Squirrel Area, the
landmark in this case is the squirrel
itself, which represents a classic
example of evolution through geographic isolation. Heres the short
version of what happened: At one
time, Kaibab squirrels (Sciurus aberti
kaibabensis) and Aberts squirrels
(Sciurus aberti) were one species on
the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
and beyond. And then, somewhere
along the line, some of the squirrels
wandered to the North Rim and took
Kaibab squirrel
on their own identity. Today, Kaibab
| ALLYSON MATHIS
squirrels are recognized as a unique
species. The most notable difference between the two species is their
coloring Aberts squirrels are gray with white underbellies, while Kaibab squirrels have black bellies and white tails. Its the Canyon, however,
that separates them the most. Because of geography, Kaibab squirrels
live in isolation on the Kaibab Plateau and the North Rim of the Grand
Canyon. Thus the landmark status. Although theyre isolated, the silver
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve |
JACK DYKINGA
ghosts of the North Rim are not an endangered species. That said, they
are timid, so dont expect to see them running all over the place, like
their not-so-distant relatives on the South Rim.
DIRECTIONS: From Jacob Lake, go south on State Route 67 toward
Grand Canyon National Park. Along the way, there are several forest roads
that branch off from the scenic highway. Any of them will lead to possible
viewing areas.
ACRES: 304,594
OWNERSHIP: Federal
INFORMATION: Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District,
928-643-7395 or www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab; Grand Canyon National Park,
928-638-7888 or www.nps.gov/grca; Friends of the Kaibab Squirrel, www.
kaibabsquirrel.org
3. Patagonia-Sonoita
Creek Preserve
No other area in Arizona is more deserving of preservation. Thats
what Joseph Wood Krutch, the distinguished American naturalist, said
about Sonoita Creek. The Arizona chapter of The Nature Conservancy
felt the same way and made Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve its rst
purchase in 1966. A few years later, the site was designated a National
Natural Landmark. There are several reasons it draws so much attention. The main reason is the streamside habitat, which is one of the
states best examples of a Fremont cottonwood-Goodding willow riparian forest. Some of the cottonwoods down there are more than 100 feet
tall and 130 years old, ranking them among the largest and oldest in the
country. The trees, as the name of the sanctuary suggests, are nourished
by Sonoita Creek. There are very few permanent streams left in Arizona.
This is one of the few, and its rst 2 miles are within the preserve. In
addition to the cottonwoods and willows, the area supports Arizona
black walnut, velvet ash and netleaf hackberry trees, as well as rare
and sensitive plant species such as Huachuca water-umbels and Santa
Cruz striped agaves. Rare sh nd refuge in the sanctuary, too, including
the endangered Gila topminnow. And then there are the birds. Sonoita
Creek, along with Ramsey Canyon (see page 45), is considered one of the
best birding areas in North America. Its the only known nesting site in
the country for the rare rose-throated becard, but thats just one of the
many extraordinary species in the preserve.
DIRECTIONS: From Patagonia, go southwest on Pennsylvania Avenue,
which turns into Blue Heaven Road, for 1.5 miles to the Patagonia-Sonoita
Creek Preserve visitors center, on the left. The best months for birding are
March through September.
ACRES: 314
OWNERSHIP: Private
INFORMATION: Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, 520-394-2400 or
www.nature.org/arizona
43
Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees |
TOM BROWNOLD
4. Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees

This next sentence will surprise you. The Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees
forest is the largest and densest forest of its kind in the world. Although it
doesnt have the sex appeal of Joshua Tree National Park the Eagles
shot their rst album cover there, and rock climbers converge from all
over the world Arizonas forest of Seuss-like trees is the superlative. At
least, in some respects. Its for the trees, and the overall diversity of ora
in the area, that the site was named a National Natural Landmark. Like
saguaros, Joshua trees have a limited range. Theyre native to Arizona,
California, Utah and Nevada, and theyre typically found in the Mohave
Desert at elevations between 1,300 and 5,900 feet. Contrary to popular
belief, Joshua trees are not members of the lily family. Instead, the
unusual trees (Yucca brevifolia) are members of the agave family. The
confusion stems from the fact that until recently, they were considered
giant members of the lily family. However, DNA studies led to the division of that once-huge family into 40 distinct plant families. Nomenclature notwithstanding, Joshua trees are impressive. They can live for
hundreds of years and reach heights of 70 feet or taller.
DIRECTIONS: From Kingman, go north on Stockton Hill Road for
42 miles to Pierce Ferry Road. Turn right onto Pierce Ferry Road and
continue 7 miles to Diamond Bar Road. Turn right onto Diamond Bar Road,
which passes through Grapevine Mesas Joshua trees before entering
Hualapai Tribe land.
44
NOVEMBER 2015
ACRES: 3,206
OWNERSHIP: Federal
INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management, Kingman Field Office,
928-718-3700 or www.blm.gov/az; Friends of the Joshua Tree Forest,

www.joshuatreeforest.org
5. Onyx Cave
When Onyx Cave was designated in 1974, it was considered to be the
nest cave in Arizona. Although the National Park Service still uses that
language, the subsequent discovery of Kartchner Caverns may have
outdated the description Kartchner is home to some of the most
impressive cave formations in the world. Nevertheless, Onyx Cave is
notable, too. Located in the Santa Rita Mountains, it features a series of
passageways and rooms lled with beautifully developed helictites and
speleothems, and several outstanding shield formations. No one knows
for sure when the rst European settlers discovered the limestone cave,
but its mentioned in the accounts of pioneer ranchers and miners who
came to the area in the 1870s and 80s. Later, in the 1940s and 50s, the
cave became a favorite spot for adventurers. Sadly, the vandals showed
up, too, and the cave was gated in 1963. The gate worked for a while,
until more ambitious vandals used dynamite to blast it away. After that,
the natural wonder was left exposed until 1974, when Escabrosa Grotto
Inc. leased the property. Today, the cave is once again gated, and public
access is regulated by the leaseholder.
DIRECTIONS: From Sonoita, go north on State Route 83 for 4 miles to
to the awe-inspiring beauty of Mother Nature.
Gardner Canyon Road (Forest Road 92). Turn left onto Gardner Canyon
Road and continue 6.4 miles to a dirt road, on the right, that leads to the
Onyx Cave parking area. From there, a trail leads to the cave. Before making the trip, contact Escabrosa Grotto to obtain a permit to enter the cave.
ACRES: 50
OWNERSHIP: Federal
INFORMATION: Coronado National Forest, Nogales Ranger District,
520-281-2296 or www.fs.usda.gov/coronado; Escabrosa Grotto, www.
escabrosa.org
DIRECTIONS: From Sierra Vista, go south on State Route 92 for 6 miles
to Ramsey Canyon Road. Turn right onto Ramsey Canyon Road and continue 3.5 miles to the parking area.
ACRES: 279
OWNERSHIP: Private
INFORMATION: Ramsey Canyon Preserve, 520-378-2785 or www.
nature.org/arizona
6. Ramsey Canyon
Long before the National Park Service took note of Ramsey Canyon, its
namesake, Gardner Ramsey, showed up and staked a claim. That was in
the 1880s. Like most early settlers, he was there to strike it rich. He built
a 2.5-mile-long road to what became the Hamburg Mine. He never hit
the mother lode, but the old road was later converted into a hiking trail,
and today its one of the highlights of Ramsey Canyon Preserve, which
is owned by The Nature Conservancy. When the area was designated
a National Natural Landmark in 1965, it was just 279 acres, and thats
the number used by the Park Service. However, subsequent acquisitions
have expanded Ramsey Canyon Preserve to 380 acres. In addition to
being one of the most beautiful places in Southern Arizona, its one of
the coolest. Literally. Thats because the canyons northeast orientation,
high walls and spring-fed stream create a microclimate thats best
described as an oasis in the desert. Naturally, that oasis attracts plants
and animals. Most notable are the 15 species of hummingbirds more
than any other place in the United States. Theyre joined by lesser longnosed bats, ridge-nosed rattlesnakes, elegant trogons, Chiricahua
leopard frogs, coatimundis, black bears and more. As for the ora,
Apache and Chihuahua pines, sycamores, maples and columbines line
the banks of the creek. Although it ranks ninth alphabetically among our
Natural Landmarks, its at the top of so many other lists when it comes
Ramsey Canyon |
JACK DYKINGA
Barringer Meteor Crater |
KERRICK JAMES
7. Barringer Meteor Crater

Northern Arizona is famous for its big holes. The Grand Canyon is the
biggest and the most famous but theres another big hole up
there that gets some attention. Tourists know it as Meteor Crater. The
National Park Service refers to it as Barringer Meteor Crater. Scientists
call it the best-preserved meteorite impact crater in the world. Its
named for Daniel Moreau Barringer, a Philadelphia mining engineer who
was one of the rst people to suggest that the crater was created by a
meteorite, contradicting the most eminent scientists of his time. Today,
its generally understood that the crater was formed about 50,000 years
ago by an asteroid weighing several hundred thousand tons. Based on
the size of the hole, scientists believe the meteorite hit the Earth at a
speed of 26,000 miles per hour thats a force equivalent to 2.5 million
tons of TNT. Whats left is a depression nearly 1 mile across, 2.4 miles in
circumference and more than 550 feet deep. Unlike Barfoot Park (see
page 46), Barringer Meteor Crater is a well-developed tourist mecca,
with outdoor observation trails, air-conditioned indoor viewing platforms, a widescreen movie theater, a gift and rock shop, and a memorial
park dedicated to astronauts. Its the big hole, however, that makes it a
National Natural Landmark.
DIRECTIONS: From Flagstaff, go east on Interstate 40 for 35 miles to
Meteor Crater Road (Exit 233). Turn right (south) onto Meteor Crater Road
and continue 6 miles to the visitors center.
ACRES: 1,432
OWNERSHIP: Private
INFORMATION: Meteor Crater, 800-289-5898 or www.meteorcrater.com
45
8. Canelo Hills Cienega

Three of the 10 National Natural Landmarks in Arizona are protected by The
Nature Conservancy. This one is home to
the least disturbed cienega (wetland)
in Southern Arizona cienegas are the
most endangered natural community
in the state. Among the many plants
growing in the wetlands are Canelo Hills
ladies-tresses (Spiranthes delitescens).
The extremely rare orchid grows in just
ve known locations on Earth, in an area
thats less than 200 acres. The Tucsonbased Center for Biological Diversity has
Canelo Hills ladies-tresses
been working to protect the plant since
| RONALD A. COLEMAN
1993. Thats when it rst petitioned the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species under the Endangered
Species Act. Because the agency failed to do so, the center led suit in
1996, and the species was listed as endangered the following year.
Unlike many of the other properties protected by The Nature Conservancy, Canelo Hills Cienega is not open to the public. But rest assured,
its being well protected.
DIRECTIONS: Not open to the public.
ACRES: 98
OWNERSHIP: Private
INFORMATION: The Nature Conservancy, 520-622-3861 or www.nature.
org/arizona; Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org
9. Barfoot Park
Barfoot Park |
46
PAUL GILL
NOVEMBER 2015
The rst thing you should know about Barfoot Park is that its not a park.
Not in the traditional sense. Its a meadow surrounded by trees. Another
thing you should know is that its not the kind of place you can Google
and get inundated with information. Compared with most of the other
Natural Landmarks in Arizona, Barfoot Park is off the grid its located
near the small town of Portal in the extreme southeastern corner of
the state. Theres a lot of beauty down there, but the reason the area
was added to the list is because its home to one of the best examples
of a Madrean-inuenced ponderosa-pine forest in the United States.
If youre not familiar with the type, most of the continents Madrean
woodlands are located in Mexico. However, several isolated forests
can be found in the Southwest. Theyre located within the regions sky
islands, a term that was coined in 1967 by longtime Arizona Highways
contributor Weldon Heald. In Arizona, the sky islands range from the
Mogollon Rim to the Chiricahua Mountains, which is where Barfoot Park
is located. In addition to the pines, the site supports an unusually large
amount of plant diversity and includes one of the largest concentrations
of well-developed talus slopes in the region. In 2011, the area was
severely threatened by the Horseshoe 2 Fire, which ultimately burned
more than 200,000 acres in the Coronado National Forest and
Chiricahua National Monument. Although the re burned much of this
Comb Ridge | MARK FRANK

landmark, the meadow and the surrounding trees made it through
mostly unscathed.
DIRECTIONS: From Tucson, go east on Interstate 10 for 139 miles (youll
cross the New Mexico border) to New Mexico State Road 80. Turn right
(south) onto New Mexico SR 80 and continue 28 miles to Portal Road.
Turn right onto Portal Road and continue 7 miles to Portal. At the fork,
bear left as Portal Road becomes Forest Road 42, then continue 12 miles
to Forest Road 42D. Turn left onto FR 42D and continue 2 miles to a fork.
The right fork leads 1 mile to Barfoot Park.
ACRES: 680
OWNERSHIP: Federal
INFORMATION: Coronado National Forest, Douglas Ranger District,
520-364-3468 or www.fs.usda.gov/coronado
10. Comb Ridge

Arizona is one of the newest states in the country, but its home to some
of the oldest things in the world. Petried Forest National Park is a good
example. Its also home to the only known tritylodont fossils in North
America. The fossils, which date to between 208 million and 200 million
years ago, are embedded in the rocks of Comb Ridge. Theyre also found
in South Africa, Argentina and eastern China, and the close relationship
between those fossils and the fossils in Arizona supports the theory of
continental drift. All of which explains why Comb Ridge was named one
our countrys National Natural Landmarks. If youre wondering about
tritylodonts, their skulls and overall skeletal construction resembled
those of modern rodents, but they werent mammals. As for Comb Ridge,
its a monocline that runs for approximately 120 miles from just east
of Kayenta to just west of Blanding, Utah. Its rugged country, even for
intrepid explorers like David Roberts, who summarized the area in a story
for National Geographic Adventure: To hike the Comb is to run a gauntlet
of up-and-down severities, always at an ankle-wrenching, sideways
pitch. There is not a single mile of established trail in the Combs reach,
which is one reason why no humans, to our knowledge, have ever traversed its length. The point is, this site is not an option for most people.
DIRECTIONS: Not accessible to the public.
ACRES: 11
OWNERSHIP: Indian trust (Navajo Nation)
INFORMATION: Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources, 928-8716953 or www.dnrnavajo.org
For more information about the National Natural Landmarks Program, visit www.
nature.nps.gov/nnl.
47
Bistro salad, Maynards Market and Kitchen, Tucson
LOCAL
FLAVOR
S
ince 2008, Arizona Highways has published an annual

Best Restaurants issue, so when it came time to create Arizonas Best Recipes, our editor had an idea. It
was natural to cull from the cream of the crop the
restaurants featured in the magazine over the years. Build the
book from there, he said.
So we did.
After a little bit of planning, we reached out to our best restaurants and their chefs and owners. We told them about our
hopes for a cookbook, and we asked for their favorite recipes.
But we added a few criteria: The recipes need to be delicious,
of course, but they also have to be simple enough for our readers to prepare in their home kitchens. And we hoped the chefs
would be willing to let us send our 6-foot-4-inch-tall photographer into their kitchens to photograph each dish.
They agreed, we gathered recipes, and then we sent Tall
Paul Markow across Arizona. After more than 6,000 miles,
35 restaurant visits and too many road meals to count, Paul
came back with the images that appear on the books pages.
AN EXCERPT
FROM OUR NEW
COOKBOOK.
He calls it his legacy project, and were so happy he agreed to

be a part of it. Paul, thank you.
Arizonas Best Recipes is wide-ranging, from Cliff Dwellers
New Zealand rack of lamb and the home fries at Matts Big
Breakfast to Garlands famous apple tart and Blue Buddhas
yum-yum bombs. As youll see, weve covered every corner of
the state, as well as flavors for every palate.
Our thanks also go to the generous chefs who opened their
kitchens and culinary brains to us. In the pages that follow,
youll find three of the recipes we included in the book.
We hope youll enjoy creating
these meals for family and friends
as much as you enjoy being served
them in their respective restaurants.
Heres to happy eating.
To order a copy of Arizonas Best Recipes,
visit www.shoparizonahighways.com.
ED ITED BY KELLY VAU G H N | PH OTO G R A PHS BY PAUL M A RKOW
49
Braised beef short ribs, Stables Ranch Grille, Tubac
BISTRO SAL AD
Maynards Market and Kitchen, Tucson
[m ake s o n e s al a d]
cup high-quality applewood bacon slab, uncooked

cup bacon fat
10 bread croutons (use brioche or any loaf bread)
1 soft-boiled egg (method follows)
Whole milk for dredging
Pulverized panko breadcrumbs for dredging
cup baby kale, washed and dried
cup frise lettuce, washed and dried
ounce red onion, julienned
1 tablespoon fine herbs (chopped tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, chives, chervil)
2 tablespoons herb vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Slice the bacon into -inch strips. Invert the strips and cut
-inch pieces. Place the bacon fat into a heavy-duty saucepan
and warm until melted. Add the bacon, bring to a simmer and
turn down the heat right before it is fully sizzling. The bacon fat
helps keep the lardons from sticking. Continue cooking until the
bacon is dark in appearance and slightly chewy, but very tender.
Reserve the bacon fat to fry the croutons in. Cut the bread
into 1-inch squares, toss in bacon fat and bake until lightly
golden but dry throughout. Reserve for later; reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees.
50
NOVEMBER 2015
For the soft egg, add enough cold water in a small saucepan to cover the egg by inch. Bring the water to a boil, then
reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the egg for 3 minutes. Immediately place the egg in an ice bath and cool. Carefully peel the
egg and reserve.
Warm the bacon in a small pan in the oven. Dredge the egg
in milk and panko, fully coating it. Fry the egg until golden
brown and drain on a paper towel.
Combine the kale, frise, onion, herbs, croutons and dressing
in a salad bowl and toss well. Add salt and pepper as desired.
Neatly arrange the salad on a plate or bowl, and top with the
croutons and warm lardons. Carefully cut the egg in half with a
bread knife, sprinkle with sea salt, add to salad and serve.
M AY N A R D S H E R B V I N A I G R E T T E
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
cup red wine vinegar
cup canola oil
2 tablespoons fine herbs (chopped tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, chives,
chervil)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Whisk together the mustard and vinegar in a bowl. While
whisking, slowly pour the oil in a light stream to emulsify.
Whisk in the herbs. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. For best
results, allow 1 to 2 hours for the herbs to develop.
BR AISED BEEF SHORT RIBS

Stables Ranch Grille, Tubac
[s e r v e s si x]
6 boneless short ribs (about 5 + pounds)

Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, cut into -inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut into -inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into -inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 + cups tomato paste
2 to 3 cups hearty red wine
2 cups water
1 bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
2 bay leaves
Season each short rib generously with salt. Coat a pot large
enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive
oil and bring to high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and
brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook in batches, if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
While the short ribs are browning, pure all the vegetables
and garlic in a food processor until they form a coarse paste.
When the short ribs are very brown on all sides, remove them
from the pan. Drain the fat, then coat the bottom of the same
pan with fresh oil and add the pured vegetables. Season
the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are
very dark and a crust has formed on the bottom of the pan,
approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the crust and let it reform. Scrape the crust again and add the tomato paste. Brown
the tomato paste for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape
the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat if things start to burn.
Reduce the mixture by half.
Return the short ribs to the pan and add 2 cups water (or
just enough to almost cover the meat). Add the thyme bundle
and bay leaves. Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven
for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and
add more water if needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through
the cooking time. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes
of cooking to let the ribs brown and to let the sauce reduce.
When done, the meat should be very tender but not falling
apart. Serve with the braising liquid, roasted yams, poblano
chiles and caramelized onions.
PUMPKIN FL AN
Elote Caf, Sedona
[s e r v e s f o u r]
2 cups sugar (for flan mold)

6 eggs
6 egg yolks
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pumpkin an, Elote Caf, Sedona
1 teaspoon ground canela (cinnamon)

can sweetened condensed milk
can pumpkin-pie mix
Pinch of salt
Candied pumpkin seeds and fresh whipped cream for garnish
Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until
liquefied. Continue cooking and stir with a metal spoon until
lightly browned and nutty-smelling. Use extreme caution and
pour enough into individual ramekins to coat the bottom of the
dish; then, quickly, while the caramel is still hot, swirl it to get
the ramekin coated on the sides as well. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, vanilla, canela, condensed milk, salt and pumpkin-pie mix to make flan mixture.
Once cooled, place the ramekins into a baking pan, then fill
the pan with water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Fill
the dishes with the flan mixture and bake for approximately
45 minutes or until the custard is set. Refrigerate for 4 hours or
up to 3 days.
Unmold by taking a knife around the edge of the custard
and inverting it onto a plate. Serve with candied pumpkin
seeds and fresh whipped cream.
51
scenic drive
Oak Creek
Canyon
Despite a re that burned the area in 2014, the drive through Oak Creek
Canyon a National Scenic Byway still ranks as one of the best in
America. BY NOAH AUSTIN
heres a lot to do in Oak Creek

Canyon, but beyond the resorts,
hikes, campgrounds and other
recreation spots, dont forget that a simple road trip on State Route 89A, from
Sedona to Oak Creek Vista, is one of
Americas most scenic drives, even after
a fire that burned the area in 2014. And
on most days, you can go round-trip in
90 minutes or less.
The drive a National Scenic Byway
begins amid the iconic red-rock buttes
of Sedona, a city that belongs on the
to-do list of every Arizona visitor (and
resident, for that matter). After youve
visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross or
had your aura photographed, head north
on SR 89A, which parallels the cool,
clear water of Oak Creek. About 2 miles
52
NOVEMBER 2015
in, youll cross 200-foot Midgley Bridge,

dedicated in 1939 and named for area
rancher and businessman W.W. Midgley.
Just across the bridge is a parking area
that offers good views of the bridge and
the canyon. But the most spectacular
views are yet to come.
The canyons namesake oaks form a
shaded canopy over much of the road,
and this time of year, youll get a good
dose of fall color autumn usually
waits until November in the canyon.
There are several picnic areas along the
way, but if youd rather have a hot lunch,
stop at Indian Gardens Oak Creek Market at Mile 4. Across the road is a historical marker noting that Indian Gardens
was the homesite of Jim Thompson (see
page 54), who in the 1870s was the first
European settler in the canyon.

At Mile 7 is Slide Rock State Park,
where the Slide Fire began in May
2014. Up ahead, youll see a canyon
wall with a patchwork of burned evergreens one of the few obvious signs
of the blaze, which burned 21,227 acres
in and around the canyon. There are
other signs of the fire along the way, but
theyre not overwhelming.
As you gain altitude, the oaks and
junipers are joined by ponderosa
pines a particularly tall one, at Mile
10.5, towers over the surrounding trees.
Theres desert vegetation here, too
BELOW: State Route 89A meanders through
Sedonas iconic red rocks. | JEFF KIDA
RIGHT: Oak Creek cascades over the slick rock of
Slide Rock State Park. | LARRY LINDAHL
KEVIN KIBSEY
its a good illustration of Arizonas ecological diversity. A few miles later, the
ponderosas take over and dominate the
beautiful scene.
The drives famous switchbacks begin
14 miles in, just after you cross Pumphouse Wash. Heres where views of the
canyons jagged cliffs and thick ponderosas really open up, but keep your eyes
on the road: Traffic can slow to a crawl
here. Youll have plenty of time to gawk
when you reach the scenic overlook
above the switchbacks. The popular
vista features restrooms, a visitorinformation stand and Native American
vendors. Get out, stretch your legs and
see how many different languages you
can identify among the tourists. And,
of course, admire the unrivaled view
of one of Arizonas most picturesque
canyons.
tour guide
SCENIC
ADDITIONAL READING:
For more adventure, pick up a
copy of our book Scenic Drives,
which features 40 of the states
most beautiful back roads. To
order, visit www.shoparizona
highways.com/books.
DRIVES
40
of Arizonas
Best Back
Roads
Note: Mileages are approximate.
LENGTH: 16 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state routes 179
and 89A in Sedona, go north on SR 89A for 16 miles to
Oak Creek Vista.
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS: None in good weather, but the
road can become slippery after a winter storm.
Edited by Robert Stieve

and Kelly Vaughn Kramer
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: A Red Rock Pass is required
if you leave your vehicle unattended along the route. A

daily pass is $5 and can be purchased online or at various
locations in Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona. The pass is
not required to park at the vista.
INFORMATION: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-203-2900
or www.fs.usda.gov/coconino
Travelers in Arizona can visit www.az511.gov or dial

511 to get information on road closures, construction,
delays, weather and more.
53
hike of the month
Jim Thompson
Trail
ad he gotten there a little sooner,

Jim Thompson might have spent
his days nibblin on sponge
cake and watchin the sun bake. Thats
because 70 million years ago, Sedona was
a coastal landscape beside a tropical sea.
However, by the time Mr. Thompson took
Of the many trails in Red Rock Country, the Jim Thompson

is one of the easiest. Its easy to hike, and its easy to get to.
BY ROBERT STIEVE | PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FRANK
his squatters rights in what we know

today as Oak Creek Canyon, erosion had
worked its magic and made the Sedona
area one of the most recognizable landscapes in the world. Its also one of the
best places to take a hike.
Of the many trails in Red Rock Coun-
try, the Jim Thompson Trail is one of the

easiest. Its easy to hike, and its easy to
get to. But before you get started, you
should know there are two established
trailheads. The best option is the Jim
Thompson Trailhead. Its just a few
blocks from the pink jeeps and turquoise
jewelers, and theres a lot of parking. The
alternative, which is usually congested,
is at Midgley Bridge, right before State
Route 89A enters Oak Creek Canyon.
From the Thompson end, the trail
begins on the north side of the dirt parking lot and immediately drops into a
wash. Junipers, pions and manzanitas
line the rocky, sandy path. After about
10 minutes, youll intersect the Jordan
Trail. Veer left and begin the gradual
ascent through Mormon Canyon. If you
look up, youll see The Fin to your left.
(On the way back, The Fin will be to your
right.) Rising a mile above sea level, The
Fin is one of many prominent rock formations that can be seen from the trail. Ship
Rock (5,667 feet) and Steamboat Rock
(5,228 feet) are two of the others.
While youre looking around, youll
notice two different colors of rock. The
red layer is known as the Schnebly Hill
formation. It was formed when ancient
rivers deposited iron oxide from distant mountains. The white layer, the
Coconino formation, comes from windblown sand that created dunes similar to
those found in the Sahara Desert.
The rocks, of course, are what put
Sedona on the map. And theyre the highlight of this trail, which, after 15 minutes,
passes through a small gate. Although
there are a lot of trees along the way,
theyre not very tall. Therefore, theres
very little shade. That wont be an issue
this time of year November is a great
time to hike Sedona but the sun will
LEFT: The Jim Thompson Trail offers easy-to-access
views of many of Sedonas iconic rock formations.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Munds Mountain and Mitten Ridge
form a backdrop for Midgley Bridge, one of the routes
two trailheads.
54
NOVEMBER 2015
be out, so dont forget to

wear sunscreen.
Ten minutes beyond the
gate, youll arrive at the
western base of Steamboat
Rock. If youve ever driven
north through Oak Creek
Canyon, youve seen this
massive rock formation out
the drivers-side window.
From the trail, you get a
closer look. Youll also see
uptown Sedona to the south.
And beyond that, Jerome
and Mingus Mountain. As
the trail winds around to
the eastern side of Steamboat Rock, it reaches the
high point (4,770 feet) of the
hike, which follows an old
road built by Jim Thompson
to link his home in Oak
Creek Canyon to Sedona.
The trail stays the same for about
15 minutes and then drops into Wilson
Canyon. The trees become more prominent along this stretch, and the trail
itself skirts the edge on its way down.
Eventually, after an hour of hiking, youll
arrive at an intersection with the Wilson
Canyon Trail and the eastern boundary
of the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness. If you have time, the short trail into
the canyon is a good one that follows a
small creek shaded by oaks and Arizona

cypress trees.
Allow an hour or less for the detour.
Otherwise, continue another 10 minutes
to the trailhead at Midgley Bridge. Its a
busy place thats used as a launch pad for
a few other trails. It also serves as a rest
stop for the masses making the scenic
drive through Oak Creek Canyon (see
page 52). Despite the congestion, its easy
to see why Jim Thompson staked a claim
just up the road. Even without a tropical

sea, the views from both ends of this trail
are pretty spectacular.
ADDITIONAL READING:
For more hikes, pick up a copy
of Arizona Highways Hiking
Guide, which features 52 of the
states best trails one for each
weekend of the year, sorted by
seasons. To order a copy, visit
www.shoparizonahighways.
com/books.
trail guide
LENGTH: 6 miles round-trip
DIFFICULTY: Easy
ELEVATION: 4,503 to 4770 feet
TRAILHEAD GPS: N 3453.286, W 11146.097
DIRECTIONS: From the roundabout intersection of state
routes 179 and 89A in Sedona, go north on SR 89A for
0.2 miles to Jordan Road. Turn left onto Jordan Road
and continue 0.7 miles to Park Ridge Drive. Turn left onto
Park Ridge Drive and continue 0.1 miles to where the
pavement ends. From there, continue 0.5 miles on the
dirt road that leads to the Jim Thompson Trailhead.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: A $5 day pass is required.
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS: None
DOGS ALLOWED: Yes (on a leash)
HORSES ALLOWED: Yes
USGS MAPS: Munds Mountain, Wilson Mountain
INFORMATION: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-203-2900
or www.fs.usda.gov/coconino
KEVIN KIBSEY
LEAVE-NO-TRACE PRINCIPLES:
Plan ahead and be

prepared.
Travel and camp on
durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste
properly and pack
out all of your trash.

Leave what you nd.
Respect wildlife.
Minimize campre
impact.
Be considerate of others.
55
where is this?
September 2015
Answer & Winner
JEFF KIDA
PAUL GILL
Roosevelt Lake
Bridge. Congratulations to our winner,
Adam Hutoron of
Vienna, Virginia.
Old School
The Arizona town where this schoolhouse is located used to be a major Arizona railroad hub, but
today, its a ghost town and part of a national conservation area. The school fell into disrepair after it
closed in the 1940s, but it was restored in 2007 and is now a museum and visitors center.
56
NOVEMBER 2015
Win a collection of our

most popular books!
To enter, correctly identify the location pictured
at left and email your
answer to editor@
arizonahighways.com
type Where Is This? in
the subject line. Entries
can also be sent to
2039 W. Lewis Avenue,
Phoenix, AZ 85009
(write Where Is This?
on the envelope).
Please include your
name, address and
phone number. One
winner will be chosen
in a random drawing of
qualied entries. Entries
must be postmarked by
November 15, 2015. Only
the winner will be notied. The correct answer
will be posted in our
January issue and online
at www.arizonahigh
ways.com beginning
December 15.
WELCOME TO THE
DAVID WRIGHT HOUSE
For more information, or to arrange a tour,

visit www.DavidWrightHouse.org or call: 602-689-6140
DavidWrightHouse
WrightHouseAZ

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NOVEMBER 2015

ARIZONAS 10 NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARKS

Life is either a great adventure or nothing. HELEN KELLER

Hunker Down ...

16 ANOTHER GRAND CANYON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BURCHAM

Salt River Canyon

POINTS OF INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE

GET MORE ONLINE

54 HIKE OF THE MONTH

Z An American avocet rests in calm water

FRONT COVER The water of Cibecue

BACK COVER Sprucetop grama grass

highwaysprints.com. For more information, call 866-962-1191.

The Coolest Squirrel in the World

an option. Too remote.

of Historic Places. But

ray squirrels, red squirrels, fox

COMING IN DECEMBER ...

VOL. 91, NO. 11

DESIGN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Diana Benzel-Rice

FINANCE DIRECTOR Bob Allen

CORPORATE OR TRADE SALES

GOVERNOR Douglas A. Ducey

WEBMASTER Victoria J. Snow

PRODUCED IN THE USA

MAP DESIGNER Kevin Kibsey

letters to the editor

very month, when the mailman delivers Arizona

ve been thoroughly engrossed in your

Marylee. A good place to look for updates on

your having to select a winner. Great

wanted to thank you for a poignant

he Photo Issue [September 2015] and

like your Hike of the Month department.

Jim Murphy, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

our August and September issues

Al Wheelock, Peoria, Arizona

have lived in Arizona now six years and

he article Sky Marshal [July 2015]

If you have thoughts or comments about anything in Arizona Highways, wed

THE JOURNAL 11.15

Along with leafy ocotillos, the namesake cactuses of Saguaro National

national parks centennial

ARIZONA STATE LIBRARY, ARCHIVES AND PUBLIC RECORDS

EDITORS NOTE: In August 2016, the National Park

Tourists admire a cluster of mature saguaros at Saguaro

n March 1, 1933, in the last days of his presidency,

Saguaro National Monument in the nearly empty desert

15 miles east of the sleepy town of Tucson. Wrenched

by the Great Depression and awaiting a new administration, few in

Vail Post Office

humble adobe building on

Mary Jane Warner, Vails longtime

attended the Territorys Democratic

To learn more, visit

1928, putting an end

SM: This was about 12 miles in from U.S.

JK: This was shot in March, and the

Canyon before this assignment (see

Route 60, but the last 3 miles were a seri-

green hills juxtapose beautifully with

Another Grand Canyon, page 16). How

ous drop into the canyon. Its a very rough