Ok, first things first: it's pronounced "Preskett" (press-skit). That’s how you say it in Arizona, and anyone who pronounces it the grammatically correct way (“Press-scott”) will be immediately outed as an obvious “you ain’t from around here”. You see, apparently, the town settlers wanted to sound as “western” as possible, so they purposely mispronounced the …
In the small(ish) town of Wickenburg, Arizona (population 7,695), sits an historic tree that was once used as the town’s jail - really. In fact, “jail trees” were not uncommon during the Wild West days, especially in Arizona, as they cared little for the detainees’ comfort or wants. Instead of taking the time and effort …
First things first - IT’S INSANELY WINDY. You truly have no idea what’s about to hit you when you park, then walk to the front doors of the visiting center. It's not windy at all up there. However, as soon as you exit the doors to the outside area that begins the long descent down …
Obviously not my photo 🤪 (from Google). As you can see, her nose was pretty average sized. Born Mary Katherine Horony, Big Nose Kate didn’t actually have a big nose. According to a nice older gentleman we met at her gravesite, she got that moniker from being a well-known gossiper who had her nose in …
Continue reading The Grave of Big Nose Kate: A Wild West Icon.
Of all the preserves and parks in Phoenix, the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve is by far the closest to my house. It’s super accessible and the only problem with getting to explore this vast preserve has been the scorching Phoenix summer heat (and working full time, but that’s a different story). I was able to get …
Ahhh, Monument Valley (MV). An immense land of beautiful, mesmerizing, untouched desert. A mecca for Southwest lovers and road-tripping aficionados. A magical place locked in time. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has earned every bit of its fame and reputation. For seven years I dreamed of visiting this world-renowned geographical wonder and I finally got …
Located in the McDowell Mountains in the upper Sonoran Desert, right outside of Scottsdale, Arizona, sits the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy; an independent, nonprofit conservation. Created in 1991, it’s a massive area of around 30,580-acres, making it the largest urban preserve in the entire United States. The conservancy was birthed in 1990 by 13 preservationists and …
Continue reading McDowell Sonoran Conservancy: Tom’s Thumb Trail.
Officially the oldest bar and business still operating within the state of Arizona, the Palace Restaurant and Saloon does everything in its power to firmly hold onto its Wild West roots. It sits on Whiskey Row, in the heart of downtown Prescott (Prescott, Arizona: “Everybody’s Hometown”.) and is considered to be the most historic bar …
Continue reading The Palace Restaurant and Saloon: Step into a Wild West Time Machine.
A small, desert city (current population: 9,192) located in the Little Colorado Valley, Winslow’s main claim to fame is being mentioned in an Eagles song. It is quite isolated, located within Navajo County in northeastern Arizona, right off I-40. It’s around 57 miles east of Flagstaff, which is the closest large city in Arizona. The …
Continue reading Standin’ on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona.
Perched high within the Black Hills, inside the Prescott National Forest, sits a town famous among both ghost hunters and “Wild West” fanatics. Located about 2 hours north of Phoenix, and 1 hour, 20 minutes south of Flagstaff, there are many things to do and see in Jerome. Established in 1876, it was once the …