Achieving its nickname from a 225-foot slide down a steep hill, the Sliding Jail is considered to be one of the most famous tourist attractions in all of Jerome, Arizona: “Too Strong to Die”.. Located right below Hull Ave., near the intersection with Diaz Street, the Sliding Jail is not hard to find if you …
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 - yes, 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 …
First things first - it's insanely windy at Walnut Canyon National Monument. You have no idea while in the parking lot or near the front doors of the Visitor's Center, as it's not windy at all. Once you exit the doors to the outside area below that begins the long descent down the stairs and …
Located along Highway 89, approximately 2 miles south of the small town of Yarnell, Arizona, sits the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park. It’s a unique state park, dedicated as a memorial site to a mass tragedy. On June 30, 2013, 19 members of the 20-man Granite Mountain Hotshots died fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire. …
Continue reading Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park.
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 …
With an official address in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, the whole draw of the Four Corners National Monument is, of course, that it’s technically located in 4 states – Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Furthermore, even though the official address is in Arizona, the entrance is actually located in New Mexico. It’s tucked back …
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 Tom’s Thumb Trail at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.