I have lived in Arizona for thirty years. For twenty of those years I have always had the opportunity to be able to get out onto a lot of the not so well traveled roads. Be it by two wheels or four, it is always an experience. Here are some of my favorites.
1. The Indian Rock or sometimes called House Rock. This is where many an arrowhead has been found. You can still see the drawings on the rock from Indians of long ago. There is also all the grinding holes(metates)in the rocks around where they ground their corn or whatever.
2. The once booming mining town of the orginial Congress lay dormant against the hills. If the rocks could only speak! Still a lot of buried treasures there. Also the Pioneer Cemetery is located there. A must see for any history buff.
3. Tenderfoot Hill and Tenderfoot Hill Park. A nice place to stop and have lunch. A perfect way to settle that fried chicken and potato salad is to take a nice leisurely climb to the top of Tenderfoot Hill. The top has a grand view of old Congress and Congress of today.
1. Just west of Stanton is the home of Parker Dairy. Here they have about 5500 head of A-1 milkers. The Parker Family was part of the original creaters of what is now Shamrock Foods. Make sure you have your nose pin handy while passing. Dairies have a scent of their own.
2. If you have never seen a real working ranch, Angel's ranch is the place to visit. It was homesteaded land by the Moralez Family many years ago. Stop by for a visit. Angel will be glad to show you around. Indian artifacts to see or horses to ride. Angel is the host of all hosts.
3. The best way to beat the summer heat is to take a drive up through Antelope Creek. The water is crystal clear and runs most year around. When you top the hill, the elevation is about 4200 feet. Ten degrees cooler than the desert floor.
1. The Shrine of St. Joesph has been visited by thousands fo people over the years. It's trails and steps are cut through the rocky hills. An inspiration to all.
2. The lookout on Yarnell Hill has a wonderful of the desert floor. On a clear day you can see for about seventy miles. Make sure you have your binoculars for this view. You can look down on all the other sites you have already seen and try to find some of the ones you're about to visit.
1. North of Aguila is what is known as Smith Peak. Where the name came from is a question I can not answer. It's elevation is about 4500 feet. There is a somewhat maintained road that goes to the top. Once up there, you can feel the cool breeze that always whips it's way over the top. The view goes on forever.
2. South of Aguila is Indian Springs. It is a beautiful area that is tucked in the shadow of the Harquahala Mountains. There are old rock corrals still standing. I believe the Indians that stayed here were travelers. This was probably a nice place to stay until the weather changed elsewhere.
3. Robson Mining World is a very interesting place to visit. Now don't get me wrong, but this is a place owned by definitely a man with too much time and money. There is a full scale old western town with every piece of old mining equipment imaginable.
1. Box Canyon is just north of Wickenburg. The Hassayampa River cut a way through the canyon many moons ago. An Apache word, Hassayampa roughly translates as "river which runs upside down", a name attributable to the fact that its waters occasionally run underground.
2. Massacre Monument is just west of Wickenburg. It is dedicated to lives lost in an 1871 Apache-Mojave warrior attack, this monument bears witness to the battle which spurred General Crook to launch a counter attack, ending Indian hostility in the area.
3. Old 761 Santa Fe Steam Locomotive is a center point in downtown Wickenburg. It is located at Apache and Tegner, behind Town Hall, this engine pounded the rails between Chicago and the west for many years.
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