As mountain snow melts and spring arrives, the desert comes alive with wildflowers and unbelievable growth.
Arizona’s lakes are some of the most beautiful places to visit; Roosevelt Lake is no different.
Roosevelt Lake is the largest lake in Arizona, boasting 115 miles of coastline and 22,000 acres of surface water.
Now that the weather is starting to warm up, it’s time to plan a weekend getaway to cool down.
Bartlett Lake is just outside the city, about 90 minutes north of Brophy, and is a great place for either a day or an overnight camping trip.
This is also the perfect time to visit the lake due to the recent rainfall. It has not been this full in almost a decade. According to Arizona Game and Fish, the lake is at 91 percent capacity.
“Get Bent” and “allergic to pavement” are common expressions in the small town of Crown King, tucked away in the Bradshaw Mountains north of Phoenix.
Be prepared for somewhat of a bumpy ride on the way in; there is no pavement within 30 miles of the city, the closet paved roads are Lake Pleasant road to the south and the I-17 to the east. The easiest way into the town is Crown King Road off of the 17, but there is a slightly more scenic path which requires not only a more capable vehicle, but also more driving skill.
The Tonto National Forest, which stretches across most of Arizona, offers beautiful scenery and great weekend getaways.
The Four Peaks Wilderness Area is no different. Just north of Mesa on Highway 87, on the way to Payson, is a great location to camp without being to far from home.
When you look towards the east from the Valley it is possible to see the four jagged peaks looming above the horizon, the highest of which is Brown’s Peak, standing at 7,600 feet.
The smell of the cool mountain air began to waft into the car, reminding me of why I had left the city a little more than an hour ago.
My friend, acting as navigator for the day, and I were well on our way to our final destination of Mingus Mountain northeast of Prescott.
Just a short drive out of the greater Phoenix area, you find yourself surrounded by pine trees and pleasant breezes that are a result of a nearly 7,000 foot elevation change in just an hour and a half.