Hey guys! I know it has been awhile since I posted a Travel Guide but I am so psyched to share some of the details from my first trip out west! I hope this inspires you to head out into the desert and do a little adventuring of your own. Instead of the usual, Day One, Day Two rhetoric, I am going to just list off a bunch of the fun stuff we got to do while we were visiting the Tucson and Phoenix areas in hopes that you’ll check a few of these places off your bucket list!
#1 SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK WEST: GO SEE THE PETROGLYPHS
We headed to the Tucson Mountain District (WEST) side of Saguaro National Park in Tucson for a glimpse at some of the oldest petroglyphs in America’s history. Left there over 800 years ago by the Hohokam people, this distinctive rock art can be found at the top of the Signal Hill hiking trail off of the Bajada Loop Drive. Be prepared to take a few dirt roads to get here but the picnic area below makes for a wonderful afternoon exploring over 200 prehistoric Native American relics.
We made a short pit stop here and man am I glad we did. The museum is set up in a way that you can take your time in each different section without feeling overwhelmed. We got to see a lot of animals, everything from Big Horn Sheep to Bobcats to Otters as well as explore a small aquarium full of snakes, scorpions and fish. At just $22 per person, admission is a steal for all that this museum encompasses. Head here for information on Natural History, plant and wildlife or to just a take a walk through the Desert Cactus Loop!
This place was just fun! This family friendly park serves as an amusement for all ages and a studio for many Hollywood flicks, including classic Westerns such as Tombstone, Three Amigos and The Outlaw Josey Wales. Head here for a glimpse at old saloons, cowboy shootouts, stagecoach rides and try your luck panning for gold! At $20 for admission, this is a great place to kill a few hours and pick up a sweet souvenir!
You want to see a typical Arizona sunset? Too bad, nothing is typical here. Everything is indescribably beautiful from this vantage point and the added bonus, each night there’s a different view on display! This easy 5-10 minute hike was well worth the drive up the mountain. Everyone said that we had to stop here and now I’m telling you, you WILL regret it if you don’t catch a glimpse of a sunset from Gates Pass.
My longtime bestie Laura, found this place and I am so happy she did because the Colossal Cave Mountain Park was the perfect afternoon adventure. We beat the heat and stepped back in time by journeying into this massive cave system. We did the Classic Cave Tour ($18/per person) which offered an extensive look into the first inhabitants, the Hohokam people, and the generations that helped make this park accessible to the public as well as an informative lesson on the rock formations found within the cave system. Though we arrived during the wrong time of year, these caves are usually full of bats and can easily be seen if you are on the hunt for some winged night creatures.
Easily one of my favorite things we did on this trip. Founded as a Catholic Mission in 1692, Mission San Xavier del Bac has served this community for hundreds of years. The Church construction was completed in 1797 and the inside of this establishment still maintains original murals and statutes. We wandered the grounds in awe of the raw beauty of this place. I even purchased a candle from the gift shop to light on the alter and you are welcome to as well! If you have any religious background, this is a beautiful place to stop and affirm your faith. This place has made it through political adjustments, earthquakes and even lightning strikes and still retains the purpose of ministering to the religious needs of its’ parishioners.
At just $15 per vehicle, you NEED to enter this part of the park! We opted for the Jeep Wrangler rental and we road top down through this 8 mile Cactus Forest Drive over the Tanque Verde Ridge, but more on that later. We were in awe of the Saguaros. These massive giants can grow up to 22 feet tall and live to be almost 250 years old. We hiked around the desert admiring the flora and fauna and spent a majority of the afternoon just taking picture after picture of the environment.
If you do nothing else while in Tucson, DO THIS! Take the drive and take a million photos of you and your friends next to the tallest cacti ever. I only included two pictures because the reel goes on and on. We had too much fun just walking around admiring the lush landscape. For more information on this mesmerizing place, head to www.saguaronationalpark.com.
With a 150 years under their belt, you can see why this place gets voted Best of the Best year after year. When researching for our 30th Birthday Getaway in the Arizona desert, I was on the hunt for an adventure and this place provided it all. Tanque Verde is a Dude Ranch set smack dub next to Saguaro National Park East. In fact, most of the riding trails lead straight out your backdoor and into the immense landscape surrounding the property. This place had everything we were looking for, all-inclusive southwestern cuisine in a fine-dining atmosphere, horseback riding experiences and the Sonoran Spa, the perfect place to get a massage and relax in the pool after a long hike or ride through the park. I loved it so much that I have every intention on bringing my husband back here sometime! Just look at the sunsets I managed to capture right outside our Cabin door.
I wish I had more to tell you about this place but the truth is, the drive was a little too much for us. We began our journey in Tucson with every intention of heading to the Mount Lemmon Sky Center and Observatory and Biosphere II (think classic Pauly Shore movie gone right). Both backed by the University of Arizona and tucked away at the peak of the Santa Catalina Mountains, each place had so much potential for a great day or evening. But, the drive up the mountain proved to be a little sickening. My companion and I made it about 30 minutes up before we decided to turn back around. The switchback roads and deafening heights were just a tad too rich for our blood. But, we do have every intention on giving this a go next time we are in this neck of the woods.
Plan B: Head to a replicated Wild West town and wander the abandoned streets before opening hours. We literally had this whole place to ourselves and it was great. If you manage to come during open hours, try taking a spin on one of the amusement rides, head to the saloon for a pint of ale or try your luck at the Ravenhearse Classic Haunt!! For a more educational tour, head to the Museum of the Horse Soldier to learn more about the history of the men, women and horses in the United States Military. This place is family friendly so plan on seeing lots of kiddos running around.
On our way back to Phoenix for our flight home, we arranged a pitstop for a glimpse at the famed Superstition Mountains. Encircling the Tonto National Forest, these beauties provide a border for the suburb of Mesa, Arizona. For an introduction to the hiking in this area, head to the Lost Dutchman State Park near Apache Junction. We researched this place a bunch and found out that you can kayak here in certain areas, Butcher Jones Recreation Site on Saguaro Lake to be exact, but unfortunately for us, it was the wrong time of year. We watched the sunset against the red rocks and talked about all our favorite parts of this trip before heading to the airport.
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