Casa Malpais Ruins
Overlooking
the Town of Springerville, the 17-acre site was occupied in the 13th century, and has
been carefully preserved. Unusual features such as the Great Kiva,
stairways, astronomically aligned shrines, and petroglyphs
provide visitors with a distinct view into the regions ancient
past. Considered as one of the finest archeological parks in the
southwest, a museum and gift shop displaying artifacts from the
time period welcomes visitors in Springerville. Guided tours are also available
daily and start at the Casa Malpais Visitor Center and
Museum on 318 E. Main Street, on U.S. 60 in Springerville. Tour
times are 9am, 11am and 2pm, weather permitting. The tours
last 11/2-2 hours and the hike is easy to moderate. The
trail is not ADA accessible. The
Museum and Visitor Center are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Call 928-333-5375 for more info and rates and special group
discounts.
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Little House Museum
Just 10 miles southwest of Eagar off of State Route 260, the
Little House Museum located on X-Diamond Ranch contains an
authentic collection of western and pioneer artifacts. Used as a
corporate retreat, many of the buildings have been restored to
their original pioneer condition, and house antiques and
photographs that help bring alive the ranching and pioneer
history of this part of Arizona. Guided tours are available in
the summer months, and winter visits are available by appointment
only. For further information, contact the Little House Museum at
928-333-2286.
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Renee Cushman Art Museum
The Renee Cushman Art Museum is a special collection given to
the local LDS Church, and contains works by Rembrandt, Tiepolo,
art and furniture from the renaissance to the early 20th century.
Renee Cushman belonged to a prominent European art family, and
was once a resident in Springerville. The collection is housed in
a special wing of the LDS Stake House in Springerville, and is
viewable by appointment only. For additional information, contact
the Chamber of Commerce at 928-33-2123.
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Big Lake Recreation Area
An
integral part of the communities is the Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forests, home to one of the largest Ponderosa Pine
stands in the world. The 2-million acre forest is home to more
than 410 species of wildlife. Each year, the 35 lakes, 680 miles
of streams, 36 campgrounds, and over 950 miles of trails are
visited over 5 million times. The Big Lake Recreation Area is
home to one of the largest newly developed recreation facilities,
featuring improved campgrounds, hookups, and shower facilities.
During the winter months, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
is also home to one of the largest winter recreation areas in the
southwest, where cross-country skiing trails, snowmobile rentals,
and sledding areas are open to the public.
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Lyman Lake State Park
Located just minutes from Springerville and Eagar, this
1,180-acre park encompasses the shoreline of the man-made
reservoir. As one of the largest lakes in northeastern Arizona,
there are no size restrictions on boats, thus allowing for speed
boats and water skiing. The park features improved campgrounds
and hookups, and its group ramadas are popular locations for
local residents. Paved boat ramps, restrooms, showers, and a
small herd of buffalo that reside in the park make the park a
unique destination for residents and visitors. Special
interpretive programs, tournaments, and fireworks are available
throughout the summer months.
The
park is also home to Pueblo Indian ruins and petroglyphs, dating
back to the early 14th century.
For additional information on the ruins and petroglyphs, click
here.
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50,000
years ago, a huge iron-nickel meteorite, hurtling at about 40,000
miles per hour, struck the rocky plain of Northern Arizona with
an explosive force greater than 20 million tons of TNT. The
meteorite left a crater 700 feet deep and over 4000 feet across.
Today the crater is 550 feet deep, and 2.4 miles in
circumference. Meteor Crater's Visitors Center includes the
Museum of Astrogeology and an Astronaut Hall of Fame, gift shop
and snack bar. The Museum of Astrogeology provides visitors with
a casual self-guided tour of exhibits and video presentations
vividly portraying how the meteorite impacted, the devastation
that resulted, and the significant role that the Crater plays in
the study of earth and space sciences.
The Visitors Center is open year round, from 6:00AM
to 6:00PM May 15th through September 15th, and 8:00AM to 5:00PM the
remainder of the year. A guided rim trail hike is included in the
permission, and runs from 9:15AM to 2:15PM. Also included in the
price of admission is the Museum of Astrogeology, which includes
exhibits and video presentations. For additional information, please
contact the Meteor Crater Visitors Center at (928) 289-5898.
Meteor Crater is approximately 2-hour's drive from
Springerville/Eagar, along Interstate 40.
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Petrified Forest National
Park
A
40-minute drive north of Snowflake is the internationally famous
Petrified Forest National Park, the largest park of its kind, where
visitors can walk among giant fallen petrified wood. The Painted
Desert, adjacent to the Petrified Forest, comes alive with a
brilliant palette of desert colors for a sunrise or sunset that you
won't want to miss!
Open year round except December 25th, the National
Park hours are from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, with extended hours during the
summer. A $10 entrance fee per vehicle is charged, $5 per person for
walk in or bicyclists. The National Parks annual pass or Golden Pass
can also be used for entry. For more information contact: Petrified
Forest National Park at (928)524-6228.
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Hon-Dah Casino
Owned
and operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Hon-Dah Resort
Casino is a state of the art resort and conference center. Live
blackjack, 500 slot machines with progressive jackpots, a poker
room, lounge, restaurant, bar, RV park and convenience store are
also on the property. Throughout the year, big name entertainment is
featured.
The casino is open 24 hours a day year-round. The
restaurant includes nightly specials and Sunday Brunch, moderately
priced. The Good Sam RV Park includes space for over 200 sites, and
provides full power, satellite TV, LPG, dump station, and laundry
facilities. For additional information, contact the Hon-Dah Casino
at:1-800-929-8744 or visit them online at
www.hon-dah.com.
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A
little more than an hour's drive from Springerville and Eagar, in
the communities of Winslow and Holbrook, you'll find artifacts,
antique shops, and portions of Historic Route 66. Arizona has the
longest continuous stretch of Route 66 in the country, and people
flock from points all around the world to recapture the legend of
this famous highway, and to "get your kicks on Route 66." The
City of Holbrook has preserved an original section of Route
66-complete with a variety of retro motels, trading posts, cafes,
an old jail, and petrified wood shops.
In
Winslow, west of Holbrook along Interstate 40, you'll find the
newly restored La Posada hotel, one of the original Mary
Elizabeth Coulter-designed "Harvey House" hotels built along this
stopping point for the Santa Fe railway.
When in Winslow, you might want to even stop and visit the "Standin'
in the Corner" park, named after the famous lyrics. The park,
adjacent to the famous corner from the hit 70's song, features a
mural depicting scenes from the song and a statue of the likeness
of Jackson Brown, who wrote the lyrics. Recently completed, the
park was dedicated with the assistance of the musicians who made
the words "Standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona" famous.
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65
runs over three mountains, separate snowboarding area, cross
country ski trails, and a special children's area make Sunrise
one of the premiere ski areas in the southwest. Owned and
operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the high speed quad
chairlifts, with a capacity in excess of 16,000 skiers per hour,
are also open during the spring months for scenic viewing.
During
the winter months, the park is open from 9:00AM to 4:00PM, and
closes at 12:30PM on Sundays. Lift tickets range from $15
(seniors) to $37 for adults, children age 12 and under from $16
to $21. During the summer months, chairlift rides are available
for $4 children, $8 for adults, and $15 for mountain bikers.
During this season, the chair lift runs every Saturday and Sunday
from 10:00AM to 4:00PM from mid-May to mid-October. For
additional information, contact the Sunrise Park Resort at (928)
735-7669, or visit them online at
www.sunriseskipark.com.
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The
Town of Snowflake, located just an hour's drive northwest of
Springerville and Eagar, you'll find over 45 homes that are on the National
Registrar of Historic Homes. Newly restored homes with pioneer
artifacts help bring alive the pioneer spirit of the original
Mormon settlers to the region. Tours are held weekends and summer
months.
The
Town of Snowflake is also home to the Snowflake Temple. Only the
108th temple worldwide, and the 51st in the Continental United
States, the temple serves nearly 35,000 Latter-day Saints (LDS,
or Mormon) living in northeastern Arizona and neighboring New
Mexico. The 17,500 square foot temple stands on a six acre site
overlooking the town to the south and surrounded by the Snowflake
community golf course.
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Birding in the
white Mountains of Eastern Arizona
There is no end to the activities you can find to do
in the White Mountains during the summer months. Hiking,
camping, fishing, exploring, deck chair lounging are popular and the
list goes on. Now there is something new! The White Mountains
are slowly becoming known as a birding destination. The prime
season for birding is June through September. June and July
are the breeding months and the birds are more vocal and easier to
spot. August and September is when you also catch glimpses of
migratory birds as well as the local variety.
Stuart Healy (www.aztrogon.com)
is a professional bird guide from Sierra Vista, Arizona who comes up
to the eastern White Mountains each summer. He was kind enough
to share with us some of the species and their locations. Some
of the birds he has seen so far this summer are: Dusky Grouse,
Pinyon Jays, Lewis's Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker,
Gray Jay, Clarks Nutcrackers and American Dippers, to name a few.
Some of the places Stuart recommends to look are: for Grouse- knolls
such as Green's Peak and Big Lake Lookout; all around Nutrioso for
Lewis's Woodpecker, and then there is the West Fork of the Little
Colorado in Greer (a good place to find Dipper), South Fork of the
Little Colorado, Sunrise Lake and campground, Grasslands Wildlife
Area, Becker Lake, Luna Lake in Alpine, Terry Flat on Escudilla
Mountain, Sipes Wildlife Area and Wenima Riparian Area. All
within easy driving distance of Springerville-Eagar.
So, if birding is in your blood and you want to
combine great sightings and a beautiful area to explore, then the
eastern White Mountains are the place for you. Contact the
Springerville-Eagar Regional Chamber of Commerce for vacation
packets and questions about the area. Also, look on this
website for accommodations and places to dine while your here.
When you arrive in the Round Valley area make the chamber office one
of your first stops for information, maps and directions. We
are located at 318 E. Main St. in Springerville and are open 7 days
a week from 8AM - 4 PM.
