Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitors Guide 2011

Rim CountryTHE HEART OF ARIZONA

VISITORS GUIDE TO:PAYSON • STAR VALLEY

PINE • STRAWBERRYCHRISTOPHER CREEK

WWW.RIMCOUNTRYCHAMBER.COMPHO

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THE HEART OF ARIZONA

Rim Country

Table of ContentsCool place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Mogollon Rim . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Rim Country Streams . . . . . . 8Rim Country Lakes . . . . . . . 12Tonto Natural Bridge . . . . . . 16The Rodeo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Zane Grey Cabin . . . . . . . . . 20Rim Country History . . . . . . . 22Perfect Week . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Take a Hike . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Pine & Strawberry . . . . . . . . 28Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Campgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Welcome to Rim Country — the Heart of Arizona. Rim Country iscomprised of the towns of Payson and Star Valley, as well as thecommunities of Pine, Strawberry and Christopher Creek. The

Mogollon Rim provides a backdrop to these communities, located on Ari-zona State Highways 87 and 260. The crossing of these two highways is lo-cated in central Payson, and provides north-south as well as east-west easyaccess to all the attractions and activities in Rim Country.

The town of Payson acts as the hub of activities in Rim Country, and hasthe title of “Festival Capital of Arizona.” The famous “World’s Oldest Con-tinuous Rodeo” heads a long list of events, including the “Payson MountainHigh Games,” “Beeline Cruise-In,” “Arizona State Fiddlers Championship,”and many others that are held in Rim Country.

Located at the intersection of the Tonto, Coconino and Apache-SitgreavesNational Forests, the Rim Country lies just 90 minutes from Phoenix,Flagstaff and Prescott. In other words: “It’s a half a tank of gas — round trip.”The scenic, four-lane Highway 87 connects Phoenix to Payson, where it inter-sects with Highway 260, providing easy access.

The elevation rises some 3,000 feet from the saguaro-graced shores of Roo-sevelt Lake, to the mingling of pinyons, junipers and pines in Payson and fi-nally to the ponderosa pine forests atop the Rim. Much of central Arizona’srain and snowmelt drains through Rim Country, providing a wealth ofstreams and lakes.So welcome to Rim Country and our cool mountain forests and the hot sea-sonal activities. Enjoy our visitors guide that highlights the activities and fam-ily-oriented events and attractions that geography and small-town hospitalityhas made possible — here in the Heart of Arizona.

Publisher’s Note: Despite our best editing, the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.Information is current as of June 2011. Photos and stories copyright Payson Roundup.

Rim Country RegionalChamber of Commerce

100 W. MainBox 1380Payson, AZ 85547928.474.4515/800.627.9766www.rimcountrychamber.com

Produced by Roundup Publishing

708 N. Beeline HighwayBox 2520Payson, AZ 85547928.474.5251www.payson.com

Pete Aleshire

Heart of Arizona

Lots of people whomove to Arizona fromelsewhere, give up the in-terplay of the seasons —trading mild winters forthe pleasure of fall colorsand spring green.

But here’s one of Ari-zona’s great secrets: Youcan still savor four seasonsand a short, mild winterin Rim Country — run-ning along the MogollonRim that lets you changeyour elevation from 5,000 to 7,000feet with a scenic 20-minute drive.

This mountainous topography al-lows wanderers to change their seasonby changing elevations.

This byproduct of geology wasn’tlost on the people who made their liv-ing here for some 10,000 years beforetheir mysterious disappearance in the1400s. They often moved with the sea-sons, as elk, deer, bluebirds, bears andothers still do today.

These days, that 3,000-foot eleva-tion change from the shores of Roo-sevelt Lake to the pines of the greatplateau of the Mogollon Rim itself cre-ates the setting for year-round adven-tures that include cool mountainlakes, steep, leafy trout streams, trailswith 100-mile views, shaded campsiteswithin earshot of tumbling water andhundreds of miles of Jeep, ATV, hik-ing, skiing, biking and horsebacktrails.

The mingling of habitats, wildlifeand the seasons has long drawn writ-ers and artists, including Zane Grey,one of the most successful Western fic-tion writers of all time. He pennedthis description of Rim Country: “Inplaces where Lucy could see the Rimshe was astounded and delighted. Shehad carried away a picture of the col-ored walls, but now there was a blazeof gold, purple, cerise, scarlet, all thehues of fire. Frost had touchedmaples, aspens, oaks, with a magicwand. It seemed another and morebeautiful forest land she was entering.”

Zane Grey’s descriptive wordsaptly capture the robust colors of au-tumn. But this area is spectacular inevery season — with a range of activi-ties to match the variety of the seasons.

All four seasons

In the winter, a snow-blanketedRim provides a sparkling holiday back-

drop and spectacularcross-country skiing atopthe Rim, plus silent forestroads on which to snow-mobile. Visitors based inPayson could go cross-country skiing on Satur-day, bass fishing onRoosevelt Lake Sundayand mountain biking toIndian ruins in Payson onMonday.

In the spring, ameadow of wildflowers of-

fers the ideal setting to discover a rarebird or two. Sudden spring storms pro-vide drama and contribute to Payson’s22 inches of rainfall. Spring alsoprompts the Arizona Game and FishDepartment to begin stocking hun-dreds of miles of streams with troutand the Forest Service to open devel-oped campgrounds to visitors.

Come summer, the 20- or 30-de-gree temperature difference betweenthe Valley and Rim Country lures aweekend rush of heat refugees. Theeasily accessible campgrounds, lakesand fishing holes fill up on weekends— but often remain blissfully quiet dur-ing the week. Hikers can still go fordays without seeing another person onhundreds of trails both at the base ofthe Rim and along the top of thatchain of 2,000-foot cliffs. They canfind swimming holes along TontoCreek or the East Verde River, rent ahorse at Kohl’s Ranch, fish the Rim

the rim countryCOOL PLACE, KILLER VIEWS

Pete Aleshire


Tom Brossart

2 Rim Country Visitors Guide


www.rimcountrychamber.com 3

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Country lakes or cover 30 miles on anATV trail through the deep forest.

In the fall, visitors can wander firstthrough the red and gold cottonwoodsalong stream banks near Payson andPine, enjoy the change of leaves atTonto Natural Bridge State Park anddrive quiet roads through groves ofgolden, quivering aspen atop theMogollon Rim, or fish all day on Roo-sevelt Lake.

Gateway to national forests

Not only does the Rim Countryreap the benefits of the intersection ofelevation where high desert, pinyon,juniper, riparian cottonwoods andponderosa pine forests overlap, visitorscan move easily between three of thenation’s largest, most scenic and mostvaried national forests — the Tonto,the Coconino and the Apache-Sitg-reaves. The three forests meet here toform a woodland area the size of Mas-sachusetts.

Larger than many nations, thisscenic landscape offers a haven forcampers, hikers, joggers, trekkers, fish-ermen, hunters, golfers, tennis players,equestrians, water and cross-countryskiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of allpersuasions.

A network of dirt roads and trailsfor bikes, horses, hikers and off-road-ers provide access to this vast, publiclyowned resource. That includes one ofthe most scenic dirt roads in the state— the 42-mile stretch of the old ForestRoad 300 between Highway 87 nearStrawberry and Highway 260.

The road hugs the edge of thecliffs of the Mogollon Rim, with fre-quent scenic turnouts. The road fol-lows the historic wagon road GeneralGeorge Crook built to shuttle suppliesbetween Prescott, the Verde Valley andFort Apache in the White Mountainsduring his long war with the Apache.

In addition, the area offers thou-sands of miles of trails for hikers, back-packers, mountain bikers andhorseback riders. The more than 50-mile long Highline Trail along thebase of the Rim offers breathtakingviews and a wilderness feel, with peri-odic road access and many springs andstreams. Many trails in the area date

back to the 1800s when they linkedearly homesteads and ranches. Getmaps at the Payson Ranger Station,one mile east of Payson on East High-way 260. A smaller selection is avail-able at the Chamber’s Visitor Center.

For those seeking a hike closer tothe lodging, restaurants and shoppingopportunities of Payson, the town hasalready completed 30 miles of an even-tual 50-mile trail system that allows vis-itors to hike right out of town andconnect with most of the major ForestService trails.

If that’s not enough, hunters also

find Arizona Rim Country a Meccafor game in season, including quail,duck, elk, deer, javelina, big hornsheep, turkey, antelope, bear andmountain lion hunting. For permitregulations, call the Arizona Gameand Fish Department at (602) 942-3000 or visit the Payson Ranger Sta-tion.

For rockhounds, Arizona RimCountry is a mineralogist’s dreamcome true. Chert, quartz, gem-qualitygeodes and fossils are plentiful, andjust about any prospector or local rockclub member can put you onto a scat-ter of handsome red jasper or agate.

A round of golf in the crisp, cleanmountain air is also a delight.

So to help visitors get the mostout of their visit, we’d like to offer thisbrief overview of some of the vistas,adventures and comforts that awaitvisitors to Arizona Rim Country.

InformationMaps and detailed information areavailable at the Chamber’s VisitorCenter. Call 1-800-6-PAYSON(1-800-672-9766).

Pete Aleshire





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The Mogollon Rim — Ari-zona’s mighty backbone —has patterned both natural

and human history. It gives the regionboth it’s history — rife with hardshipand adventure — and it’s future, as anoutdoor playground marked by privatetreasures on public lands.

The Mogollon Rim forms a wilder-ness rampart, topped by the historicForest Road 300, a graveled route witha vivid history and a limitless supply of100-mile views.

The deep gorges cut into this edgeof the uplift that forms southern edgeof the Colorado Plateau each exposewalls of horizontally layered, sedimen-tary rocks that reveal a titanic contor-tion of the Earth.

Rocks that started out as layers ofmud and ooze on the bottom of inlandseas were first buried, then thrust up-ward thousands of feet due to shifts ingigantic crustal plates.

Those same forces pushed up the

Rocky Mountains. The Colorado River then went to

work on the southern edge of the up-lift, creating the Grand Canyon. Butalong the eastern two-thirds of centralArizona, the rivers were less ambitiousand so the uplift instead formed a mas-sive line of cliffs sweeping from north-west to southwest into New Mexico.Most of the streams couldn’t cutthrough the lip and so drain north. Afew managed to chew through the ris-ing layers of limestone and flow south.

From Pine to Young, the Rim’sbuttressed face is rarely less than a nearvertical drop of 2,000 feet. At manyoverlook points, the world drops awayand views extend across a vast land-scape. South of Show Low the escarp-ment is again blanketed bycom paratively recent volcanism.

These volcanoes formed the coreof the White Mountains from a oncemolten layer of rock that covers muchevidence of the plateau’s edge as one

travels on into New Mexico.Central Arizona is dependent

upon the storm patterns created bythat great barrier of stone. Stormsbrewed in the Pacific roar past thelower deserts, hit the wall of the Mogol-lon Rim and release their burden ofmoisture as they push over that barrier.

As a result, while Phoenix gets per-haps 8 inches of precipitation a year,Payson gets 22 — and the forests on topof the Rim get more than twice thatamount.

The Rim divides the drainage inthe state north to south. Much of thewater drains off through the Salt, Gilaand Verde rivers, providing water forPhoenix.

The rest drains to the north, downinto the Little Colorado and on intothe chain of reservoirs on the Col-orado River. The top of the Rim flowsinto the Little Colorado, and all runoffbelow the backbone flows into theVerde, the Salt and the Gila rivers.

The Mogollon Rim

Tom Brossart



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Poor Arizonans.So dry. So thirsty.Except in Rim County – where

three of the most remarkable streamsin the southwest converge.

As a result, Rim Country offerssome of the best trout streams in thestate, thanks once again to the effectsof its shifts in elevation.

The Rim first gathers, then re-leases, most of the snowfall and muchof the rain that falls on the state, pro-viding millions of acre feet of runoffduring rains and more graduallythrough springs along the base of thelimestone creeks.

Many of the resulting streams arestocked weekly by the Arizona Gameand Fish Department. Most of thosefish come out of the Tonto CreekHatchery, which welcomes visitors atthe end of the good dirt road that fol-lows the creek.

The trout generally don’t feed for aday after being moved, so the best fish-ing will be within about 30 to 50 yardsof the release sites late in the week. Fordetails on the stocking schedule, checkthe Arizona Game and Fish web site.Each creek gets 400 to 600 fish a week.Tonto, Christopher and Haigler creeksall get weekly infusions of fish, so doesthe East Verde River.

Here’s a little information aboutthree of the most distinctive streams inRim Country.

East Verde River

The Arizona Game and Fish De-partment stocks all the good poolsalong the East Verde off FlowingSprings Road and Houston MesaRoad. Anglers here can work their wayup and down stream in an open creekshaded by cottonwoods, willows andsycamores. Game and Fish stocks

down to the big pool at the entrance toEast Verde Estates. Downstream fromthat development, the river enters For-est Service land and eventually awilderness area. Hikers and camperscan enjoy access to miles of wild riverand fishermen can work the pools forbass, catfish and other warm waterspecies. The East Verde connects to themain stem of the Verde River nearChilds. Several excellent campsites

along Houston Mesa and FlowingSprings roads fill up quickly on theweekend, but often sit nearly emptyduring the week. The release of some11,000 acre-feet of water from the BlueRidge Reservoir atop the Rim eachyear into the East Verde should makethe flows more reliable, even in dryyears. The waterfall and pools aboveWater Wheel off Houston Mesa Roadremain popular with locals all summer.


The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks Rim Country lakes and streamson a regular basis throughout the summer.

Pete Aleshire

rim country STREAMS




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When it comes to finding a doctor,we’ve got you covered.Whether it’s a simple stomachache or something more serious, you can trust the doctors and specialists of Payson Healthcare Management with your family’s well-being. Backed by Payson Regional Medical Center, your trusted partner in health, many of our doctors offer same- or next-day appointments, and are conveniently located in Payson. We’ve got you covered, with doctors you can trust.

To find a physician, call 474-3222 or visit www.paysonhospital.com.

Payson Regional Bone & Joint Charles Calkins, MD Michael Darnell, DO James Morphis, PA-C 472-5260

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Fossil CreekJust outside of Pine lies one of the

most remarkable streams in Arizona —Fossil Creek. The U.S. Forest Servicehas barred fires and camping along thecreek to protect it. However, the creekstill has several beautiful waterfalls anddeep, crystal clear pools filled with na-tive fish.

The Arizona Game and Fish De-partment, in fact, has established acatch-and-release fishery where anglerscan fish for Verde Trout and other na-

tive species. Yet few people even knowthe creek exists, since for a century aPhoenix power company divertedmost of the flow of the spring-fedcreek into a flume to generate power.Several years ago, the power companydismantled the flume and returnedFossil Creek to its streambed.

That decision re-created one ofthe most distinctive streams in Ari-zona, since the spring water seepsthrough fissures in ancient layers oflimestone and picks up dissolved

travertine. This travertine gives thewater that unearthly blue-green colorthat has made Havasupi in the GrandCanyon world famous. The travertinealso precipitates out of the water,forming dikes and dams of drip castledesign.

It takes a rugged hike to access theupper reaches of Fossil Creek nearPine, but the effort yields a blissfulwilderness experience, in a streamwhere native fish like the Verde Trout,Gila Chub and the Sonoran Suckerare making a comeback.

Tonto Creek

Once the weather warms as thesummer idles along, Game and Fishstops stocking the East Verde and con-centrates on Tonto Creek, about1,000 feet higher in elevation andabout halfway between Payson and thevast plateau of the Rim itself.

Here, anglers find a beautiful,spring-fed stream, well stocked withrainbows. Fishermen can stick to thestocked pools close by the good roadand campgrounds or work upstreamtoward the hatchery.

They can also get onto TontoCreek at the end of a steep, five-miledirt road at Bear Flat. Here, they cango after the stocked trout — or worktheir way downstream into the Hells-gate Wilderness area. That route offersan arduous canyoneering adventure allthe way to Roosevelt Lake.

The journey involves swimmingthe pools, hiking and fishing for bassand native desert fish in one of themost beautiful and other-worldly areasin the state.

High mountain streams are fun for the whole family.

BEST BET STREAMSRim Country offers a greater va-riety of streams in a shorterspace than anywhere in Arizona.Stocked streams include: Tonto,East Verde, Haigler, Christopherand Workman.

Tom Brossart



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The great rampart of theMogollon Rim divides thewaters — determining the

shape of the major watersheds of Ari-zona.

As a result, Rim Country boastssome of the most diverse fishing,boating, swimming and splashingabout opportunities in the south-west. The region boasts both themost popular trout streams in Ari-zona and a nationally ranked bassfishing tournament on Lake Roo-sevelt.

That’s reflected in the great varietyof lakes, every single one of themman made.

Much of the rain that falls on Ari-zona passes through Rim Country,including water that ends up in thestate’s major rivers. The Rim catchesstorms, extracts their rain and snow,hoards it through the winter and re-leases it through the spring. Early set-tlers took advantage of that terrain tobuild a network of dams that wouldhold the water back, rather then let-

ting it run on down into the thirstydesert.

As a result, the Rim Country of-fers easy access to both high-altitudetrout lakes and the bass fishing andboating joys of Roosevelt Lake, withits shoreline saguaros and water stor-age sufficient to see Phoenix throughmajor droughts.

Bass fishing tournaments attest toRoosevelt Lake’s status as one of thebest fisheries in the country. Lastyear, the lake attracted three differentprofessional bass tournaments, in-cluding a stop on the prestigiousFLW tour. Meanwhile, generationsof heat-seared Phoenix residents haveescaped to the lakes above 7,500 feetas an essential rite of summer.

Green Valley Lakes: Payson oper-ates a chain of lakes set in an expan-sive park, complete with stocked fish,a bandstand, a war memorial andhistorical museum. Payson usestreated wastewater to fill this chain oflakes in Green Valley Park. Peopleenjoy the lake year-round in non-mo-

torized boats and sailboats and fishfor stocked trout and sometimesgiant catfish.

Bear Canyon Lake: A fisherman’sfavorite, this 60-acre lake holds rain-bows, brookies, cutthroat and arcticgrayling. A steep trail limits access tothe hardy, just right for keeping thecrowds down. The contrast betweenthe blue water and green pines is ab-solutely stunning.

Black Canyon Lake: An idyllicspot where bank casting after rain-bows and browns is a productive wayto spend a day. The lake has a pavedramp and a campground.

Blue Ridge Reservoir: This nar-row man-made lake that covers 200acres when full, also fills up withrainbows and browns. Always a goodbet early in the spring.

Chevelon Lake: A steep trail thinsout the potential crowds at this 200-acre lake, which winds back throughcanyon walls. The biggest fish on topof the Rim live here, but catchingthem usually involves floaters and

Now this is fishing. For those who like to relax or who take fishing a bit more seriously, the Rim Country offers some of themost diverse and treasured fishing lakes in Arizona.

rim The living is easy on

countryLAKES

Tom Brossart



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effort.Knoll Lake:

At nearly 8,000feet, this coolcountry lakecovers 75 acresand featuresstocked rain-bows andbrowns, plus acampground.Try fishingfrom the shore-line that runs from the boat ramp toward the island.

Willow Springs Lake: Easy access, a paved boat rampand a campground make this lake popular. Fish theupper ends of the two long coves that form the “Y” inthe lake for rainbows and brown trout.

Woods Canyon Lake: Dammed in 1956, the store atthis lake sells more fishing licenses than any other spot inArizona. The lake offers boat rentals, a picnic area, fivecampgrounds, and nature trails — plus loads of stockedtrout. The best fishing is in the spring and fall, but sum-mer is good too. A pair of bald eagles has started to nestat the lake, delighting visitors but also prompting the Ari-zona Department to close off a section of the lakeshoreduring the nesting season.

Roosevelt Lake: A half-hour drive from Payson, thebiggest reservoir on the Salt River system remains one of

Arizona’s favorite water playgrounds. It also offers someof the best bass fishing in the country, especially duringhigh water years when the lake covers shore-side vegeta-tion, creating the “new lake” effect sought so eagerly bybass and catfish lovers. The lake covers 19,000 surfaceacres and is 25 miles long and up to two miles wide.

The lake is home to large- and smallmouth bass, crap-pie, channel and flathead catfish, and is a playground forwater skiing, sailing, wind surfing, jet skiing and swim-ming. The wet winter in 2009 filled the reservoir to thebrim, submerging brush and trees that had grown upalong the shoreline in the dry years. As a result, fish likebass have great new hiding places to lay in wait for thesmall fish making the most of all the new nutrients in thewater, which should make for a banner year for fisher-men. That could also explain why major professionalbass tournaments will be held there this year.

Arizona Game and Fish stocks 200,000 trout into Rim Country lakes and streams every summer.

Bass fishermen at Roosevelt Lake.

Pete Aleshire

Tom Brossart



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Tonto Natural Bridge

All-out effort savesRim’s crown jewel

The world’s largest natural travertinebridge represents Rim Country’s best-known tourist attraction – but it has alsorequired a tenacious fight to make sureit stays open all summer.

The town of Payson and a band ofvolunteers who love the soaring, cav-ernous arch that forms a grotto throughwhich Pine Creek flows, struck a dealwith the State Parks Board this year tokeep the park open, despite budget woesthat have forced the closure of manyother state parks.

As a result, the drip castle formationsdissolved in the ancient cliff of travertinecan continue to draw crowds all summer– many of them from other continents.

The cavernous tunnel has been usedas a hiding place by settlers hunted byraiding Apaches. On the plateau abovesits an historic lodge that now houses avisitors center.

The 83-feet-high, 400-foot-long tun-nel through the cliff face was created bythe inconspicuous Pine Creek as itchewed through the layers of ancientrock, thanks to the intricate marvel oftime and chemistry.

Fascinating geological processes liebehind the formation of the bridge, 150feet wide at its widest point.

The story of the bridge starts mil-lions of years ago with the deposit of lay-ers of travertine, a porous form of calcite.The layers were buried, cemented, up-lifted and then exposed to the waters of

tonto naturalBRIDGE

Tom Brossart



Pine Creek.Prospector David Gowan discovered the natural phe-

nomenon in 1877. He tried to make a go of farming inthe area, although he had to sometimes hide in the cav-erns and caves to escape raids by Apaches.

Various private parties owned it until 1990 when Ari-zona State Parks bought it.

The once torturous road leading to the bridge hasbeen paved and widened for easy access, and the century-old lodge has been converted to include a gift shop. Thestate’s master plan calls for the eventual restoration ofrooms in the lodge, and creekside cabins.

Visitors have been flocking back to the park sincethe Memorial Day reopening. Most must struggle to un-derstand the complex geological processes that createdthe bridge.

The fine crystals of travertine are a form of dissolvedlimestone, comprised of calcium carbonate — often fromthe skeletons of aquatic animals. Nearby Fossil Creek isrich in this same mineral.

Natural acids in groundwater dissolve the calciumcarbonate as water seeps through fractures in the lime-stone. Once the spring water bubbles back to the surface,dissolved carbon dioxide escapes like gas from poppingopen a bottle of carbonated soda. As the water evapo-rates, calcite comes out of the solution and creates traver-tine.

The ecology of the park is in many ways as remark-able as the geology. Straddling Pine Creek at the base ofthe Mogollon Rim, the bridge lies in the overlap betweenseveral major habitat types. As a result, it nurtures a widemix of wildlife.

Five different species of bats live in the park, plusbobcats, cottontails, black bears, coyotes, grey foxes, elk,mountain lion and a host of other species.

Pine Creek water splashing at Tonto Natural Bridge

Tom Brossart



Carolyn Stanley Tim Ehrhardt

Local Real Estate Experts

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valuation expert

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Tim Ehrhardt 602-478-9655

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CreatingBeautifulSmiles

Annual World’s OldestContinuous Rodeobucks up August

In the 1800s, Payson was mostly aflat, grassy spot where cowboys couldgather up their scattered, near-wildherds during the fall roundups,preparing to drive them down toPhoenix or to the railroad line atWinslow.

Naturally enough, the cowboysspent a lot of time drinking and boast-ing and then staging impromptu con-tests to both establish bragging rightsand win enough money to keep ondrinking.

So began “August Doin’s” — theAnnual World’s Oldest ContinuousRodeo, repeated every year since 1884.

The Payson Pro-Rodeo Commit-tee will stage the 127th rodeo in thatunbroken string on August 19, 20 and21 – with a total of four shows. Thelure of $50,000 in prize money will at-tract some of the top cowboys andcowgirls in the country – and spur aweek-long celebration – with dances,dinners and related activities.

This year will continue a new erafor the rodeo, with the 120 membersof the Payson Pro-Rodeo Committeetaking over the rodeo, hoping to in-volve the whole community and raisemoney for many local charities.

Other rodeos held each year inRim Country include the PaysonSpring Rodeo and the action-packedHigh School Rodeo.

Arizona’s early rodeos featured

Payson started out as a ranching and rodeo town, and now hosts rodeos in May and August of each year.

Dennis Fendler

Dennis Fendler

august doin’sTHE RODEO



only a few events, but sooncowboys from all over wereshowing up to compete inevents like bronc busting, bullriding and steer roping.

The original venue was ameadow near the current-dayintersection of Main Streetand Highway 87. Wagons, andlater autos, created barriers toform the “arena.” An extra at-traction: gambling tables wereset up in the open street, espe-cially at the intersection ofMcLane Road and MainStreet.

But those early rodeos hada wholesome side as well.

As local historian Jinx Pyleput it, they became a week-longcelebration that “rivaledChristmas as a time when fam-ily and friends gathered for re-unions and visiting.” Arearanchers began preparing food

weeks in advance for visitorsand relatives.

Recently dubbed thecountry’s “Best Small Rodeo”by the Professional RodeoCowboy’s Association, theevent attracts some of theworld’s best cowboys — andcowgirls.

The week-long festivitiesinclude an old-fashioned pa-rade, dances, other rodeo-re-lated activities and four rodeoperformances.

The Spring Rodeo pro-vides a long-establishedwarmup, with a full range ofevents. The women’s rodeodraws world champion riders.

Tickets for the rodeo canbe purchased in advance on-line at the Town of PaysonWeb site, paysonrimcountry.com under the events listingand at ticketforce.com.

Dennis Fendler



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Every summer since the Dude Fireof 1990, visitors to the Rim Countryhave noticed the void left by the de-struction of the Zane Grey Cabin. Acherished landmark near Kohl’s Ranch,the famous western writer used thecabin as a hunting lodge and retreat.When the original property was sold asa private subdivision after the fire, manywondered if a replicated cabin would re-turn to the Rim Country.

Like the heroes of Grey’s novels, agroup of local western aficionadosbanded together to benefit their com-munity. They formed the nonprofitZane Grey Cabin Foundation (ZGCF)to build a historic replica of the cabin inPayson. If there are any doubts about thedetermination of these folks, take a lookat what has materialized in Green ValleyPark.

And don’t hold back any whoopsand hollers — the Zane Grey Cabin wascompleted in 2006.

No doubt, Zane Grey (1872-1939)would be proud of this location becausethe environment played a prominentrole in his novels. Against the backdropof the western landscape, his valiantcowboys, honorable ranchers, chastewomen, noble horses and unscrupulousoutlaws caught the imaginations of hisreaders.

This “father of the western novel”penned 57 westerns, more than 200short stories, 10 nonfiction westerns andnumerous hunting and fishing articlesand books. His books spawned morethan 130 movies and, at one time, onlythe Bible and McGuffey’s Reader couldoutsell Zane Grey. His books have beenpublished in more than 20 languagesand have sold tens of millions of copies.His “The Riders of the Purple Sage” isconsidered the quintessential westernclassic.

As a mountain town with arich Westernher itage, Paysonbrags about itsaffiliation withthis Americanicon.

Exhibits in the cabin focus on lifein the 1920s, when Grey was at home inhis cabin. Tourists will enjoy the lake-front view from the cabin’s panoramicporch. School children, adult learnersand history buffs will discover the ad-ventures of the pioneers, which inspiredGrey to write “Under the Tonto Rim,”“To the Last Man” and “Code of theWest.”

The cabin each year draws groupsfrom historical and western societies,schools and colleges, elderhostels andtour excursions. With this endeavor,Payson has eagerly retrieved the ZaneGrey Country mantle.

Museum opens new exhibit

The new exhibit for 2011 at the RimCountry Museum is on the centennial ofRoosevelt Dam.

Also new for this year, the museumplans a series of tours this summer for vis-itors and residents alike.

Called the Walking in History tours,the program started May 14 with a visit tothe site described by Zane Grey in hisnovel, Code of the West.

The next tour will be July 9, 2011 —

A reproduction of Zane Grey’s Cabin (above) in Green Valley Park comparesfavorably to the original before it burned.

ZANE GREY CABIN

LOCATION: Green Valley Park,next to Rim Country Museum.

OPEN: Six days a week(closed Tuesdays)Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Contact: 928-474-3483

Tom Brossart


ZANE GREY CABIN& rim country museum


the Arizona Charlie Meadows guidedauto tour. In it, participants will see thesite of Meadows’ family ranch in Whis-pering Pines; visit historic Main Streetwhere Payson’s Rodeo was held (Char-lie and John Chilson founded rodeo);see where Charlie arranged his sisters’double wedding. The free tour will de-part Rim Country Museum at 10 a.m.

On Aug. 13, 2011, there will be arodeo-themed program on BuckingBulls by Farrell Hoosava of the TontoApache Tribe, who will be speaking onbucking bulls, which he raises on hisNew Mexico ranch. The free event willbe at the Rim Country Museum at atime to be announced.

The friends, supporters and mem-bers of the Northern Gila County His-torical Society and its museums atGreen Valley Park will enjoy anotherEvening Under the Rim Sept. 17, 2011with dinner, music and a tour of theoriginal site of the Zane Grey Cabin, lostin the 1990 Dude Fire. The time andprice of this event have not yet been set.

The next day, the museum will play

host to the Zane Grey Classic VintageBaseball game featuring 1860s rules andreplicas of antique uniforms and equip-ment. The play will be between the sen-ior Payson Cougars vs. Stars & Stripesat Green Valley Park. The time has yetto be set.

Payson historian Jinx Pyle is sched-uled to give a guided tour of the PaysonPioneer Cemetery on Oct. 8 and tellabout the area’s settlers buried there.The time has not yet been set.

For more information go online torimcountrymuseums.com or call (928)474-3483.

The Rim Country Museum will open anexhibit this summer to commemoratethe 20th anniversary of the Dude Fire.

RIM COUNTRYMUSEUM

LOCATION: Green Valley Park

OPEN: Monday, Wednesday,Thursday, Friday and Saturday10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.Contact: 928-474-3483



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Fabled “Rim Country,” which em-braces a 50-mile radius around Payson,drew its name from the Mogollon Rim,named after a Spanish governor of theregion in the 16th century.

Rising 2,000 feet above the foothillsand canyons, this spectacular escarp-ment dominates the lives of all who livein and visit the area. When writer ZaneGrey’s travels brought him to Payson in1918, he hired a guide from the pioneerHaught family to take him to the top ofthe Rim.

“At last, we surmounted the Rim,”he wrote in “Tales of Lonely Trails,”“from which I saw a scene that defiedwords. It was different from any I hadseen before. Black timber as far as theeye could see! Then I saw a vast bowl offorested ridges, and dark lines I knew tobe canyons. For wild, rugged beauty Ihad not seen its equal.”

Some artifacts date back as far as10,000 years. But most of the shardsand ruins left by “The Ancient People”like the Sinagua, the Salado and theMogollon date to between AD 600 and1350.

After these farmers left — for rea-sons that probably had to do with over-population, overuse of the land, a longdrought and, perhaps, pressure fromoutsiders — new groups of Native Amer-icans took over the Rim Country.

Yavapai bands moved in from the

west and Tonto Apaches came from thenorth and east. For several hundredyears, their world was untroubled, ex-cept by rivalries between their bands.

Starting in the 1850s, white trap-pers and gold prospectors encroachedupon Rim Country. Congress formallyestablished the Arizona Territory in Feb-ruary 1863, and settlers established a ter-ritorial capital near present-day Prescott.Gold hunters and settlers clashed withthe Indian bands, eventually triggeringopen warfare.

The U.S. government set up Armyposts to pursue the war. The guerrillatactics of the natives made traditionalwarfare impossible, but by destroyingtheir food supply and driving them intothe snowy mountains, the Army en-listed starvation as their winning ally.

The Army then confined the Yava-pai and Apache in reservations in the1870s. At first, the Army established areservation for them in the fertile Verde

Valley. But when settlers pressured thegovernment to move the Indians off theirrigated land, the government movedthe Indians to the San Carlos Reserva-tion.

After a century of exile and law-suits, Tonto and Yavapai tribes regainedreservation land in the Verde Valley andin Payson — where they now operatecasinos on small reservations.

Once the Army had removed thetribes, European-American settlers es-tablished cattle ranches and mining op-erations, establishing the villages ofStrawberry, Pine, Gisela, Young andPayson.

Payson was named in 1884 after anIllinois Congressman who sponsored abill establishing the post office. Thatsame year, local cowboys got together tohold a rodeo, which became an annualaffair called “The August Doin’s.”

During the 1890s, military controlof the San Carlos Reservation was re-laxed, and the Apache people began todrift back to the places of their birth.They camped wherever jobs were avail-able, and began to establish a workingrelationship with the new landholders.

Ranchers brought so many cattle,sheep and goats to the region that theland became deeply eroded. In re-sponse, the government formed theTonto National Forest in 1907 to pre-serve the land. The sheep were limited

Rim Country RegionalChamber of CommerceFor more information, contact:Rim Country Regional Chamber ofCommerce, 100 W. Main, P.O. Box1380, Payson, AZ 85547. (800) 672-9766, (928) 474-4515.

Taking thelong view

Rim Country History

Pete Aleshire



Tonto National Monument

Tom Brossart



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serving the Rim Country.to “driveways,” goats were eliminatedand cattle ranchers operated under graz-ing allotments.

After the turn of the century, theautomobile and new roads began toopen up Rim Country to the outsideworld. Until then, pioneers struggled tobring their families and earthly goodsin wagons, but travel in and out for sup-plies was limited to burro trains andfoot paths.

Meanwhile, growth in the Phoenixarea, some 100 miles away by crowflight, but a rough journey of severaldays on horseback, required control ofthe Salt and Gila rivers, which oftenflooded homes and farms.

Roosevelt Dam, in 1911, was thefirst of many western reclamation damsconstructed. Not only did this provideemployment for whites and Apachesfrom the Rim Country, but also it re-sulted in development of the ApacheTrail, the first usable auto road from theValley to the Rim Country.

In the 1920s, crews built a secondauto road into the area over theMazatzal Mountains called the BushHighway, for Valley businessman Har-vey Bush. Traveling from the Valley toPayson over this rough grade still re-quired a minimum of five hours, withtime out for blowouts and repairs.

The state completed the first pavedroad in 1958 and dubbed it the BeelineHighway, because of a shortcut it tookacross two Indian reservations. Thecompletion of the paved highway ush-ered in a period of intensive populationgrowth as Rim Country became ahaven for visitors seeking its many recre-ational opportunities.

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Payson makes greatbase for adventures

Payson makes great base for adven-tures. Put a map of Arizona on the wall.

Get a dart. Now, aim for the center.If you’re a good shot — you probably

hit Payson. So what, you say?For starters, that makes Payson the

perfect base of operations to explore ahuge chunk of Arizona. Turns out,Payson’s quiet and out of the way — butit’s also just about an hour from every-where.

So instead of paying Sedona prices,you can set up shop in Payson for a weekand have the most amazing variety of in-dividual or family adventures — depend-ing on the season.

So roughly an hour’s drive fromPayson, you can fish a high country lake,troll for bass on Lake Roosevelt, samplethe 800-year-old ruins of Tonto NationalMonument, paddle down the VerdeRiver, take a plunge in Fossil Creek, havea gourmet dinner at Fargo’s or La Posada,get a massage at a Sedona resort or ridehorses through the deep forest.

That makes Rim Country the perfectbase of operations for a weeklong vaca-tion. To prove the point, we offer this sug-gested itinerary for a week in RimCountry.

MONDAYStart off easy with a close-to-town ad-

venture to explore the East Verde Riverout Houston Mesa Road. Turn onto theroad off Highway 87 north of Payson.

— Shoofly Ruins. The signs along thetrail through the overgrown remains ofsandstone walls tell a little about the farm-ers who lived here for centuries, beforedisappearing mysteriously in the 1400s.

— Water Wheel. Continue up pastthe bridge over the Verde to the turnoutat the unsigned Water Wheel. For a nom-

inal fee, you can park in the paved lotthere and enjoy the creek, complete withan upstream waterfall and plunge pool.You’ll find additional day use picnic areasfurther along Houston Mesa Road.

— Dinner: Try Gerardo’s FirewoodCafe in Payson – varied menu, nice wineselection. Alternatively, Fargo’s Steak-house offers steaks and seafood in a quietsetting.

TUESDAYSleep in, relax, you’re on vacation —

There are many spots along the Mogollon Rim that offer breathtaking views.

Tom Brossart

perfect week inRIM COUNTRY



unless you get up early to fish in theGreen Valley Lakes at the end of MainStreet or in the numerous pools alongthe East Verde stocked weekly with rain-bows.

— Tonto Natural Bridge, which liesoff Highway 87 about halfway to Pine.Hike down to the world’s largest traver-tine arch and bring a picnic lunch.

— Pine and Strawberry, where youcan browse the art, crafts and antiqueshops. Don’t miss the historic school-house, for a cozy dose of history. Youmight also look up Betsy Ross Acres inStrawberry, a horse rescue operation thathas also taken up renting out well be-haved saddle horses.

— Dinner: Try Macky’s Grill inPayson, with a creative menu. Also, ElRancho does great Mexican food inPayson, and has cheap beer specials onTuesdays.

— Breakfast: Sometime during theweek, treat yourself to the gourmet menuat the Small Café in Payson. Tiny’sRestaurant and The 260 Café also havegreat breakfast offerings and a rural,mountain atmosphere.

WEDNESDAYForest Road 300: Time to wander –

head east for one of the state’s great,backroad adventures atop the MogollonRim. Drive east on Highway 260 throughStar Valley, past Tonto Creek and on forabout 30 miles to the top of the Mogol-lon Rim. Right after you top out, ForestRoad 300 crosses the highway. Go rightto drive along the Rim past WillowSprings and Black Canyon lakes all theway to Show Low, but come back hometo Payson on Highway 260.

Alternatively, you can go west fromthe highway on Forest Road 300 and passWoods Canyon, Bear Canyon and Knoll

lakes. You eventually come out on High-way 87 near Pine. Either route will takethe day if done right and guarantee somany stunning views you’ll grow jaded.Camp on the Rim if you’re inclined, butcheck on whether the Forest Service hasfire restrictions in effect. Bring your fish-ing pole for great fishing in a string oftrout-stocked lakes.

— Dinner: In Strawberry try theStrawberry Lodge. In Payson, The Buf-falo Bar and Grill normally has karaokenight on Thursdays, a DJ on Friday andlive entertainment Saturday evening.

THURSDAYAlready? Jeeze. So much left to see.

Still, take a break. Don’t drive so muchtoday. Take in the antique stores and artgalleries on Main Street in Payson andPine. Fish for the stocked trout andsometimes giant catfish in the Green Val-ley Park lakes. Stop by the Rim CountryHistorical Society Museum and thereplica of Zane Grey’s Cabin.

— Tonto Creek. By afternoon, you’llneed a fresh dose of scenery, so get backon Highway 260 through Star Valley backon down to Tonto Creek. You can driveup the good dirt road to visit the fishhatchery, which stocks Rim streams andlakes with some 300,000 trout annually.

— Horton Trail: This secluded hikethrough the forest shades the stream andeventually connects with the HighlineTrail, which runs from Hwy. 260 alongthe base of the Rim all the way to Pine.One of the prettiest hikes in Arizona.

— Dinner: You can also enjoy steaksand salads in a rustic atmosphere at theChristopher Creek Lodge.

FRIDAYHow’d the week go so fast? Haven’t

even taken advantage of Rim Country’sThe East Verde River is one of the most

accessible streams in Arizona.

Pete Aleshire



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central location for those just barely out-of-town adventures. But let’s take a quickday trip from Payson. So many choices.

— Due east: Two hours gets you tothe White Mountains and deep foreststreams like the Black River and fishinghot spots like Big Lake or to the WhiteMountain Apache reservation, withChristmas Tree Lake with its trophy-sizedApache Trout, and Fort Apache.

— Northeast: About 90 minutes andyou’re in Winslow with its wonderfully re-stored La Posada Inn and not far fromMeteor Crater, the rock and fossil shopsof Holbrook or the marvels of PetrifiedForest National Monument.

— Go northwest: Takes about anhour to get to the Verde Valley, withCamp Verde, Montezuma’s Castle andWell National Monument and the Tuzi-goot ruins. By then, you’re nearly toJerome, a mining town turned artistcolony. You could also drop by Sedona toshop and feel smug that you avoided thecrowds and expensive hotels by staying inPayson.

— Dinner: La Posada in Winslowserves some of the best dishes in thewhole state. Otherwise, come on back tothe Mazatzal Casino in Payson and live itup a little, including dinner in the CedarRidge Restaurant.

SATURDAYThis is ridiculous. Out of time. — Fossil Creek: Still, can’t leave with-

out a wonderful, if arduous, wildernessadventure in Fossil Creek, just outside ofStrawberry.

Whether you drive or take a steeptrail down to the creek, you’ll enjoy one ofthe most remarkable streams in Arizona,its waters tinged with travertine and itspools filled with big fish. On your wayback to Payson, stop at Fossil Creek

Creamery for fresh goat cheese and fudge.Alternatively, you could also get a greatwilderness experience by going north outof Pine to West Clear Creek – or maybeto the Blue Ridge Reservoir.

— Dinner: If you make it back toPayson in time, try Cardo’s Italian Restau-rant.

SUNDAYOut of time already? But we haven’t

visited Bear Flat and hiked into HellsgateWilderness, canyoneered down TontoCreek or the East Verde, hiked the High-line Trail, fished for wild brown trout onHaigler Creek, spent anywhere nearenough time exploring lakes along theRim, made the journey through deep for-est to Chevelon Lake, hiked or biked anyof the 30 miles of trails encircling Paysonor the hundreds of miles of Forest Serv-ice trails, gone to any of the more than200 special events, like the Gary HardtMemorial Spring Rodeo or the MountainHigh Games, the Annual World’s OldestContinuous Rodeo, the First Friday Art

and Antique Walks on Main Street, theartist studio tours. We need at least twomore weeks. Make that a month. Butwhat to do with the one more day?

— Tonto National Monument liesabout 40 miles south of Payson. The cliffdwellings overlooking Roosevelt Lakeoffer a wonderful glimpse of a mysterious,vanished ancient culture.

— Roosevelt Lake: Since you’re here,might as well drop by the marina in theTonto Basin and rent a boat to eitherwater ski or fish for bass. That’s really afull day.— Apache Trail: If you’ve got a couplehours of daylight left and are now fool-ishly heading back to Phoenix, con-sider the slow but scenic route on theApache Trail.— Dinner: Hit Tortilla Flats if you’reheading down the Apache Trail, but ifyou want our advice go back to Payson,sign up for another week and go dosome two-stepping at the Buffalo Barand Grill, with live music on Sundayand great pulled pork.

Roosevelt Lake offers plenty of fishing and water recreation opportunities.

Tom Brossart



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The same elevation changes crowdedinto a small space that make Payson so di-verse when it comes to scenery, plantsand animals, also provide some of themost scenic and diverse hiking, bikingand horseback riding trails in Arizona.

For starters, the area boasts hun-dreds of miles of trails through the na-tional forests, along streams, lakes andalong cliff tops.

But that’s not all: Payson also has de-veloped one of the most extensive net-works of hiking and biking trails in thestate — which pass through town and con-nect to the wealth of Forest Service trailsjust outside of town.

Day trippers can amble for some 3.8miles along an easy trail that hugs thebanks of Horton Creek, or set off for a50-mile adventure along the HighlineTrail.

Horseback riders can take advantageof horse camps and hundreds of miles ofwell-marked and maintained trails. Pho-tographers and scenery junkies can strollalong a trail that hugs the edge of theMogollon Rim, with its spectacular sun-sets and a chance to watch the clouds roll

across a forested landscape 2,000 feetbelow.

Some strenuous trails crawl upthrough canyons that top out on theRim. Others follow streams, like the EastVerde, Tonto Creek, Horton Creek andothers.

The three National Forests sur-rounding Payson also have thousands ofmiles of dirt roads and trails open to off-road vehicles. The forest managers havemoved to reduce or eliminate cross coun-try travel and to close roads and trails insensitive areas, but that still leaves mostof the existing roads and trails ready andwaiting for off-roaders.

Closer to town — usually right outthe front door of the hotel — Payson isalso developing the Payson Area TrailsSystem (PATS). So far, the town has com-pleted 30 miles of the 50-mile system,which lead through town and out intothe forest. Those town trails include theBoulders, Houston and Monument Peakloop trails. Here, on the left side of thepage, we offer a sampling of the trailsavailable and how to get additional in-formation.

TONTO NATIONAL FORESTTRAILSGet complete descriptions atwww.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rec-hik-ing-index.shtml#mogollonrim.EASY:Horton Creek #285: 3.8 milesDerrick Spur #32: 1 milePump Station #296: 1 mileAbert (Interpretive) #3: 1 mile DIFFICULT:Highline #31: 50 milesOak #16: 3.2 milesPine Canyon #26: 7.9 milesDerrick #33: 2.2 milesSinkhole #179: 2.3 miles West Webber #228: 2.1 milesEast Webber #289: 3.1 miles Redrock #294: 1 mileR.R. Tunnel #390: .3 mileValentine #551: .7 mileMOST DIFFICULT:Horton Spring #292: 1.2 miles Dans #550: 4.8 miles Colonel Devin #290: 2 milesDrew #291: 1 mileSee Canyon #184: 2.4 milesTurkey #217: 2.5 milesMyrtle #30: 0.5 mileBabe Haught #143: 2.6 miles

PAYSON AREA TRAILS SYSTEMPayson has developed 30 miles of riding andhiking trails throughout town connecting toForest Service Trails. For details, go to thetown of Payson’s Web site: www.paysonrim-country.com/MountainRecreation/Hiking-Trails/PaysonAreaTrailsSystem.

PAYSON TRAILS INCLUDE:American Gulch: South 1.1 miles American Gulch: North 0.4 mileBoulders Loop Trail: 2.4-mile loop Cypress Trail: 2 miles Event Center 3.7 milesHouston: 4.2 milesHouston Loop: 3.6-mile loopMonument Peak Loop: 3 milesRound Valley: 4.5 miles

The region has thousands of miles of hiking and riding trails.

Andy Towle

RIM COUNTRY’S BEST TRAILS

take a hike



It’s commonplace to motorthrough Pine and nevertake notice of the historicpioneer homes that lineboth sides of Beeline

Highway.Or to know that a museum is

tucked away in the old schoolhousewhich also serves as the Pine Com-munity Center, a senior center andthrift store.

But the museum and the historichomes play an important role in pre-serving the area’s history.

The museum has its roots in asmall room inside the Isabelle HuntMemorial Public Library.

About two decades ago it wasmoved into old Pine School, whichalso once served as “the LDS Chapel.”The new facility is much larger allow-ing for more room to display artifactsand documents — some of whichMormon settlers brought to the areain the 1800s.

Among the artifacts that stirs thecuriosity of visitors are World War IIuniforms, a barber chair used in the1920s, farming implements from the1800s, cupboards, tableware and

sewing machines more than 100 yearsold and period clothing.

Also drawing attention is the tin

ceiling in the Main Room, which re-mains today exactly as it was in pio-neer days.

The Randall House in Pine offers a delicious dining experience.

Tom Brossart



Economy Inn

Reservations:1-800-482-5719

Phone: (928) 474-4526 • Fax: (928) 474-0263

Pets OK

101 W. Phoenix St.Payson, AZ 85541

Payson Airport Unicom 122.8Runway 06-24 5500’ x 75’AWOS 119.325 or(928) 472-4260

806 w. airport road • payson, arizona [email protected]

QualityResale

Gently used and uniquely newclothing, accessories, housewares,

furniture & more

SW Corner of Beeline Hwy. & Bonita(Behind One Stop Gas Station)

928-468-6553

PINE andSTRAWBERRY

As intriguing as the museum is, a thorough under-standing of the history of this tiny mountain hamlet can’tbe obtained without a walk along Beeline to marvel at thepioneer homes, some of which were built just after Pinewas settled in 1879.

Members of the Pine-Strawberry Archaeological andHistorical Society call the stroll a “Walking History Trail”and markers have been erected in front of each structureto identify the pioneer homes.

Some of the houses were originally small log cabinsthat were added onto over the years. Others were moreelaborate and remain much the same as they were whenbuilt.

Bert D. Randall, the first white male born in Pine,originally built the home adjacent to the Pine Post Officein 1905 after marrying Lucy Pearl.

Tales abound that Randall hired a craftsmen whospent a year hand-carving banisters, casings and moldingin the home.

Current Pine residents remember the Bondurant fam-ily living in the home for decades.

On the south end of town and the east side of Beelineis Pine’s first post office built by Frank Fuller in about1928.

It was later converted into a service station and nowis a stand in which honey and other products are sold.

A must see on the trail is the Lazear home in the mid-dle of town. It began as a log structure which remains theheart of the house.

Lazear, his wife, Margaret and their three childrenlived in the home until the 1930s.

Also on the trail is the original Mulberry Inn — thearea’s first motel-type accommodations

Near the Inn is a ditch that once served as an irriga-tion channel for the entire town running parallel to Bee-line.

For more about the Walking History Trail visit:http://www.pinestrawhs.org/tour.html.



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Strawberry Schoolhouse

A short drive down the windingFossil Creek Road, past dozens ofmodern homes, is a piece of historyquietly nestled on a corner lot inStrawberry.

Surrounded by development, theStrawberry Schoolhouse, a 125-yearold “fossil” has outlasted most every-thing around it and will likely outlivethese new structures.

You wouldn’t know it from theoutside, but this little schoolhouse hasbeen around since Geronimo was stillon the loose and being pursued by 20percent of the U.S. Army, the PleasantValley War was raging in Tonto Basinand pioneers were still settling thestate.

The Strawberry Schoolhousestands as evidence of the pioneer’squest for knowledge.

The schoolhouse is made of thick,worn pine logs, chopped from the sur-rounding forests and hoisted intoplace during a one-day log-raising partyin the autumn of 1884. Today, the logsgrudgingly support a refurbished roofof shingles.

Although tired, evident by a slighttilt and slouch the entire buildingtakes, these boards, crafted togetherwith a half dovetail notch, have heldup through enough students, cow-boys, landowners and ranchers tomake anything keel over in exhaus-tion.

Where others have fallen, how-ever, dedicated volunteers and resi-dents have kept this one room

schoolhouse standing, allowing visitorsthe opportunity to peek at what it waslike to attend school in the Wild West.

The interior, painstakingly refur-bished, holds what you might expectto find in a sparse, turn of the centuryschoolhouse: a few rows of seating, ablack, pot-belly stove, slate chalkboard,organ and teacher’s desk. The spacealso holds a few surprises that hint atthe social norms of the time.

A dunce’s corner for misbehavingpupils and a set of rules hung neatlyon the wall. The rules for teachers,who were primarily woman, includeno keeping company with men, loi-tering in ice cream stores, smoking,dressing in bright colors and under nocircumstances, dying your hair.

Schoolhouse volunteer MaryHunt laughs at the list, noting thingssure have changed for teachers in the21st century.

Hunt’s family history is deeplyconnected to the schoolhouse and thefamily donated several items to thebuilding when it was restored.

Mary said her husbandloved to visit the schoolhouseand its restoration meant alot to him, like so many otherold-timers in the area.

Mary can recall nearlythe whole history of theschoolhouse, from its hum-ble beginnings to its currentstate today.

She explained in 1884,the beginnings of the school-house took shape. Familiesliving in the area at the time

asked the county school superintend-ent to build a school for local children.The superintendent approved the re-quest and the Strawberry Valley schooldistrict was formed.

The location for the schoolhousewas decided by cowboys who used acattle rope to count the distance inlengths between one cabin on the westend of the valley and another cabin onthe east end. In the middle, theschoolhouse was built.

Inside, the interior was outfittedelegantly for the time. Wainscotingcovered the lower half of the walls withwallpaper above. The ceiling, origi-nally cloth, was replaced with woodand the floor was made of sawnboards. Students sat at two-person fac-tory-made desks, an upgrade fromwooden benches and tables commonat the time.

After three decades of use, offi-cials were forced to close the schooldue to a lack of students.

Several families subsequently lived

The Strawberry Schoolhouse is the oldeststanding schoolhouse in Arizona.

Tom Brossart



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The interior of the Strawberry Schoolhouse was outfitted elegantly for its time.

Tom Brossart

in the building until it was ulti-mately abandoned and left to rot.

Finally, in 1967, an officialfrom the Page Land and CattleCompany bought the site just be-fore the schoolhouse was to be torndown and handed it over to thePayson-Pine Chamber of Com-merce. Volunteers shored up theoutside of the structure so it wasweatherproof and secure. Morethan a decade later, the historical so-ciety restored the interior andopened the schoolhouse to visitors.In 1981, the building was dedicatedas a historical monument.

The Strawberry Schoolhouse isa place of history and rightfullyholds the title of Oldest StandingSchoolhouse in Arizona.

If you go, the schoolhouse is lo-cated on Fossil Creek Road, 1.75miles from Highway 87 in Straw-berry. It is open on weekends andholidays May through September.

If you are lucky, Hunt mighteven let you in during the off-sea-son. Hunt still lives nearby andoften lets curious travelers in if shesees them standing outside.

For more information, visitwww. pinestrawhs.org/schoolhouse.html.

Antiques, collectibles and historic memorabiliaIn the cool, tall pines of Rim Country, treasure hunt-

ing is still a favorite art. The goal is to find that “treasure”that reminds us of our youth, our history or family mem-bers that “had one just like that”.

Historic areas, such as the Rim Country, with its his-tory of cattle rustling, Indian attacks, rodeos, speak-easysand its location as the crossroads in the center of Arizona,tend to gather unique shops and hard- to- find- items thatfill them. And, in small towns, prices tend to be more rea-sonable than in large towns. Antique shops, second- handstores, thrift shops and yard sales thrive in Rim Country.Your chance to find that one thing that has eluded yoursearch for your collection may be here in one of our many

“treasure shops”. Our “gold fields” include; Bootleg Alley, Granny’s

Attic, Payson Galleria, Moose Mountain, Pine CountryAntiques, Loot Resale as well as the Payson Senior CenterThrift Shop, The Pine/Strawberry Thrift Shop, the Mogol-lon Health Alliance Thrift Shop, the Time Out ThriftShop and the Habitat For Humanity ReStore.

The Payson Roundup carries complete listings of yardsales in its Friday night edition. Full listings of each of thesebusinesses is available on www.rimcountrychamber.com

So plan on doing your “treasure hunting” in RimCountry, directly at the center of Arizona and the center ofAntiques, collectibles and historic memorabilia.

The 260 CafeFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-5881803 E. Highway 260, PaysonSunday-Wednesday 6am-2pm, Thursday-Saturday6am-8pm

Buffalo Bar & GrillFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-3900311 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson

Cardo’s PizzaFamily Dining/Italian . . . . . . . . . .468-1626203 E. Hwy. 260, Payson

Cedar Ridge RestaurantFamily Dining/Steaks . . . . . . . . . .474-6044Inside Mazatzal Casino, Hwy. 87, PaysonThe biggest burger in town (1/2 pound). Authen-tic hickory smoked ribs, chicken, beef, steaks andseafood. Open Sunday thru Thursday, 6am-9pm,Friday and Saturday, 6am-10pm.

Del Taco108 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson . . . . .468-1505

El Rancho Mexican RestaurantFamily Dining/Mexican . . . . . . . . .474-3111200 S. Beeline Hwy., Paysonwww.elranchorestaurant.netMexican food and lounge. Open Monday thruThursday 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-9:30pm, Sunday 11am-8pm.

Fargo’s SteakhouseFine Dining/Steaks . . . . . . . . . . . .474-7455620 E. Hwy. 260, Paysonwww.FargosSteakhouse.comSpecialties are aged Angus beef, fresh seafoodand prime rib, daily features, salads, sandwichesand burgers. Open Sunday thru Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm.

Gerardo’s Firewood CafeFamily Bistro Dining . . . . . . . . . . .468-6500512 N. Beeline Hwy., Paysonwww.gerardosfirewoodcafe.comFresh fish, seafood, veal, chicken specialties. Au-thentic wood burning oven pizzas/pastas.Catering services available.

Jakes Corner Bar & GrillFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-067957564 N. Az. Highway 188, Jakes Corner

Laura’s Small CafeFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-4209512 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson

DiningGuide


Hours: Sunday-Wednesday 6am-2pm • Thursday-Saturday 6am-8pm

the 260 cafeBreakfast & Lunch Served Daily • Breakfast Served All Day 7 Days a Week

Dine in or Carry Out • Daily Specials

803 east highway 260 • 928-474-5881

HOME OF THE $1.99 BREAKFAST

EL RANCHOMEXICAN RESTAURANTEL RANCHOMEXICAN RESTAURANTAuthentic Mexican & American Dining Lounge

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - Lunch & Dinner

928.474.3111 - Lounge 474.9906200 S. Beeline Hwy, Across from Chase - Payson, AZ

www.elranchorestaurant.net

G E R A R D O ’ S

B R I C K O V E N P I Z Z E R I A

Catering Services Available

512 N.BEELINE HWY.

PAYSON468-6500

Arizona HighwaysMagazine Best

25 FavoriteRestaurants

G E R A R D O M O C E R I , C H E F www.gerardosfirewoodcafe.com

Macky’s GrillFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-7411201 W. Main St. Suite J, [email protected] dine in our family restaurant, home of theMacky Burger. We now sell domestic and im-ported beer and wine. Open Sunday thru Thurs-day 10am-8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm.

McDonald’s of Payson107 E. Hwy. 260, Payson . . . . . . . .474-3698

Pine DeliFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-35366240 Hardscabble Road, PineDeli foods, dinner specials, homemade pizza andgourmet desserts. Open 7 days a week.

The Randall HouseFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-40773821 N Highway 87, PineCharming coffee house, bakery and cafe servingbreakfast and lunch, featuring unique handmadegifts. Open Wednesday-Saturday, 8am-3pm. Sun-day, 8am-2pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.Guest cottage available on premises.

Rimside GrillFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-3349Highway 87, Pinewww.rimsidegrill.comCome on in and try our delicious, homemadecountry fried steak, jumbo biscuits, trail cakes,fresh made burgers, whiskey chops, salmon,trout, brats, fried green beans, great salads, Dale’shomemade soups and great daily specials like:Breakfast scrambles, prime rib sandwiches, alba-core tuna and much more! Open Wed-Thurs11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 8am-8pm,Closed Mon-Tues.

Scoops Ice Cream & EspressoIce Cream Parlor/Coffee House . . . .474-3957201 W. Main St., Suite H, Paysonwww.paysonscoops.comSomething for the entire family — shakes, sun-daes, malts, floats, coffee, lattes, tea, bakedgoods, fruit smoothies and much more! Free Wi-Fi. Open 7 days a week.

Sidewinders SaloonBar & Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-64346114 W. Hardscrabble Mesa Rd., Pine

Sonic Drive-InMilepost 251, Hwy. 87, Payson . . .468-1863


VOTED “BEST OF RIM COUNTRY” BY THE COMMUNITY OF PAYSON BEST PLACE FOR LUNCH AND BEST HAMBURGER

• Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner • Great Food & Service •• Pets Welcome on the Patio • 40 New Menu Items •

Macky’s Grill

201 W Main St. PaysonLocated next to Sawmill Theatre 928.474.7411

BREAKFASTLUNCHPASTRIES

CAPPUCCINOCATERING

GIFTSGUEST COTTAGE

3821 Hwy 87P.O. Box 428

Pine,AZ 85544

928.476.4077

• GOOD FOOD & GIFTS •

928-476-3349

Open Wednesday - Sundayfor Lunch & Dinner

Breakfast Fri - Sunday

Weekend MusicOutdoor DiningSand Volleyball

HorseshoesFull Bar

Great WinesCraft Tap Beer

Take-Out13 Miles

North of Payson3270 N Highway 87

Pine, AZ

Homemade Country Fried Steak, Jumbo Biscuits, TrailCakes, Reubens, Amazing Homemade Burgers,

Whiskey Chops, Salmon, Trout, Brats, Fried Green Beans,Great Salads, Dales Delicious Soups & Great

Daily Specials Like Breakfast Scrambles, Prime Rib Sandwiches, Albacore Tuna and so much more! www.rimsidegrill.com

2010 Rim Country'sLarge Business of the Year

Strawberry Lodge

8039 Fossil Creek Road • Strawberry • 928-476-3333At the foot of the Mogollon Rim on Highway 87 - 17 miles north of Payson

• Open daily for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner •• Great Food • Famous Pies • Cozy Rooms with Fireplaces •

Strawberry LodgeFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476-33338039 W. Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberrywww.strawberrylodgeaz.comHistoric mountain lodge established in 1956.Featuring country breakfasts, chef’s daily spe-cials, hand-cut steaks, seafood, homemadesoups and famous pies. Weekend entertain-ment.

Tiny’s Family RestaurantFamily Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .474-5429600 E. Hwy. 260, Payson

Zane Grey Steakhouse & SaloonFine Dining/Steaks . . . . . . .928-478-4211Highway 260 at Kohl’s Ranch Lodgewww.kohlsranch.com

Lodging

Hotels & Motels

Best Western Payson InnFIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK

801 N Beeline Highway, Payson • 928-474-3241www.bestwesternpaysoninn.com

Comfort Inn100% NON-SMOKING • INDOOR POOL/SPA • PET FREECOMPLIMENTARY BREAKFAST • FREE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET

206 S. Beeline Highway, Payson • 928-472-7484www.comfortinn.com

Days Inn & SuitesFIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK

301-A S. Beeline Hwy., Payson • 928-474-9800www.paysondaysinn.com

Economy InnPETS OK

101 W. Phoenix Street, Payson • [email protected]

Lone Pine Hotel610 W. Main St., Payson928-978-9234

Majestic Mountain InnFIREPLACES • POOL/SPA

602 E. Highway 260, Payson • 928-474-0185www.majesticmountaininn.com

Hotels & Motels

Mazatzal Hotel & CasinoPOOL/SPA • NO SMOKING • FITNESS CENTER

Highway 87, Mile Marker 251, Payson1-800-777-PLAY (7529)www.777play.com

Paysonglo LodgeFIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK

1005 S. Beeline Highway, Payson928-474-2382800-772-9766www.paysonglolodgeaz.com

Super 8 Inn & SuitesFIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OK

809 E. Highway 260, Payson928-474-5241

Cabins & Lodges

Cabins on Strawberry HillSPA SERVICES AVAILABLE, INCLUDING MASSAGE AND AESTHETICS

5306 N. Hwy. 87, Strawberry • 928-476-4252www.azcabins.com

Creekside CabinsRESTAURANT • FIREPLACES • PETS OK

21 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260928-478-4389

Forest Lakes LodgePETS OK

928-535-4047www.forestlakeslodge.com


GuideCabins & Lodges

Kohl’s Ranch LodgeRESTAURANT • FIREPLACES • POOL/SPA • PETS OKHORSES • CABINS ON THE CREEK

17 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260928-478-4211 • 800-521-3131www.kohlsvacation.com

Mountain Ridge CabinsOPEN MAY 1 THROUGH OCTOBER 31

30 minutes north of Payson, 1 mile from the crestof the Mogollon Rim, Forest Road 32480-368-1504www.mountainridgecabins.com

Pine Creek CabinsFIREPLACES • PETS OK ON APPROVAL • JACUZZI TUBSRESTAURANT ON SITE

3901 N. Highway 87, Pine • 928-970-9511www.pinecreekcabinsaz.com

Ranch at Fossil Creek10379 W. Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry928-476-5178www.fossilcreekllamas.com

Rancho Tonto Guest HouseFIREPLACES • PETS OK

18 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260Exit left at Kohl’s Ranch exitZane Grey Cabin Rd.Payson, AZ 85541928-478-0002

Rimside Grill & CabinsGREAT FOOD • CABLE TV • SAND VOLLEYBALL & HORSESHOES

3270 N. Hwy. 87, Mile Marker 267, Pine928-476-3349www.rimsidegrill.com

Cabins & Lodges

Rustic Rim Hideaway918 N. Mulesprings (off Highway 260)928-535-9030 • 888-801-9030 (toll free)www.rimhideaway.com

Strawberry Lodge8039 Fossil Creek Road, Strawberry928-476-3333

Bed & Breakfasts

Falcon Crest Bed & Breakfast1105 N. Falcon Crest Drive, Payson928-474-5249www.arizonabednbreakfast.com

Up The Creek Bed & BreakfastFIREPLACES

10491 Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry928-476-6571www.upthecreekbedandbreakfast.com

Verde River Rock HouseBed & BreakfastEast Verde Estates Lot 12, East Verde EstatesOn the banks of the East Verde River928-472-4304 or 602-696-0213www.verderiverrockhouse.com

Vacation Rentals

Active Resort Properties55+ COMMUNITIES • PARK MODELS • MANUFACTURED HOMES

1-800-478-3864

Paradise in Payson819 E. Verde Circle, Payson928-710-7399www.paradiseinpayson.com


Developed: Provides water, parking, and toilet facilities. Most requireDeveloped: reservations. Semi-Developed: May provide water, parking and toilet facilities. MaySemi-Developed: require reservations. Group Campgrounds: Can accommodate large groups of people forGroup Campgrounds: overnight camping. May require reservations. Public Campgrounds: Open to general public on a first-come, first-campPublic Campgrounds: basis.For Reservations: National Forest Recreation Reservation System: 1-877-444-6777 or www.reserveusa.com

Christopher Creek Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-677721 miles east of Payson on Highway 260. 43 campsites with tables, fire pits,grills, handicapped accessible toilet and other vault toilets; drinking water andtrash collection. Roads and spurs are paved. Creek runs through the camp-ground with cool spots for wading and fishing. Open mid-May through mid-October.

East Verde Crossing Public Campground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required 5 miles north of Payson on Highway 87, then left on Forest Road 622.

Flowing Springs Public Campground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required 3 miles north of Payson. Right one-half mile on Forest Road 272.

Houston Mesa Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-468-7135Highway 87, two miles north of Payson. Turn right on Houston Mesa Road.Within the next 13 miles are several campgrounds: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Crossings,Water Wheel & Verde Glen (all are public campgrounds).

Payson Campground Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-2267808 E. Highway 260 in Payson.

Ponderosa Campground Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-677712 miles east of Payson on Highway 260. 61 units with tables, grills, drinkingwater, vault toilets, nature trail and amphitheater. Spaces can handle up to 60-foot trailers. Open year-round. Hosts are available.

Sharp Creek Semi Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-677723 miles northeast of Payson, 1.5 miles east of Christopher Creek. 28 unitswith tables, grills, drinking water, vault toilets and nature trails. Spaces canhandle up to 45-foot trailers. No more than two vehicles per unit. No morethan eight people per unit. Three group units (50 people). Open mid-May through mid-October. Hosts are available.

Sink Hole Semi Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481Located at Willow Springs Lake.

Upper Tonto Creek Developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No Reservation Required17 miles east of Payson on Highway 260 to Forest Road 289. Nine sites withtables, fire pits, grills, drinking water, vault toilets and garbage collection.Some sites accommodate trailers up to 16 feet. Access to Derrick & HortonCreek Trails. Fishing on Tonto and Horton creeks. Popular campground, so getthere early on weekends. Open mid-May through October.Woods Canyon Lake Developed/Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-444-6777Woods Canyon Lake, northeast of Payson on Highway 260 and Forest ServiceRoad 300.

Ranger Districts For Campground Information Apache-Sitgreaves Forest (Woods Canyon area) . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481 Happy Jack (Long Valley) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-527-3640 Heber (Willow Springs Lake) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-535-4481 Payson Ranger Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-7900 Pleasant Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-462-3311

Mobile Home and RV ParksCy’s Shady Haven RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-8222 3 miles east on Highway 260 to Valley Road in Star Valley.Happy Jack Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-477-2805 292.5 Forest Hwy. 3 in Happy Jack | www.happyjacklodge.comHouston Creek RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-2636 408 S. Rainbow Drive in Star Valley.Jakes Corner RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4802 3 miles off Highway 87 on Highway 188 at Jakes Corner.Lamplighter RV Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-5048 3 miles east at 3933 Highway 260 in Star Valley.Lazy D Ranch RV & Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-2442 3 miles east at 3675 Highway 260 in Star Valley.Payson Campground & RV Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-2267 808 E. Hwy. 260 Payson | Pool | Pets Welcome | www.paysoncampground.comPineview RV Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-978-6542 3 miles east at 3680 Highway 260 in Star Valley.Sky Run RV Resort & Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4728 93 N. Sky Run Lane in Star Valley | www.skyrunresort.comStar Vale Mobile Home Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-474-4242 4 miles east of Payson on Hwy. 260 | Age-qualified park | Well maintained Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928-472-6532 903 Granite Dells Road | Payson | Pets Welcome

Campground Guide


602 E. Highway 260 • Payson, AZ 85541

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Documents

Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce Visitors Guide 2011