Awe 2020, the year of limited travels. Other than a handful of camping adventures, most of my outings consisted of local hikes and bike rides in the Grand Valley. Desperately in need of a vacation, my husband and I decided to spend Thanksgiving in Gilbert, AZ with my brother in-law and his family.
Road Trip
Taking measures to be COVID safe, we drove nine hours from Grand Junction to Gilbert, a drive we have made many times. We packed all our food and drinks for the trip and planned our restroom breaks in advance, knowing that many places may not have restrooms open to the public. Our first stop was in Blanding, UT at the Blanding Visitor Center, which is located along Highway 191, between Monticello and Bluff; roughly three hours from Grand Junction. This route has some of the best scenery, if time permits, I highly recommend making a few roadside stops for photos. Some of my favorite views are the canyons and red rock of Bluff, UT; stay on Highway 163 for the scenery of Mexican Hat and the San Juan River. Approaching the Utah-Arizona state line is Monument Valley, which is best known for the iconic running scene in Forest Gump. The route between Monument Valley and Flagstaff, AZ runs through the Hopi Reservation. There are many roadside stands along the highway selling beautiful handmade jewelry by Native American Indians. Driving through this year, there were several travelers stopping to shop, but we were being COVID conscious and did not stop this time.
As we drove through the reservation, we saw signs for curfews in the towns, gas stations and restaurants were only offering drive through service, and several hotels were closed for the season. The only place we could find with restroom service along this stretch was the Navajo Trail Trading Post in Cameron, located along Highway 89. The Trading Post had two restaurant options, handmade Native American Indian jewelry and crafts, interpretive history exhibits, snacks, and clean restrooms. Along Highway 89 into Flagstaff, there are several trails, parks, and picnic areas which offer a perfect place to stop and stretch your legs or walk the dog. We always read the roadside attraction signs and make mental note of places we want to try to stop on future trips.
The third rest stop on our trip is always Sunset Point
in Black Canyon, AZ, between Flagstaff and Phoenix. Hence the name, this is a nice place to view the sunset if you happen to hit it at the right time. Otherwise, there are several clean restrooms, plenty of parking, picnic tables, and a short walking path lined with native plants.
Things to Do
This time of year is the best time to visit the Phoenix area because the weather is always so nice, with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s. With weather this perfect, it was easy to find COVID appropriate activities. We stayed with family in the Power Ranch area of Gilbert, AZ; this is a nice neighborhood with walking paths and a park only a half mile away. Each day we either ran, biked, or walked around the Ranch House Community Park, which has a lake that many families were fishing at and there are several ducks and bird species to watch. Another thing we love about staying in Gilbert during the holiday season is the variety of Christmas Lights. There are several neighborhoods within walking distance that have great light displays. There are also some communities a few miles away that have been featured on the TV show, “Great American Light Fight”. One of our favorite places to see the lights is the Agritopia neighborhood in Gilbert. Each street it lit up with a tunnel of lights over the sidewalk, lights strung across the streets, all the trees have wrapped trunks, and each home is decorated in a classic Christmas style. The best way to experience these lights is by foot, although cars can drive through.
Play Golf
Golfing is always a top priority for my husband on our Arizona travels. The day before Thanksgiving, we booked a tee time for the Trilogy Golf Club, a public golf course in the Power Ranch neighborhood. One piece of advice, book your tee time a day in advance if you want to ensure you have enough time to finish your round before dark. Another thing to note, most courses in Arizona only have a fee for 18 holes. We had three golfers in our group; paid for 18 holes, but our tee time was so late we were finishing the 9th hole in the dark. If you only want to play 9 holes, try The Links at Queen Creek; they are one of the few courses in the East Phoenix area that has a 9-hole fee, plus bonus; it is easy to book and pay online without creating an account.
Take a Hike
Over the years of visiting family in Phoenix, we have hiked several trails; most located within regional recreation parks. Some of our favorites include Hole in the Rock at Papago Park, Camel Back Mountain, and San Tan Mountain.
This year we ventured over to the Superstition Mountains, home of the famously sought after Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. With only a half day reserved for hiking, we didn’t attempt to go searching for the long lost treasure. Instead, we hiked the Hieroglyphics Trail, located along U.S. Route 60 near Apache Junction. After hiking this trail, I did some research to try to find the reason for the name Hieroglyphics Trail. The term Hieroglyphics refers to Egyptian writing, but the images in the canyon are in fact Petroglyphs, or rock carvings. The kiosk at the trailhead states that the canyon was once home to the Salado, Hohokam, and Apache Indians.
We hiked the Friday after Thanksgiving, starting around 11:30 in the morning, and the parking lot was packed. There are two trails that take off from the same trailhead, the other is the Lost Gold Mine Trail, a longer full day hike. Most all the hikers were traveling on the Hieroglyphics Trail. The trail was heavily trafficked, we were going uphill as lines of people were coming down. Very few people were familiar with proper trail etiquette. If it weren’t for COVID, we would have charged onward and ahead, rather than stepping to the side for all the people traveling downhill; but in the interest of social distancing we did the responsible thing and stepped to the side. Although, if you are wondering, it is proper trail etiquette to yield to the uphill hikers.
The trail is rocky and moderate in difficulty level. Most of the trail info we saw noted a 3 mile round trip hike, however my Garmin logged 3.7 miles by the time we returned to the car. Elevation gain is moderate, and you can move at a steady pace without getting winded. Once you reach the mouth of the canyon, there are several large boulders and a few pools of water. This requires some scrambling if you would like to see all the rock art, otherwise, hikers can see one main panel without climbing over the rocks. There are several panels, many are small and may not catch the eye right away, but take time to scan the rocks closely and you will see much more than expected. The rocks are smooth and can be a bit slippery; shoes with good tread are recommended if you plan to scramble further up canyon to see all of the petroglyphs. Climbing up into the canyon also offers spectacular views of the desert floor and the San Tan Mountains.
After reading the history of the trail, curiosity got a hold of me and I spent a little time looking up some information on the three cultures that inhabited the Superstitions. Unfamiliar with the Salado and Hohokam cultures, I spent some time reading about these Indianans and the timeline shows some overlap between the two cultures, suggesting that they were neighbors. Hohokam Indians are known for their irrigation methods; images online show irrigation canals. When I looked back at the photos I took on the hike, I noticed rock carvings that look like a primitive diagram of an irrigation system. Another thing I noticed was how the animals and humans were depicted. Western Colorado is home to many ancient rock art sites, many belonging to the Fremont and Ute Indians; these cultures were several years apart and when viewing the rock art, most visitors can see noticeable differences in the way people and animals were drawn. If you enjoy learning about Native American rock art, the Museum of Western Colorado has a great link on their website showcasing many of the cultures that resided in the Colorado Plateau region, which includes sections of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Farm Tours
Celebrate food! Do you know where your food comes from? I highly recommend taking a farm tour on your next vacation, and if you have a chance, dine at a Farm to Table restaurant for the freshest eating experience.
On our last day of vacation, I took a tour of the Queen Creek Olive Mill, located in Queen Creek, AZ. The tour started in the outdoor dining area under the shade of the olive trees. First, we learned how olives are grown and harvested. Plucked directly from the tree, olives are bitter and unappealing to critters, allowing farmers to grow this luscious crop pesticide free. After learning how the olives grow, the tour moved indoors to the pressing room, here we saw the machinery used to press and make olive oil and we watch a short video on the process; harvest to the final product. Our guide explained the difference between extra virgin olive oil and olive oil, in that extra virgin olive oil is made from pure, cold-pressed olives. Other olive oils are a blend that start with impurities and must be processed more to be consumed. Knowing where your food comes from and how it’s made is important, after all we are putting it into our bodies.
After the tour we enjoyed an experience for our pallets with a light lunch in the Olive Mill restaurant. Try the bruschetta, it was fabulous, and possibly some of the best bruschetta I have ever had. We also had the Mill Margherita Pizza, topped with fresh basil from the farm. The restaurant has a good selection from pasta to sandwiches and salads; not to mention a display case full of decadent sweets and gelato. I am a huge fan of desert and coffee so I couldn’t leave without trying the coffee crunch gelato. The tour was approximately 45 minutes and it was $7.00 per person. Kids under 12 are free with an adult, or at least when I visited with my nephew, he got in free. Allow some time for shopping; Queen Creek Olive Mill has a little store with a variety of olive oil and balsamic products, local wine, honey, dipping oils, breads, coffee, a body shop, and other gifts. During the tour we also learned that the mill often has live outdoor music that can be enjoyed over dinner and drinks. On our next trip to Gilbert, dinner at the Olive Mill will be a must.
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