On a road to nowhere

Arizona State Route 373 is a dead end  spur of a highway less than 5 miles long, sometime referred to as the road to nowhere.   It ends at a little village of a town called Greer.  Unlike most places, you can't just pass through Greer while on your way to somewhere else.  You go to Greer - there is only the one paved road in and out.  The entire community nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains peaks in the middle of a national forest.

If you are new to Arizona, you may have heard of some of our wonderful mountain communities like Flagstaff, Pinetop, and Show Low, where the thousands of city dwellers escape to to beat the summer heat.

You may not have heard of Greer.  Less than 200 people live in Greer year round.  There is a country store, a few restaurants and shops.  There are some lodges and cabins to rent. Cell phone coverage is spotty at best.   What does Greer have?

At 8,500 elevation often the coolest summer temperatures in Arizona and in the winter snow, lots of snow.

Teddy Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover, western novelists Zane Grey, James Willard Schultz, Stewart Edward White and Mary Roberts Rinehart, and Hollywood Westerns legend John Wayne have all visited Greer.  It is peaceful and beautiful.

Our family has been going to Greer for over twenty years.  My son's learned to fish in the Little Colorado River which bisects the valley.  Stocked with trout, crystal clear and it is really more of a stream than a river.

We have celebrated several Thanksgivings, Christmas and many wonderful family trips to Greer.  Usually staying in a cabin with no phones, no TV and until recently no internet. There is little to do but thoroughly enjoy nature and each other's company.

If life is moving too fast and you need some quiet time, I suggest Greer.

Life in Greer!

And one more thing they have in Greer -----

Pack Rats!

This is a pack rat nest in an old abandoned outhouse.

If you want to learn more about Greer check out these websites:

greerarizona.com/

wmonline.com/cities/greer.htm

If you are a history buff, like I am, try and get a copy of the outstanding, out of print book:

On the Road to Nowhere: A History of Greer, Arizona, 1879-1979

by Karen M. Applewhite

You let me know if you have any questions or would like suggestions of where to stay and what to see.

Kentucky Camp

Kentucky Camp

I have lived in Arizona over 40 years and my wife, Sheryl is a native.  In fact her family were early pioneers.  We love Arizona and we often get out to places not listed in the typical travel guide.

I plan to use my MPR blog to share some of those places.  Last year we took a day trip to Kentucky Camp, an old gold mining town located in the Santa Rita Mountains.

The drive is quite scenic and only about an hour from Tucson. Take Highway 89 (the road to Sonoita) to the Gardner Canyon turn-off.  Once you turn, you have about 5 miles of gravel road to travel. The road forks, so be sure to follow the signs to Kentucky Camp.  The road is dirt but in decent shape. If you take a car, you may want to hike the last mile in, but a regular pick-up or SUV should be able to make it all the way without a problem.  There are several old adobe building and some old mining equipment around to look at. The area is beautiful terrain with lots of scrub oak.  A nice break from the desert.

The forest service is doing some restoration and even has a small cabin on-sight available for rental.   It is rustic - look close at the sign below, "Bed and No Breakfast Inn".

There are not many ghost towns open to the public that are in as good shape as Kentucky Camp.  You can wander around at will.  The area is open range so expect to see some cattle.  Pack a picnic, or head down to Sonoita for lunch.  You will not be disappointed.

For more information on Kentucky Camp and the forest service cabin rental check out the links below:


Wikipedia -Kentucky Camp Arizona
Coronado Forest Heritage Rentals