Camping at Pioneer Pass in the Pinal Mts

Little did we know that we'd be camping in the snow… we were looking for a camping spot near Globe and heard that the Pinal Mts were not far away and camping was free (always a major bonus)! As we started the ascent up into the mountains the landscape drastically changed from desert and cacti to wooded pine forest. We saw snow towards the top of the mountain, but there was no way we'd be all the way up there, or so we thought. The drive to the camp spot was beautiful, a twisting and turning dirt road where at times only one car could pass. Eventually, we started seeing patches of snow and well-equipped, yet rustic, campsites with picnic tables, grills, and composting toilets. All the sites were spread out and private. We only saw one other group of campers, though the summer months may be busy when the weather is warmer (the campsite is at 6,000 ft). We choose a campsite next to the creek, which was awesome to fall asleep to. There was a ton of wood and we were able to make a nice fire, which we desperately needed as the temperatures dropped incredibly when the sun went down! Pinecones make for great fire-starters and there is no shortage of pine cones here. Spring and summer are probably better times to camp in the Pinal Mountains, as we encountered quite a bit of snow and a 4x4 vehicle is necessary in the winter. Apparently the road is sometimes closed due to snow/ice conditions. There are hiking trails near the campsite(East Mountain trail is 0.8 miles before reaching the campground and is a 5 mile loop trail with views of the desert below)- but we were too cold to try them out… maybe this spring…

A good daytrip while camping here is to the Tonto National Monument, where you can see ruins of cliff dwellings occupied from the 13^th-15^th centuries. Entrance is free with a National Parks pass (see blog post on Tonto National Monument). There are also ruins at Besh-Ba-Gowah Archeological Park, very close to the campground and located near the ranger station in Globe.

Directions from ASDOH:

Turn left out of the ASDOH entrance and follow Baseline to Power Rd. Turn left onto Power Rd and take the on ramp to the US-60 East. Take the 60-E to Globe. This is a beautiful drive with amazing rock formations- look to the left for a waterfall after you leave the town of Superior and pass through a small tunnel. When you reach Globe, you'll see a four way stop (if I remember correctly…) and turn right to cross over the railroad track. You should see signs pointing to the Globe Ranger Station- follow these signs. Continue on this road for 1.6 miles to Ice Canyon Rd (located before the ranger station). Turn right onto Ice Canyon Rd and continue to the stop sign where you will bear left onto Forest Route 112 (the road on the right is Kellner Canyon Rd which will take you to a higher elevation campground in the Pinal Mountains at 7,500 ft. There are about 10 different hikes from this campground, but we've yet to check them out). The road becomes dirt and you will pass a cow ranch on your left. The campsite is only 7 miles away, but it seems to take forever on the dirt road. Relax and enjoy the scenery! On your drive back to Mesa, stop at the Creekside Coffee shop at 115 N. Keystone Ave in Miami, a small gold-mining/artsy town. The woman there runs a coffee shop, used bookstore, and acts as a tax account all in one building! Funky, but super cute… and she made the best blended mocha I've ever tasted. It's supposedly her specialty. ;)

MTM Ranch: Horseback Riding Adventure, Cave Creek

"You haven't seen Arizona until you've seen in on horseback." I've heard this phrase numerous times since moving to Arizona and have envied the horseback riders I've seen climbing the desert terrain in Bulldog Canyon near the Salt River. Well finally it was my turn. MTM Ranch is located in Cave Creek, North of Scottsdale, about an hour from ASDOH. We arrived at a small dirt parking lot and were greeted by one woman sitting on the porch of a small tack room filled with saddles- very low key. She went to get our horses and we loaded up from the porch. I rode Amber, a stubborn 5 year old mare, who was sweet but kept testing me throughout the ride by stopping to swoop up some wildflowers as a snack. Landon rode Bubba, a big gentle guy (very fitting), who he could "parallel park" on a dime. Our guide was a horse masseuse who was passionate about Arizona and riding. She was extremely knowledgeable about the surroundings in the Spur Cross Conservation Area bordering the Tonto National Forest (which we learned is over 3 million acres and is the largest national forest in the US!). We also learned that the Saguaro Cactus is native only to the Sonoran desert of Arizona, Sonora, Mexico and a small section of Baja California. The massive cactus has remained somewhat of a mystery, for humans live about 1/5 the life span of a Saguaro, which are thought to live between 300-500 years. It is believed that the first arm of the Saguaro is not grown until the cactus is 75 years old! We rode through a beautiful ancient forest of Saguaros and were met with some beautiful sunset vistas. The tours are all quite small; our tour was just the 2 of us plus our guide. We saw about 6 mule deer as well as a coyote on the ride and we were told that they often see rattlesnakes in the summer- which keep to themselves around the horses. The trail was rocky with many up and downhill climbs, but the horses were sure-footed, though my Amber liked to hop downhill on the rocks- quite exciting! Landon took Bubba for a little gallop and the horses liked to go a little faster up the hills. All and all it was a very beautiful and leisurely ride. This is a MUST-DO before you leave Arizona!

Note: The guide did not give much instruction before getting on the horses (but we told her we've ridden before)- so if you are unsure of what to do or are uncomfortable in any way, BE SURE TO ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS! They are very friendly and willing to give you a hand and share their knowledge.

Directions from ASDOH:

Turn right out of the entrance to ASDOH onto Baseline. Head West on the US-60. Exit and merge onto the US-101 N. Take Exit 34 (North Scottsdale Rd) and turn right onto N. Scottsdale Rd. Turn left onto Carefree Hwy after about 9.8 miles. After 2 miles turn right onto N. Cave Creek Rd. A little past a Mexican cantina on your right turn left onto Spur Cross Rd (there is a restaurant sign called the Crusty Crab on the corner). Follow Spur Cross Rd until the pavement ends and MTM Ranch will be on your right.