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La Indita

A fresh spin on Native American cuisine; vegetarians have lots of choice, but there’s plenty for carnivores. 520-792-0523; 622 N 4th Ave, Tucson; mains $7-10; 11am-9pm Mon-Fri, 6-9pm Sat, 9am-9pm Sun

Native Seeds

Snacks like prickly pear cactus lollipops are the only things ready to eat, but mixes for cooking at home are plentiful. 520-622-5561; www.nativeseeds.org; 526 N 4th Ave, Tucson; mixes $6-10; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun

SLEEP

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa

The hotel has a Native American educational room and hosts dance and craft demos. It also has gondoliers who sing – a cultural smorgasbord. 480-444-1234; http://scottsdale.hyatt.com; 7500 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, Scottsdale; r from $290

Inn at 410

The three-course breakfast is served from 8am to 9am – so wake up, sleepy head. The Canyon Memories room has a neat Southwest theme and is worth checking out. 928-774-0088; www.inn410.com; 410 N Leroux St, Flagstaff; r $170-300

Lodge on the Desert

Recover from the road in one of the hacienda-style casitas; many have patios and fireplaces. 520-325-3366; www.lodgeonthedesert.com; 306 N Alvernon Way, Tucson; r $200-340;

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa

Comfortable rooms, spacious common areas, and plenty of programs to educate the well-cared-for guests. 602-225-0100; www.wildhorsepassresort.com; 5594 W Wild Horse Pass Blvd, Chandler; r from $260

Wigwam Motel

Comfy enough on the inside, with plenty of retro touches, the exterior of the faux wigwams are fine examples of roadside kitsch. 928-524-3048; www.galerie-kokopelli.com/wigwam; 811 W Hopi Dr, Holbrook; r $48-58

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.arizonaguide.com

http://500nations.com/arizona_tribes.asp

LINK YOUR TRIP www.lonelyplanet.com/trip-planner

TRIP

17 Photographing Monument Valley

21 Southern Desert Wanderings

25 Tracing Arizona’s Cultures

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Return to beginning of chapter

Cowboy Time

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WHY GO Sometimes all a city slicker really needs to smile again is get in touch with his or her inner cowperson. Plenty of dude ranches are just an hour or two away from Phoenix, and you’ll see why, despite all the hardships, cowboys keep yearning for the wide open spaces.

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TIME

3 – 4 days

DISTANCE

175 miles

BEST TIME TO GO

Sep – May

START

Phoenix, AZ

END

Prescott, AZ

ALSO GOOD FOR

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A first-time visitor would be forgiven for thinking all of the snappy cowgirl outfits worn by women in Scottsdale mean that the spirit of the Wild West is alive and well in the Valley of the Sun, but here’s a tip for you, partner: boots and a hat do...not a cowboy make. Would-be cowpokes need to get the heck out of Dodge.

Begin the cowboy adventure with a good meal on the way out of town. Started as a rest stop and general store for weekending Phoenicians on their way to cooler climes, Pinnacle Peak Patio & Microbrewery is just off the Pima/Princess Rds exit on Loop 101. The steaks are all USDA top-choice beef. The “cowgirl” steak weighs in at a pound. The “cowboy” steak weighs in at a whopping 2lb. Do not even think of wearing a tie (or, wear an old one you don’t care about) – it’s tradition here to cut them right off and pin them on the wall.

When dinner’s done, sip into the cowboy spirit at Greasewood Flat, just 1.3 miles north on Alma School Rd. Once a stage-coach stop between Phoenix and Fort McDowell, these days the lively, relaxed place is where free spirits – many of them ride steel horses, aka Harleys – share picnic tables under the stars. Bunk down at the Carefree Resort & Villas, 10 miles northwest of Greasewood Flat in the aptly named desert outpost of Carefree. Cowboy sing-alongs are common, and the luxurious accommodations and desert locale help get you into the slower pace of country life. If you’ve got the time, try your hand at horseback riding, cattle drives and the other fun on offer.

The next morning, head to Wickenburg,