Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [53]
Get the full lowdown on Arizona’s cowboy story at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, which in addition to exhibits on history and Native American artifacts, has a world-class collection of American Western artists’ work.
Almost any guest ranch gives a pretty good taste of the cowboy lifestyle – albeit prettified to meet modern standards of comfort. The down-home Flying E Ranch, a working cattle ranch in the Hassayampa Valley, deserves a look-see. They have “I wanna’ be a cowgirl” weekends that will awaken the inner Annie Oakley in even the most genteel womenfolk.
One of Wickenburg’s original dude ranches, Kay El Bar Guest Ranch, has seen wranglers wrangle and rustlers rustle since 1926. On the National and Arizona Registers of Historic Places, the ranch offers visitors miles of smiles on horse paths through the desert. After a day in the saddle, you’ll understand why cowboys walked sort of funny. The heated hot tub and pool don’t add up to an authentic cowboy experience, but are much appreciated nonetheless.
Head to Prescott on Hwy 89 to visit the Sharlot Hall Museum, named after the pioneer woman who started it in 1928 to preserve Prescott’s legacy as capital of Arizona before it became a state. Sharlot Hall wasn’t exactly a wrangler, but she’s a good reminder of the important role smart, strong women played in Arizona’s early statehood. You go, cowgirl!
Across from the infamous Whiskey Row in downtown Prescott is the columned County Courthouse, which dates from 1916 and is particularly pretty when sporting its lavish Christmas decorations. Often, weekend Western art shows on the plaza around the courthouse come complete with guitar-strumming gents in modern country and western attire. For good eats, try the always-hopping Prescott Brewing Company right across the street. Lots of homemade beer (try the Prescott Porter or Ponderosa IPA), and the burgers are sweet revenge after all that cattle chasing.
People who have spent the last few days doing strenuous activity under the sun probably have throats as dry as prairie grass on a summer’s day. The best place to end a cowboy adventure is without a doubt on the centrally located Whiskey Row – the line of bars here is as long as a city block and are busy morning, noon and night.
The first question when arriving at Whiskey Row is what bar’s the best. But, the thing to do is take a walk, real slow-like, up and down the row, peeking into each bar until one stands out. If that doesn’t work, the Bird Cage Saloon is a good bet; come for the pours that keep the locals happy and stay for the oddly fascinating collection of stuffed birds. After a few hours in whatever the first bar happens to be, suddenly all of them look pretty inviting.
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TOUGH HOMBRES ONLY
Scottsdale’s Cowboy College (www.cowboycollege.com) is a wrangler boot camp where for a week you get up with the sun, work a real cattle ranch and unfurl your bedroll at day’s end. No hot tubs or room service here, but there are a few days dedicated to horsemanship and lassoing. People back in the city will be mighty impressed, but remember, your cowboy hat won’t fit any more if your head swells too much.
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You’ll obviously need a designated driver in these parts, but if that person decides to partake, well-irrigated rustlers can roost at the Hotel St Michael, right at the beginning (or end, depending on whether you’ve had one too many or one too few) of Whiskey Row.
And that, compadres, is how the West was won; go on now, git gone.
Josh Krist
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TRIP INFORMATION
GETTING THERE
From Phoenix, Cave Creek and Carefree are 35 miles northeast; Wickenburg is 60 miles northwest and Prescott 100 miles northwest.
DO
Desert