Canyon Lake

Location: Central Arizona
http://www.canyonlakemarina.com/
http://www.dollysteamboat.com/

There's two cool things about Canyon Lake. First is the drive. The Apache Trail is a great drive and not for wimps. Its non-stop cut backs and curves. With hand-controls its really fun.

The lake marina and restaurant are all plenty accessible and theres some nice picnic areas with accessible docks nearby. Whats really fun is the Dolly Steamboat. Its a great way to see the desert. The cruise is about 2 hours long. Be warned, the boats only accessible bathroom is over the bow.

This is definately a great day trip




Sept 2007 Amendment

I was looking at some old photos and was reminded that Canyon Lake has perhaps the best fishing dock in Arizona for wheelchair anglers. As you near the marina, on your right just before a cool bridge is the Boulder Picnic Area. The forest service built what could practically be called a trail out over the lake. If you look at the photos, you can see they even lowered the rail in places so we can swoop up that whopper. I hope to get back there soon and take some descent photos.

Papago Park

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Papago Park is a great place to go if you have never explored the desert, or if you are looking to get in shape. The first 1/2 mile of the trail heads from the parking lot towards the rocks. For this C-5/6 quad, its a helluva push. At the base of the rocks, there is a nice ramada which offers some great views of the metro-Phoenix and a place to catch your breath. Beyond this point, the trail enters some steep terrain. We naturally went, but I was getting a turbo boost back up a few slopes.

The asphalt trail is wide and smooth which makes for a nice ride. There is water at the bottom, but this is one trail you'll be wanting to stop for water just so as you can catch your breath.

Sunsets and moon rises at Papago Park are very vibrant. Unfortunately my camera is in the shop so we didn't capture what we enjoyed. But you can get a taste of it at Flickr's Arizona Group.

Papago Park is located on the borders of Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix. Within the park is the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Gardens. The trailhead is located on Papago Park Road on the west side of Galvin Parkway just opposite the zoo turn off.

City of Phoenix Accessible Trails Web Page

Road Tripping thru Arizona

Often the route one choses to get to a destination can add to the fun of the trip. For those looking to get off the beaten trail, Arizona has put together a nice web site of our fun and scenic roads & routes.

I haven't traveled them all, but the Apache Trail, and route 89A from Prescott to Gerome are pretty challenging if you use hand-controls. I guarantee your passengers will wish you had 2 hands on the steering wheel.


www.ArizonaScenicRoads.com

Tonto Natural Bridge

The Tonto Natural Bridge is reported to be the world’s largest natural bridge. It is plenty big and all rock so I’ll take their word its #1.

This is a state park and given Mother Nature did its engineering in a rather non-accessible spot, the state folks seem to have tried their best to make the place accessible. But unlike Kartchner Caverns State Park, wheelers don’t get the same experience as our bi-podded amigos.

The drive to the bridge is very scenic. Highway 87 north of Payson takes you from junipers to tall pine trees as you climb towards the Mogollon Rim. Half way to the town of Pine, you’ll see the park exit. The road then takes a steep plunge down from 6000 feet to 4500 feet elevation.

The park itself has a big grassy area with plenty of access-parking. It costs $3 per person to get in, but here’s the catch. The coolest part of the bridge is at the bottom where the creek runs. To get there you need to traverse a ½ mile dirt path that is beyond steep and includes numerous steps. I can see a really neat wooden bridge down there, but forget it, it’s a non-accessible trail.

Up top there is 4 view points on paved walkways you can get a good view of how the flow of water formed the bridge. None of the view points offered complete independent access. It’s just too steep of terrain but with my trusty friend, Karla we made it to all four points. It’s a pretty impressive bridge or hole in the earth depending on how you see it.

With a little work, they could make the four view points more accessible. For example, all the photos are from my legged friend because the safety rail is too hi and the steel mesh too dense. A few cut outs in the railing so we shorties could stick a camera through would be helpful.

If you go, plan on a 1-2 hour stay. Your friends will get more out of this one than you, but its beautiful country, and worth the admission.

Flickr photo borrowed from "Styggiti"

Pinetop-Lakeside Interpretive Trail

LOCATION: Northeast Arizona

We were traveling through the town of Pinetop-Lakeside (I guess the towns got married) when I noticed a sign for the Mogollon Rim Interpretive Trail. I might not have noticed it, accept it features a huge wheelchair dude on the sign. This brings a new meaning to the phrase, nature is calling.

So we whipped a U-ee and found the parking lot. Like most of the paths in northern Arizona, this one is about 40” wide and made of asphalt. It’s a 1/3rd mile long and dead ends at the Mogollon Rim. You will work a little harder on your way out, and enjoy coasting back to the car.

This part of the rim isn’t as spectacular as you will find at the 622 trail, but it’s a fine trail if you are in the neighborhood. I doubt there’s much wildlife here as you are too close to roads and dwellings, but its scenic. There is some nice places to take photos along the trail, but I never quite figured out the interpretive part of this trail.

Happy Jack Lodge & RV

This marks a new element of the blog – Cool (Accessible) Places to Stay in Arizona. I’m not going to include basic hotels or resorts, but if anyone is going to set out to see Arizona you will need some places to stay. Hopefully I’ll continue to find a few unique ones.

Happy Jack Lodge & RV is in Northern Arizona. It is located in some beautiful forest at about 7,200 feet elevation. The place is a pretty fancy RV park with some basic cabins surrounding a big grassy area. It doesn’t seem like a great place to just come and hang out but it is affordable and accessible and in a great location. We paid $125/night.

My cabin (actually its more like a four-plex) was very accessible. It’s a 1-bed, 1-bath unit with a really nice roll-in shower. That’s always the first thing I check. The place has a little kitchen with access to sink, microwave and refrigerator. The bed is accessible and the deck offers a nice view.

If you ever have some RV (motorhome) friends coming thru Arizona, have them meet you here. It’s a great place to see a secluded part of Arizona.

Happy Jack Lodge

Mogollon Rim - Meadow Trail

LOCATION: Northeast Arizona
Sitgraves Nation Forest Guide
Flikr Map and photos

This is the 2nd of two trails right in the same area. We are on top of the Mogollon Rim (Mug-yon) between Payson and Show Low. I give both trails my highest marks. The view is far better from the 622 trail, but if you’re looking for a place to escape into nature, this is it.

The trail head starts very near the same parking lot as the 622 trail. The trail wonders through the tall pines includes a small bridge to get you over a marsh area. Yep! thats an elk grazing less than 50 feet from the trail. The area prohibits hunting, so these young bulls aren’t too worried about becoming a steak on someone's table.

The trail ends at Woods Canyon Lake. It’s a steep decent down to the lake's parking lot. The lake itself is nice and peaceful but the accessibility is very disappointing. The little store isn’t accessible at all, nor is the boating dock. This lake deserves a nice little dock for people in chairs to roll out and do some shore fishing or board a boat.

The 1 ¾ mile path however is perfect. It features just the right amount of slope here and there to count as good exercise and while its quite popular, the bikes and walkers have plenty of shoulder to yield to wheelers without slowing down. The potential to get so near to wildlife makes it a wheelchair photographer’s dream!