Prescott, AZ to Cottonwood, AZ (Hwy 89A)
The road quickly turns northeast towards the mountains. I had been warned by numerous people that the highway was extremely narrow with many tight hairpin curves and switchbacks as it snakes through the Mingus Mountains and they were right! It was a beautiful drive but it took me nearly two hours to drive the 35 miles. If you look closely you can see four levels of the highway just in this view…
At the top we begin to drop precipitously towards the Verde Valley. The Verde River rises in the mountains of central Arizona and flows south towards the Salt River near Phoenix. While small, it is a reliable source of year-round water and the valley has been home to human habitation for thousands of years. The road quickly threads through the old mining town of Jerome, now a haven for artists and antique dealers and a popular tourist stop for those visiting nearby Sedona. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures because all of my energy was concentrated on trying not to get hit or hit another vehicle. Jerome sits high on the rather steep slopes of Cleopatra Hill and consists of essentially a very narrow road threading through three switchbacks lined with rows of head-in parking. This view gives an idea of the layout of the valley. I’m standing in Dead Horse State Park, the state park in Cottonwood (where I stayed) looking across the town of Cottonwood and the heavily wooded river valley towards Clarkdale, a planned community where the smelter workers lived at the base of the mountain, and up Cleopatra Hill towards Jerome, which is clinging to the slopes of the mountain next to the remnants of the open pit copper mine.
This “zoomed in” picture shows more detail of Jerome, the copper mine and Clarkdale below even though I am four miles away in Cottonwood.
Clarkdale
The tentacles of the Montana Copper King, William A. Clark, reached deep into the mines of Arizona and Jerome was no exception. His United Verde Valley Copper Company operated the mine until 1953. In 1912 William Clark founded the town of Clarkdale to house workers for the mine and smelter. Clarkdale was one of the first planned communities in the United State and reflected the social divisions of the time. A compact town center was built on the edge of a bluff above the Verde River, including a magnificent 1928 high school (now a museum dedicated to copper art – undergoing renovation when I was there and not open.)
The town was segregated with the white professionals living on the bluff west of the downtown area and the mostly Mexican workers living below the bluff in “Patio Town” with their own park and swimming pool. The socio-economic division can still be seen today. The neighborhood north of the town center is full of restored homes built between 1910 and 1920.
“Patio Town”, below the bluff, is still block after block of original homes, most occupied but not restored. The Verde Valley is home to a large retirement population which has grown dramatically in recent years, driving up housing prices. My guess is that homes in “Patio Town” are some of most affordable housing in the valley to those who work in the service industries.
Note that in “Patio Town” most of the houses are of the same basic “box” design… Perched on the edge of the bluff above “Patio Town” looking over the valley the company built a “clubhouse” in 1928 for the workers in memory of Clark, who died in 1925. From left to right the building housed an auditorium, ladies’ lounge and gentlemen’s lounge.
The building is not open to tourists and parts are still used by the city of Clarkdale, including the auditorium, which continues to host community events. The original auditorium curtains still hang, displaying Clark’s initials.
A couple miles east of Clarkdale down along the Verde River is the town of Cottonwood, my next destination.
Cottonwood
Cottonwood continues the history of human habitation at this spot along the Verde River near one of the crossings of the river. This view is from the same spot as the photos of Jerome earlier, just taken looking south across the river to Cottonwood and beyond.
Originally a stop for travelers on their way to the mines further west, Cottonwood gradually developed into the commercial hub of the valley, offering a freedom to entrepreneurs that they couldn’t find in the company town of Clarkdale. A fire destroyed the town in 1925 but the small town center was quickly rebuilt. In recent years Cottonwood has become a destination for retirees and a more economical counterpoint to Sedona (about 20 miles away), The Old Town is a few short blocks down on the valley floor, Highway 89A bypasses above on the bluffs and that is where the new commercial center of town thrives. The Old Town is now a cluster of shops, restaurants, and wine tasting rooms.
Of course, one cannot visit the Verde Valley without paying homage to one of the premier tourist destinations in the US, Sedona.
Sedona
Sedona sits in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon, a canyon that reaches north from the desert to the south into the heart of the mountains south of Flagstaff. The canyon narrows and widens along the path of Oak Creek amidst stunning red rock formations, particularly in the middle section of the canyon around Sedona. The area has been inhabited by people for thousands of years who benefited from the reliable source of water and mild climate, significantly different from the Flagstaff area, which is only 20 miles farther north but nearly 3,000 feet higher and exposed to more severe winters. Early settlers in the valley were farmers and ranchers with remnants of their peach and apple orchards still in evidence today. During the 1950’s the area became known as a tourist and retirement destination and modern development began. The valley is virtually entirely developed to the extent possible with no large pieces of land left that are able to be developed. This ensures the highly prized exclusive small town atmosphere that exists today. I did not expect to linger long here as this kind of town generally isn’t my thing (readers know I tend to prefer a “grittier” experience) but the scenery demands a visit. I drove the length of the valley from south to north. Come along for the ride.
I drive the long way from Cottonwood to the south entrance to the canyon in order to get the whole experience. Turning north up Hwy 179 I see the red rock that signifies the entrance to Oak Creek Canyon.
Hwy 179 follows Oak Creek up the canyon with spectacular views at every turn. Even early in the morning in the middle of the week, every turnout and viewpoint is jammed with cars. I had suspected that this wouldn’t be “motorhome friendly” territory and I was right!
Clearly there are rare zoning codes (for Arizona) that govern architectural design of commercial and private buildings. It’s all very tasteful and blends into the surroundings. A small commercial strip anchors the southern end of the valley about five miles south of Sedona.
Hwy 179 is the main path to Sedona from Phoenix and it is a beautiful road, landscaped with four lanes as it nears Sedona.
The commercial area is left behind as we climb further up the valley. Occasional pullouts are already full in the early morning as the hikers got a head start on the heat of the day. The views continue to unfold.
The road continues and the outskirts of Sedona begin to peek out from the forested floors of the canyon.
“Downtown” Sedona is a strip along the highway of exclusive boutiques, art galleries, shops, spas and restaurants. Unfortunately it’s not really the venue for motorhome parking so I can’t even stop and wander, just a “drive-by visit.”
Leaving Sedona behind me I continue up the canyon. The highway changes dramatically – its no longer four lanes with beautiful landscaping (although, it makes sense that if your target population are the affluent of Phoenix there’s no need to continue the improvements past Sedona as they just turn around and go back home…) Continuing up the highway eventually leads to Flagstaff, a beautiful community with its own charm, but certainly not a significantly affluent community. Fortunately Oak Creek Canyon is worth driving on the narrow “goat path!”
It was a delightful drive and perhaps someday I’ll return with a car in order to fully explore the charms of Sedona. For now, the Lunch Box and I return to Cottonwood to get ready to head east on the next chapter of our journey
Next up: Deep in the pines…, in Arizona?
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