February 2015 Activities

In February we joined a travel group for an overnight bus tour to Jerome-Sedona-Camp Verde area.  The tour bus left from the park and drove us to Jerome, AZ for lunch and sightseeing.  Jerome was once a booming mining town, but now is a "ghost town"/tourist destination.  The town, built on Cleopatra Hill, sits nearly a mile high, with houses and shops clinging to the twisty streets.  Shops and restaurants are available to explore. One restaurant is said to have a "ghost cat" who rubs on customers legs under the table while they dine.

From Jerome we took the bus to Sedona, AZ. We drove up Airport Road to get a panoramic view of the city and it's famous red rock formations. Some chose to stay and shop in Sedona; the rest of us chose the drive through Oak Creek Canyon.  This scenic drive follows AZ89A along Oak Creek; with hairpin curves and steep walled canyons we ascended to the peak and hiked a bit among the evergreens.Along the way we saw Slide Rock Park, a natural water slide area of Oak Creek.  The large smooth rock and flowing water makes this a popular place for families to picnic and enjoy some watery fun.

From Sedona we were on our way to Camp Verde where we spent the night at Cliff Castle Casino.
In the morning the bus left for a short drive to Montezuma Castle National Monument.
  Montezuma Castle is one of the best preserved prehistoric Native American dwellings in North America.  The 45 room, six story high cliff dwelling, built high into the sandstone cliffs some 600 years ago, provided safety for the inhabitants who lived there. Unfortunately tourists are no longer allowed into the ruins.

From Camp Verde we were on the road back to home, with a short rest stop and treat at a pie shop along the way.