| Arizona's
Mogollon Rim is a rugged escarpment of stone and timber that
spans more than 150 miles across the state. The Rim is a land of lakes,
high mountain forests, and deep canyons — a land so rugged
it gave birth to western novels, was the scene of various
armed conflicts and was avoided by early Spanish explorers.
The rim has, in the opinion of the author, some of the most spectacular
scenery in the United States. The largest stand of Ponderosa Pine
in the United States is also located here.
The
Mogollon Rim is a hiker and fishermen's paradise. There are lakes
as well as caves, sinks, and Forest Service look outs. Woods
Canyon Lake, Knoll Lake, Bear Canyon Lake, Willow Springs
Lake, Blue Ridge Reservoir, and Chevelon Canyon Lake are favorites.
Canyons
drop off from the rim every 10-15 miles. Most of these canyons are
exceptionally rugged. There
is an old Mineral Belt Railroad Tunnel whose construction
was never finished. Only 70 ft of the planned 3100 feet were
completed before the company that was building the rail extension
went broke. A short trail leads to the tunnel.
The
Communities of Payson, Pine, Strawberry, Kohls Ranch and Christopher
Creek are located here. The two main roads that traverse the
Rim are Highways 87 and 260. The General Crook trail also
traverses the rim. The road is approximately 200 miles long.
It was built by soldiers to connect Ft. Verde with Ft. Apache.
It was completed in 1876. Today Boy Scouts have marked many
sections of the road. Look for white chevrons on trees as you follow the trail. (They
resemble a flat "V"). The Rim Road closely follows
sections of this old trail.
Numerous
hiking trails, campgrounds, and view points such as Diamond
Point are also located on the Rim.
Other
attractions in the area include Fossil Springs and the Tonto
Natural Bridge. Petroglyphs and ruins can also be found. Montezuma's
Castle National Monument and the Polimana petroglyphs are examples. If you know where to look, small fossils, small quartz crystals,
and small pieces of petrified wood can on also be found.
Clear evenings away from the lights are ideal for star gazing.
Zane
Grey wrote a few of his novels here. The Bloody Basin war
took place not far from here.
Bank Robbers, cattle rustlers, and other outlaws hid out here
during the 1800s.
Recently,
the rim has been the scene of several devastating fires. Hundreds
of thousand of acres have burned. Please be careful with any fire. Many people
have lost homes and property due to carelessness! Lives have also
been lost fighting these fires. Please abide by all fire restrictions
as well as any mandates from Federal, Tribal, State, and local law
enforcement. |
