Camping in Cutie RV: Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood, Arizona

We cooked our oatmeal and were quickly headed out of Prescott headed on the Mingus Mountain Scenic Byway. The winding switchbacks made for magnificent views as we finally got to Jerome which is perched above Cottonwood. We arrived early to Dead House Ranch State Park so we parked by one of the three lagoons and hiked around to our campsite which they were just finishing cleaning up at noon. We set up camp and then headed into Cottonwood a quick drive away. We parked on Main Street and stopped into Arizona Stronghold Vineyard tasting room. They had a nice patio in the back and we each had a different flight of red wines to enjoy. Back to camp, we made our instant pot chili as we watched another stunning sunset as the evening got chilly.

From the scenic overlook on Mingus Mountain

One of three lagoons at Dead Horse Ranch

Statue outside Horse Adventures

Our campsite at Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Cozy private spot

Wine tasting at Arizona Stronghold Winery patio

Down town historic Cottonwood

Sunset over Dead Horse

Around the campsite

On Sunday, we hiked from our Quail Campground down Flycatcher Road to Tavasci Marsh in Tuzigoot National Monument. The trail was closed due to fire damage so we came back by another trail to our campsite. The freeze froze a water bottle we had left out so the temperatures had warmed up so we cooked a poblano pepper, corned beef, potato and egg scramble. We then drove to the visitor center at Tuzigoot National Monument and walked the Pueblo ruins. We then headed to Fort Verde State Park and visited the museum and the old fort buildings. Back through historic town of Camp Verde we stopped at Salt Mine Vineyard. On their patio with the heat lamps, we enjoyed a flight of dry red wines and ended up with a bottle of Uno and Junkyard which is a blend of whatever. Back to the campsite, we enjoyed our sweet potatoes fries in the air fryer along with chicken wings and succotash. It was a beautiful evening with starry skies as we are in a dark sky zone.

Icicles from the water faucet in the morning

Hiked from campsite to Tuzigoot National Monument

Marsh trail closed due to wildfire

The ruins at Tuzigoot National Monuement

Fort Verde State Historic Park

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Cliff dwellings

Beaver Creek

Salt Mine Winery

Salt Mine tasting room patio

We tasted six dry red wines

The mother of the owner whose artwork was used on wine labels

Rustic winery

Enjoying a bottle back at the campsite

The evening starry sky from our campsite

On Monday, we walked from the campground to Annie's Diner and had a delicious breakfast of huevas rancheros. Walking back from Cottonwood on the sidewalk, we diverted once we crossed the bridge over the Verde River, to the River Forest Trail which took us by the state Park cabins and then back to our campground. After a long hot shower in the bath house, we headed up the Mingus Mountain road to Jerome Historic State Park. The park museum had a wonderful video of the history of the mining ghost town and exhibits of old equipment and everything else from back in the day. From there we headed into Jerome and found a parking place of the street overlooking the Verde Valley and a short walk to the Original Jerome Winery. The tasting room was beautifully decorated and we enjoyed several glasses of wine and their fantastic charcuterie board. The bartender recommended the sights to see including the theater museum, the glass blower and we also stopped into a art gallery. Back to town we stopped at the Safeway grocery store before making our way back to the campsite.

Annie's for breakfast

Cabins at the state park

Petrified wood

Fluorescing minerals

Outside mining exhibits

Looking down from Jerome to Verde Valley

The Original Jerome Winery

We loved the tumbleweed overhead decorations

Artfully presented

Theatre museum

Decorative wine bottle holders

Artful lawn ornaments

Along the street

Glass blower at work

Last look as we departed Jerome on the mountain

On New Year's Eve morning, we quickly ate our yogurt and granola and took our coffee as we headed towards Red Rocks State Park near Sedona. We timed it perfectly to get to the gate at 8 am opening and were the second car into the park. The hummingbird garden was filled with birds on the feeders and we caught a sight of Anna's hummingbird and Glenn ended up getting the National Park ball cap with the Hummer picture. We had our long underwear on and down jackets on and headed into the hummingbird indoor exhibit and then watched the series of videos of the history of the park. We then set off on the paved hiking path and detoured to the Smoke Trail by Oak Creek and then circled back and went over Whitehorse Bridge to find the Apache Fire Loop to the Coyote Ridge Trail up to the Eagle's Nest Trail back to the Kisva Trail to the Visitor's Center. We then took the car tour along the Red Rocks Loop Road to Sedona. Luckily we could not find a parking space and instead headed back towards Oak Creek Winery for excellent pours of red wines and a delightful charcuterie board as we sat in the sunshine next to the vines. The Oak Creek Hatchery and Visitor Center were right across the road so we stopped in and did the self-guided tour and trail and watched video presentation in visitor center. Back to Cottonwood to the Safeway to pick up some spicy braut sausages with sauerkraut as we changed our minds on what to have for dinner, We have been saving our Trader Joe's spiced rum and brandy egg nog to cheer in the new year.

Sun rise as we head to Red Rocks State park

Balloon rides outside the park

Captured Anna's hummingbird and Glenn bought the hat

It was chilly and we were the only ones about to see the birds

Great wildlife exhibit in gift shop

The main trail

Sedona was right at the foothills

Amazing view heading to downtown Sedona

Oak Creek Winery

Great to be in the sunshine

Sitting near the vines

Oak Creek Hatchery

On New Year's day we got up at dawn to head back through Sedona to Slide Rock State Park. It turns out the park did not open until nine am so we stopped for breakfast at Cafe Jose Restaurant in Sedona and then were the second car again to get into the park. The park has historic orchards and farmstead and sliding rocks popular in the summer heat for sliding down. It was a bright but chilly morning as we hiked along the water and then found the cliff trail to circle back by the orchards. On our way back, we stopped at the Sedona Wildlife Preserve and took the walk to the observation deck and stopped at bird blind. We ended up heading back the the campground for a shower before heading to Mawmaw's Laundromat. We cooked dinner back at the campsite and as it a was another chilly night we were in bed early with our egg nog and slept through any midnight celebration of ringing in the new year.