Wonderful historical archeology park. Land of the Salado native people. So informative and…read moreinspiring to walk through the ruins and absorb the information on the museum. What a magnificent magical (not to mention humbling) experience.

A nice archeological site that's a nice stop if you're in the area or you're interested in ancient…read moreArizona cultures. It's affordable and consists of a small museum with pottery and other artifacts, outdoor ruins from an old Salado pueblo (self-guided), and a small gift shop. There is a film you can watch at the beginning of your visit to better understand the site. Decent-size parking lot, and it's unlikely you'll be sharing the site with too many other visitors. It was fairly empty when we went on a Saturday afternoon. I like how they incorporated cacti and other elements of Arizona landscapes into the ruins. A lot of the ruins aren't accessible and can only be viewed from behind metal fencing. I fully understand wanting visitors off the ruins but wish the site had adopted more aesthetically-pleasing solutions than metal wire fencing.

There is a lot to offer at this park! There is a pool with splash pad, a playground, a few baseball…read morefields, at least three that are lit, a couple soccer fields, a skatepark, tennis and basketball courts, and restrooms in close proximity to keep you there all day. All the fields and playground are well maintained and the workers there are very friendly.

Great hiking, lots to see. I went off trail a couple of times and found some really neat things.read more

Neat easy trail with plenty of offshoot trails to explore. Most of the main trail is paved…read more Bathrooms available, close location, and beautiful views from the top. 2 years ago it was filled with wildflowers but none this year!!

Had a day off from work and decided to visit this hidden gem. It's a small, intimate botanical…read moregarden that is absolutely beautiful. My only negative is that I wish there were more areas to sit down and take in the scenery.. I was happy to discover a shaded area with a table and some chairs near a chicken coop where I was able to enjoy Mother Nature. There also are stations to get food to feed the animals like the chicken, duck and fish. Also, when you enter the botanical garden, they give you a wristband that allows you to leave and re-enter for the day which is great especially because there are a couple of fun places with activities and restaurants right in the same area as the garden!!

Beautiful, relaxing, and peaceful. After the garden, we went to eat at the BBQ restaurant and it…read morewas DELICIOUS! Loved it!

There are 2 extremes to this hike. You can choose to explore the lower canyon to a beautiful…read morewaterfall at the end surrounded by cliffs and call it a day for a total of 3 miles out and back OR you can hire a guide and canyoneer the upper canyon and spend around 5-7 hours while rappelling, climbing, and wading through endless pools and more waterfalls for a total of over 5 miles. On this adventure, my hiking group decided to take the easy route and enjoy the lower canyon. It kind of reminded me of West Fork hike in Sedona, because you cross the creek bed repeatedly, and you cannot help but stop and stare in awe of how beautiful the surroundings are. The hike is peaceful and you feel kid-like once more since you are forced to climb over small boulders, get knee deep or sometimes even waist deep in water, and brush past tree branches of various foliage. The life is teeming with so many different plant species present and with the Salt River connecting nearby, you just know the place is great for fishing as well. Permits are $15 per person for day hikes. Cibecue is on sacred land so remember to enjoy the hike in all its glory but be respectful and pack out everything you bring in.

One of my favorite hikes in AZ! How can you beat stunning canyon views, creek crossings, and a…read morebeautiful waterfall at the end!? Not to mention it's in the middle of nowhere away from all civilization--a great day trip getaway to relieve yourself after a stressful workweek! A few things to note before trekking out here: -You're going to want to be driving a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle as the road from the 60 turnoff is nothing but dirt and rocks. I've seen a Prius do it but it looked painful and damaging lol. -Permits are now $30 per person and you pay with cash into a box so come prepared. I'm not a huge fan of the price hike *no pun intended* but I can see why the reservation did it reduces the crowd. -Bring sturdy water shoes or prepare to get your hiking shoes wet/muddy. I have some pretty flimsy Walmart water shoes so I opted for the latter. There are multiple creek crossings and it's not like Seven Falls or Oak Creek--there are not enough stones to hop across and you will need to walk in the water.By the end of the day, my hiking shoes were completely soaked with muddy water. They will need some deep cleaning. -Piggy-backing off the point above, if you go following a monsoon storm, expect the creek and falls to be saturated with thick mud. Grand Falls style. -PLEASE pack in what you pack out. Do not litter or leave anything behind in this beautiful place.

Boyce Thompson was a quick drive from the Phoenix valley! It was such a beautiful park. Plenty of…read moreparking and they do charge an entry fee but well worth it for the trails. We will be back to visit for sure! Xo -BB

A lovely place to walk around and enjoy varied desert plants and nature…read more We stopped here on a Sunday during a food festival event and had a nice time. They have many paths to walk around, some with a little shade and others completely exposed to the sun. They had a few fun food trucks and vendors on that day. There are also volunteers in various areas open to chatting and answering questions, some very loquacious. They're open even earlier in the summer which is essential to avoid the inevitable heat. A common spot for engagement or wedding photos, on this day there was surprisingly a group that got a little tipsy and were gently and firmly encouraged to leave. If you and another come here twice a year at least, it's worth an annual membership at $79. You also then get guests in for $5 and a 10% discount at the store. And it's a cute little store. You also get reciprocal membership to some other places and special events throughout the year.

This is a must see!! the trails are breathtaking!! we even saw a lot of wildlife there including…read morejavelinas. I definitely recommend a visit here. Please note that some of the trails could be closed if there's inclement weather.

This is a beautiful, well-maintained park with a majestic natural bridge. The bathrooms are clean,…read moreparking is ample, and there's a lovely souvenir shop where you also pay the entrance fee. It's definitely a must-stop if you're in the area! It took us about two hours to complete the main trail, though you can easily wander longer and soak in the views. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes with a strong grip as some areas can get slippery. And skip carrying a water bottle in your hand; a backpack or hip pouch with a water carrier works much better

Love this place! Beautiful vantage point of the lake from the picnic area. There is a walking path…read morefrom the boat launch with lovely views of the lake dotted with benches, ideal for picnics. We ran out of time so we weren't able to get souvenir mugs from the cute gift shop there (which also sells drinks and snacks). The ranger at the gate was pleasant and friendly.

In fairness to the lake I didn't make it past the "ranger" taking money. $10 a person is a little…read morespicy for me to get here , if you want a nice day at the lake , there are many to choose from in this area for little or no fee, perhaps this is to keep the common folk from enjoying such a prestigious and fine lake.

Super cool places!! Definitely worth checking out!! Train ride was awesome, and the mine shack was…read moreso thrilling!

We had not been to this little Western ghost town before, but it has been at least 12-ish years. We…read moredecided to go visit the little ghost town (tourist site) and have an early dinner at the Saloon. This was actually a real mine and town back in the 1800s. We took the mine your, which was short, but interesting and informative. Made me glad was I wasn't a miner! We also took the haunted bordello tour. The bottom floor of the bordello is a gift shop, so we were only on the second floor, which is quite small. The pull the curtains to make the place dark, light a candle, and begin with the ghost accounts of the place. They hand out a couple of ghost hunting told, and take you to the two rooms where ghosts have been reported. It was fun! We also visited the mystery shack, which is a building built in two different angles so it looks like gravity is defied (water running toward, etc ). It was really fun, but kind of disorienting and kind of a workout. I almost feel twice. There are little shops with lots of Arizona-themed items (like paperweights with scorpions in them), cowboy hats and boots, and Western shirts. After going into all the shops, we went to the saloon for dinner. This place is very touristy, but we had a fun afternoon.

A great stop to make when out in the area. We did the lower dwelling as we didn't have a…read morereservation for the upper. I would say if you only plan to do the lower dwelling I wouldn't recommend going super out of the way for this as it's a pretty quick stop. The hike up wasn't bad, but my husband and I are active. It was really interesting being able to get so close to history, and the views from up there are amazing! This has been on my bucket list for awhile and I'm glad I finally get to check it off.

I was in the area so I stopped by the tonto national monument and it was well worth the stop! My…read morefriend had an annual parks pass which provided access for all three of us. We hiked up to the lower cliff dwellings which is a short, but steep hike. It's a great view of Roosevelt Lake and the mountains from the top! The cliff dwellings are super cool to see! You can even seen remnants of grindstones. Ranger Dave was extremely nice and knowledgeable. The upper cliff dwellings can only be accessed via a ranger-led tour so I'll have to come back another day to check those out.