Over Memorial Day weekend we were on the quest to play in as many parks as possible. When we…read morestopped for lunch in Payson I went on Yelp! to find a park to play in before driving back down to Phoenix so my daughter could get out and play. When we first drove up to the park, we went to the older swing set (not shown in the photo) and were a little let down because it wasn't kept up very well and pieces of the play equipment were broken. When we walked around and up the hill we found the nicer playground with better looking and more updated equipment! It was so fun even I got out on it and played. It looks like a really great neighborhood park that was very busy with baseball tournaments. We would definitely stop by the next time we are in town.

We had a phenomenal hike here. This park is easy to find, has great views, and the hikes aren't too…read morehard physically. Be sure to download AllTrails and track/rate your hike! Decent amount of parking and a variety of sports courts as well. Payson's such a fun spot to get in touch with nature.

The Tonto National Forest is a large territory of preserved lands northeast of Phoenix ideally…read moresuited for recreation. There is a lifetime of official and unofficial trails in the Forest. Most of them are in the desert, with little shade and oppressive heat, but if you live in Arizona that probably doesn't stop you. Based on its size and preservation, there are stunning vistas of the Forest even a short drive from the Phoenix area. Describing it as a "forest" is a deceptive term. It is more of a National Desert. Acknowledging that point does not make it a less impressive place to explore. Arguably, the panoramic views are even more impressive in the desert because there are no trees blocking your line of sight. One of the more surprising aspects of the forest is how few Arizona citizens take advantage of the recreation opportunities. Phoenix is a megacity, but if drive 30 minutes away, you can have a 10 mile trail all to yourself. This means either Phoenix citizens are not into the outdoors or there are enough trails for everyone to spread out. One trail in particular that my brother, wife, and I were able to explore by ourselves was the Ballantine Trail. It's halfway between Mesa and Payson on highway 87. The first couple of miles suffered significant burn damage a year earlier. This was quite disappointing at first. As we continued hiking, we were able to appreciate the signs of transition from burned and blackened landscape to fresh grass and bush rejuvenation. The return hike along the side of the mountain, rather than over the top, yielded one of the most stunning views of grass and saguaro cacti that I have seen.

I was in town in Show Low staying at my friend's place and decided to take my dog to Tonto National…read moreForest (specifically the two sixty trail area) so we could enjoy the weekend day. It was an hour ride, but I think it was so worth it! My dog really enjoyed it! What I loved was that the facility and trail were clean and well maintained. There was a restroom station and a marker/direction for a subtrail at the entrance from a parking lot. The trail itself was clear and not crowded at all. There were just 2 other people we met during a weekday late morning during our visit for an hour there. My dog really enjoyed roaming around the trail and we loved that we didn't see any trash at all. While the trail was a bit unleveled, the path was clear! Bonus too that it was a free hike/walk for us, including parking! The only minus was that there was no cell phone signal (T-mobile/Mint Mobile), so I was very wary that we might get lost if we didn't keep track of ourselves well enough..so we mostly stayed on the trail and didn't go in too far. But...it is a wonderful place to enjoy the nature for sure!

Thank you Holbrook Kiwanis for providing such a nice dog park!…read more Regret THOSE that DON't picked up after their dog(s). Shame of "you" for ruining a nice service provided by a volunteer group

Easy stop, right off the highway. Green grass, trees, pretty. Connected to a picnic area. Not huge…read morebut a lovely brief rest and stretch.

Lovely dog park in Soldiers Pass. Large and small dog areas and a nice hilly area with a bench at…read morethe top and incredible views. I came in January. It was pretty muddy. There is a nice turf area with benches. There is water and dog bags. There are also paths around the dog area where you can walk but on leash. The parking lot for the dog park was very small and you can only get 1 hour of free parking. Luckily I found a spot but if no spots there is probably a pay lot nearby.

Sedona has a great dog park. Three fully fenced areas. My dogs liked the hiking area for exploring…read moreand the large dog area for playing with other dogs. It is one of the best dog parks we have visited.

The renovations are fabulous. However, many, many people do not follow the rules. I consistently…read morewatch dogs go potty and the owners not picking it up. Many small dogs are in large dog areas;oblivious to all the deaths by a shake or two. People with little kids, new born infants, and working on computers...are in denial of the safety of others. Last time there, smaller dogs fought over squeeky toys and pet treats. I like the park and dogs playing together. Perhaps random officials going there may be one way to encourage folks.

This park would be 5 stars if it were updated and if some owners actually watched their dogs. The…read morepark is large with separation for large and small dogs. Artificial turf and decomposed granite surfaces. The turf needs replacing. Plenty of seating for people but many folks sit in a circle to visit, which is nice, but it means they aren't watching their dogs so they aren't picking up the poop. A few dog regulars are somewhat aggressive so shouldn't be there at all. Sadly, a dog was injured yesterday after being attacked by a larger dog. It happens because they are dogs but reactive dogs should not be at a dog park. For the most part, the people and dogs are friendly and have fun.

Really easy location to get to if stopping by through town. Pretty chilly in winter and equipment a…read morelittle cold (metal parts) but kids loved it. Clean and lots of things to do, places to sit etc.

The park is nice but my kid's rented a space for our grandsons birthday…read more The bathrooms were NASTY we called the park while we were there and told the park about it they said there was nothing they could do You pay for the space the BBQ is locked up the bathroom's are nasty not a really good experience

5 paws! Large separate areas for small and large dogs with grass. Water at the fire hydrants with…read morebowls available. Dog bags and garbage cans. Seats for the humans.

Cute and clean! Dog bowls were available and were clean as well. It was so nice to be able to let…read morethe pups out in a grassy, shaded area!

Full video review: https://youtu.be/DfGkSyDiTJk…read more We visited during the 41st Annual Route 66 Chili Festival. Flagstaff, Arizona. High desert air, the smell of roasted chilies drifting like a promise you can taste before you even see the tents. The 41st Annual Route 66 Chili Festival isn't just about heat, it's about history, pride, and the kind of small-town grit you can't fake. Here, locals and drifters alike lean over steaming pots, stirring stories into every bite, they stir in their childhoods, their grandmothers' recipes, their own stubborn lessons learned the hard way. The chili is fiery, smoky, sweet, sometimes all at once. Like Route 66 itself, a blend of past and present, steadfast tradition and restless ambition. This isn't some polite food festival. It's a gauntlet, a throwdown, a living, breathing celebration of community and obsession, all under that wide Arizona sky, where every bite feels like it's telling you a story you didn't know you needed to hear.

Nice park for my toddler who is almost 3 to play. They had the plenty of swings and a variety of…read moreplayground equipment to choose from. Parking was slim but you can park on the road. They do have bathrooms on site, with 2 accessible and 1 with an adult changing station.

It's a good size park. Take my little man there often, and most of the dogs seem really old and…read morechill. Mine is not, so not ideal really, but a cute park. The big dog side is huge. Love the size. My baby just doesn't like the dogs so we stick to the small. lol but great for dogs who love to sprint. The grass could def be better taken care of though. Lotssss of pokeys... constantly taking em out of bug mans feet.

It's a great large space with shade, kiddie pools, poop bags/trash cans, and plenty of water…read morebuckets. My only issues are The hours on google need to be updated and I've witnessed several owners not pick up after their dogs. It ruins it for the rest of us who care about keeping the space clean and cared for.

Loved this 8 miles round trip trail…read more Easy access by a regular car to the parking. Be sure to arrive early as a parking is limited. We arrived around 7am and it was about a half full. When we were ready to go home around noon, this place was packed. Most part of the trail has tree shades, with nice water sound, I felt pretty cool in the hot summer. Trail is mostly flat. Less than 1,000 feet in elevation gain. Trail has access to the creek throughout, you don't have to hike all 4 miles to enjoy cool water. Bring lots of water. I carried almost a gallon of water with me and I think I consumed 2/3 of them. I saw a camper hiking down in the morning. They said they packed everything including water and spent a night in the woods. That sounded really intriguing, I think I should really thinking about camping here someday.

I have been hiking here for 30 years. It's a great place however as the population grows here the…read moretrail is also packed all the time now. Try to go off season (fall I think is best) to have the best experience. If you have kids, they will love to play in the creek in the hot weather.