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Cottonwood Arizona
is in the center of the Verde Valley, just a few miles from such exciting attractions as state parks and forests, Indian ruins and ghost towns. Located just 90 minutes north of Phoenix and two hours south of The Grand Canyon, makes Cottonwood the perfect place to base an Arizona vacation. One of the most breathtaking places to visit in the Cottonwood area is the magnificent red rock country of Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon. You will not want to miss seeing Slide Rock State Park, inside Oak Creek Canyon. Slide Rock features picnic areas, rock formations, and a natural sandstone waterslide. This thirty-foot water slide worn in the slick rocks winds down and around through the creek bed providing visitors with a natural, thrilling way to cool off after a day spent sightseeing in the desert. Red Rock State Park is a 286-acre park offering hiking trails and nature programs, especially popular with children. Several ghost towns can be seen near Cottonwood, from the better known town of Jerome, to towns of yesteryear such as Congress, Stanton and Tiger. Some of the towns’ buildings and cemeteries are well maintained, while at others only the foundations of the buildings remain. It makes for some great photographic opportunities. Also, just east of Cottonwood is Camp Verde, where you can see Indian relics and military artifacts. After visiting Camp Verde, drive north to visit some of the best preserved Indian cliff dwellings in the United States. The Verde Canyon Railway provides passengers with a magnificent canyon view filled with American history, geology, archeology and tall tales from the rails. From climate-controlled cars with panoramic windows, passengers are invited to see a part of Arizona only viewable by rail. All passenger cars access open-air viewing cars where one can more easily view the towering red rock pinnacles that rise above the cottonwoods, sycamores and mesquite blooming along the banks of the clear waters of the Verde River. The Tuzigoot National Monument is an ancient Indian dwelling that has two hiking trails that give visitors an up-close look at a long-ago culture.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park is just minutes from Cottonwood and has camping, picnicking, fishing, swimming and horseback riding. The Sycamore Canyon Wilderness is a 26-mile canyon that is great for hiking and is considered one of the most spectacular spots in the Verde Valley area. For shoppers, Historic Old Town Cottonwood has a variety of unique shops, art galleries, antique stores, cafes, restaurants and more. There are also Historic Walking Tours and Verde Trolley Tours available from Old Town. Tour guides share their in-depth knowledge of this one-of-a-kind area, the history, background, culture and all the “hot” spots to visit. You can also visit a casino, located in Camp Verde and owned by the Yavapai-Apache Nation. More than 540 gaming devices are available, plus fine dining, live entertainment, a 20-lane bowling alley, childcare facility and a video arcade. The casino is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
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