big man tips

CORNVILLE NON-MOTORIZED TRAILS View of Mingus Mountain and Jerome from Backbone Trail Spanning the space Northeast of the Verde River between the communities of Bridgeport and Cornville is a system of trails that just got a shot in the arm. Although the trails have been around for awhile, a recent influx of grant dollars has helped fund new trailheads, signs and fresh trail construction. The Cornville Non-Motorized Trails project is being coordinated by Yavapai County and the Cornville Community Association in partnership with the Forest Service. The overall goal is to establish a 12-mile network of routes to link the two towns. The work-in-progress is coming together quickly and is now open to hiking, biking and equestrian use. New signs were installed in March 2017 The trails located between Zalesky and Tissaw Roads are mostly complete, signed and easy to follow. This segment of the system is anchored by the Backbone Trail which passes through a wash-riddled high desert with views o...

TAVASCI MARSH Clarkdale Peck's Lake and Tavasci Marsh This place is for the birds---and the hikers who love them. Designated an "important birding area" by the Audubon Society, Tavasci Marsh occupies a placid strip of green bounded by Tuzigoot National Monument, Dead Horse Ranch State Park and Verde River Greenway State Natural Area. The 96-acre, spring-fed wetland hosts a colorful cocktail of winged beasts chipping among reeds, roosting, wading or gliding over the waters in feathered flotillas. Access is via a free parking area near Tuzigoot or at DHSR ($7 fee per vehicle). Both entry points funnel hikers into a network of trails that wind among enormous cottonwood trees, mesquite forests, cattail choked bogs, sandy flood plains and riverside riparian corridors. Another way to enjoy the site and tag on some educational benefits is to enter through the Tuzigoot monument. There's a $10 fee per person, but you'll get to explore a Sinagua pueblo and learn from visi...