Tourism in Cottonwood
The Verde Valley - A Visitor's Mecca

Limitless adventures await the tourist, in the Verde Valley. Nowhere else in Arizona will you experience the wide range of activities and experiences you will find in our area.

Blazin'M Ranch

Pre-Columbian Sinaguan sites, officer's quarters at a cavalry fort, a train excursion along the Verde River Canyon, a cowboy dinner show and a night at the casino may all be experienced in a single day. 

Jerome, sometimes nicknamed "The City in the Sky" was at one time the most talked about mining camp in America. Its population went from 15,000 in its heyday to a "ghost town" of under 50 people. The Douglas Mansion is Jerome's State Historic Park featuring the mining history of the area. The Gold King Mine displays early machinery of the mining era in Jerome.

If bird watching is your thing, Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood has identified over 100 bird species in its immediate environs. It also has excellent camping and RV facilities, as well as a lagoon which is stocked with Rainbow trout from November through March. The Verde River which flows past Dead Horse and winds its way through the Verde Valley may be fished for catfish, bass and trout.

Bird Watching

For the shopper, many unique shops and galleries featuring art, antiques, jewelry, pottery and many additional items may be found in our Historic Old Town Cottonwood District (click here for more info), Clarkdale, Camp Verde Jerome and Sedona.

Cottonwood Old Town

For those who wish to experience eco-tourism, Red Rock State Park is the place with special programs focusing on wildlife, green meadows framed by native study, hiking, picnicking and bird watching.

Twenty hiking trails have been identified for hiking enthusiasts, in the Oak Creek Canyon and West Sedona areas. Another eight are listed for the Cottonwood region. Magnificent views of Sedona's Red Rock country, and the forests and canyons of Mingus Mountain await the hiker. Mingus Mountain has been identified as one of the best spots for hang gliding and skydiving.

The avid golfer will delight in the excellent golf courses located in Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Lake Montezuma and Cottonwood.

The family may cool off after exploring the Sedona area at Slide Rock State Park which contains one of Oak Creek Canyon's most exciting features. A thirty-foot water slide worn in the rocks winding through the cool creek bed providing visitors a natural outdoor thrill.

Golf

Regional Setting
The Verde Valley includes about 714 square miles located in the geographic center of Arizona, about 100 miles north of the Phoenix metropolitan area.  The Verde River runs through the valley from northwest to southeast and is augmented by flows from Sycamore Canyon, Oak Creek, Beaver Creek and West Clear Creek.  The area is unsurpassed in its variety of physical beauty with the red rocks and Mogollon Rim to the north and east and the Black Hills and Mingus Mountain dominating the western and southern portions of the valley.   

The City of Cottonwood is located adjacent to the Verde River at  elevations ranging from 3,300 feet to 3,900 feet above sea level and experiences a mild climate which, together with its proximity to an abundance of natural amenities such as the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Tuzigoot National Monument and the historic mining communities of Clarkdale and Jerome, continues to attract steady growth and tourism.

Weather and Climate
A climatic summary is  available by clicking on the respective link.
 

Land Ownership
Nearly 80% of the land in the Verde Valley is National Forest. The Coconino National Forest is generally located north and east of the Verde River while the Prescott National Forest is south and west of the River. The region includes 20 square miles of State Trust Land most of which is located along state highways between Cottonwood and Sedona and between Cottonwood and Camp Verde. Only about 17% of the Verde Valley is privately owned.

Early History
As with other communities in the Verde Valley, the City shares a rich and lengthy history. The region has long been home to Native Americans, particularly the Sinaugua and later the Yavapai and Apache. The first Anglo settlers in the area farmed and provided goods for the soldiers at Camp Verde and for the miners in Jerome beginning in the late 1870's. William Clark and Jimmy Douglas developed major smelters and the mining communities of Clarkdale (1912) and Clemenceau (1917), respectively. Clemenceau, located near the intersection of Willard Street and Mingus Avenue was a complete company town with thousands of residents, a school and other community facilities. Today, few people recognize the size and complexity of the original "Smelter City".

During this period, mining companies that closely regulated commerce, industry, employment and even housing opportunities administered Jerome, Clarkdale and Clemenceau.

Old Town Cottonwood became a haven for those seeking to be free from the prejudice and regulation of nearby company towns. Main Street was created 1908 when Charles Stemmer and Alonzo Mason used a mule team to pull and drag through brush. The Mason Addition, Willard Addition, Hopkins Ranch No. 2 and other tracts were platted during the next decade coinciding with the development of Clemenceau on higher ground about one mile to the south.

The Clemenceau smelter closed on December 31, 1936 with a great loss of jobs and disruption to the area's economy. The Cottonwood Women's Club organized to feed those in need and raised money to build the Cottonwood Civic Center (1939) with labor provided through the Works Progress Administration. The copper industry continue its decline culminating with the closure of

the Phelps Dodge operation in the 1950's. Population plummeted in the region as the mining industry declined. Jerome's population declined from about 8,000 to nearly 0, while Clarkdale went from nearly 4,000 to several hundred.

Recent History
The City of Cottonwood incorporated in 1960. During this period area roads were improved , particularly the Highway 89A "Bypass" and SR 260 to serve the needs of the Phoenix Cement Plant located in Clarkdale. This facility supplied the cement for the Glen Canyon Dam project near Page. During the early 1970's about 4,500 lots were platted outside the Cottonwood City Limits by Ned Warren - the Queen Creek Land and Cattle Company. These lots, known as Verde Village, have limited infrastructure but have been built upon over time and few vacant parcels remain today. With road development and an increasingly large residential base, commercial development moved south from Old Town to SR89A intersections at Main Street and at SR260 during the 1970's and 1980's.

Population Growth
The Verde Valley has experienced significant population growth in recent years - 51% between 1990 and 2000.  

http://cottonwood.verdevalley.com

 

Historic Old Town Cottonwood’s Best-Kept Secret

Historic Old Town Cottonwood is a town within a town, with its own quaint character and colorful 20^th century Old West past. (It was a bootlegging center and a popular movie location!) Its well-preserved architectural heritage has won it a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Located on the northern edge of the city of Cottonwood, Old Town is central to many popular Verde Valley attractions.  It is 2 miles from the city of Clarkdale, the Verde Canyon Railroad and Tuzigoot National Monument with its Sinagua Indian pueblo; 6 miles from the old mining town of Jerome, and within walking distance of Dead Horse State Park with its beautiful Verde River.

Old Town Cottonwood is a picturesque, year-round destination, where one can step back in time, enjoy a meal at one of several excellent cafes and restaurants or walk away with a treasure from the area’s one-of-a-kind shops.  One day it could be an antique glass vase or a brilliant red hat.  Another day perhaps a silver ring, a landscape painting or a mask from New Guinea. 

There are nearly three dozen stores and galleries in the Prohibition-era buildings along Old Town’s Main Street, featuring art, antiques, books, clocks, women’s and children’s clothing (new and used), gift items, homemade furniture, jewelry, Native American crafts, rocks, yarn and beads—even Christmas ornaments.  There are also services, including a key shop, a dance studio, and an athletic club.

Visitors may want to notice the high sidewalks and period architecture and to look up when they are in the stores and eateries.  Many of the ceilings are beautiful examples of elaborately hammered tin.

For those wanting to sleep with history,  there is the Cottonwood Hotel (circa 1925) on 930 N. Main.  It is the oldest hotel in Cottonwood and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The five-unit hotel, with its apartment-style lodging, is proud of its famous guests, including Mae West, John Wayne, Gail Russell and Elvis Presley, who shot films in the area.  Three of the movies—“Angel and the Bad Man,” “Desert Fury,” and “Stay Way, Joe”—are available to guests for viewing.

Like the hotel, many of the buildings have stories to tell. 1060 Main Street (today a tattoo parlor) used to have underground cellars for storing moonshine. The Cottonwood Civic Center (805 N. Main) was built by the WPA in 1939 but not before the women of Cottonwood raised funds for the materials.

The Old Town Association’s Visitor Center at 1101 Main, was once the county jail.  Its two metal-enclosed cells were built in 1929 to contain bootleggers and sometimes held up to a dozen people “sardine style.”  The jail continued to be used until the 1970s, when it was converted to other uses, including a court room and a boys’ and girls’ club.

Curious visitors can view the cells, pick up a handy map or refresh themselves at the public restroom. Jim Jackson is there to greet visitors six days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and share some of the stories about Old Town’s early settlers.

Just off to the right of the visitor center is the Jail Trail, a lush one-mile riparian area with many rare plants and nearly 20 threatened or endangered animals, including the river otter and southern bald eagle.  The road connects with the Verde River Greenway, a six-mile reach of the Verde River, which adjoins many of the area’s sites, including Dead Horse Ranch State Park.

Every Thursday evening from July through the first week in October, Old Town Cottonwood hosts a Farmer’s Market in the ball field behind City Hall from 5 p.m. until the sun goes down. The event features produce, hand-crafted items and a live band.  During the first week in December, there is the annual chocolate walk.  From time to time, Old Town merchants hold other festivals, including salsa tastings and art walks.

For those wanting to explore more of Verde Valley’s past and to see the largest model train exhibit in Arizona, the historic Clemenceau Museum is less than a half mile away  from Old Town Cottonwood at One North Willard. It is open Wednesday morning 9 a.m. to noon; and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about Historic Old Town Cottonwood, call the Old Town Association Visitor Center at 928-634-9468.  

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is very much alive, despite its foreboding name.  More than 300 birds fly through the park each year—from predatory falcons and migrating species to the inquisitive cactus wren, the state bird of Arizona. On a bench in a clearing, shaded by cottonwoods and studded with bird feeders, it is easy to spot at least 15 different types of birds in less than two hours. On the trails birders regularly identify dozens of species on any given day.

The 423-acre park is an oasis for wildlife because it is located in the heart of Verde River’s lush riparian corridor, along the banks of the free-flowing Verde River. Only a few minutes from Cottonwood’s busy Main Street, it is also a haven for humans who can leave the hectic world behind and retreat alone or relax with family and friends.

The park has 10 miles of well-maintained trails (some connect to form loops) which are well-traveled by hikers, bikers, horse and riders, birders and even dog walkers. Most trails average around 2 miles in length and vary in difficulty from easy to moderate.

The Verde River Greenway, which has some of the best nesting habitats in the area, is contiguous with Dead Horse Ranch. A 1 1/2-mile-long greenway trail follows the meandering river and passes through the Fremont Cottonwood/Goodding Willow Riparian Forest, one of only 20 stands in the world.   The park also borders the Coconino National Forest, where more trails offer recreational opportunities. It is minutes away from Tuzigoot National Monument. Along its border is the Tavasci Marsh, one of the few fresh-water marshes in Arizona and an important birding area.

Other popular activities include

·        fishing in the river or  4-acre lagoon that are both periodically stocked with trout, sunfish and catfish to the delight of anglers and a resident population of Great Blue Herons;

·        camping (on a first-come, first-serve basis) in either one of 16 tent areas or 150 camp sites where there is optional electricity and water,

·        group camping in the 23-site group campground, which has no hookups,

·        picnicking in one of two armadas or by the lagoon,

·        grilling in the armadas or campsites and

·        learning about the wildlife and attractions in the area.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park hosts two festivals each year.  During the last weekend in April it is home to the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival. The festival provides expert-guided field trips to birding hot spots and instruction on topics relating to birding, archeology, geology, history and wildlife photography. 

During the last weekend in September the park welcomes Verde River Day, which promotes preservation and care of the environment. The celebration also includes nature-based exhibits and hands-on activities.

The user-friendly park also has

• restrooms with hot showers,
• four horse corrals for overnight use with advance reservations and
• a dump station

In the fall of 2007, the park will open eight cabins that can each sleep up to four people. The cabins are equipped with bunk beds, double beds and seating areas.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is open every day except Christmas from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  There is a day use fee of $6 per car and $2 per walk-ins and bikers.  Camping is $12 without hookups; and $19 with all the bells and whistles.  When the cabins open, they will rent for $50 a night. Located at an elevation of 3,300 feet, the park has mild temperatures most of the year.

For more information, contact the ranger station at 928-634-5283.

So why is it called Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
In the 1940s when the Ireys family was shopping for a ranch, they stumbled upon a dead horse by the side of the road. They decided to name their ranch after the animal. When the property transferred to Arizona State Parks in 1973, the family insisted that the name go with the land.

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