$5, free for kids 12 and under. Oct–Apr Wed–Sun 8am–5pm; May–Oct Wed–Sun 7am–4pm. Closed Mon–Tues. Closed Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
The Vulture Mine HISTORIC SITE Lying at the base of Vulture Peak (the most visible natural landmark in the Wickenburg area, about 12 miles south of the town proper), the Vulture Mine was first staked by Henry Wickenburg in 1863, fueling the small gold rush that helped populate this part of the Arizona desert. Today, the Vulture Mine feels like a ghost town. You can’t go down into the old mine itself, but you can wander around the aboveground shacks and mine structures, either on tours or, in summer, by yourself. It’s interesting for Western history buffs, and fun for kids.
36610 N. 355 Ave. (12 mi S of U.S. 60 W via Vulture Mine Rd.). www.vultureminetours. $15; free for kids under 6. Cash only. Check website for hours, which vary. No guided tours in summer. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Outdoor Activities
If you’d rather explore the desert backcountry by jeep than on horseback, call B.C. Jeep Tours (www.bcjeeptours.com; 928/684-7901), which charges $75 per person with a two-person minimum. If you’ve got time for only one jeep tour on your Arizona vacation, however, make it in Sedona.
Los Caballeros Golf Club , 1551 S. Vulture Mine Rd. (www.loscaballerosgolf.com; 928/684-2704) has been rated one of the best courses in the state. Greens fees range $85 to $125 in the cooler months.
Southwest of town at the end of Vulture Mine Rd. (off U.S. 60), hikers can hit the trails around Vulture Peak, which include a steep but rewarding climb best done in the cooler months. The views from up top (or even just the saddle near the top) are well worth the effort. There are sometimes spectacular wildflower displays here in the spring.
Where to Stay in Wickenburg
Flying E Ranch This is a working cattle ranch with 20,000 high, wide, and handsome acres for you and the cattle to roam. In business since 1946, the Flying E attracts plenty of repeat business; families find it a particularly appealing place. Accommodations vary in size, but all have Western-style furnishings and either twin or king-size beds. Three family-style meals are served in the wood-paneled dining room; there’s no bar (you’ll need to bring your own liquor). Guests like to gather by the fireplace in the main lodge’s spacious lounge. Breakfast cookouts, lunch rides, hayrides, and evening chuck-wagon dinners are organized. Horseback riding costs an additional $40 to $60 per person per day.
2801 W. Wickenburg Way (4 mi W of town on U.S. 60). www.flyingeranch.com. 928/684-2690. 17 units. $360 double, $720 4-person cabin. Rates include all meals. Closed May–Oct. Amenities: Dining room; exercise room; Jacuzzi; outdoor pool; sauna; tennis court; free Wi-Fi.
Kay El Bar Guest Ranch This is the smallest and oldest of the Wickenburg guest ranches, and its adobe buildings, built between 1914 and 1925, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The well-maintained ranch is quintessentially Wild West in style—the lobby is Westerned up to within an inch of its life—and the setting, on the shady banks of the Hassayampa River (usually dry), is surprisingly lush compared with the arid surrounding landscape. While the Homestead House and the Casa Grande are the most spacious, smaller rooms in the adobe main lodge have original Monterey-style furnishings and other classic 1950s dude-ranch decor. I like this place because it’s so small you feel like you’re on a friend’s ranch. Guests can go out horseback riding twice a day, except on Sunday when there’s a long morning ride followed by lunch on a hilltop. There are also cookouts, cowboy poetry nights, and other Western activities.
2655 S. Kay El Bar Rd. (take S. Rincon Rd. N from U.S. 93). www.kayelbar.com. 928/684-7593. 11 units. $55–$610 double; $1,194 cottage (sleeps 4). Rates include all meals and horseback riding. 2- to 4-night minimum stay. Closed May–mid-Oct. Amenities: Dining room; lounge; Jacuzzi; outdoor pool.
Rancho de los Caballeros A few miles south of town on Vulture Mine Road, this quiet, sprawling resort-cum-dude-ranch offers lots of opportunity for horseback riding, golf on a ravishingly beautiful adjoining golf course, or pampering treatments in the classy spa. There’s also trap and skeet shooting and guided nature walks. The main lodge, with its flagstone floor, copper fireplace, and colorfully painted furniture, has a very southwestern feel. Peace and quiet are the keynotes of a visit here. Guest rooms have handcrafted furnishings, exposed-beam ceilings, Indian rugs, and, in some, tile floors and fireplaces. Most have small kitchens, which you don’t need because the food here, created and prepared by real chefs, is so good; the layouts for breakfast and lunch—with custom omelet-making and meat-carving tables and the like—seem to go on forever. And the pies! (The biggest complaint you hear here is that there’s too much food.) Dinner, which is served formally, with proper attire required, is even better.
En Route to Prescott
Between Wickenburg and Prescott, as Ariz. 89 climbs out of the desert, the town of Yarnell lies at the top of a steep stretch of road. The landscape around Yarnell is a jumble of weather-worn granite boulders, giving the town a unique look; in recent years it’s become a favored getaway for Phoenix types. Several crafts and antiques shops here are worth a stop. However, the town’s main claim to fame is the Shrine of St. Joseph of the Mountains ( 928/778-5229), a beautiful path set on the side of the mountain with carved stone sculptures marking the Stations of the Cross. Watch for the sign to the shrine off Ariz. 89 on the north end of town.
1551 S. Vulture Mine Rd. (S off U.S. 60 west of town). www.ranchodeloscaballeros.com. 800/684-5030 or 928/684-5484. 79 units. $200–$400 double. 15% gratuity charge. Rates include all meals. Closed May–Nov. Amenities: Dining room; lounge; children’s programs; concierge; 18-hole golf course; pool; full-service spa; 4 tennis courts; free Wi-Fi.
Where to Eat in Wickenburg
If you’ll be staying at a guest ranch, all your meals will be provided. In town, it’s almost obligatory to stop in at the Rancho Bar 7, 111 E. Wickenburg Way (www.ranchobar7.com; 928/684-2492), which has a big ol’ bar, a decent menu, and cowboy statues outside. Across the street, there’s a friendly sports bar, the Mecca, 163 E. Wickenburg Way ( 928/684-35270), with a big patio and decent bar food. Want something homier? Nana’s Sandwich Shop, 48 N. Tegner St. (
$5, free for kids 12 and under. Oct–Apr Wed–Sun 8am–5pm; May–Oct Wed–Sun 7am–4pm. Closed Mon–Tues. Closed Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
