(bright music) - There are lots of places hikers and recreational lovers can explore and experience in the city of Flagstaff.

There are trails that surround the greenest of mountains and trails that follow city landmarks.

And in central Arizona, the pine pathways give way to shady cottonwoods and lush, sandy treks riverside.

It's a true gem that's not too far north to get away for the day when you're searching for cooler places to wander.

(bright music) Today we've got a north and central country's smorgasbord of places to wear your shorts and hiking boots.

(bright music) (wind whooshes) (stones crackle) (bright upbeat music) (adventurous music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music ends) Additional support provided by - [Announcer] SRP is staying ahead of the valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects, to deliver power that is as reliable as it is sustainable.

(truck beeping) - [Announcer] Albertsons-Safeway pharmacies and Valley nonprofit Mission of Mercy, are proud to support cancer awareness.

They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

More information at Albertsons or safeway.com.

- [Announcer] Whitfill Nursery, proud to support Eight Arizona PBS, a valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona-grown tree, citrus, and palms.

Complete custom design and installation, and Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

Whitfillnursery.com - [Announcer] And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

- I'm Ike Easley and on this episode of "Trail Mix'd," all roads lead to beautiful and cool Flagstaff.

And to Cottonwood, and back to Phoenix.

In Flagstaff we'll check out the amazingly beautiful and hikeable Arboretum at Flagstaff.

Plus, in Cottonwood we'll hike lakeside and riverside, at a state park with a funny name.

And in Phoenix, if you have to hike in the heat, we've got some tips for doing it safely.

(funky upbeat music) Are you ready?

Oh, you know I'm ready.

"Trail Mix" starts right now.

(funky upbeat music stops) (calm bright music) We're here at the Arboretum at Flagstaff, along with the many plants, which you can see.

Those have a variety of bugs, birds, and wildlife.

But what I'm most excited for are the nice, relaxing trails, let's go check 'em out.

(calm bright music) The trails meander all over the 200-acre property.

It isn't one of those manicured spaces, and that's what's great about it.

(bright music) Beautiful plants grow where they want to grow.

Flowers and shrubs spill from beds and even crowd some of the pathways.

More than 750 species of plants can be found among the dozens of gardens.

- So, we have an inner and outer loop, those are our designated trails, and those are actually on the outskirts of our grounds, so they are totally uncultivated by us.

We do not water them.

So, that gives people the opportunity to see a natural ponderosa pine forest ecosystem.

You'll see what grows there, what lives there, all the fun stuff.

If you're lucky, you get to see pronghorn and elk.

More common would be the chipmunks and the squirrels.

Tons of birds, lots of hummingbirds.

And did I say chipmunks?

'Cause we have a lot of 'em.

(laughs) - I like not seeing houses and housing tracks.

I love hearing the birds and the insects at the pond.

I like seeing the dragonflies and hearing the western chorus frogs, and I like looking for the different little rodents we have here and watching them scamper around.

So, but I especially love the sound through the pine trees and just the quiet that the Arboretum has.

- [Ike] Julie spends a lot of her free time at the Arboretum.

- The part to me that I really, really enjoy about the Arboretum is we are on the Colorado plateau, which is four states, and we're at high elevation and the Arboretum takes that Colorado plateau and shrinks it.

So you can get the experience of the Colorado plateau by just walking through the gardens of the Arboretum.

Most of these things, if you went out in the Colorado plateau, you might see, but you would have to spend maybe days hiking to see many of these things.

But by coming to the Arboretum you can experience the Colorado plateau in a couple of hours, by seeing so many of the native species that grow here.

- [Ike] Flagstaff, at the Arboretum, has regular visitors who buy memberships just to have the privilege of walking the trails there.

(bright music) For some who are new to Flagstaff, a visit here is definitely something special.

- I love being out in nature, and I mean, this is the best place for it.

So, coming out here was just, just kind of off the whim.

- Yeah.

- No initial plan.

And then we were, you know, we came three or four miles off road and I was like, "This is fun."

And then we show up and I'm like, "Wow, this place is amazing."

I mean, it's just, it's beautiful out here.

And the fact that everything hasn't even fully bloomed yet and we're still having our breath taken away is, it's awesome.

- Yes.

The outer loop is, it's really mellow.

It's lots of trees and stuff.

There's a lot to read about with the prescribed fires and everything that they do out there, as well as a lot of the animals that come out here.

Like, we saw a Steller's jay, which is my first time seeing 'em, and it's awesome.

(bright music) - For those like Gina and Julie, who work here, introducing people to the the wonders of the Arboretum is also about teaching people how important a place like this is.

(playful music) In my personal experiences, the road off the beaten path often leads to great adventures and more exciting stories, which brings us to this road.

About a mile outside of Jerome, to the house on The Edge of Time.

(funky music) Realtor Jesse Pfeiffer owns a house that looks a lot like something out of a J.R.R Tolkien novel.

Woo.

(funky music) Is this Jerome or The Shire?

I really can't tell the difference.

(funky music) (Ike laughs) - We are in Jerome, Arizona, and we're currently inside House on the Edge of Time, which I use for friends and family when they come to visit.

- [Ike] For some of you, the house may look familiar for another reason.

It was built by a student of Paolo Soleri, the famed Italian architect who conceived and built Arizona's Arcosanti, 70 miles north of Phoenix.

- I'm the second owner.

The property was started in the late 70s, early 80s, completed by about '85, and Paul Nonnast was the builder.

He studied under Paulo Soleri Arcosanti, and he lived here.

This was his primary residence.

- Soleri's alternative methods of building became the inspiration for the Paul Nonnast house.

He built the home into the Jerome hillside in a compact L-shape.

The interior rooms open to a small stone terrace with a small round pool in the middle.

- Yeah, I came to Jerome in 2008, and absolutely fell in love with the area, and always knew that I'd wanted to come back, and it was never the right time.

I found myself widowed and decided that I needed a change in life and a new thing to do, and thought Jerome was such a healing place.

Came back out here in 2015, spent a week, got back to my home in Austin, Texas.

Got online and found a property that had been on the market for five years, and flew out, saw it, and upon the first walkthrough I knew that I was its next owner.

- [Ike] The oddly-beautiful house, just a mile from downtown Jerome, is truly a house of the earth.

Nonnast quarried the stone himself from the nearby hills, using limestone, black basalt, and supai sandstone, among other rocks.

- Base requires things that aren't conventional, and so I have to think outside the box constantly.

I can't just punch a hole in drywall and move on with things.

- Jesse keeps a self-portrait painting of Paul Nonnast in the living room that he built.

- So, when I bought the house, I made things like this table.

I made the couch, I've done all the epoxy work.

I had an electrician come in and put in all the lights, hand-painted them all copper to make them look of the era.

Just little pieces through it.

I've had all the fencing done so that it's enclosed from the javelinas.

I've had the gardens built, and I was able to do a lot of that work on my own.

- [Ike] From anywhere inside or outside, the house's angles and curves form engaging and overlapping geometric patterns.

- So, as you walk around the property, when you first come through the gate, you'll see a little cold water dipping pool, it's about three and a half feet.

It's nice in the summer.

The view itself is towards Sycamore Canyon, towards Sedona.

You can see all the way to the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, and if you turn and look to your left, you can see up to the top of Jerome.

It's grounding.

You're built into the earth and you can see the sky, so, you kinda get the best of both worlds.

Half of the house is all the way into the dirt, but then you have these vast open spaces where you can see the trees, you can see the stars.

It's very reminiscent of camping, you're outside and inside at the same time.

Jerome itself is like living in a painting.

And so being inside of here, it's a piece of architecture inside of a painting.

It's a nice place to find yourself off the beaten path here at the House on The Edge of Time.

(bright music) - [Ike] In spite of its blunt handle, Cottonwoods Dead Horse State Park is one of the prettiest in Arizona's state park system.

(bright music) - It's called Dead Horse Ranch State Park because of the Ireys family.

They were looking at ranches to buy around the state, and as they toured different ranches, they came across this one here.

And as they toured Dead Horse, they found a draft horse that had died alongside the road.

And so when the parents asked the kids which ranch they should buy, they said, "The one with the dead horse."

And then it became a condition of the sale when they sold it to the state of Arizona.

- They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and you probably shouldn't judge a state park by its name, 'cause when you visit Dead Horse State Park, look around, you see that this park is alive and thriving.

(bright music) Park Manager George says, in spite of its name, Dead Horse is a point of pride.

- Dead Horse is a camping recreational park.

It also is a state natural area.

The Verde River greenway as well encompasses it.

It's a great opportunity for people to get out, camp, hike, fish, bike.

It's got a lot of great opportunities for those that wanna be out in nature.

- There's some wonderful major hiking trails, which I do when it's cooler.

Like, there's like a really nice eight-mile loop and I do that.

And then when it starts to warm up like it is, I love the serene down here.

I like to go around the ponds today.

It's nice and serene.

There's not that many people, but everybody's happy.

On Sunday or holiday, it's tons of people, but it's such a happy place, everybody's happy.

- [Ike] Cynthia is a park regular and she visits specifically for its trails and the peace she seems to find there.

- The Verde River Trail hike is nice.

It's very, very nice.

Yeah, it was a little muddy this year 'cause we had so much rain.

But it's beautiful and it's lovely to see the water, the moving water.

Yeah, I tend to come here more often, I'm not really sure why.

I just do, yeah.

And then there's a jail trail.

I mean, from here you can go to a lot of places.

- The hiking is phenomenal around here, we've got 20+ miles of trails within the park and outside the park as well.

We've got trails that go up under the uplands.

We've got trails that go along the river here.

So, you got the riparian area with nice shaded, as you see behind me here.

And then the uplands that, so you can see, to the red rocks of Sedona as well.

- [Ike] Trails under shady canopies of cottonwood, next to the cool Verde River waters, make up a lot of the dead horse landscape.

(bright music) In the warmer months, the Verde River can become a place to jump in and cool off if you're hiking in the heat.

Once you're refreshed, you can follow the Verde, the course of the river.

And while it is a one-way trail along the river, you can do a nice loop hike by following the Lagoon Trail back from the eastern end of the Verde River Greenway Trail.

- I've been coming here for years.

I'm here probably five days outta seven.

I walk around, I've traveled most of the trails here.

I've been doing the lagoons a lot, especially now that it's summer and it's getting hot, because there is shade.

- I want them to take away the importance of the nature here.

The opportunity to see this ecosystem and be able to appreciate the Verde River, and the great, riparian species that come along with it.

I really love the cottonwoods, the willows, and then the uplands having the mesquite bosques, and then just be able to appreciate, you know, the wildlife that surround it.

You know, there's not too many places you get to see beavers or otters regularly, or the bald eagle on a daily basis, you know, around the lagoon.

So, I just want them to really take away and appreciate what we've been given here.

(calm music) - [Ike] Following the lagoon trails back, we see other hikers.

And as you begin to make your way back, you'll see lots of anglers and picnickers, and just people who found a place to relax in nature for the day.

- Well, listen.

(animals chirping) - There you go.

- Yeah.

- All the critters are welcoming us everywhere we go in this park.

- Yeah, this is so relaxing, just listening to all these birds.

- Yeah.

- And we see, I saw one guy with a fish on his hook, so, obviously the fishing's- - Yeah, we drove by right when he pulled one outta the water.

It's kinda fun.

- I noticed you could see all the city lights.

It's up on a hill and it's beautiful, and I know exactly which spot I want next time we camp.

'Cause we can just sit in our spot.

- We'll be back.

- And just overlook the beautiful lights at night.

- Yeah, we'll be back.

(bright music) - [Ike] If you happen to be driving through Flagstaff and only have time to visit one place that will give you an appreciation for what the city is, then the Arboretum at Flagstaff is the place to go.

The Arboretum at Flagstaff is a place where you can walk the trails, gardens, and even the greenhouses for a year and still not see everything it has to offer.

- So we are a botanical garden, striving to educate the public on basically all things plants.

We specialize in native plants of the Colorado plateau, but we also showcase plants that do well in our high-elevation environment, as well as rare and endangered species that we have in the area.

And we essentially are just trying to get people to understand, appreciate, and care about the natural world around them.

(bright music) - Gina is the greenhouse manager for the Arboretum, and she cares for these plants as if they were her own children.

Gina, we're in your greenhouse.

What makes this greenhouse different than any other greenhouse?

- Yeah, so this greenhouse is a passive solar greenhouse that was built in the 1980s.

We have our south-facing panels here.

They shine light on all the plants, as well as those water tubes right there.

And those water tubes basically store heat during the day with the sun shining on 'em.

And then they release that heat at night, which helps stabilize the temperature in here.

- I like that, I like that.

What do we have over here?

- Yeah, so these are the California poppies.

They are commonly seen on the internet, the fields and fields of golden flowers.

They also grow well in Flagstaff, so we have them here.

These are all of our vegetable garden starts, so we're gonna be planting the veggie garden in mid-June when it stops freezing at night.

But I get super excited about that because I love harvesting my own vegetables and growing my own flowers.

- How many greenhouses do you have here?

- Yeah, so we have two greenhouses and one more, I would call it a shade house.

- What are the different greenhouses for?

- Yeah, so this one is mainly for starting all the plants.

So, this is where the seeds are sewn and they germinate and I, it's called upsizing, where once you have a little plug from that germination tray, it goes into a two-inch pot and then a four-inch pot.

And then it eventually makes its way into this gallon here.

It'll stay in this gallon for about two weeks, and then it goes to our research greenhouse where it'll grow up a little more.

It gets pollinated in there, and then it'll go out into the world wherever it ends up.

- [Ike] So, it's like a kid going through elementary, high school, and college?

- Exactly- - Oh.

- Exactly.

- That's so sweet.

- They grow up so fast.

- (laughs) Do you have any endangered plants here?

- Yes, we do actually.

So, here's a few right here.

This guy right here, this is Packera, a Franciscana, and this only grows on the San Francisco peaks, which is that beautiful mountain view that you see out there.

- Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, so this grows at about 10,000, 11,000 feet in elevation.

And this is a really great reminder to always stay on trails, especially in sensitive areas, because when people are going off trails up there and they're stepping on these rare and endangered plants, you can do damage.

(calm bright music) This is the one planet we have.

I think it's important to care about it, and observe it, and really understand it.

That's really the bridge to appreciation, in my opinion.

(birds chirping) (calm upbeat music) - When it starts to heat up here in the valley, many Arizonans go north to hike in cooler temperatures.

But if you can't get to Flagstaff or Cottonwood this summer, then you need to be prepared for the extreme heat.

Even for experienced Arizona hikers, hitting the trails in and around our desert city in the summertime can be life-threatening, but Arizonans are resilient, especially hikers, who get after it despite the sizzling temperatures.

But why do they do it?

- Yeah, I hate treadmills, that's the biggest thing.

So, just being inside, I just cannot do it.

So, it's though being in the heat, you just have to be real smart, strategic about it.

- Well, what I would like to say first is that I just love being out in nature overall, and hiking just sets the day for me.

I like to probably start my day hiking around 5:00 a.m. during the summer, just because I wanna beat that heat.

- [Ike] Not surprisingly, the city of Phoenix is closing off hiking trails along Piestew Peak and Camelback Mountain between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., when the National Weather Service issues a heat warning day.

They're even considering closing trails earlier than that, in the interest of public safety.

I was running one of my favorite trails at Papago Park, and asked some of my fellow hikers what they did to prepare themselves for their hot weather hikes and runs.

Their answers made a lot of sense.

- So, number one, if you don't have a water reservoir, these things, you can carry 1, 2, 3, up to 5 liters on your back if necessary.

And so, and it's easily accessible 'cause it just has a tube.

So, you don't have to like take a backpack off, you don't have to carry a water bottle, and you can carry the most amount of water.

So, that's number one.

If you don't have a water reservoir, I would highly suggest investing in one.

- Yes, hiking during the summertime, like I, you can see me, I'm wearing long sleeve, I like to, you know, make sure that I'm protecting my skin, but also, like, I put sunscreen before I walk out the door.

I added sunscreen this morning, like, you know, on my face, on my neck, and make sure on the back as well 'cause I like to pick up my hair a lot to feel like that breeze, you know, during the summer especially.

- Yeah, so number two would be, like, good clothing, so something that doesn't soak a lot of sweat and protects you from sun exposure as well.

So, the shirt I have on, right?

It's, like, has SPF rating, which helps out a lot.

Then shoes, that's the big thing.

There's a lot of cacti out here, so you gotta be worried about the needles.

There's a lot of sharp objects on the ground, so that's the biggest thing.

So, just protect your feet and your skin.

- [Ike] Phoenix Park ranger Cody Huggins says you need to prepare in advance before you walk out that door to the trailhead.

- So, I always start head to toe, big-brimmed hat, obviously keep the sun off of you.

I'm a big fan of bandanas.

I'll wet the bandana beforehand, throw it around my neck so it keeps you nice and cool.

Long sleeve pullover shirt, nice comfortable shorts, some good comfy shoes are great.

Always bring the cell phone, if you can and it's possible, hike with a buddy, a friend.

- Be aware that the city bans bringing your dogs on hiking trails in Phoenix once the temperature hits 100 degrees.

If you plan to bring along your dog, there are precautions to take for them too.

- So this is Newman and he is my adventure buddy.

If the ground is hot, you need to protect their paws first and foremost.

It can be really sad because they can't communicate with you if their paws are hurting because the ground is too hot.

So, I always make sure during the the hotter months he has shoes on.

And then I always have some, you know, a collapsible water bowl or something for him to also drink out of.

There are a lot of things that you can do to make sure that your dog is properly prepared.

- The summers in Arizona can be hot.

Here are some tips to stay cool.

(bright upbeat music) First, I always bring a hat and sunglasses, not only do they look cool, but they protect you from the sun.

I also lather on the sunscreen.

That sun can cause some serious burns, you've gotta protect your skin.

I also make sure I've got a few snacks for when I'm out on the trail.

(bright upbeat music) And last but not least, I drink water before, during, and after my hike.

Hydration is everything.

Here's some other useful tips and reminders: before heading out, make sure you've eaten a regular meal, including drinking plenty of water.

Don't hike in the midday sun.

Hike early or late in the day is best.

Also hydrate before you start hiking.

Take extra water and drink consistently.

And most importantly, remember, when your water is half gone, your hike is half done, turn around and head back.

Remember, the whole point of hiking is to enjoy yourself.

Get some good exercise, and come home safely so you can do it again another day.

(bright upbeat music) (bright upbeat music ends) Arizona is home to the Seventh Wonder of the World.

But we're not just about the Grand Canyon.

Many Arizona hikers and explorers know that we have amazing landscapes in our large and small cities and towns.

There's so much natural beauty to see and hike in this state that people from around the world come to experience it.

From the Red Cliffs of Sedona, to the Mogollon Rim, and everything in between and beyond.

(bright upbeat music) The state has an array of trails through every kind of rugged terrain you can imagine.

From alpine tundra to Sonoran Desert, there's something for every level of hiker out there.

You can explore brilliant red sandstone cliffs.

Enormous examples of water erosion creating land bridges, and massive, Saguaro-lined, ancient lava flow landmarks.

The 48th state also has dozens of peaks and mountains galore.

And as we've shown you this season from above, we've also got lots of ribbons of green, those beautiful riparian areas that sustain a lot of plants and wildlife.

And yes, we do hike lots of deserts here, but they, in turn, can be as beautiful as any of the forests up in Northern Arizona.

And though we have water, wind, and rivers that shape and contour our amazing landscapes, there are trails, lots of trails, some by creeks and rivers, and others that round a lake.

All of them walked by hikers, explorers way before us.

We invite you to hit the trails across Arizona, and maybe we'll even see you in future episode of Trail Mixd.

(echo booms) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music fades) Additional support provided by.

- [Announcer] SRP is staying ahead of the valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects, to deliver power that's as reliable as it is sustainable.

(truck beeping) - [Announcer] Albertsons-Safeway pharmacies, and Valley Nonprofit Mission of Mercy are proud to support cancer awareness.

They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

More information at Albertsons or safeway.com.

- [Announcer] Whitfill Nursery, proud to support Eight Arizona PBS.

a valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona-grown trees, citrus, and palms.

Complete custom design and installation.

And Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

Whitfillnursery.com - [Announcer] And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.