All Around the Mogollon Rim

(light guitar music) - [Ike] Stretching out more than 200 miles from Yavapai County to New Mexico, the Mogollon Rim, with its expansive, breathtaking views serve to inspire nothing less than shock and awe.

It's truly a geological masterpiece, made up of sedimentary, volcanic and metamorphic rock dating back to what scientists call the Precambrian era.

(light guitar music continuing) With the exception of the Grand Canyon, no other physical feature of Arizona's landscape is more prominent than the Mogollon Rim.

Everywhere you look, you'll see the sprawling national forest laid out like a giant, big, green, shag carpet before you.

There's two stories about how the Mogollon got its name.

One claims it was named after Juan Flores Mogollon, the Spanish Colonial Governor of New Mexico from 1712 to 1750.

The other story is that it comes from the Spanish word for mistletoe.

Whatever version is true, I guarantee you won't ever forget it, because there are so many ways to make memories from it.

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

(lively music continuing) 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.

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

More information Albertsons or Safeway.com.

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And Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

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- [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 and trails lead to Payson and the mighty Mogollon Rim.

We'll trek into the world-famous Tonto Natural Bridge, a wondrous gaping hole in the middle of the State.

And we'll hop on a bike for an up-close ride, skirting the stunning Mogollon Rim Vista Trail.

Plus, off the beaten path, we'll step back in time to show you what education looked like in Strawberry back in the 1800s.

And later, who doesn't love pie?

A great place to carb load before you hit your next trail.

Are you ready?

Oh, you know I'm ready.

"Trail Mix'd" starts right now.

- [Micah] Tonto Natural Bridge is the largest travertine natural bridge on the planet.

It is approximately 183 feet high, 150 feet wide, and 400 feet through.

- [Ike] Tucked in Pine Creek Canyon, about 10 miles north of Payson, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is the sparkling jewel of Arizona's Rim country.

- Tonto Natural Bridge has approximately 1.8 billion years of geologic history, according to State and regional geologists.

And the bridge itself is somewhere between 400,000 and 80,000 years old.

Travertine you can think of as recycled limestone.

So off to our left here, or east, we have Buckhead Mesa.

The whole east side of this canyon is made of limestone, calcium carbonate.

So rain and snow percolating down through Buckhead Mesa pulls the calcium out of that limestone into a solution.

That solution is kept under pressure as the water moves underground.

And when it pops out as our spring here on the hillside, that calcium re-deposits as travertine.

And over the past 800,000 to 80,000 years, that has formed the natural bridge.

- Most natural bridges are made of sandstone or limestone, which makes this bridge even more unique.

You can see various angles of the bridge from four different viewpoints.

Paved trails on top give you an overall view of the bridge and the surrounding mountains, its beauty meant to be admired and explored.

After all, hiking is the main draw here.

Four trails lead you deep into the canyon.

Neither are long, but they are steep and considered strenuous.

They each offer a sensory experience, from the textures of the rocks to the soothing sounds of rushing water.

So today, we're checking out the Waterfall Trail with Park Manager, Andrew Young.

- Well, now, I wouldn't call it easy, 'cause you got about a hundred uneven stairs you gotta get up and down.

But what's also neat about this trail is you transition from this kinda upland forest of juniper and cypress, and as you go down-slope, you're transitioning to more of a riparian ecosystem.

So the trees change in this short drop in elevation because of the water down the canyon.

- [Ike] This is the park's shortest trail, at just about 300 feet.

It dead ends with a big payoff, the Waterfall Cave.

- The namesake of this trail is the Waterfall Trail, right?

And hence our little waterfall.

Now, there's two waterfalls on the park itself.

Now, obviously, they're not big.

We're not talking about Niagara Falls here.

That's because these are spring-fed.

So we're talking about low flow, low volume waterfalls.

If you look right behind me here, this is some older travertine.

There's no water flowing through it, so it's dry, and it's gonna be older.

Now, if you look at some of this other travertine, you could actually see where old roots were, where the travertine grew around those roots, and that organic matter rotted away and left these cavities, basically, fossilized channels where roots were.

Now, as far as newer travertine, right behind you on this waterfall is gonna be the best place to see travertine actually being born.

So again, this water, it's coming from our springs.

It's draining down to the canyon, and it's draping over all these mosses and these ferns and these wildflowers.

And you can actually see, hanging off of this moss, travertine is precipitating out.

Now, not only that, this trail as it currently stands, it was built out in the early 1990s, and we have this grating here to aid in traction coming through.

And if you touch this, you could feel the stone.

It's turned to stone.

- Oh.

(chuckling) Oh, wow!

- Where the water is hitting.

You can see the guardrail on the trail going a little bit further down?

- [Ike] Yeah.

- [Andrew] It's almost now completely enveloped in travertine and stone.

- [Ike] It's alive.

It's moving.

- This place is very dynamic.

Every time you come here, it's always gonna be different.

And another special thing about this trail is all this vegetation you see around us, these are hanging gardens.

So even in the middle of June, when it's super hot outside and we're not getting a whole lotta rainfall, these are super lush, beautiful places to just come hang out and enjoy nature.

(light music) - [Ike] Pine Creek Trail, it's about a half mile long, with roughly 400 feet of developed trail before it will lead to into the creek bottom itself.

- Every time we have a major storm, that trail changes.

It's not a trail where you follow a path.

You have to climb over rocks.

And so consequently it's called boulder hopping.

Some rocks are as much as six feet high that they get over the top of.

The next time you come back through, it may be filled back in, be back to being flush.

- [Ike] It'll take you a minimum of an hour round trip to complete the hike, but why rush?

You've come this far.

Enjoy the beauty that now surrounds you.

- Tonto Natural Bridge, it's situated in a very important region of Arizona, in terms of biodiversity.

So Arizona is the third most biodiverse state in the country.

So here in the park, we have plant representatives from every single compass direction.

It all comes together here in a giant mixing pot, where you have this unique ecosystem.

And with varied plants, there's varied birds and mammals, and there's a huge biodiversity here, which is what we're trying to protect with this State park.

- [Ike] No matter where they're located in our State, Arizona's trails are part of a larger community, and you never know who you'll bump into.

- Well, I was the Executive Director for Arizona State Park System for about 23 years.

So this was a place that I helped negotiate the purchase of for the State of Arizona.

- [Ike] It was pure luck that we met Ken Travous today.

- It's a piece of heaven on earth.

You get down in here, and you can't hear the noises of the traffic.

You can hear the breezes that are around you.

You can hear the waterfall if you're close enough.

And it's just a, it goes down to your soul, I think.

It's just a wonderful all over.

- [Ike] Even after retirement, he comes back the Tonto Natural Bridge still in awe.

- You can see pictures of it.

You don't appreciate it till you come up here and stand underneath the waterfall and have it splash in your face.

You'll love it, its nature, its geology, its history.

It's Arizona.

(mellow music) - Welcome to Woods Canyon Lake.

Now, a lot of Phoenicians come up here during the summertime to escape the heat, but also, look behind me.

You know that's good fishing out there.

So there's a hiking and biking trail near the lake, and the views of the Rim are just simply the best.

So we've done enough of this talking, and let's get to riding.

(mellow music continuing) The Rim Lake Vista Trail is about 5.2 miles long, and it's mostly a paved loop around the lake.

Woods Canyon is one of a string of lakes that was created by damming small canyons in the '50s to create recreational areas.

It's a favorite for Valley campers and anglers.

As pretty as the lake views are, it's secondary to the stunning panoramic views of the mighty Mogollon Rim.

- It's gorgeous.

We just love the Rim.

It's gorgeous.

Look.

So majestic, God's creation.

- [Ike] The trail can be close to the edge of the Rim, with steep drop offs, and no guardrails.

So be smart and get off your bike to get a better view.

And if you're afraid of heights, and even if you're not, always be very cautious.

Be aware of your surroundings.

To walk up close to the edge of the Rim and look out over miles and miles of vast greens, blues and purples, really makes you feel pretty small in the grand scheme of things.

It's said that on a clear day you can see all the way south to Mount Lemon in Tucson.

- Oh my goodness, it's gorgeous.

- Our advice is don't go off the trail, 'cause it's a long ways down.

(laughing) - [Ike] The view is endless.

And as you bike around the loop, prepare to stop a few times to get some of those perfect postcard selfies.

- We met a young man the other day who was doing, riding the trails and stuff.

And he was from Wyoming, I believe he said.

And he said, "Whenever I thought of Arizona, I just think of desert and cactus."

And he said he came here and he said, "Where did this come from?"

- "Where did this come from?"

And he was on the-- - I don't think most people think of Arizona and think of this kind of scenery.

- You can clearly see why.

The Coconino Forest is home to the largest stand of ponderosa pine trees in the world.

And though pine forest dominates the plateaus and slopes of the Rim, you can also find oak, chaparral, and pinyon juniper woodlands.

Lemme tell y'all a little something something about myself.

So I've trained for half marathons and trail runs.

I've never done a trail bike ride before.

I'm not gonna lie, I was a little scared at first, but it's actually a really good time.

(mellow music) The Rim Vista Trail's first mile seems to be the most popular.

A lot of folks are just stopping by for the views.

But as you continue to cruise along, soon, the pavement gives way to a graded, worn, more peaceful dirt trail.

The route is marked with some blue diamonds tagged onto some tree trunks, which makes it easy to follow.

All the lush colors of the Rim and the cool mountain air makes for a biking experience you'll never forget.

(mellow music continuing) The town of Strawberry is charming and historic at the same time.

Let's take the Strawberry School House, the oldest standing school house in Arizona.

Y'all know what that means.

Class is back in session.

(bell clanging) - All the kids were in the same room.

They had ages from five to 20, so they had the same education.

The trees weren't big enough here in the Valley, so they had to go up on top of the Rim and haul the logs down with horses.

I think there was enough families here that they felt like they needed their education, so they decided to build a school.

One of the families that was here had a child go here, Edith Peach.

She also came back and was the teacher for the last two years that it was still here.

(light guitar music) - [Ike] Walking through that school house door was like walking through a portal back in time.

A time when there were no computers, just chalk and small chalkboard tablets.

A time when a teacher was responsible for all discipline, and students risked some shameful punishment and labeling.

Albert Hunt remembers his days in a one-room school house.

- I started in a one-room school house in Pine.

You socialized with the older kids, and that was good for you.

From what I can remember, it sat idle for a lotta years.

And when I moved back up here in 1957, it was just the shell.

There was no roof on it.

It was just the logs.

They even thought about tearing it down.

But some men here that were construction workers, they said, "Let us rebuild it."

And so, in the mid '60s, they did that.

It's history for this area and for our State that it's still here, and that people can see how everybody lived back in the day.

- Well, we have people come from all over the world, actually, to come and see the schoolhouse.

And I think they are in awe of how it was built, you know, the importance of the education at the time.

- [Ike] The Strawberry Schoolhouse currently serves as a local history museum, and in 2005, it was put on the National Register of Historic Places.

The trail we followed appeared to be seldom traveled.

"It led, according to the meager information obtainable at the last settlement, directly to what was called the Tonto Rim."

While the novels of Zane Grey are detailed works of fiction, they give us a true account of what life was really like here in Payson, before Arizona was ever a state.

- People in this area were living a pioneering existence, probably up to about 1933, when the first road went in between here and the valley.

In a sense, he didn't make up the stories.

The stories were there for him to just put down.

- [Ike] The mystique of the Mogollon Rim and the romance of the Wild West were brought to life by the vivid storytelling of Zane Grey.

- He was such a prolific writer, that no matter what book you read, you will see the area.

That's how he wrote.

And he kinda grabs you, and it's hard to put the book down.

- [Ike] The avid outdoorsman was actually a dentist from New York.

While on a trip out west, he fell in love with Arizona's Rim country toward the end of the first World war.

He eventually built what he called a hunting lodge below the Mogollon Rim in 1921.

- Fantastic view.

I mean, still, the location has a fantastic view.

Because he just loved the Rim country.

- And Zane was very adamant about one thing.

He did not want a road up to the cabin.

He wanted to keep it as natural as possible.

So everything, and I do mean everything, came up on pack mule and pack horses.

- [Ike] He would use Payson in the room's unspoiled views as many of his scene-setters, with 13 of his 85-plus novels taking place right here in Rim country.

- With Zane and his writing, you will see what he saw.

He was extremely descriptive in his writings.

- The Mogollon Rim, or Tonto Rim, as he called it, was as much a character in his novels as the heroes and heroines he wrote about.

"And from there, Grass Valley could be seen down in the Tonto Basin.

The ascent of the ground was so gradual that only in long, open stretches could it be seen."

But in 1929, Grey stopped coming to Arizona.

- He wanted to film a bear hunt.

And hunting season, unbeknownst to him, had changed from October to November.

So he asked for a special permit, promising not to kill the mother bear, just wanted to film the hunt.

And they denied him.

He threatened to leave Arizona, and Arizona said, "Go ahead."

- [Ike] Grey died in 1939 at age 67, and his cabin fell into disrepair.

While it was eventually restored, it was forever lost in the 1990 Dude Fire.

- It was the last structure to burn in that fire.

They had stopped it right after that, but it burned totally to the ground, really nothing left of it.

- [Ike] Tragically, the wildfire, sparked by dry lightning, took out 68 homes and killed six firefighters.

This statue next door, at the Rim Country Museum, pays tribute to their sacrifice.

(soaring music) Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem that helps rid undergrowth and promote healthy new growth.

Taking the cue from good old Mother Nature, the Zane Grey Cabin Foundation actually made a replica here at Green Valley Park in Payson.

Like the original, this cabin is built from local ponderosa pine.

(soaring music continuing) The original cabin was destroyed, and this replica was built by using photos.

Can you tell me more about that process?

That sounds like it can be a little difficult.

- Well, they had the basic structure, or the size of the cabin by just simply going up there and measuring where the pylons were.

They knew where the chimney was.

Then they had photographs of the Zane Grey era, period of time.

We have, actually, a number of those from the outside.

So they had a pretty good idea of where things needed to go.

- So you mentioned the chimney earlier.

I'm seeing these really, really cool drawings.

What are these right here?

- Well, Zane Grey was very, very intrigued by the Native Americans.

And he also, one of the people that traveled with him frequently was a lady named Lillian Wilhelm.

She was an artist, but she also was a cousin of his wife.

And so Lillian was the one that actually painted on the fireplace.

- [Ike] And, of course, there's a replica of Grey's writing chair.

- Well, that is one of 12.

- One of one of 12?

- He wanted to be comfortable when he was writing.

His wife wanted to make sure he was comfortable when he was writing.

So, over time, they had 12 different Morris chairs scattered in all of his homes, on wheels.

So if you take where this original cabin was, those windows right there would be facing south.

So that would actually have been where he would've been riding most of the time.

But he would move from one window to the next to get the natural light.

His portrayal of women, they're just very, very tough ladies.

And I think he wrote for women, in a sense, just because he liked women, he respected women, and there's always tough women in his books, just about all of them.

- Nearly 100 years since leaving Arizona, Grey is still arguably the king of the Western novel, and the Payson area's most famous resident, while his beloved Rim country is as magical as ever.

(mellow music) (music scratching to a halt) We interrupt our hiking and biking to bring you pies.

Look, I love adventuring.

I love seeing what's out there.

Let's check out that sign right there.

(lively music) - See, we have a lot of motorcyclists, bicyclists, hikers trail runners, camping people, and they all want something to go pretty quick.

So I thought, well, let's do empanadas.

They're portable, they're delicious.

They taste great even later.

And you can take 'em with you anywhere.

(lively music continuing) Dough is made fresh here, fillings are made here.

And even though we're so very small, we're able to pump out a lot of really delicious empanadas.

(lively music continuing) Top five, okay.

Mountain Mama.

Chicken Pot Pie.

It's a classic chicken pot pie, but with the best part wrapped all the way around the crust.

For sweet, I love the Lemon Bar.

Also, the Apple Dulce de Leche.

And then we've got some really hardy ones, like Mountain Man, that has potatoes and sausage.

And then the breakfast ones are great.

We have about 23, 24 varieties.

(lively music continuing) - Can I get the Mountain Baby?

- You got it!

(lively music continuing) - Let's go hit the trails now!

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

(lively guitar music continuing) 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.

- [Announcer] Albertson's, 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 Albertson's 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.