Superstition Mountain rises 3,000 feet out of the desert near Apache Junction, about a 45-minute drive east of downtown Phoenix. The iconic mountain and surrounding Superstition wilderness is flush with hiking trails that will get you up close and personal with desert plant and animal life. If you're looking to stay in the area, try Gold Canyon Golf Resort, which features two 18-hole golf courses and lodging in rooms and suites along the golf course. Available amenities in the resort's rooms and suites include private patios, gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, refrigerators, cable TVs and bars. The area surrounding Superstition Mountain includes small towns with restaurants and shops, abandoned ghost towns and gated communities. Just north of the mountain are boating and fishing opportunities at Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake.
Gold Canyon Golf Resort
6100 S. Kings Ranch Road
Gold Canyon, AZ 85218
480-982-9090
gcgr.com
The White Mountains in northeastern Arizona provide an array of opportunities for the outdoor-minded traveler. Located 220 miles east of Phoenix, the White Mountains offer a little something for everyone--stocked lakes for fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing at Sunrise Ski Area, hiking and horseback riding on hundreds of trails, and secluded areas for wildlife viewing. The towns of Greer, Pinetop, Show Low, Lakeside, Eagar and Springerville provide easy access to the White Mountains and all have restaurants, hotels and cabins. If you want to stay near the White Mountains, get close to nature at the Greer Lodge Resort & Cabins, which offers a variety of cabin rentals that include luxury and dog-friendly models. The resort's lodge rooms will get you within walking distance to the Little Colorado River, and include amenities such as two-person whirlpool tubs, king beds and hand-hewn log walls.
Greer Lodge Resort & Cabins
44 Main St.
Greer, AZ 85927
928-735-7216
greerlodgeaz.com
Mount Graham is in the Pinaleno Mountain Range in southeastern Arizona, 147 miles northeast of Tucson and about 90 miles west of the New Mexico border. The mountain, which reaches a height of 10,720 feet, is home to the University of Arizona's astrophysical research site, Mount Graham International Observatory. For a scenic tour of the mountain range, drive the Swift Trail's switchbacks to 9,000 feet, taking in diverse plant and wildlife along the way. There are also hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, picnicking areas, and boating and fishing at Riggs Lake. For an outdoor vacation adventure, check out Arcadia Campground off Arizona Route 366 in Safford. The campground has 19 tree-shaded sites with accommodations for tent and RV campers, picnic tables, fire grills and vault toilets. The campground does not have water, however, so bring your own.
Coronado National Forest
300 W. Congress St.
Tucson, AZ 85701
520-388-8300
