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Here’s the best Arizona road trip to take this fall: Wineries, hikes, train rides and more – The Arizona Republic

Roger Naylor  |  Special for The Republic

All through the summer, Arizona has bounced between extremes — going from record-breaking heat to a deluge of monsoon storms.

Fortunately, fall is not a season prone to anything quite that intense so, things should calm down. Autumn comforts even as it calls us outside to play. Basking under big blue skies while reveling in mild sunshine, this is a perfect time to go exploring.

For an incredible fall weekend, make the drive to the geographic center of Arizona, the Verde Valley. The wide valley stretches from Mingus Mountain to the Mogollon Rim, a lush transition zone separating desert from high country, and slashed by the winding Verde River.

Scenic small towns full of personality are sprinkled throughout the valley, just a few miles apart creating plenty of easily accessed options. Here are a few.

Out of Africa Wildlife Park

Nestled in the high desert of Camp Verde, Out of Africa Wildlife Park provides sanctuary for hundreds of exotic animals and features dozens of large predators. The preserve spreads across 100 acres of rolling terrain on the slopes of the Black Hills. The large natural habitats eliminate stress-induced behavior.

Tiger Splash is Out of Africa’s signature show. There is no training and no tricks. The daily program is spontaneous, just animals frolicking with their caretakers. Fierce tigers engage in the sort of playful activities every housecat owner will recognize. It’s just the grand scale that makes it so impressive. Visitors can also take a narrated African Bush Safari and attend the Giant Snake Show. Check the website for discounts and coupons.

Outside the park is Predator Zip Line, which offers a two- to three-hour zip line tour across five lines and a suspension bridge high above the animals. Tours are $99.95; you can save $10 by booking online. 928-567-9947, https://predatorzipline.com.

Details: 3505 W. State Route 260, Camp Verde. $38.95, $23.95 for ages 3-12. 888-878-6628, https://outofafricapark.com.

Wine tasting in Cottonwood

Not long ago, Cottonwood was a sleepy little burg with much of its small downtown sitting vacant. Everything changed when vineyards and wineries sprang up on nearby hillsides with rich volcanic soil.

Wine-tasting rooms opened, one after another, and soon restaurants, shops, galleries and boutique hotels followed. The businesses filled the Prohibition-era buildings fronted by covered sidewalks along the three blocks of Old Town.

Such a picturesque and compact setting makes Old Town Cottonwood a popular destination for lovers of wine and food since so much can be sampled without having to get into a car.

For information on all the local tasting rooms, wineries and vineyards in the region, visit Verde Valley Wine Trail at https://vvwinetrail.com.

Best Arizona wines: These are the 2020 azcentral Arizona Wine Competition winners

Traverse the streets of Jerome

Everybody knows about Jerome, the mile-high town clinging to the steep slope of Cleopatra Hill. It was once known as the Billion Dollar Mining Camp for the incredible wealth pulled from the ground.

After the mines closed it became a rickety ghost town, essentially saved by enterprising hippies who turned it into a thriving artist community with galleries, cool boutiques and memorable restaurants and bars lining its narrow, hilly streets. Hippies — is there anything they can’t do?

From the high perch of Jerome, views stretch across the Verde Valley to the sandstone cliffs of Sedona. Music spills from saloons and eateries as visitors prowl the shops, moving from one level of town to the next, pausing to read historic plaques and admire the Victorian architecture. Jerome feels cut off from the rest of the world. It’s one of those towns where it always feels like you’re on vacation.

Details: https://sedonaverdevalley.org/where-to-go/jerome.

Chase ghosts in Jerome

There’s no better way to get in the Halloween spirit than with a ghost tour in a ghost town. You can opt for traditional history tours, but when else will you have a chance to play Scooby Doo and try to track down spirits?

A handful of local tour companies offer outings of different lengths. They’ll even supply you with the necessary equipment to measure paranormal activity.

Arizona ghost-town road trip: 5 former boomtowns worth the drive

Ride the Verde Canyon Railroad

Go off-road the old-fashioned way when you climb aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad and rumble into scenic backcountry. The train departs from the station in Clarkdale and travels into a high-walled canyon carved by the Verde River.

Cottonwood trees canopy the water and turn golden in the waning fall days. Such a rich riparian habitat lures a variety of wildlife, notably eagle, hawk, heron, mule deer, javelina, coyote and beaver.

Vintage FP7 diesel locomotives provide the power. All passenger cars have panoramic windows and allow access to open-air viewing cars, where you’ll likely spend most of your time savoring fine fall days. And bonus (or maybe not, depending on your perspective) I’m the recorded narrator for the Verde Canyon Railroad. So you’ll hear me blabbing about the geology and history of the region, and even spinning a few tales.

The popular Ales on Rails runs daily from Sept. 14 to Oct. 31. It includes beer tastings, lunch and a souvenir pint glass for $125. If not participating in the Ales on Rails event, standard train fare applies — $99 per person for age 2 and over.

Details: 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale. 800-582-7245, https://verdecanyonrr.com.

All aboard! Verde Canyon Railroad: Riding the rails through Arizona’s red rocks

Hike in West Sedona

If you want to enjoy red rock scenery while avoiding some of the crowds and traffic issues, stick to a few trails on the far edge of West Sedona.

The Western Gateway Trails at the end of Cultural Park Place weave together a series of interconnected pathways across juniper-clad slopes above Dry Creek. Signs with maps at every junction make for easy navigation.

The gentle Roundabout Trail, a 2-mile loop, provides a quick introduction to the area as it branches off from the paved Centennial Trail and swings through shady woodlands and past a couple of small boulder fields. Curling back, it traces the edge of the mesa overlooking Dry Creek with views north to Cockscomb, Doe Mountain and Bear Mountain.

Hidden gems: The 5 best Sedona hikes you haven’t heard of

You can create a slightly longer loop (3.3 miles) by combining the Stirrup and Saddle Up trails. After crossing an arroyo the route climbs to the top of a plateau where the views stretch all the way to Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock at the other end of town.

If you want a little more of a workout, the Schuerman Mountain Trail can be accessed across the road from Sedona High School. It climbs at a moderate uphill slant to the top of an old volcano, now eroded into a rangy mesa.

There’s a great view of Cathedral Rock from the first overlook. It’s a 2-mile round-trip if you make this your turnaround. If you’re in a rambling mood, the trail continues across the broad back of the mountain, golden grasslands dotted with juniper and pine trees.

Details: 928-203-2900, www.fs.usda.gov/coconino.

More: These Sedona hikes run circles around the best red-rock scenery

Find the reporter at https://www.rogernaylor.com. Or follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZ or Twitter @AZRogerNaylor.

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