Latitudes with Lucy

Living in Phoenix, Arizona summers are known for being brutally hot. Fortunately, there are places you can escape the heat, and these outdoor activities actually have me looking forward to summer.

1. Float/paddle the Salt River
2. Take a weekend trip to the Mogollon Rim or the White Mountains
3. Hike and swim in Sedona
4. Take a dip at Fossil Creek or Fossil Springs

Float/paddle the Salt River

Floating the Salt River just east of Mesa is a summer tradition for many locals. Most people float the river in tubes, which you can do yourself or through Salt River Tubing company. I prefer to rent a paddleboard, so I have control over steering and the freedom to stay dry on my board or take a dip. There are a few fast spots on the river for which a paddle is helpful.

There are various access points to the river. For a half day paddling the river, put in at Blue Point and exit at Phon D Sutton. The river can get rough past Coon Bluff, so tubes should exit at Goldfield.

There are plenty of beach areas to pull off for a picnic. There’s a cliff jumping spot, the Mud Cliffs, just before Goldfield. The river depth varies by season, so proceed with caution!

Watch for wild horses on the river, but don’t get too close! Horses are most common around Coon Bluff, after the tubes exit the river.

Take a weekend trip to the Mogollon Rim or the White Mountains

Escape the desert heat at high elevation. These places are ideal for camping, hiking, and other outdoor recreation during summer.

The Mogollon Rim is a plateau that divides Arizona between a desert and a ponderosa pine forest. For a classic Mogollon Rim trip, take Highway 260 east from Payson up the dramatic cliffs. There are plenty of developed and dispersed campgrounds around the Mogollon Rim, with sites in the forest, near lakes, and along the cliff’s edge (if you’re lucky). Read my full guide to visiting Payson, Arizona.

The White Mountains are Arizona’s second highest mountain range, after the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. I think it’s the greenest place in Arizona. Greer is my ideal base for a weekend in the White Mountains, as it’s close to my favorite hiking trails and Big Lake. Read my full guide for a weekend in the White Mountains.

Hike and swim in Sedona

Sedona is in the high desert, so expect daytime temperatures in the 90s (~32 – 37°C) from June-August. Beat the heat with an early morning hike, and cool off at a swimming hole in the afternoon. Midday hiking is still dangerously hot in summer, so prepare accordingly! Read tips for hiking during summer in Arizona.

Sedona has many great hiking trails to choose from; read my Sedona hiking guide. Crescent Ranch and Grasshopper Point are great swimming holes with minimal hiking required.

Take a dip at Fossil Creek or Fossil Springs

Fossil Creek is a beautiful, clear blue creek unlike anywhere else in Arizona. The day-use area is accessed from Camp Verde. There are several parking areas along the creek, and you can hike upstream to a waterfall.

It’s a long washboard road to Fossil Creek. High clearance is recommended. If you drive a sedan (like me), you can still access Fossil Springs, the headwaters for Fossil Creek, via an 8-mile hike called Bob Bear. The final mile of the drive to Bob Bear trailhead is unpaved, but it’s well-maintained for a sedan.

The Bob Bear hike is tough, especially in the summer heat, so prepare accordingly! Pro Tip: Go in the afternoon! I hiked down midday in June, enjoyed the water during the hottest part of the afternoon, and left a couple hours before sunset. The creek was crowded with swimmers when we arrived, but we had the whole place to ourselves by 5pm. Plus, the trail was shady in the late evening, making the uphill hike far less painful.

Fossil Creek and Fossil Springs both require permits from April-September: Fossil Creek Permits; Bob Bear Permits.

---

Late summer is monsoon season in Arizona. Watch out for flash floods and dust storms (haboobs) in the desert! These weather phenomena are dangerous and beautiful.