Photo by Art Holeman downtown Wickenburg

whether you’re rolling in for a day or relaxing for a week, Wickenburg is the perfect place
for your inner cowboy to saddle up.

Two votes. That’s all Wickenburg needed in 1866 to become the territorial capital. Just two more votes. Instead, Wickenburg remained a true Western boomtown, flourishing from its silver-, copper- and gold-mining efforts. In fact, the town is named after its most successful miner, Henry Wickenburg, who discovered Vulture Mine and the $30 million in gold it sheltered.

Together with other miners, Wickenburg residents helped settle the area in 1863 and get the town incorporated by the early 1900s. Thanks to the mostly underground Hassayampa River, they found the soil to be rich and fertile, not dry and dusty like most Western frontiers. Still, the town is marked with memories typical of the wild, wild West: Indian wars, rampant lawlessness, hangings and a devastating flood in 1890 all foreshadowed the town’s demise.

With the tough cowboy spirit the town still embodies, Wickenburg continued to grow, and today it sits on the outskirts of Phoenix as one of the most quaint, family friendly towns in the state. Whether you’re taking a weekend jaunt to rummage for antiques or an extended stay to find your inner cowboy/girl, there’s plenty in Wickenburg to whet your appetite for all things Western.

So dig out that bola tie (it was invented here, after all) and saddle up the family for  an unforgettable vacation.

top right photo by art holeman; bottom photos courtesy rancho de los caballeros (2) Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Stay and Play
Anyone who’s wild about Wickenburg will tell you that a trip to this town just isn’t complete without a stay at the casual, comfy Rancho de los Caballeros.

The resort is gearing up for its 62nd season, and when it opens October 16, hordes of couples and families will flock here to explore the desert, enjoy myriad outdoor activities and chow down on three hearty meals per day (included in your room rate).

Families who come here do so for generations, probably due to the fact that you can do so much without ever having to leave the resort. As part of your stay at the ranch, you can choose from horseback riding, golf, tennis lessons, hot air balloon rides, trap-and-skeet shooting, guided nature hikes and bird-watching expeditions. And those are just the daytime activities; nighttime plays host to cowboy cookouts under the stars, line dancing and live music in the lounge, and marshmallow roasting for the kids.

The ranch is very kid-friendly, offering a full host of children’s activities through the Caballeros Kids’ Program, which allows parents to enjoy some quiet time while staff keeps your little ones busy. (Individual baby sitters also are on hand for guests.)

If you’ve come for relaxation, not recreation, the ranch spa is a must. Just a short jaunt from your suite, the spa offers numerous desert-inspired body treatments sure to soothe your summer-scorched body. For the ultimate spa sampler, book the Desert Labyrinth Ritual. This four-hour experience  starts with a stroll through the onsite labyrinth, followed by tea service, a Hohokam massage, a Desert Pearl facial and an invigorating mani-pedi ($325).

Even curling up with a good book is indulgent here. The Southwest-inspired suites are adorned with cozy Mexican furnishings, Saltillo tile, Kiva fireplaces and spacious patios that offer picture-perfect panoramas of more than 100 miles of surrounding desert. If you can’t unwind here, you may need professional help.

And if you need a bit of hand holding when planning your stay at the ranch, there are plenty of affordable packages available during the season, which runs through early May. (Check sunc.com for current rates and packages.)


Walking Wickenburg
Known for its clean air, cool temperatures (compared with the Valley) and wide open skies that would make Montana jealous, Wickenburg is a simple town that offers simple pleasures.

A stroll along its main strip will lead you past plenty of Western-décor stores, art galleries and antique shops, all of which are bordered by authentic hitching posts left over from the town’s cowboy-rich past.

Shopping gems abound here as well. The Mandolin Store, for instance, sells gorgeous handmade mandolins and guitars. Even if you’re not in the market for one of these beauties, it’s worth stopping by to check out owner Dennis Vance’s craftmanship.

Other “can’t misses” include the Desert Caballeros Western Museum for a visually stunning history lesson on the Southwest, and a performance at the renowned Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts (whose upcoming season runs November 1 through April 8).

On a more seasonal basis, kids and adults will delight in lantern-lit walking tours of Wickenburg’s supposedly haunted surroundings this fall. Upcoming community events include the annual Fiesta de Septiembre (September 5) to honor the town’s Hispanic heritage and the Fly-In and Classic Car Show on October 10.

If all you do while in town is pop into the retro Chaparral Homemade Ice Cream  shop for a scoop of sherbet, or join the masses at Anita’s Cocina for some of the best chile rellenos in the state, you won’t be sorry.

Scratch that. There’s one more must-do item on your Wickenburg itinerary.

Photo by Ashlea Deahl The Mandolin Store’s custom mandolins and guitars

A River Runs Through It
A river runs under it would be more precise. For most of the 100 miles it meanders through the desert, the Hassayampa River flows underground, leaving only pockets of pristine riparian areas that, at times, resemble mere streams or puddles.

Still, a visit to the Hassayampa River Preserve rewards with peaceful hikes through lush surroundings and plenty of opportunities to spot native wildlife, which includes bobcats, javelina, and scores of colorful birds and rare raptors. Stop by the preserve’s visitor center for educational tips on the area, then set out along one of the river bed’s easy trails, which guide you through soaring cottonwoods, wilting willows and mighty mesquites. Docent-led walks also are available through the visitor center and are highly recommended for those who enjoy insightful commentary along the way. (Call 928-684-2772 for more information.)

You may be surprised by how verdant the floodplain actually is, but then again, Wickenburg is full of surprises.


GUIDEBOOK

Photo courtesy Art Holeman a heaping strawberry sundae at Chaparral Homemade Ice Cream

The Basics
Elevation 2,071 feet
Temperatures September: 96/60;
October: 86/48; November: 74/38

Sleep & Stay
Rancho de los Caballeros
1151 S. Vulture Mine Road, Wickenburg
928-684-5484 or 800-684-5030, sunc.com.
Call for current rates; the 2009-2010
season runs October 16 through early May.

Eat & Drink
Anita’s Cocina
57 N. Valentine St., 928-684-5777
Chaparral Homemade Ice Cream
45 N. Tegner St., 928-684-3252

Activities & Shopping
Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts
2001 W. Wickenburg Way, Ste. 3,
928-684-6624, delewebbcenter.org.
The 2009-2010 season runs November 1 through April 8.

Desert Caballeros Western Museum
21 N. Frontier St., 928-684-2272,
westernmuseum.org

Hassayampa River Preserve
The Nature Conservancy Visitor Center
49614 N. US Highway 60, 928-684-2772. The center is open through September 16, Friday to Sunday, from 7 to 11 a.m. (trails close at 10:30 a.m.); September 17 through mid-May, Wednesday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (trails close at 4:30 p.m.)

The Mandolin Store
869 W. Wickenburg Way, 928-684-0212, themandolinstore.com

Information
Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
216 N. Frontier St., 928-684-5479,
wickenburgchamber.com