Photos by Mare Czinar Sunflowers, Springerville Volcanic Field

Pack a lunch, grab a blanket and escape the heat by heading to one of Arizona’s cool mountain meadows.


For geology buffs
MIMA MOUNDS, Springerville

One of the enduring mysteries of White Mountain geology is the origin of the mima mounds. Rodents, imbedded root systems and creatures from outer space all have been credited with making these roundish, 2- to 9-foot-high lumps of gravel in the meadows surrounding 10,134-foot Greens Peak, the high point of the Springerville Volcanic Field.

The prevailing theory is that these curious geological features are remnants of a glacial ice field that receded some 25,000 years ago, leaving behind a landscape that smacks more of Iceland than Arizona.

Elevation: 9,000–10,134 feet

Getting there: From Show Low, go east on State Route 260 to Forest Road 117, located near milepost 380 roughly one mile past the sign for Railroad Grade trailhead.  Turn left (north) on FR 117 and go 2.7 miles to FR 61, veer left and continue 1.1 miles to FR 61C. You may park here and stroll out to the meadows, or continue 1.25 miles up FR 61C to the top of Greens Peak for expansive views of cinder cone-dotted meadows.   Roads are maintained gravel.

View of Hart Prairie

Rent-a-meadow
MLY RANCH, near Greer

Want a meadow all to yourself? Then a stay at the MLY ranch cabins is just the ticket. Located near the mima mounds site, these rustic log dwellings offer plenty of creature comforts with easy access to fishing, picnic areas and streamside hiking. The cabins look out onto acres of sunny meadows just yards from the South Fork of the Little Colorado River, where antelope and deer are frequent visitors at dawn and dusk.

Elevation: 7,400 feet

Getting there: From SR 373 in Greer, go 5 miles east on SR 260 to CR 4124 near milepost 390. Go south (right) 2.2 miles to the cabins.
 

For nature lovers
HART PRAIRIE PRESERVE,
The Nature Conservancy, Flagstaff

Before the arrival of European settlers on the western slopes of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Mountain, Hart Prairie was a healthy patchwork of meadows, willow-cluttered wetlands, rings of aspens and a smattering of pines where regular, low-intensity, natural fires and a community of top-tier predators helped keep the ecological balance in check. Over the past hundred years, the effects of altered hydrology, fire suppression, and the introduction of invasive plants and non-indigenous animals have transformed the landscape.

In 1994, private landowners donated 245 acres of Hart Prairie along with an historic lodge and guest cabins to The Nature Conservancy. Since then, the nonprofit organization has set out to restore the alpine meadows to their former natural state through creative collaboration with the forest service, local landowners and other conservation groups.

This ambitious restoration project is a work in progress and is open to visitors only through guided nature walks offered every Sunday from June 13 to October 10 (except September 12). The 90-minute walks are easy and cover topics such as topography, willow biology and wet meadow dynamics.

Elevation: 8,500 feet

Getting there:  Tour groups meet at 10 a.m. at the Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center, 1000 N. Humphreys St., at the southwest corner by the guardrail. Reservations are not required. Participants must wear sturdy shoes and bring sun protection, rain gear and plenty of water.  No pets or food are allowed in the preserve.  

Fees: Tours are free; however, donations are appreciated.