The Arizona Copper Art Museum tells a genuine story, one that marries Arizona’s greatest treasure with world legends and fantastic art by returning copper home to where it all began.
The Story of Copper Starting in towns like Clarkdale, the copper leaves the area and then blossoms into an amazing story of the worlds’ most beautiful metal. It is told through a wonderful idea of combining history and stunning artifacts into truly enjoyable exhibits.
The Copper State Join us and see a proper tribute to the Centennial of Arizona, and find out why Arizona is nicknamed the Copper State.
What’s Here A massive and incomparable collection of over 5000 works of copper art and architecture of Western European and Northern American emphasis, spanning from 3500 B.C. to present day.
Amazing Galleries Easily equivalent to most large city museum collections although purposely located in Clarkdale to connect with Arizona’s copper foundation.
The Out of Africa Wildlife Park is a popular destination, especially in the Spring and Fall. The Wildlife Park is located on Highway 260, between Cottonwood and Camp Verde. Out of Africa Wildlife Park strives to educate and entertain, to provide an exciting and engaging opportunity to love and respect creation and Creator. It is a place where family and friends gather to experience oneness with animals and each other during safaris, tours, walks, observations, and shows of wild-by-nature animals in their own, natural splendor.
Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, Arizona
About the Park Regular Hours Mon-Fri: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Sat-Sun: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
The admissions window closes at 4:00 pm We are only closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Phone 928.567.2840
There’s also a Zipline!
The Predator Zipline!
Add a little sizzle to your general admission park adventure with a thrilling ride down the Predator zip line. This bundle-and-save offer is just the right blend of a fabulous day at the wildlife park topped off with a one-of-a-kind zip ride on the Preditor.
The Predator Zipline features three parallel lines, meaning you can zip alongside two of your friends as you whisk overtop majestic animals. Measuring over 1,000 feet in length, the Racing Raptor is the perfect exclamation point to add to your visit to Out of Africa Wildlife Park!
No experience needed. The Predator is safe, it’s fun, and it happens every day following the exciting Tiger Splash™ show. You pick your day to visit, and we’ll take care of the rest! Enjoy the park during regular business hours (9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and be ready to zip at 2:00 p.m.
Northwest of the valley, the exceptional beauty of Sycamore Canyon is available for those willing to spend an hour driving well-maintained dirt roads.
Photograph by Ron Chilston | https://jeromephotos.com | All Rights Reserved
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness encompasses the second largest canyon in Arizona’s red rock country and was designated a wilderness area in 1972. A lesser known, but equally scenic, cousin of Oak Creek Canyon, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness contains more than 50,000 acres of colorful cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and one of the world’s rarest habitats, a desert riparian area.
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Location & Trails
Trails in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Sycamore Canyon Northeast Trail System on the Coconino National Forest Flagstaff Ranger District. Sycamore Canyon Southeast Trails on the Coconino National Forest Red Rock Ranger District. Trails on the western side of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness on the Prescott National Forest. Sycamore Rim Trail on the Kaibab National Forest.
Managed by four separate ranger districts of three different National Forests, this wilderness has plenty to offer. Wildlife viewers will enjoy trying to spy black bears, mountain lions, ringtail cats, and javelina, along with enjoying the singing of canyon wrens and hermit thrushes. Hikers and backpackers have a choice of 15 trails to explore. Try to find the picturesque lair of another of the canyon’s historic residents, the American cowboy, on Taylor Cabin Trail. The Sycamore Rim Trail (Kaibab National Forest) skirts the canyon’s upper reaches through an area of secluded pools and tall forests, while Parson’s Trail meanders up a fertile desert riparian area, a habitat as rare as it is productive.
Wilderness areas are rare, wild places set aside by Congress where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a natural haven for humans to escape modern civilization and for nature to be itself. To help minimize human impacts in wilderness and maintain its character, several laws and regulations have been put in place and we ask visitors practice “Leave No Trace Ethics.”
Attractions: Wilderness solitude, trails for hiking and horseback riding, red rocks, pinnacles, buttes and arches, photography & wildlife viewing, swimming, and fishing, history (Native American ruins, historic cabins).
Yet another must see is the Clemenceau Heritage Museum in Cottonwood. The Clemenceau Heritage Museum preserves and displays the artifacts and heritage, written, oral and living, of the Verde Valley. The Clemenceau Public School was constructed in 1923-24 by James, (Rawhide Jimmy) Douglas of the United Verde Extension Copper Company.
Photo by Beaches on Location
The Clemenceau Heritage Museum opened in November 1991, occupying former classrooms of the Clemenceau School. It was (and is) a labor of love and dedication on the part of the Verde Historical Society, whose members put in countless volunteer hours to make the museum a reality, and who continue to staff and maintain it, ensuring the continued preservation of the history of the Verde Valley.
The town of Clemenceau was originally named Verde. It was founded in 1917 by James Douglas as a company town to house workers for his nearby United Verde Extension (UVX) copper smelter. Since other towns by the same name already existed in Arizona, the post office requested the name be changed. It was renamed Clemenceau after French Premier, Georges Clemenceau, a good friend of Douglas.
In addition to houses for the workers, the town offered a company store, clubhouse with tennis courts, bank, boarding house, drugstore, gazebo, and a fine school, which also served children of nearby Cottonwood.
UVX’s copper mining declined in the 1930’s. By the end of 1937, the smelter closed, and the town began losing its businesses and most of its population. When Cottonwood incorporated in 1960, Clemenceau and the Clemenceau Airport were annexed, becoming part of the City of Cottonwood.
With the exception of the school, the bank/post office and a few of the support buildings for the smelter, nothing remains of the original town of Clemenceau.
A small map of the Clemenceau Heritage Museum
Hours of Operation: Tuesday & Wednesday 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon Friday & Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
The office may be contacted on Tuesday mornings 9:00-12:00
Dead Horse Ranch State Park is located adjacent to and across the Verde River from the community of Cottonwood.
Fishing from the dock at Dead Horse State Park
The story of the park’s name begins with the Ireys family, who came to Arizona from Minnesota looking for a ranch to buy in the late 1940’s. At one of the ranches, they discovered a large dead horse lying by the road. After two days of viewing ranches, Dad Ireys asked the kids which ranch they liked the best. The kids said, “the one with the dead horse, dad!” The Ireys family chose the name Dead Horse Ranch and later, in 1973, when Arizona State Parks acquired the park, the Ireys made retaining the name a condition of sale.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park celebrated its official grand opening with a dedication ceremony held on June 1, 1977.
Park and Facility Hours The park is open year-round. Gates close at dark. Seasonal hours may apply.
Day Use 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily
Visitor Center/Park Store 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily
Park Entrance Fee Per vehicle (1-4 Adults): $7.00 Individual/bicycle: $3.00
The Blazin’ M Ranch is located at 1875 Mabery Ranch Road in Cottonwood, about 5 minutes from the Verde Canyon Railroad. The Blazin M Ranch is a must see for the entire family! Step back in time for a great outing that’s sure to be enjoyed by adventurers of all ages including dinner shows and so much more.
The Blazin’ M Ranch has provided visitors to Arizona an Old West experience to remember. Featuring a mouth-waterin’ BBQ chicken and ribs chuckwagon supper followed by a toe-tappin, knee-slappin’ hour-long Western stage production by award-winning musicians, it is a must-do attraction during your visit to the Sedona/Verde Valley region.
Arrive in plenty of time before dinner to enjoy the Western town featuring a museum, Old-Tyme photo studio, shooting gallery, ropin’ lessons, tractor pull, saloon and Western shops that line the boardwalk.
The gates of this Frontier Town open at 5:00pm. You’ll find a real western saloon, axe throwing, bull riding, wagon rides, shopping, ropin lessons, and other fun activities for people of all ages! At 6:30pm, we ring the dinner bell and serve up a delicious Chicken & Rib Dinner with home-made biscuits, prickly pear coleslaw, and a baked potato, all served with Iced Tea, Lemonade and Water! Then at 7:30, after a scrumptious dessert, the lights dim, and the Western Stage Show begins! The Blazin’ M Wranglers play an array of western hits, including songs by Chris Stapleton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Rogers, Bob Willis & The Texas Playboys, and a few of their own!
Tuzigoot is also located in Clarkdale and can be found on the road to old town Cottonwood. From the Sinagua culture who built this pueblo centuries ago, to the out of work miners who helped excavate in the 1930’s, to the folks who still hold the site sacred today, Tuzigoot is about people.
Tuzigoot National Monument, which includes Tavasci Marsh, is a fee area. Unless you have or qualify for any national park passes, the standard entrance fee is $10 per adult ages 16 and up. Everyone must check in at the visitor center before exploring the park. standard hours of operation are 8:00 am to 4:45 pm.
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve the Park is closed at 1:45 pm. We are CLOSED December 25th and January 1st.
Your receipt from Tuzigoot National Monument also gets you entrance into Montezuma Castle National Monument for 7 days.
A self-guided, 1/3 mile loop trail leads you around and through the Tuzigoot pueblo, a 110-room village built around a thousand years ago. The pueblo trail also offers outstanding views of the Verde River and Tavasci Marsh. Another 1/2 mile trail (1 mile round trip), takes you to an overlook of Tavasci Marsh. Both of these trails are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, though the pueblo trail has some steep sections that may be challenging. Check out a full list of things to do at Tuzigoot National Monument.
Dogs, on leashes not longer than 6 feet, are welcome on the park’s trails. Pet owners must clean up after their animals.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is also located in Clarkdale, not far from the Clarkdale Lodge! From the VCR website:
From the moment you step foot on one of our meticulously refurbished train cars you and your family will feel like you’ve been transported to a simpler, more leisurely time before all the distractions and annoyances of our modern world. Breathe deep, order a drink and relax as you glide along on a 4-hour, 20-mile journey through 100 years of history while still enjoying modern creature comforts like climate control, comfortable seating and thoughtful decor.
They have been selling cactus for more than 20 years, whether it’s native outdoor cactus or cactus for inside the home. It is the only cactus store like it in Northern Arizona!
Physical Address: 1011 Wildhorse Ln. Clarkdale, AZ 86326
Normal business hours: 9-5 Daily We are closed Christmas Eve and Christmas day New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
