Northeast Arizona Vacation

March 30 to April 1, 20120--Bill took Friday off, and some friends and family members watched the kids, and we took a three-day vacation. We visited a bunch of different sites in Northeastern Arizona. Most of the places we went were visiting family history sites of Bill's mother's family. We enjoyed beautiful weather, sleeping in, and spending time together. We stayed at a bed and breakfast (Heritage Inn) in Snowflake for both nights. Friday we spent the morning driving to Snowflake. We stopped for lunch in Showlow and spent the afternoon visiting various sites in Snowflake (the Jesse N Smith Monument and House, Snowflake museum, and Snowflake cemetery). We planned to attend a session at the Snowflake Temple, but they were closed for maintenance the whole time we were there. But we spent the evening trying Snowflakes renowned restaurants and watching a movie. Saturday we spent the morning in the Petrified Forest National Park, near Holbrook. We spent the afternoon driving to St. John's (hometown of Bill's Grandma LaMell Farr Ashcroft) and Eager (hometown of Bill's Grandpa Henry Ashcroft). The towns were very small, with not much to see. We did check out the cemeteries and found a few of Bill's ancestors.On the way back to Snowflake we stopped in Pinetop for dinner and to see a movie at the theater. After the desert-y and small-ish towns of Snowflake, St. John's and Eager, Pinetop was lovely. It was well kept up and surrounded by pine forests. Sunday we drove home through Payson, stopping at the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park on our way home.

The view between Globe and Showlow

 Snowflake

The Jesse N. Smith House in Snowflake. Jesse and his wife, Augusta Maria Outzen are Bill's great-great grandparents. They were one of the original Snowflake settlers and Jesses was the first Snowflake Stake President.

The Jesse N. Smith Monument

The Snowflake Temple

Petrified Forest National Park

Although it wasn't an actual forest, but more of a barren desert, there were still lots of interesting things to see at this park. There were lots of petrified trees from what once was, millions of years ago, a tropical rain forest.  

There were some pretty cool rock formations.

There also was an area of ruins from an past Native American town as well as petroglyphs on nearby rocks. These were from a civilization about 700-900 years ago.

Also inside the park is a "monument" celebrating where the Historic Route 66 used to run. Although parts of Route 66 are still drivable, here it was just nothing but grass and shrubs.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

This is one of the worlds largest natural bridges. We hiked down one side, made our way under the bridge and waterfall on very slippery rocks, and hiked back out the other side. It was very beautiful and an amazing natural creation.