WHERE AND HOW TO EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Watson Lake. Photo by Ted Grussing.
VISIT WATSON LAKE
Like much of Northern Arizona, Prescott beckons with plenty of ways to explore the great outdoors. There’s a long list of stunning places, but Watson Lake stands out. Located about 10 minutes from downtown Prescott, Watson’s Lake most striking features are the Granite Dells. These uniquely shaped rocks – they can almost look like jagged teeth – are millions of years old. They’re even pictured on the cover. You can hike, boat, fish, kayak, rock climb, camp and even picnic during the day here. No matter what you do, though, don’t miss Watson Lake and its signature granite dells.
Thumb Butte Trail. Photo courtesy of Prescott National Forest.
TAKE A HIKE
Prescott offers many hiking trails. Although there are too many to list them all, here are a few highlights. The trailhead for the Prescott Peavine Trailhead is just steps away from Watson Lake and skirts around this iconic body of water. The hike features plenty of Prescott scenery like expansive blue skies, Granite Dells and Watson Lake. After rain, you might just hear nearby Granite Creek babbling. It’s also relatively flat – this follows the path a historic railroad once took – and is a great trail for mountain biking. At around mile three, see the “point of rocks” where you can see a carved out place in a rock cluster where a train once passed through. Not long after the “point of rocks,” you’ll reach a fork in the road. Turn right onto the Iron King Railroad Trail.
Thumb Butte Trail. Photo courtesy of Prescott National Forest.
This trail features signs of the trail’s past as a railroad path. You’ll even spot a railroad crossing X sign and train cars that serve as mile makers. Granite Mountain Trail is a roughly 8-mile, out-and-back trail. You’ll ascend more than 1,500 feet if you decide to tackle this one. Your reward for that tough jaunt? Sweeping views of all of Prescott. Thumb Butte is another iconic Prescott trail.
Prescott Courthouse Plaza. Photo by An Pham, courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
CHECK OUT DOWNTOWN PRESCOTT
Downtown Prescott is chock full of plenty of unique shops, restaurants and museums. We love to start Prescott trips at the Yavapai Courthouse, the heart of downtown. The historic white courthouse is surrounded by benches, trees and a gazebo that makes for a great photo opp. Many of the buildings have a charming, historic feel to them.
Downtown Prescott. Photo by An Pham, courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
Whiskey Row is one of the most historic areas of town. Find a variety of saloons like Matt’s Saloon, Jersey Lilly and the Bird Cage that are all great places to grab a drink. The Old Firehouse Plaza’s name says it all. All the shops here are located in a former firehouse. Find a variety of fine cheeses and wine at the Back Alley Cheese Company, handcrafted confections all made by Tracy Taylor at Black Butterfly Artisan Chocolates and Neapolitan pizza made by a chef hailing from Naples, Italy, at Limoncello. Housed in a brick building, Prescott Candle Company is known for creating inventive candles in inventive scents like Fruit Loops, Champagne and bread pudding.
Van Gogh’s Ear.
GET INSPIRED BY PRESCOTT’S ART GALLERIES
Prescott is home to some high-quality art galleries. Find contemporary pieces at Van Gogh’s Ear, Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art and Arts Prescott Gallery. All three are located along Whiskey Row. The Prescott Center for the Arts includes a gallery where you can find gifts made by local artists. Founded in 1949, the Mountain Artists Guild was formed to support the visual arts community the Prescott. The building is located just a few blocks from downtown and features work from mostly local artists.
Sharlot M. Hall Museum. Photo courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
VISIT THE CITY’S MUSEUMS
There’s plenty of cultural destinations in Prescott. The open-air Sharlot Hall Museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of Sharlot M. Hall, a woman who sought to preserve Arizona’s history. Find
historic buildings and lushly landscaped grounds on this museum’s four-acre campus. See the historic pine-log governor’s mansion, a replica of Prescott’s first one-room school aptly named The School House, learn more about pre-historic times in the area and view an exhibit that’s all about baskets made by Native Americans.
Phippen Museum.
The Phippen Museum is named after George Phippen. George was a local artist and the first president of the Cowboy Artists of America. His friends, family and artists raised public funds to develop a Western museum that opened its doors to the public in 1984. Today, the museum has a variety of permanent and rotating collections. See pictures of the members of the Arizona Rancher & Cowboy Hall of Fame, learn more about the history of the cowgirl, and see paintings created by Ray Swanson, who was known for depicting various Native American tribes.
Museum of Indigenous People.
See exhibits focusing on pre-historic, historic and contemporary Native American cultural artifacts at the Museum of Indigenous People, formerly the Smoki Museum. Housed in a stone building constructed during the Depression-era, find rugs, paintings, pottery and Native American games, among many other items.
Kalusa Collection.
Our favorite quirky museum in the area is the Kalusa Collection, which features the largest collection of miniature airplanes in the world. See a staggering 5,825 models of preflight, private, commercial, military and rocket artifacts. Find this museum at the Hazy Library on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Best of all? Admission is free.
The Barley Hound.
WHERE TO EAT
Prescott’s dining scene is vibrant. From fine dining establishments to casual eateries, here are four great Prescott restaurants. For more than 30 years, Prescott Papa’s Italian Restaurant has served home-cooked Italian fare. The restaurant is best known for its pasta and pizza. Pizza dough is made fresh, and pomodoro sauce is crafted daily at this family-owned downtown Prescott restaurant. Diners also can dig into meat lasagna, manicotti, ravioli and eggplant parmigiana. El Gato Azul might just be Prescott’s quirkiest restaurant. From its bold blue front door to charming outdoor patio, everything about El Gato Azul exudes charm. The food menu features a diverse menu. Find a wide variety of tapas like Cajun corndogs, fried green tomatoes and island pork bruschetta. All dishes are made to order.
The Barley Hound.
The Barley Hound is a gastropub with a dog-friendly patio where it’s nice to sit when the weather’s good. The Barley Hound serves brunch, lunch and dinner. Brunch fare includes fried green tomato eggs Benedict, French toast and chorizo and black bean breakfast tacos. One of the most unique dining establishments in town is Superstition Meadery.
The Barley Hound.
Mead is water fermented with honey and other added ingredients. Superstition Meadery has made 300 meads and hard ciders since 2012. Find inventive flavors like Blueberry Spaceship Box, Blackberry Hex and Mango Quadrille. Diners can even order flights of 12 if they’d like to sample a plethora of cider and mead. They can pair their cider and mead with some tapas like baked brie, pesto flatbread and charcuterie board.
Hassayampa Hotel. Photo by An Pham, courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
WHERE TO STAY
If you’re looking to stay overnight in Prescott to explore the city, here are three lodging options. Located in downtown Prescott, you can’t miss the red brick building that’s home to the Hassayampa Inn. The hotel features 67 guestrooms and 12 suites. The inn opened in 1927, and modern-day visitors will see those historic details all over the hotel. Even if you’re not staying here, be sure to pop in the lobby to check it out. The lobby features a shoe shine station, tile floors, hand-painted wood ceiling, a piano and an historic elevator that all nod to the past. If you need a reason to pop in, from 6 to 11 a.m., grab an espresso-based drink from The Territorial Café. Every fourth Sunday of the month, enjoy afternoon tea at the hotel. According to the hotel’s website, the likes of Will Rogers, Georgia O’Keeffe, D.H. Lawrence, Clark Gable and Greta Garbo have all stayed here.
Prescott Pines Inn. Photo by Medina Hospitality, courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
Just over one mile from downtown, the Prescott Pines Inn sits on one acre and is surrounded by pine trees near the creek. The charming inn is spread across five buildings and features 11 guest rooms. Each room comes with a private porch so guests can soak up the outdoor scenery the inn is surrounded by. A creek even runs behind the property and adds to the rustic charm. A wine bar stocking Arizona, California and European wines is slated to open in the main house in the spring of 2023. Drive up to the Prescott Resort and Conference Center, and take in the majestic views from the top. The back of the property features a spacious outdoor patio where you can soak up those impressive, sweeping vistas. The 160 rooms are contemporary and have private balconies. The hotel is also home to a casino, an indoor heated pool in addition to a salon and spa. Room renovations and changes to the hotel’s main restaurant are in the works.
