RV Lifestyle Beautiful, dry and sunny Arizona offers some of the Southwest’s most dramatic scenery and has long been a snowbird destination for thousands of Canadians each year, many of whom rent or have purchased winter homes here, or travel by RV. Ah, Arizona. Canada’s unofficial 11th province is a warm-weather perch for snowbirds from around North America and is one of the most popular getaway destinations in the Southwest. Home to cactus, prickly pears, rattlesnakes, the Grand Canyon, roadrunners, Apache trout, the world’s oldest rodeo and the bolo tie, the state is rich in attractions that entertain the cultured, the curious, the wild and untrammeled. Perhaps the most intriguing destination is Mesa, the third-largest city in Arizona after Phoenix and Tucson. The Maricopa County gem is a bustling city (larger than Cleveland, Atlanta or Miami) with a small-town, throwback vibe. It’s characterized by farm-totable excursions, recreational opportunities that span spectacular mountains, sprawling deserts and sparkling lakes, kitchy ghost towns and modern craft breweries. There’s a reason why Canadian snowbirds flock to Mesa each winter: with ample hiking trails, wild horses roaming the shores of the meandering Salt River and an abundance of recreational activities, Mesa is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. Located just 20 minutes from the resorts of Scottsdale, the Mesa region offers scenic vistas, superb shopping and plenty for foodies to discover. Here are 12 of my favourite Mesa must-dos. Bustling Mesa Has Something for Everyone, Especially Snowbirds Hiking Wind Cave Trail Every visit to Mesa should begin with a scenic hike, and minutes from town is the perfect place to start: Usery Mountain Regional Park. Located at the western end of the Goldfield Mountains adjacent to the Tonto National Forest, Usery is a 1,400-hectare park with nearly 50 kilometres of trails. Of these, Wind Cave Trail is indisputably its crown jewel with the highest elevation gains of any local trail (865 metres when you reach the eponymous caves). For those seeking more of a challenge than the short five-kilometre out-and-back hike, there is a loop at the top of the mountain which stretches around from the caves. Story and photos by Rex Vogel 22 | www.snowbirds.org
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