Fort McDowell is an unincorporated community about half an hour drive northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. Fort McDowell was built in 1867 to protect travelers from renegade Apaches in the Gila River and Salt River valleys. From New River, it was about an hour drive to Fort McDowell.
Eagle View RV Resort, Fort McDowell
Eagle View RV Park is located on the Yavapai Nation land next to a casino. The property is well maintained. We had 50-amp electric, good water pressure, and fast enough internet to stream most nights.
They had a nice laundry facility, pool/spa, and gym.
We had a few beautiful Arizona sunsets. Reportedly, Arizona has amazing sunsets because the dry air and dust in the air cause scattering of the light.
Fountain Hills, Fort McDowell
Fountain Hills and nearby Scottsdale have all the amenities anyone could possibly need. Michael spent a day at Barnes & Noble drinking coffee and looking at cookbooks, eventually buying a favorite. Sandy enjoyed all the thrift stores. The fountain was built in 1970 and was the world’s tallest for a number of years at 560 feet. Now, it is the fourth tallest. It has a wind sensor on it and uses reclaimed water.
Lunch at Arrivederci Cucina Italiana was good. We had views of the fountain and Jake joined us on their outdoor patio.
Mesa, Arizona
We visited Sandy’s cousin Pieter, his wife Monica and their kids Liam and Sophia at their house for dinner. Sandy and Pieter grew up together in Vermont, but haven’t seen each other in years. The two talked for hours. We love their home and neighborhood.
Payson, Arizona
Payson is located at the geographic center of Arizona. It was about an hour drive from Fort McDowell to Payson through beautiful mountains covered in saguaro cactus. Payson loves it’s rodeos. Author Zane Grey lived here. At an elevation of 5,000 feet it is considerably higher than Phoenix or Tucson so the climate is cooler during the summers and colder during the winters.
Along the way there were butterflies.
We had lunch at Duza’s Kitchen. Delicious food in a converted house. The mood created by the eclectic artwork added to the dining experience. It was definitely worth the drive.
