Wickenburg is Arizona’s Best Small Town!
Wickenburg was never on our radar as a destination when we set out on this full-time voyage. In February, we booked two weeks at the Desert Cypress RV Resort mainly because a friend from Montana was visiting for winter to train horses and sing at the local watering hole. But after we arrived on February 1st to one of the friendliest RV Parks we’ve yet to encounter and quickly fell in love with Wickenburg, we decided to stay for a month as it literally hit all of our must-have’s for a potential future home!
A Walkable Town With a Variety of Shops…
Aaron and I love a walkable town, somewhere you can park without danger of a break-in and meander to your favorite coffee shop or local eatery. We especially loved leaving the truck at the RV park and strolling along the Wickenburg Footbridge carving a path under the highway and over the river (when it flows). Be sure to check out Wishing Well Park and read the history of the area.
The River Walk has clean restrooms and a nice path to avoid the busy highway convergence.
At first glance on the main drag Wickenburg didn’t look like much and I fear most tourists gliding through on their way to Vegas or Phoenix don’t take the time to venture far from Hwy 60, but one street off the strip and you’re nestled in quaint eateries and outstanding boutique shopping galore! You can easily spend an entire day shopping in Wickenburg, wandering through the antique shops, local saddlery’s, and much more. We recommend stopping at Nana’s for lunch as you explore; the sandwiches there are to die for!
A Vibrant Cultural Scene…
Wickenburg easily satisfies this criteria with an energetic music community hosted at a variety of venues to include local restaurants and bars as well as the modern Webb Center for the Performing Arts. We enjoyed a lively show at the performing arts center from country western band Little Texas along with numerous local artists performing at our favorite place for dinner and entertainment, the Rancho Bar 7!
An Wide Array of Different Eateries…
Aaron and I are foodies and we love a town where you can sample regional dishes as well as a range of different foods and Wickenburg literally has it all! We never thought we would enjoy authentic Mediterranean cooking in a cowboy town! If you love a slow roasted chicken kebob you MUST visit Bedoian’s Bakery & Bistro in Wickenburg. If you go, you have to try the homemade turkey pot pie which has a flakey, melt-in-your mouth crust or, my fav, Armenian Shish Kebabs. Then there’s Rancho Bar 7. The Montana Chicken Salad Sandwich and sweet potato fries along with their from scratch enchiladas were favorites we enjoyed over and over.
Hiking Trails to Stretch Your Legs….
With sampling a LOT of really good food comes exercise to ward off the effects and we ventured out daily from the Desert Cypress RV Park and either simply walked north along the road towards the fairgrounds, or hopped in the truck for a longer day spent exploring Sophie’s Flat or the gorgeous Hassayampa River Preserve. Within an hour you can immerse yourself in a variety of trails from butt-kicking hikes to leisurely strolls. That’s what makes Wickenburg the best place to use as a base for exploration! With Phoenix only 50 minutes away and all the hiking near Cave Creek and beyond, you just can’t go bored with hiking if base camped in Wickenburg. Pro Tip - the Joshua Trees along Hwy 93 north of Wickenburg rival Joshua Tree National Park!!!
If you only have time for one walk - definitely head to Hassayampa River Preserve. Check out my blog post - I have too many photos to share here.
A Plethora of Attractions and Things to Do….
Desert Caballeros Western Museum
We ended up spending an entire month in Wickenburg and never ran out of adventures as this mighty little western town packs a punch! I’m not usually one to get excited about a museum, but hands-down the Desert Caballeros held my interest all the way through. The miniature saddle replicas, world renown artists, and interactive exhibits have something for everyone.
Vulture City Ghost Town
We love ghost towns and this one did not disappoint. I found the grounds fun to photograph and explore, the history showcasing Henry Wickenburg’s efforts to settle the area intriguing, and the modern additions a bit kitschy but no doubt entertaining for those looking for more of a Disney-like experience. Essentially there’s something for everyone on this self-guided tour.
A few Atlas Obscura-Style Places to Discover…
Atlas Obscura is a fun website to peruse which we check out before landing in every town. Wickenburg has the “World’s Largest Spurs”, the iconic “Jail Tree” and if you take a 30 minute drive north to Congress and then angle towards Bagdad - you’ll not only come across a roadside rock painted as a frog but eventually “Skull Rock”. Pro Tip - you CAN hike to Skull Rock but choose your path wisely as you have to shimmy under two sections of barbwire fencing and cross the railroad tracks. You can’t get lost, but you can sure lose which entry point was the easiest to crawl under.
Old Congress Pioneer Cemetary
There are several historic cemeteries in the area such as the Henry Wickenburg Pioneer Cemetery, but we found the Old Congress Pioneer Cemetery to be of particular interest from the historical standpoint. According to Atlas Obscura, visiting the Henry Wickenburg cemetery feels a bit like trespassing as it is nestled in a residential neighborhood - so we opted to visit the latter after making our way out to Skull Rock. Spend time reading the gravestones and note all the children’s toys left behind.
Team Roping Capital of the World: Seven Roping Arenas
Wickenburg’s claim to fame as the team roping capital of the world is not a gimmick, they aren’t exaggerating! We had a blast visiting the outdoor arenas to admire the skills of the working cowboys who make the trek yearly during the winter months to compete for prizes and bragging rights. Each arena has their own flare, some with multiple vendors, food trucks and activities for kids to enjoy, to the more serious down-and-dirty cowboy (the cowgirls are FIERCE) competitions. We recommend Rancho Rio for a more ‘polished’ venue with shopping, food trucks and much more and the Simpson Arena for fast action. After spending time watching these skilled artisans and their interactions with their horse and steers - I have a deep respect for the work they do. They truly care for every creature they interact with!
After watching the events and learning Aaron hadn’t had professional horse riding lessons, I quickly secured sessions with Fortune Quarter Horses and lead trainer Shawn Berry (our friend in the area for horse and rider training). Shawn epitomizes the cowboy way, a patient, positive trainer who can also sing like the old cowboys did around the campfire. Check out our video for more entertainment. I had a hard time photographing these two as I was laughing so hard! After just three lessons I was impressed with Aaron’s progress!
A Social Scene of the Friendliest People…
From the staff at Desert Cypress RV Resort to the ranch cowboys and people we encountered at Rancho Bar 7, you won’t find anything but friendly faces and respectful people willing to help at the drop of a hat (and there are a lot of hats in Wickenburg). This is how a small town should feel, safe, secure, vibrant, and loving. Wickenburg hits all those feels and much more.
For more information as one blog isn’t enough, check out our gold mine experience at the Bloo Nelly as well as my blog on Hassayampa River Preserve!
