Lifestyle
From the fabled Rim Country of the late Western novelist Zane Grey to the snow-capped White Mountains and its alpine communities, Gila and Navajo counties offer an idyllic home. Warm and friendly neighbors, colorful annual events, pine-covered hillsides, abundant wildlife, and some of the West’s finest recreational sites ensure an unrivaled quality of life. Providing a wonderland of natural resources and unrivaled beauty within a reasonable commute from Arizona’s largest metropolitan center, the Rim Country has developed its own cultural attractions that include the Payson Choral Society and the Rim Civic Orchestra. The Rim Repertory Community Theater combines with the activities promoted by the Payson Fine Art Guild, the Payson Art League, and the Tonto Community Concert Association to ensure a calendar of exciting dates. In the summertime, residents enjoy free weekend concerts under the stars at local parks.
Fine museums dot the area, preserving a rich heritage of ancient and modern history that includes the intriguing displays at the new Museum of Rim Country Archeology. Novelist Zane Grey lived in this region for years and brought its mystique to life in 60 books, although more than 130 movies were based on his writings. Today, the replica of his cabin at historic downtown Payson is a treasured reminder of a colorful past. Payson is the official home of the “World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo,” and Western traditions play an important role in both counties. The new Payson Events Center not only serves as a showcase for the rodeo but hosts a number of other major events throughout the year.
Recreational opportunities are undoubtedly the strongest drawing card to the Rim Country and Arizona’s White Mountains, where each of the four seasons heralds a new set of sporting adventures. During the spring and summer months, residents enjoy golfing, horseback riding, swimming, water sports, boating, league sports, tennis, fishing, hiking, bicycle touring, mountain biking, off-roading, and camping. The area is dotted with private and public campgrounds and picnic areas, many surrounded by trout streams and creeks or paths through lush forest. The vast expanse of Roosevelt Lake stretches for 23 miles to host many championship bass tournaments that attract thousands of competitors each year. Other popular bodies of water include the Blue Ridge Reservoir, Bear Canyon Lake, and Knoll Lake. Winter sports enthusiasts can look forward to downhill and cross-country skiing, tobogganing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, and snow tubing.
Seasonal hunting is popular, with nimrods and archers in pursuit of large and small game. Famous sites like Tonto Natural Bridge State Park combine with unique attractions like state and national fish hatcheries for memorable weekend hikes and picnics. Gila County encompasses scenic small towns north of Payson like Pine and Strawberry that celebrate annual events in style, nestled along a picturesque highway that meanders through forested beauty and eventually leads to Flagstaff and the Lake Mary area. Forest Service campgrounds in the 7,000-foot Mogollon Rim area and the White Mountains region are plentiful, encouraging everything from summer weekend getaways to snow camping.
The housing selection in this panoramic region is as attractive and diverse as the landscape, ranging from rustic cabins to upscale enclaves and magnificent homes secluded by tall pines. Well-kept properties line the neighborhoods of rapidly growing towns like Payson and Show Low, although subdivisions dot the entire region with clusters of handsome homes. Christopher Creek just outside of Payson offers a location close to convenient services and amenities that perches just below the rarified elevation of the Mogollon Rim for a true blending of city and country. Organizations, groups, and clubs tend to be active in the communities of both counties, underlining the high quality of life with an atmosphere of warmth, friendliness, and a genuine sense of belonging.
