COMMUNITY PROFILES / ARIZONA’S WHITE MOUNTAINS & RIM COUNTRY

Gila & Navajo Counties

Gila County Offices
Payson County Complex
714 S. Beeline Highway
Payson 928-474-2029
Toll free 800-304-4452
https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/government/

Navajo County Offices
100 East Code Talkers Drive,
Holbrook 928-524-4000
Show Low 928-532-6000
https://navajocountyaz.gov/

Regional Chambers of Commerce

Rim Country Chamber of Commerce
100 West Main Street
Payson 928-474-4515
Toll free 800-672-9766
https://www.rimcountrychamber.com/

Show Low Chamber of Commerce
81 E. Deuce of Clubs
Show Low 928-537-2326
Toll free 888-SHOWLOW
https://showlowchamber.com/

Covering more than six million acres, panoramic Navajo County is one of the largest counties in Arizona. The county stretches from the Utah state line to the Apache Reservation along the Mogollon Rim. Gila County encompasses the region known as Rim Country, where the leading town of Payson serves as a commercial hub for a growing population. Reservations for Native American tribes make up vast tracts of Navajo County, including the world-renowned Monument Valley, historical Fort Apache, and ancient Hope Villages. Some of Arizona’s most beautiful alpine and high-desert terrain, national forests, and friendly small communities are making this area a hotbed for rapid growth and development.

Services
Students of all ages can look forward to quality educational services on every level, from preschool through 12th grade to the halls of higher learning. Innovative partnerships with regional institutions of higher education enable high school students to earn college credits before graduation, but they also provide four-year coursework options with Northern Arizona University through community college campus resources. Gila Community College provides a Payson campus, while Northland Pioneer College manages a campus in Show Low. The lion’s share of Arizona’s private colleges, institutes, and vocational schools are clustered in nearby Metropolitan Phoenix. Arizona State University is located in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe, the University of Arizona lies to the south in Tucson, and Northern Arizona University lies to the north in Flagstaff.

Residents of Gila County look to Payson Regional Medical Center for state-of-the-art healthcare services from obstetrics and pediatrics to geriatrics. The hospital is dedicated to providing the most advanced care in a patient-centered atmosphere where individual care is directed by the physician, coordinated by the nurses, and supported by every applicable department. Payson Regional Medical Center actively promotes health and wellness in community outreach programs, health screenings, support groups, and educational efforts.

In the White Mountain region, two major healthcare institutions ensure that quality care will always be available close to home: The White Mountain Regional Medical Center in Springerville and Navapache Regional Medical Center in Show Low. Both hospitals provide 24-hour emergency care and comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, proudly offering technologies that are usually associated with larger cities and more expansive facilities. NRMC in Show Low is a leader in creating a nurturing, comfortable, healing environment that includes options for live music, pet therapy, and relaxation in healing gardens.

Lifestyle
Sun-drenched days, cool evenings, starlit skies, forested beauty, a winter wonderland, and four distinct seasons make the Arizona White Mountain region one of Arizona’s most livable and desirable. Brief winters, antelope playing in the back yard, balmy summers, and some of the state’s finest recreational land are just a few of the delights that await newcomers. Surrounded by the breathtakingly beautiful Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests, this area excels in hiking trails and opportunities for mountain biking, fishing, hunting, camping, and horseback riding. Residents enjoy quiet activities like antique shopping or picnicking beside a lazy stream but they also arrive in large numbers for colorful festivals and celebrations, rodeos, and competitive sports events. Gracious Southwestern hospitality converges with ancient Native American lore, Old West historic sites and heritage, and contemporary amenities around every corner.

Blending a true Arizona “Old West” lifestyle with modern conveniences, this area offers an opportunity to watch or participate in ropings, barrel races, team pennings, calcuttas, and rodeos. Spring and fall months are ideal for viewing seasonal work from cattle drives and roundups to branding. Other popular pastimes include seasonal mushrooming, berry picking, photographing wildflowers or wildlife, stargazing, boating and water sports, and making snowmobile trails in fresh powder. Many artists have been drawn to these breathtaking surroundings, and several longstanding cultural organizations ensure a calendar of art shows and concerts including the ever-popular summer concerts in the park.

Recreational opportunities in and near this region are some of the finest in Arizona, ensuring four-season outdoor adventures against scenic backdrops. World-class fly fishing instruction, ice fishing, crystal trout streams, and abundant wildlife are just a few of the outdoor attractions to this unspoiled land. Boating and fishing enthusiasts will enjoy the lakes in this area, while hikers and mountain bikers will find miles of pristine trails through national forest land. Hiking, bike touring, camping, off-roading, horseback riding, mountain biking, hot air balloon riding, cross-country skiing, sledding, downhill skiing, and snowboarding are all available close to home. Golfing and tennis combine with city-sponsored recreational programs and sports leagues to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages.

The White Mountains TrailSystem is unique in its loop system that avoids backtracking but links to other trails for longer journeys. The system began in 1987 as a partnership between the town of Pinetop-Lakeside, the city of show Low, TRACKS, the White Mountain Horseman’s Association, the U.S. Forest Service, and a grant from the Arizona Heritage Fund. Arizona’s finest downhill and snowboarding area is nestled in the White Mountains, creating a four-season wonderland. Camping, an RV park, equestrian activities, summer lift rides and mountain biking, a full-service lodge and accommodations, a ski school, a tubing hill, cross-country ski trails, and ski slopes for all skill levels are all available at Sunrise Park Resort. Cross-country skiers will find a number of groomed trails or designated paths, while snowcat and snowmobile enthusiasts enjoy miles of open terrain.

Rapidly growing communities feature a wide variety of housing opportunities, from rambling family homes to sprawling ranches and contemporaries. Vibrant new subdivisions with private golf courses, historic properties, upscale enclaves, rustic log homes, cozy cabins, and magnificent custom manors secluded by lush woods are just a few of the options in this developing area. Quaint and contemporary shopping areas, wonderful restaurants, and convenient services add to the rich quality of life available in the White Mountains of Arizona and the neighboring Rim Country.

Heber/Overgaard
Navajo County Offices
Show Low 928-532-6000
https://navajocountyaz.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
Overgaard, 928-535-5777
https://heberovergaard.org/

The unincorporated twin communities of Heber/Overgaard provides a serene setting for residential development, seasonal homes, retirement homes, and vacation accommodations. Forested beauty combines with a mild four-season climate with abundant sunshine and crisp, starry nights. The community welcomes newcomers and visitors to a slower pace and easier, more friendly smiles. The lifestyle tends to be active, from hiking, biking, camping, and fishing in the summer months to winter sports when the snow falls. Community facilities include a library, a 40-acre park, and many athletic facilities. Baseball, football, Little League, basketball, volleyball, tennis, racquetball, and golf are popular pastimes. Seasonal celebrations and annual festivals are well-attended and draw crowds even from the major metropolitan areas to this forested village setting.

Payson, Christopher Creek
Municipal Offices
928-474-5242
https://www.paysonaz.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
928-474-4515
https://www.rimcountrychamber.com/

The heart of Arizona’s Rim Country is the scenic and friendly mountain town of Payson, just a relaxing and panoramic 90-minute drive from Metropolitan Phoenix. The town’s elevation of 4,982 is ideal for four-season outdoor activity under bright blue skies and sun-drenched days. One of only three pure-air ozone belts in the world, Payson perches on the edge of the world’s largest stand of Ponderosa Pine. Rich in Western heritage, the town welcomes throngs of tourists to its historic downtown district, fine museums, spectacular rodeo events, colorful festivals, and pine-scented byways. The result is a town that preserves the flavor of rural America but offers amenities from specialty shops and well-known retailers to first-rate accommodations and popular restaurants. The community of Christopher Creek outside of Payson is largely a recreational enclave with wonderful cabins, horseback riding, a 9-hole golf course, a charming restaurant, and easy access to Rim Country recreation.

Pinetop-Lakeside
Municipal Offices
928-368-8696
https://www.pinetoplakesideaz.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
928-367-4290
https://www.pinetoplakesidechamber.com/

The incorporated town of Pinetop-Lakeside is nestled in the White Mountain region of Arizona, founded in the 1880s by Mormon pioneers. Lakeside was named for the area’s sparkling lakes, and Pinetop derived its name from the nickname of a saloon proprietor. The two communities only recently incorporated into a single town in 1984, sharing close proximity, extensive tourism, superb regional recreational amenities, an outstanding quality of life, and a location near the world’s largest stand of Ponderosa Pine trees. Hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, swimming, camping, backpacking, hunting, and fishing are all popular pastimes. The town played an important role in promoting and sponsoring the White Mountain TrailSystem that offers more than 180 miles of developed multi-use trails. Pinetop-Lakeside is noted for its golf courses and Woodland Lake Park with excellent recreational facilities. Winter sports include cross-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.

Show Low
Municipal Offices
928-532-4000
https://www.showlowaz.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
Show Low 928-537-2326
https://showlowchamber.com/

Named for a “show of cards,” Show Low serves as the commercial and tourism hub of the White Mountain region, perched at a rarified elevation of 6,400 feet just 175 miles northeast of Metropolitan Phoenix. The city is a gateway to the world-class recreational attractions, scenic points, and landmarks that are located in the White Mountains. Arizona’s only covered bridge, national forest land, the state’s finest ski resort, and Native American ruins as well as present-day attractions are all close to home. The city is proud of its well-groomed parks and the Show Low City Park with its full complement of sports facilities and amenities. Another feather in the city cap is the City of Show Low Family Aquatic Center with an indoor pool that draws crowds around the calendar year. Golf courses dot the area, boating and fishing are popular sports, and every imaginable activity enjoys a scenic backdrop. The city is home to a community college campus and a major health institution as well as thriving commercial and shopping areas.