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We’ve been looking for an opportunity to return to Prescott, AZ, to visit our friends Tim & Dinah.  We took that opportunity in mid-September and spent a week with them.

We enjoyed some terrific hikes in the hills and mountains surrounding Prescott.  Since Tim had bypass heart surgery less than 6 months prior, he has worked very hard on his recovery and has made amazing progress.  So we knew we had to take on whatever hike he offered us.  He broke us in easy with a good hike to Goldwater Lake.  Next up was an outing to Watson Lake Park for some kayaking on the lake.  Beautiful scenery!  Next was a hike up to Spruce Mountain fire tower.  Naturally, from the tower you get a grand view across Prescott and Prescott Valley.

Our toughest hike was at Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park.  This park was established to honor the 19 hotshot firefighters who lost their lives on June 30, 2013, while fighting the Yarnell Hill fire.  The trail to reach the site where they made their last stand is a 7 mile round trip with a 1,200 ft. elevation gain and no shade.  Fortunately, we had fairly mild weather so no hikers were left behind.

Lastly, we took a drive out to Dead Horse Ranch State Park to have a look around.  This is a place Tim & Dinah had not yet visited but wanted to check out.  There are some nice lakes where fishing is allowed, some good campgrounds and some easy hiking.

We had a good visit, got to see more of the Prescott area and enjoyed some fun times with Tim & Dinah.