Wickenburg, Arizona

This small town is only 54 miles northwest of huge Phoenix, but harkens back to the old west and is surrounded by plenty of wide-open spaces. The small downtown commercial district has a beautifully restored historic train station and a large covered pavilion displaying a stagecoach and other western memorabilia. The Jail Tree is where, in the old days, townspeople chained lawbreakers. The town lies on the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert, just below Arizona's mountainous country. Historically, guest ranches offered a western experience to tourists who fell in love with the West. The Bar FX Ranch became the first true guest ranch in 1923, followed by the Remudas, Kay El Bar, Rancho de los Caballeros, and Flying E ranches. Today, Wickenburg claims to be the Dude Ranch Capitol of the World. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history and art of Arizona and the west. For over 60 years, Gold Rush Days is held each February and the Fiesta Septiembre celebration has occurred each September since 1988. The Nature Conservancy - Hassayampa River Preserve is outside town on N. Highway 60 and includes four-acre Palm Lake. In 1862, gold searchers entered the Wickenburg area. These included a German named Henry Wickenburg. He discovered the Vulture Mine and in 1863 the town was named in his honor.