Springerville & St Johns, AZ (4/3/2019)

While staying in Snowflake, I made a day trip that circled through several nearby towns.  I had stayed in Springerville many years ago to drive the famous Coronado Trail, a portion of U.S. 191 between Springerville and I-10 to the South, a stretch of highway so steep and crooked that trucks and motor homes aren't allowed on it.  It is thought to be roughly the same path that Coronado took when he explored this area in 1540 with an expedition seeking the fabled Seven Cities of Gold (which didn't exist).

On this visit, I spent time at an excellent Heritage/Cultural Center, where one can learn a lot about the Anasazi and the White Mountain Apaches, as well as early European settlers.  A great collection of art created by local artists/photographers was very enjoyable, as were the displays related to the volcanic field surrounding the town and visible to anyone driving around the area.  The Springerville Volcanic Field is one of the largest in the U.S. with more than 400 vents covering about 1200 square miles.  It is also one of the youngest, with activity as recently as 300,000 years ago.  Much of the volcanic field is covered with soil and supports a type of prairie grass.  I suspect this is due to constant  wind that has blown soil over the rock.  It was very windy the day I was there, preventing a tour of Anasazi ruins located on a narrow ridge,  I was told it would be unsafe.  Some of the cinder cones have been quarried by the highway department for spreading on roads during snow events.

The headwaters of the Little Colorado River are located in the White Mountains and the river flows through the edge of town.  As you can see, it was at flood stage during my  time there.  A diversion canal takes some of the the water to form Becker Lake, a recreation area and wildlife habitat.

A large statue in town honors the pioneer women who helped settle the West.  The sculpture, called Madonna of The West, is ten feet tall and weighs five tons.  It is one of twelve identical monuments placed along the old National Road from Maryland to California by the Daughters of The American Revolution  in 1928.

 The road toward the tiny town of St. Johns leaves the volcanic field and  bentonite mounds formed by volcanic ash are prevalent.  I soon passed Lyman Lake State Park, which has Indian ruins and petroglyphs, but I didn't take time to see them.  I stayed only long enough for a couple photos of the lake.

 

 In St. Johns, I was impressed by their two main churches, the Catholic and Mormon faiths.

There was also a lovely home in town, and the ruins of an old stone cabin outside of town.