Old Dominion Park. Photo by Thea Wilshire.
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Daytrip in Globe-Miami:  Land of Unexpected Treasures

Welcome, Poppyfest visitors, and congratulations on discovering the Globe-Miami region, one of the best-kept secrets of Arizona.  If you’re here for a day or the weekend, you’re in for a treat.

Most people who say “I’ve driven through Globe” have never ventured off the highway.  They are unaware we hide our treasures to pass-through travelers, then lavishly reward the intrepid adventurers who turn into our historic downtowns, visit our museums and shops, and explore our natural areas.  This article will help you hone into the activities that best fit your interests.  

If you are interested in history, you’ll want to visit Besh ba Gowah, our archeological museum, and park that celebrates the Salado people who lived in the area in the 1100s and offers a treasure trove of prehistoric artifacts and knowledge. You may want to visit our restored 1910 Old Sheriff’s Office & Jail and the 1916 train depot, then spend time at either Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum in Miami or the Gila County Historical Museum in Globe learning more about the fascinating people, geology, and events that have made this place what it is today.

Besh Ba Gowah. Photo by LCGross

If you enjoy shopping, please explore the wares available at The Pickle Barrel, Simply Sarah, and Simple Kind Boutique in Globe, then catch the unique Arizona art sold at Splash of Copper and the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts (don’t miss the gorgeous multi-story copper handrails in the center staircase of this historic building). For antiques, Sullivan Street in Miami provides hours of shopping at a variety of stores (don’t miss Bruce Barry’s Banjos workshop or Phil Stewart’s vintage radios at Stewart’s Antiques). If traveling with children, the Copper City Rock Shop offers affordable gems and minerals, and perhaps a piece of petrified dinosaur poop. For bargain shoppers, the High Desert Humane Society’s Thrift Shop and Furniture Store are sure to please.

Bruce Berry Banjos in downtown Miami. Photo by Thea Wilshire

For those wanting to hike locally, check out Round Mountain Hiking Park for aerobic trails with a great view of the Pinal Mountains or the Old Dominion Historic Mine Park for both hiking trails and educational signage coupled with mining artifacts that celebrate the history of the region. The just-being-developed Stairizona Trail is an urban pathway that leads walkers through historic Globe neighborhoods while accessing 90 to 130-year-old concrete staircases and pedestrian bridges built for residents prior to automotive travel.

If willing to drive a bit, you may enjoy walking to the Kellner Canyon Picnic Area, particularly when the stream is running, and –while our Tonto National Forest trails are closed for fire recovery – the trails and streams of the Sierra Ancha Mountains, just north of Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River. As one of the few rivers to flow through the saguaro forests of the Sonoran Desert, the Salt River is sometimes called “Arizona’s Other Grand Canyon” because of its stunning beauty and a vast array of flora and fauna species. The Upper Salt River (below the metal bridge on the way to Young) is a nice place for swimming and the Diversion Dam Recreational Area offers a seasonal up-close-and-personal opportunity to watch thousands of catfish and carp migrating through the 6” deep water. 

Kayaking on Roosevelt lake is popular year-round. Courtesy Photo.

If you enjoy nature and/or outdoor adventures, Gila County is inordinately blessed with natural beauty and the “Discover Gila County” website is a great resource for exploring the area with sites categorized by activity and region. E-Volve Adventure Rentals (928-200-1489) offers affordable hourly and daylong rentals of e-bicycles, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards to support your outdoor play.

Globe-Miami is known as the “Mexican Food Capital of Arizona” for its plethora of long-established Mexican dining options and locals will passionately promote their favorite restaurants (mine include El Ranchito in Globe and Guayo’s El Rey in Miami).  However, Globe-Miami offers more than Mexican food and now offers Asian-fusion cuisine at Bloom; wood-fired pizzas at Bravo; one of the 10 best hamburger spots in the state at Nurdberger; amazing breakfasts and lunch options at Copper Hen; and delicious salads, burgers, and steaks at Copper Bistro. Locals love to spend time reading or hanging out with friends at Vida e Caffe for coffee and homemade baked goods. In the summer, residents can be seen lining up for ice cream at Dairy Queen or cooling off at Zona Ice in downtown Globe.

 

If you are traveling with children, consider exploring the Bullseye Trail at Round Mountain Hiking Park for its accessible distance and interesting natural caves.  The Old Dominion Mine Park is great for rock hounds of all ages. Besh ba Gowah has a few interactive displays for children in the museum and a grind-your-own-corn activity in their ethnobotanical garden. Per local kids, our best playgrounds are the mining-themed play features at the Old Dominion Mine Park which includes a 100-foot zipline, the playground and ballfields at the Community Center, and — for toddlers and preschoolers –the playgrounds at Veteran’s Park in front of the Globe Municipal Building and Miami Memorial Park. By summer 2022, Globe’s new pool and splash pad should be open, as well. Finally, pick up a local newspaper and look for any activities being sponsored by the Miami or Globe Public Libraries as they provide some of our most fun and usually free children’s and adults’ programming.

If traveling with pups, check out the “Got Dogs Will Travel” article (https://www.globemiamitimes.com/got-dog-will-travel/) which describes local restaurants and shops that allow you to visit with your well-behaved, leashed dogs. New dog-friendly additions since that 2019 article include Splash of Copper and Bravo Americano Restaurant. Also, don’t miss the free ice cream “pup cups” offered at Dairy Queen and the newly opened Globe Dog Park for a great off-leash play area.

If up for a little drive, you might consider the Apache Cultural Center in Peridot if traveling east, Boyce Thompson Arboretum if traveling west, or several stops at Roosevelt Lake if traveling north, including the Tonto Cliff Dwellings, the Roosevelt Lake Visitor’s Center, and the Roosevelt Dam overlook. Actually, all roads leading to and from Globe-Miami make for beautiful drives.

Again, welcome to Globe-Miami. We’re glad you’ve come and we’re sure you’re about to discover your next “favorite place” in Arizona.

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