Cliff Castle Casino is conveniently located in beautiful
and historic Camp Verde, in the heart of northern Arizona’s
most popular tourist activites. A free shuttle will pick you up from our Inn on most days.
Slots, blackjack and live poker are just part of our Arizona attraction.
You’ll also find several restaurants, including Storytellers
Gourmet Steakhouse. Plus, there’s a gift shop, 20-lane
bowling center, live
entertainment, and so much more. We're also a short drive from ancient Indian ruins, Native American
tours, art galleries, trout fishing, golf courses, and
countless other popular activities and destinations you'll find below.
Call 928-567-0275 for your Wild West adventure! Package discount for 1-2 first-class or coach tickets on Verde Canyon Railroad & 1 or 2 nights lodging.
The Verde Canyon Railroad is often referred to as the
finest train ride in Arizona and acclaimed as Arizona’s
longest-running nature show.
The remote wilderness of the Verde Canyon, located west
of Sedona and below Jerome, is renowned for its towering
red rock pinnacles and clean, green waters. The train
rolls past Indian ruins, through a 680-foot man-made tunnel,
over old-fashioned trestles and under clear azure skies.
This picturesque setting is further enhanced by the variety
of indigenous flora and fauna and the many migrating waterfowl.
Over thirty bald and golden eagles winter in this riparian
respite each year.
Passengers enjoy this four-hour scenic train ride in first-class
style aboard renovated passenger coaches and open-air
viewing cars pulled by vintage locomotives.
The Verde Canyon is often called 'Arizona’s other Grand
Canyon' with spectacular canyon scenery on a train trip
that offers visual feasts including seasonal spring flowers,
fall foliage and hundreds of migratory birds, such as
the majestic bald eagle.
The Park features two major sections on 104 wilderness
acres. The Camp Verde WILDLIFE PRESERVE is accessible on foot
or on an educational tram tour, which escorts visitors
to encounter giant predators of the world. Lions, tigers,
wolves, hyena and more roam in large, natural habitats.
Often you will see staff inside interacting and answering
questions about the animals. It’s like seeing them in
the wild. The SERENGETI SAFARI is a 45-minute replica
of an authentic African photo safari. Visitors feed and
experience personal encounters with giraffe, zebra, wildebeest
and more, while on board a Mercedes Unimog. On nearby
hills, you may spot prides of lions or other big cats
overlooking their domain and the prey animals you are
among. It’s like Africa – only closer to our Camp Verde motel.
Located in beautiful Northern Arizona, the Verde Valley Wine Trail invites wine enthusiasts to experience a destination rich in history, beauty, and the production of exquisite Arizona wines. There are four Arizona wineries and six tasting rooms on the Verde Valley Wine Trail that offer a variety of skillfully crafted wines to satisfy any wine taster's pallet. Every winery has its own unique personality and distinct wines for visitors to discover at each stop along the Wine Trail. Visit the great wineries and tasting rooms nestled in the red rock countryside and lush canyons surrounding Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Jerome, Sedona, Clarkdale, and Cornville.
The Blazin' M is conveniently located just 30 minutes West of Sedona in Cottonwood and is easily accessed from Jerome and Camp Verde as well with an even shorter drive. The Blazin' M Ranch Chuckwagon and Western Stage Show is lots of fun for all ages and is one of the areas most popular attractions. As an evening activity, the Blazin' M Ranch is also a natural compliment to your ride on the train or other daytime activities.
The Ranch features a host of Wild West adventures from a live shootin' gallery, old time photos, western shopping, gold panning and tractor rides to roping' lessons and horse shoes. When the dinner bell rings, enjoy the best chicken and ribs in Arizona along with a full compliment of seasonal salad, cheesy potatoes and caramel apple crisp for dessert!
While you're at the Ranch, you can wet your whistle at the Copper Spur Saloon, an authentically decorated western saloon with a wide variety of local wines, beers and other spirits which is open both before and after the dinner show in their climate controlled "barn."
After dinner enjoy a real Wild West Stage Show featuring the tunes and antics of The Blazin' M Cowboys. The stage show features audience participation, western style comedy, and authentic western melodies that will keep you hummin' all the way home!
Horseback riding is one of Sedona's most fun and popular outdoor activities. Your horseback tour of our 100 year old family-run cattle ranch, located just outside Sedona, may be the highlight of your Sedona vacation. Choose from a one-hour trail ride or a full morning or evening experience that combines a horseback ride with a Cowboy Cookout, complete with kids' activities and entertainment. Plus, we will pick you up and drop you off at your Sedona hotel, all included in one low price!Learn about real western history and heritage from the back of your horse.
Experience the wide open spaces of a real working ranch and learn how the award winning M Diamond Ranch has worked to preserve them. The M Diamond Ranch values its cowboy heritage and its commitment to wildlife habitat preservation, and takes great joy in offering guests a taste of the lifestyle of a traditional Arizona ranch.
Fort
Verde State Park
Fort Verde State Historic Park is the best preserved example of an Indian Wars period fort in Arizona. Spanning from 1865 through 1890 Camp Lincoln, Camp Verde and finally Fort Verde were home to officers, doctors, families, enlisted men, and scouts. Fort Verde was the primary base for General George Crook’s U.S. Army scouts and soldiers.
This five-story, 20 room cliff dwelling nestled into a limestone recess high above Beaver Creek served as a "high-rise apartment building" for prehistoric Sinagua Indians over 600 years ago. It is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
Tuzigoot is an ancient village or pueblo built by a culture known as the Sinagua. The pueblo consisted of 110 rooms including second and third story structures. The first buildings were built around A.D. 1000. The Sinagua were agriculturalists with trade connections that spanned hundreds of miles. The people left the area around 1400. The site is currently comprised of 42 acres.
Clear Creek flows along the boundary of this desert canyon country camp and is a popular place for hiking, swimming, wading and fishing. Cool water species such as smallmouth bass and green sunfish populate the stream near the campground. The oasis bordering the creek and extending into the Camp Verde campground is an excellent place for wildlife watching. It provides a productive home to a number of species of colorful songbirds and raptors. Beyond those lush environs, the Sonoran desert bristles with cactus and adds variety to any hike. Clear Creek Campground is grassy and flat with shade provided by tall cottonwoods. It has a relaxed and open atmosphere that keeps people coming back year after year.
Despite its distinctive name, Dead Horse Ranch is
situated amidst an abundance of life along the Verde
River. A six-mile reach of the river is known
as the Verde River Greenway. Its unique ecosystem,
the Cottonwood / Willow riparian gallery forest,
is one of less than 20 such riparian zones in the
world. Life along the river changes with the seasons,
giving visitors a glimpse of the numerous species
of raptors, neotropical migrants, resident songbirds,
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
The developed portion of Dead Horse Ranch State Park covers 423 acres. The 3,300 foot elevation accounts for the mild temperatures that are ideal for camping, moutain biking in the Coconino National Forest, hiking along the Verde River, canoeing, picnicking, fishing, or just wading in the cool water.
Jerome Arizona's history is full of stories. These
stories tell how the “Wickedest Town in The West”
got its name and how men who sought their fortunes
in this billion dollar Arizona mining camp lived, played
and fought.
Once the fourth largest city in
the Arizona Territory, Jerome boasted a population
of nearly 10,000 on its hilltop haven. During its
heyday, men and women from all over the world made
their way to Arizona to find work and maybe a new
way of life.
Today, when you visit Jerome and its historic buildings,
you are given an opportunity to take a step back
in time, feel the past and experience life as it
might have been in Arizona's rough and rugged days.
Arizona's famous Oak Creek meanders through this
scenic park, creating a diverse riparian habitat
abounding with plants and wildlife. The family-oriented
trail system is well marked for your safety and
pleasure. The 5-mile network consists of interconnecting
loops, which lead you to vistas of red rock or along
the lush greenery of Oak Creek. The Eagle's Nest
Loop and the Apache Fire Loop are joined together
by the Coyote Ridge Trail. Eagle's Nest is the highest
point in the park with an elevation gain of 300'.
These three major loops are connected along the
riparian corridor by the Kisva Trail, which also
leads up to the short loop of the Yavapai Ridge
Trail. The Javelina Trail takes you into the pinyon/juniper
woodlands and back to the other loops. Rattlesnake
Ridge rises just above the Twin Cypress Picnic area.
Stop by the Camp Verde visitor center desk for detailed information
before starting out on the trails. Bikes and horses
are only allowed on designated routes.
World's Largest Kokopelli
This 32-foot tall statue of the Navajo Indian God of Wealth and Fertility stands in front of the Krazy Kokopelli Trading Post.
Kokopelli, the hump-back flute player, is a symbol seen all over the southwest. Evidence from canyon walls and ancient pottery indicate that he was a popular symbol to many Indian tribes. To the Hopi, Kokopelli actually represents one who brings the burden of babies and also one who carries sacks of buckskins for the women to make moccasins. In the springtime he is part of ceremonies depicting certain mating rituals. In Zuni culture, Kokopelli is known to be an important rain priest who brings in the rain. Known as Ololowishkya, he is shown with a festive hairstyle, and is always seen with flute, playing Paiyatamu as part of corn grinding ceremonies.
Get your camera ready for this one, and don't forget your swim suit, hiking shoes, and fishing pole. Just south of Flagstaff, State Rt. 89A descends a breathtaking series of switchbacks into a scenic, smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon. Known for colorful rocks and unique formations, Oak Creek Canyon is famous the world around for its spectacular scenery.
Before you drive into the canyon you'll want to stop at Oak Creek Canyon Vista.Here you can get a bird's eye view of what awaits you down the road and, at the same time, shop for Native American jewelry and other craft items from the local Native American artists who set up displays along the pathways.
Slide Rock State Park, originally the Pendley Homestead, is a 43-acre historic apple farm located in Oak Creek Canyon. Frank L. Pendley, having arrived in the canyon in 1907, formally acquired the land under the Homestead Act in 1910. Due to his pioneering innovation, he succeeded where others failed by establishing a unique irrigation system still in use by the park today. This allowed Pendley to plant his first apple orchard in 1912, beginning the pattern of agricultural development that has dominated the site since that time. Pendley also grew garden produce and kept some livestock.
As one of the few homesteads left intact in the canyon today, Slide Rock State Park is a fine example of early agricultural development in Central Arizona. The site was also instrumental to the development of the tourism industry in Oak Creek Canyon. The completion of the canyon road in 1914 and the paving of the roadway in 1938 were strong influences in encouraging recreational use of the canyon. Hence, Pendley followed suit and in 1933, built rustic cabins to cater to vacationers and sightseers.
This is the largest known petroglyph site in the Verde Valley, as well as being one of the best-preserved. Acquired by the Coconino National Forest in 1994, the site is protected and kept open to the visiting public for their enjoyment and opportunity to learn more about our national cultural heritage. As partners in this effort, both the Verde Valley Archaeological Society and the Friends of the Forest provide interpretive tours and on-site management. The Red Rock Pass program provides funding for the protection, enhanced amenities and facility maintenance under authority of the National Recreation Enhancement Act of 2005. This website is intended to provide the potential visitor with background information about the site and its rock art.
A visitor center and bookstore, operated by the Forest Service and the Arizona Natural History Association, is located about 100 yards from the parking area.
Trails
Area Trails
COPPER CANYON TRAILHEAD: Forest Service 136, a rugged portion of the old historic General Crook Trail in Copper Canyon between Oasis Road and Cherry Road, provides a nice short upward trek for high-clearance vehicles, mountain bikes and horseback riders.
WEST CLEAR CREEK TRAIL #17 (7.5miles): This scenic trail starts at the Bull Pen Trailhead and traverses the picturesque Camp Verde West Clear Creek. Perfect for hikers and backpackers, it is ranked easy to strenuous (sometimes steep, rocky and high water).
VERDE HOT SPRINGS (using the Fossil Creek Road route): This old hot springs site was once a famous resort, reported to have had many movie stars and President Teddy Roosevelt as visitors.
MAIL TRAIL: This historic old mail route (1884-1914) through the Coconino National Forest runs from Camp Verde to Payson. A 52-mile route used for mail service by horseback. Recommended for robust hikers, horseback riders and backpackers and is best taken in segments.
GRIEF HILL: This is an old wagon route built in 1864, which is steep and treacherous but with high scenic vistas -- best traversed by hardy animals, such as mules and horses.
HAYFIELD DRAW: This daytime public course is for off highway vehicles (OHV) - cross country, ATVs and motorcycles. 40 acres of open riding, 120 miles of various trails. A tot lot for beginners with toilets, ramadas, grills and tables (no water).
