Cave Creek Visitor`s guide - Cave Creek Visitors Guide

Cave Creek
Visitor’s guide
Inside this issue:
where is cave creek?
tOWN mAP
The legend of the
horny toad &
satisfied frog
historIC rancho manana
Located just minutes from
most major Scottsdale and
Phoenix resorts and hotels,
Cave Creek is easy to get
to by taking the Loop 101
to Cave Creek Road and
driving north about 12 miles.
However, if you see Scottsdale
Road first from the 101, you
Where
is
Cave
Creek?
can take that north as well
- you just need to take a
left at the four-way stop at
Cave Creek Road. This route
will take you through scenic
Carefree as well. It’s up to
you: we’re all pretty easy goin’
up here!
Nobody should
tell you what to do but you.
If you’re on I-17, you can
head east on the Carefree
highway until you see Cave
Creek Road. Take a left at the
light and you’ll see the town
core about two miles north.
ABOUT
Cave Creek
It’s not often you can find a town
like Cave Creek, Arizona, that has
preserved its wild west character
so well after more than 100 years
especially when it’s located so
close to rapidly growing cities like
Scottsdale and Phoenix. But Cave
Creek, established as a gold mining
town and stopping point for the
U.S. Calvary in the mid 1870s,
is not like most other towns.
While most of the buildings built
in the 1800s are probably gone,
many that are standing have been
there longer than anyone can
remember and are reminiscent
of what things looked like in the
wild west so long ago.
Located high above Phoenix in
the foothills of Black Mountain,
Skull Mesa and Elephant Butte,
Cave Creek has become one of the
most recognized western towns in
the U.S., featuring several saloons,
western shops, rodeo events,
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galleries and live music. Throw in
some championship golf, several
unique southwest jewelry shops
and numerous other specialty
stores and you have a must-visit
location-just minutes but a time
warp away-from nearby Phoenix
and Scottsdale.
The numerous saloons in Cave
Creek thrive on activity as
establishments offer almostnightly events from live bands,
poker
tournaments,
trivia,
and charity casino events – all
featuring wild western flair and
small town hospitality.
The
crowds are diverse with visitors
and residents alike enjoying all
that is unique in Cave Creek.
You can stroll around and visit
any one of Cave Creek’s nearly
20 galleries or seek out many of
the town’s unique shops featuring
southwestern gifts, clothing,
furniture and house wares. Many
of the merchants have large
assortments of pottery, rustic
antiques and numerous other
unique items that can probably
only be found in Cave Creek.
Situated
Historic
Rancho Manana
along an original
Pony Express stop and U.S.
Cavalry watering hole, the
Rancho Mañana property has
a long history dating back
to the 1870s.
After being
a popular picnic area in the
early 1900s, the property
was developed into a western
dude ranch in 1945. Guests
enjoyed numerous outdoor
activities such as horseback
riding and swimming during their stays. While much of the
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property has been upgraded
during the past 15 years, the
character has remained the
same as the legendary charm
continues. The golf course has
continually ranked among Golf
Digest’s “Places To Play” and is
regarded as “One of Arizona’s
Most Scenic Golf Courses.”
Almost everywhere on the
property, Mother Nature’s vast
array of wildlife can be found,
including bobcats, roadrunners,
rabbits and mule deer. Many
can be seen while playing the
par-70 layout. Although
the course features dramatic
elevation changes and acres
of unspoiled desert terrain,
Rancho Mañana is well known
for its fairness and playability
for golfers of all abilities.
From the first fairway, each
subsequent hole ventures
upward, to higher elevations,
where one can witness some of
the state’s most breathtaking
views. Golfers then begin to
meander back towards the site
of the once thriving dude ranch
- now the existing clubhouse
and restaurant facilities - with
its original, rustic structures.
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The well known Tonto Bar
and Grill captures the rustic
desert ambiance of years gone
by with hand-carved beams
of the historic ranch ceiling
still in place. With two dining
areas inside and a covered patio
overlooking the 11th green,
the facility certainly provides
a cozy spot to relax after an
enjoyable day on the links. Just
a few steps away, the recently
renovated Rancho Mañana Spa
provides guests with a perfect
opportunity to relax during
their visit. Combining western
charm with contemporary
elegance,
the
treatment
rooms, salon, and athletic
facility each blend seamlessly
into the legend of Rancho
Mañana that still lives today.
With 39 casitas already
established and more planned,
the private residence resort at
Rancho Mañana provides guests
and members with exceptional
accommodations. From fully
appointed kitchens to spacious,
comfortable sitting areas, the
casitas can be used for work or
play. The nearly 1,500 square
feet of upscale vacation living
space includes two master suites
and will surely make leaving
difficult at the end of your stay.
Cave Creek
events
While everyday is an event
in Cave Creek with almost
nightly live entertainment
throughout the town, there
are also numerous events that
visitors and residents both look
forward to each year. The Taste
of Cave Creek event, sponsored
by the Cave Creek Merchants
Chamber, is always special
as it brings together nearly
25 of the best restaurants in
town to serve their favorite
dishes.This event raises money
for the annual July 3rd and
4th fireworks displays – yes,
one day of fireworks for this
western town is not enough!
The
Desert
Foothills
Community Association stages
the always popular Fiesta Days
Rodeo. The Cave Creek Wild
West Days are held each fall
which is an eclectic collection
of events showcasing the
town’s
western
heritage
including a Ms. Wild West
Days contest, entertainment,
exhibits and horse events.
For specifics as they become
available, please visit www.
CaveCreekVisitorsGuide.com
for links to all event websites.
Cave Creek offers many unique experiences
with a feel of the old west. Activities
include golf, horseback riding, hiking and
biking along with shopping or trying any
number of the more than 20 restaurants.
Please turn the page for the Business Directory
and Map Legend. Map was provided by the Cave
Creek Merchants Chamber of Commerce and
sponsored by the Town of Cave Creek. Thank
you to all of the participating businesses.
While
Legend of the
Horny Toad &
Satisfied Frog
the town of Cave
Creek and the word “urban”
don’t often get used in the
same sentence, small towns
do have their own version of
“urban legends” – it’s usually
called gossip! Of course, that
doesn’t make it any more
accurate or true, but it does
make it sound more realistic.
One of Cave Creek’s greatest
urban legends involves two
very famous restaurants in
town – the Horny Toad and the
Satisfied Frog. The story goes
that Crazy Ed Chileen opened
the Horny Toad Restaurant
and then got a divorce, with his
ex-wife getting the restaurant.
Not to be outdone, Ed opened
up the Satisfied Frog naming
it that to let his ex-wife know
he was happier than ever.
However, that is where fact
and fiction can get confusing
sometimes. The truth is Ed and
his wife, Maria, did open the
Horny Toad but then together
sold it to the Price family (the
present owners) in 1976. Also
together, Ed and Maria then
went on to open the Satisfied
Frog in 1982 and they have
owned it together ever since.
Their philosophy is that “It’s
better to be a Satisfied Frog
than a Horny Toad.” Others
have insisted that it might be
more fun to visit the Horny
Toad. We’ll let you be the judge
as there is certainly room for
both in a town like Cave Creek.
Cave Creek is a great place to
shop and is certainly like no
other. You can stroll around
and visit any one of the area’s
nearly 20 galleries or seek out
many of the town’s unique
shops featuring southwestern
gifts, clothing, furniture and
house wares. Some distinctive
stand-alone stores include
The Town Dump, Valerie’s, Big
Bronco, Indian Village and the
Lazy Lizard. Many have large
assortments of pottery, rustic
antiques and other unique
items that can probably only
be found in Cave Creek. There
are a number of rustic little
shopping clusters throughout
town such as Frontier Town,
The Shoppes at Cave Creek, and
Las Tiendas, with each offering a
variety of restaurants, galleries,
and curious little shops located
within a convenient stroll of
one another. Popular galleries
include both the Blue Coyote
Cave creek
Shopping
and Galeria Bella Artes while
other unique stores include
Cave Creek Candles & Gifts and
The Epicurian Pallette, which
features kitchen essentials.
Dressing your favorite cowboy
or cowgirl is easy when visiting
the Cave Creek Cowboy
Company or Spirit of the West
shops each located within the
Shoppes at Cave Creek complex.
While most folks find it easy
to see that Cave Creek is a very
distinctive town, especially
compared to the modern cities
just a few miles south, it can
take some expertise to help
you understand the ancient
and interesting past. Tours
conducted by real cowboys
and wranglers are available
to take you throughout the
desert, on top of mountains,
and through desert washes.
Spur Cross Stables (480-4889117) provide horseback rides
from one hour to all day to
overnight campouts – just like
the cowboys used to do it!
One of the most popular rides
has been the Petroglyphs Tour
which brings you to ancient
Petroglyphs carved into stone.
Cave Creek Trailrides (623742-6700) operates its horse
trailrides from the Cave Creek
Recreation area from October
thru April with the Sunset tour
being one of the most popular.
Carefree Adventures (480488-2466) specializes in Jeep
tours that can show the hidden
treasures of Cave Creek or take
you to the top of Continental
Mountain. The Rackensack
Mine Tour includes a visit
and walk into a real 1870s
Exploring
CAve creek
gold mine. If cycling is more
your style, both road and
mountain bikes can be rented
from Flat Tire Bikes (480488-5261). Rentals include
helmet, water bottle and
map. Tours are also available.
For hikers, the Desert Foothills
Land Trust (480-488-6131)
conducts walks most Saturdays
from October thru May in
locations throughout the Cave
Creek area. Links to websites
for all the above can be found at
CaveCreekVisitorsGuide.com.