BILL WILLIAMS MOUNTAIN ~ June 10, 2007

You can either hike or drive to the top of Bill Williams Mountain (9,256 ft.), where there is a lookout tower that you can climb (at your own risk) for an even higher view. The lookout tower is manned, so if you’re brave enough to go up there, the ranger may let you in and show you around. It’s cramped quarters, though, with barely room enough for four visitors at a time. It was super windy when we were there, especially on the open stairway up to the tower. I’m scared of heights so I stayed down by the car but the guys all went up and got to go inside the tower. In addition to the lookout tower, there are a couple of small buildings and numerous communications equipment at the summit.

We drove up the mountain because the hike takes six hours and seemed like it would be a little difficult for the younger kids and me. To drive there, simply take Forest Road 173 (Perkinsville Road) south from 4th Street in downtown Williams and after about five miles, turn west onto FR111. The road is well-graded and four-wheel drive is probably not needed, but it’s steep with many hairpin turns as it winds its way up to the top. I wasn’t as scared as I thought I’d be because the road was pretty wide and lined with trees, which meant that at least we weren’t on the edge of sheer drop-offs or anything, even though we were really high up there and the views were breathtaking. It’s supposed to be a popular drive in the fall for seeing autumn colors.

On our way up, we passed a couple who were riding bikes to the top. We passed them again on the way down, but they were almost there by then. It was certainly a tough ride up, but must have been quite exciting going back down!

Also as we were going around one of the curves, I spotted a dog tied to a tree just off the side of the road. We stopped to check on him and he didn’t look hungry or thirsty or anxious, so hopefully everything was okay. Perhaps his owner was just letting him rest there in the shade of the tree while he went off on a hike or something. There are some nice campsites along the first part of the road under the pine trees on the edge of the meadows. We’ll have to keep that in mind for next time.

Bill Williams Mountain, the town of Williams, and the Bill Williams River in western Arizona were all named after William Sherley Williams, a.k.a. Bill Williams. He was a mountain man, hunter, scout and guide who traveled through the Mogollon and Little Colorado River region of Arizona in 1837, living off the land and trapping beaver. Then he headed west across the Colorado Plateau to the Colorado River, thus completing his only known visit to what is now Arizona. Williams was killed by Ute Indians while transporting baggage for the Fremont expedition in 1849.

While Bill Williams Mountain is a lone peak, it is one of a series of lava domes also consisting of Sitgreaves Mountain and Kendrick Peak, which rise along a fault line stretching west from Humphrey’s Peak.

WILLIAMS, AZ ~ June 10, 2007

On Saturday night after the Beale presentation, we left Riordan Mansion and got onto Route 66 heading west from Flagstaff toward Williams. (As you’re leaving Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, just continue straight through the intersection at Hwy. 180 to get onto Old Hwy. 66.) Route 66 takes you out of Flagstaff as it runs diagonally toward I-40. Then we had to get on I-40 for a while, but we got off on Parks Road which again is the same as Old Route 66. After a while, Parks Road just kind of turns into Forest Road 74 and heads north past the Pittman Valley Helibase and an El Paso Natural Gas compression station.

After that, the road becomes a dirt road as it continues north and curves to the east (which incidentally is where one of the segments of the Beale Wagon Trail is located). Along the way we saw a couple of deer on the side of the road and a raccoon, its large round eyes glowing with the reflection of our headlights. We set up our tent alongside FR 070. (We would have camped on FR 75 except for the grave, which was a spooky thing to encounter in the woods at night. It looked like a large mound with a white cross on top. In the morning we went back there out of curiosity and it was simply a pile of rocks and the marker said “MAX WILL’S BEST FRIEND.” Poor Max!) We also saw a large herd of deer near there, on both sides of the road.

Heading back in the direction from whence we had come, we turned onto Parks Road and stopped at the Oak Hill Snowplay Area so that we could walk to the Keyhole Sink. It’s an easy mile-long trail through the forest down to the base of a basalt cliff that has petroglyphs on it. One incredibly detailed petroglyph is a dramatic depiction of some Indians hunting a herd of deer at this very spot. While Keyhole Sink looked like the kind of place that Beale would have stopped at, there were no other markings except for the petroglyphs. Perhaps that’s because it’s not a year-round water source. When we were there it consisted only of damp mud – and lots of bugs! But it also contained a natural garden of roses and irises that were just past their prime bloom. What a wonder to see these flowers growing wild out in the middle of a forest in Arizona of all places!

When we got to the town of Williams later that morning, we were just in time to see the Grand Canyon Railway train pulling into the station. The steam train is really impressive when the steam is hissing and the bell is ringing – and it’s really loud, too! We ran right up next to it so we could even see the fire inside and the smallest valves moving. We stood there for the longest time looking at it, it’s such an interesting piece of mechanical equipment to watch. (See movie clip here) We had no idea how long the train was going to be stopped there, and by then it was noon so we walked over to the main street to get something to eat at Old Smokey’s Restaurant and Pancake House. Old Smokey’s opened for business in 1946 and it’s been in that same location for over 60 years, so it is truly a Route 66 original. When we came back out an hour later, the train was gone.

After lunch we walked to the Williams Visitor Center on the corner of Railroad Ave. and Grand Canyon Blvd., which is located near the train station just down a ways from where we had parked. At first a tour bus loaded with Japanese tourists was stopped there, but soon they left and we had the place mostly to ourselves. The building itself has an interesting history as the Santa Fe Railway depot for Williams and the Grand Canyon. Built of brick in 1901, it was later moved across the tracks for use as a freight depot. Restored in 1994, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Williams Visitor Center is jointly operated by the Williams-Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce and the National Forest Service. One half of the visitor center is full of information and racks of brochures for the local area as well as from all around the state, while also offering a variety of books, maps, and souvenirs to purchase. The other half is a museum with interactive exhibits explaining the history of Williams, the prehistory of the area, Route 66, forest ecosystems, fire ecology and water conservation. (For example, did you know that just by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth you save 3-4 gallons of water?) A “Kids Corner” offers hands-on activities for the family.

This is an excellent, must-see visitor center – families will especially appreciate being able to view all of the interesting museum-quality exhibits for free! The Visitor Center is staffed seven days a week, and for after-hours visitors there is an interactive computer that provides information. The rangers there will be able to answer any questions that you have, too. They gave us a couple of handouts showing how to get up Bill Williams Mountain, which was where we were going next.