Small towns between Prescott and Tucson...
 

Any suggestions on small towns to visit between Prescott and Tucson keeping in mind we need heat(visiting in December and February) and good hiking.

We liked Prescott last winter for a week but it was unusually warm and therefore got lucky. Maximum population 50k.

We will likely fly to Palm Springs. Great little airport and a good place to start off.

Do a search on "Small towns between Prescott and Tucson, AZ"
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I did this recently for a day trip and pages do exist that list all manner of small towns in AZ.
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Have fun.

I'd head over to Payson then drop down through Globe. Take 77 into Tucson or run over to Superior then down.. Stop by Biosphere II.

If you want a longer drive, go east all the way to Show Low and then head south. Show Low shouldn't be too touristy that time of year.

All weather dependent of course.

We have a house in Prescott during the winter, and spend a lot of time checking out small towns. The Payson run starting at Camp Verde is beautiful. Head down to the Apache Trail is way cool, take it to Roosevelt lake and then to Globe, back to Phoenix or Tucson. Or, the northern spots, like Jerome, and Sedona/Flagstaff are a must.

I like the pine forests up around Strawberry....

That's the high season for snowbirds...people flock to Arizona during that time of year, so roads are congested with crap drivers, old people going WAY too slow, etc. etc.


Having said that, Arizona's awesome during the winter. I live a bit further south than you're looking to go, but there's some decent small towns down below Tucson (Benson for Karchner Caverns, Tombstone, Bisbee, My Crap City--known as Sierra Vista--and a few others). All within an hour drive of Tucson.

All good suggestions. Just back from the area; Jerome is special.

We stayed in Flagstaff and if I would do it over, I'd find a Cayenne to rent and give it a workout in the GC North Rim area and east to the Navajo Nation...man, that is some special playground and not to be missed, especially during the winter.

My bad. I thought they were all down in the valley!

Drive up I-7 from Phoenix and take Carefree Hwy (exit 223) to Wickenburg. Maybe visit old town Cave Creek first. Then head up 89A to Prescott and Jerome and Sedona. It can get snowy up there. Spend a night in Williams, just west of Flag on I-40. 89A is an amazing road, especially on a bike, but scenic always. Driver will miss a lot of it because you really have to pay attention.