By Robert Stieve

The meadows in the White Mountains are called cienegas. It’s a Spanish word meaning “wet, marshy areas,” which are rare in Arizona. They do exist, however, and the best-known is Hannagan Meadow. If you’ve never been, Hannagan Meadow is one of the most beautiful places in the state. Keep in mind, this is a state that includes the Grand Canyon, Sedona and the San Francisco Peaks, so that’s really saying something.

In a place as beautiful as this, you might expect to see a string of B&Bs, hotels, motels, RV parks and campgrounds. But you won’t. The only thing around is Hannagan Meadow Lodge, which stands alone in the middle of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, a place generally off-limits to commercial development. In fact, if it weren’t for the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway, even the lodge wouldn’t be there.

Here’s the story. In 1926, Governor George W.P. Hunt was in the area to celebrate the opening of the Springerville-to-Clifton highway, which was called Route 666 back then, and has since been changed to U.S. Route 191 — the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway. As part of the dedication, the Forest Service issued a permit for a store to be built, and later a service station, cabins and a restaurant. After that, the main lodge was built to accommodate travelers who made the two-day trek either up or down the Coronado Trail.

Today, Hannagan Meadow Lodge, which has undergone numerous upgrades since 1926, is still the only place to stay, and it’s still in the middle of nowhere. Of course, the remote address is the main attraction, but the lodge itself is nice, too.

In all, the lodge offers eight rooms, which are scattered on various levels connected by narrow hallways and creaky staircases. The Cosper Room, which is named for the original permit holder and founder of the lodge, is the most popular, and features a king-sized four-poster bed and dark cherry furnishings. More importantly, it comes with a great view of the meadow.

Downstairs, in the log-walled lobby, you’ll find a fireplace, a cozy sofa and lots of books on the White Mountains. Just off the lobby is the dining room, which features log beams (both vertical and horizontal), log walls and a spectacular stone fireplace with a wooden, hand-carved mantel. Allegedly, John Wayne’s signature is somewhere on the wall behind the fireplace, but no one knows for sure. Another legend suggests that a ghost lurks somewhere inside. Again, no one knows, but sitting alone in the lodge at night, there’s definitely a sense of being a bit player in an episode of Scooby Doo.

Because of the remoteness of the lodge — and the 10 surrounding cabins — there’s no maid service, but that only adds to the charm. Besides, when you’re sitting on the front deck, overlooking the surrounding forest, the last thing you’ll be thinking about are mints on your pillow. This is Hannagan Meadow, after all, one of the most beautiful places in Arizona.

Hannagan Meadow Lodge is located 22 miles south of Alpine on U.S. Route 191. Information: 928-339-4370 or visit www.hannaganmeadow.com.

Luxury Lodging
Gourmet food and expensive linens are rarities in the middle of nowhere, but at Hidden Meadow Ranch, they come with the territory.

By Robert Stieve

About 100 years ago, Greer got lucky. It was already blessed with aspens, ponderosas, meadows and streams — the natural wonders you read about in Robert Frost poetry — but in the early 1900s, the little village was swallowed up by the newly established Apache National Forest. At the time, the appropriation ruffled some feathers, but looking back, that move by the federal government ensured that Greer and its surroundings would be spared from overdevelopment. It got lucky.

Today, Greer is synonymous with the middle of nowhere. It’s the rustic heart of the White Mountains — the place people go to get away from it all. Of course, the lack of development means limited overnight accommodations, but there are a few options, and one of the best is Hidden Meadow Ranch.

Located on 150 acres surrounded by what’s now known as the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Hidden Meadow Ranch is a cross between Camp Tamakwa and the Four Seasons, with a little Martha Stewart and Grizzly Adams thrown in.

Originally homesteaded by an old-timer named Chellis Hall, the ranch features a large main lodge and 12 log cabins made from hand-peeled blue spruce. All of the cabins include a living room/dining area with a wood-burning stone fireplace; bathrooms with slate countertops and oversized soaking tubs; a covered porch overlooking the meadow; bedrooms outfitted with Spring Air pillow-top mattresses; hand-carved wood furniture; and XM satellite radio. This isn’t Little House on the Prairie. This is the lap of luxury.

The same theme dominates the main lodge, where the seasonal gourmet menu incorporates fresh ingredients and features entrees like achiote-marinated elk tenderloin and pan-seared crab cakes. It’s haute cuisine, which is about the last thing you’d expect in this neck of the woods. What’s more, the atmosphere of the lodge makes it even better. There’s knotty pine from floor to ceiling, 20-foot picture windows, through which you can see a billion stars, and a 35-foot granite fireplace. About halfway up the façade is a mounted elk shot by supermarket magnate Eddie Basha, a friend of the original owner.

In addition to the niceties, a night at the ranch includes all kinds of activities in the great outdoors — horseback riding or hiking on 2,000 miles of surrounding trails, fly-fishing on the ranch pond, archery, canoeing and mountain biking. All of this, as you’d expect, comes with a price. On average, about $500 a night, per couple, but that’s an all-inclusive rate that includes three meals a day and any of the ranch-sponsored activities.

It’s more expensive than a tent, to be sure, but after a long day in the national forest, exploring the aspens, ponderosas, meadows and streams, what would you rather have waiting for you at the end of the trail: a sleeping bag and an Oscar Mayer hotdog, or a pillow-top mattress and a pistachio-crusted lamb chop?

Hidden Meadow Ranch is located about 10 miles north of Greer on Forest Road 118. Information: 866-333-4080 or www.hiddenmeadow.com.

• Eastern Arizona Dining
• Eastern Arizona Hikes
• Eastern Arizona Scenic Drives
• Eastern Arizona Weekend Getaways