The Woodruff Figure 8 Tour

DISCOVER RURAL ARIZONA

One of the major reasons I can never move back to my home state of Kentucky concerns my acquired need for wide-open spaces. Not that Kentucky isn't beautiful; it is. But the rolling hills and soggy atmosphere and no trespassing signs restrict visibility. Arizona has addicted me to being able to "see forever," or, as a cowboy friend once put it, "Sometimes you can see where you are going, ride all day, and never be any closer."

The Woodruff Figure 8, the loose, arbitrary name for this backcountry route, was born because the tiny town of Woodruff sits near where the "8" crosses over itself. The route covers about 72 miles, some of it paved but mostly not. It's exhilarating driving down a wide road, one without a centerline, one running into infinity utterly without traffic-oh, maybe the occasional lone ranch pickup. But much of the Figure 8 is unfenced, so watch out for cattle.

Woodruff was introduced to me by my venturesome 21-year-old daughter, Rachel, who lives in the juniper wilderness 15 miles out of Snowflake. She was surprised to find this lethargic farming-ranching community had paved streets but no stores and no service stations.

Holbrook is at the top of this arbitrary 8 and Snowflake at the bottom. The former was born in 1882 and named for H.R. Holbrook, first engineer on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, forerunner of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. Until 1914 Holbrook was suspect as the only county seat without a church. In 1887 Holbrook gained notoriety as the site of a shoot-out between Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens and the Cooper-Blevins gang (three men and a 14-year-old boy).

Because Interstate 40the successor to U.S. 66, the great migration route west - skirts Holbrook, more backcountry explorers are likely to choose this railroad town as their springboard.

About eight miles south of Holbrook on the east side of State Route 77, you'll see the Woodruff turnoff, and another five miles on blacktop will get you there. Right away you can see 5,671-foot Woodruff Butte rising out of the rolling prairie land. (You can, in fact, see Woodruff Butte from just about everywhere along the Figure 8.) An extinct volcano, the butte is sacred to the Navajos, and medicine men go there to seek jimson weed for ceremonial use.

Just before you drive into Woodruff, take the dirt road north of the highway to the hilltop that overlooks this oasis. To the southeast, you'll see other "volcanic intrusions," low, gray-black, and readily visible, poking out of the ground a half mile to the southeast. Across the vastness, you can see a thin blue line on the southern horizon, the White Mountains, more than 100 miles away, wherein rises Baldy Peak. At 11,590 feet above sea level, it is the second-highest mountain in Arizona (after 12,643-foot Humphreys Peak north of Flagstaff).

Slightly northeast, note the pastel mesas and buttes. These are topographical features within Petrified Forest National Park, 15 to 20 air miles away. Perhaps of even more interest these days, this area was the real Jurassic Park. Just 200 million or so years ago, dinosaurs dined here.

Entering Woodruff you cross a modern concrete bridge over the Little Colorado River that would go unnoticed in Kentucky as a muddy little creek. The town's streets are narrow with some houses set well back from the pavement, a few abandoned and ravaged by age. Woodruff, after all, is an old settlement. In 1877 Ammon M. Tenney put down roots here, calling it Tenney's Camp. A year later, in February, 1878, the settlement was renamed for Mormon Church President Wilford Woodruff.

The school appears modern, large, and out of place for such a small rural community. But this is an example of the Mormon emphasis on education. Cultivated flowers dress house foundations and color yards.

DISCOVER RURAL ARIZONA Between 1540 and 1542, Francisco Coronado and his contingent of Spanish conquistadores may have trekked through this countryside.

(BELOW) A traveler strolls across the old bridge just south of Woodruff. To our author, it looks like it had been built with a "rusty Erector Set."

(OPPOSITE PAGE, ABOVE) A motel's tepees add a bit of whimsy if not historical accuracy along old Route 66 in Holbrook.

(OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM) High-country grassland, open valleys, and mesas appeal to a variety of wildlife including the elusive and misnamed pronghorn antelope. True antelope are found only in the Old World. Smaller than a deer, the pronghorn can be spotted along the entire Figure 8 route.

Tall trees offer friendly shade, cottonwoods, willows, and the occasional Lombardy poplar. Water flows here and there; irrigation ditches may be lined with cattails, and fields may be flooded. You may see people; you may not. The residents are friendly, but consider that somewhere a "Please Do Not Disturb" sign may be hanging.

Leaving Woodruff, the smoothness of the unpaved road south is confirmed by the absence of hubcaps. Windmills dot the landscape, pumping water from below the sparsely vegetated surface into cattle-watering tanks. Overflow sometimes creates tiny marshlands and lushly-fringed ponds where cattle and wildlife wallow. Two miles south of town, an antique bridge, which appears to have been built with a rusty Erector Set, allows another Little Colorado River crossing.

The Little Colorado River contributes to the big Colorado River, carver of the Grand Canyon. Downstream, in the Painted Desert and on the Navajo Indian Reservation, the Little Colorado is a carver of canyons, itself. Without it there might not be a Woodruff, Holbrook, Joseph City, or even a Winslow.

Between 1540 and 1542, Francisco Coronado and his contingent of Spanish conquistadores may have trekked through this countryside. Coronado's quest was to find the mythical "Seven Cities of Cibola," supposedly made of gold; instead he found Hopi Indian villages made of rock and adobe. (In 1540 a group of Coronado's men led by Capt. Garcia Lopez de Cardenas went on to become the Grand Canyon's first European visitors.) Coronado called the Little Colorado, Rio de Lino, "flax river," for the wild flax growing along the banks. When Lt. Amiel W. Whipple rode here in 1854, locals seemed content with the Flax River tag, although its current moniker was beginning to take hold in the region. In 1776 Father Francisco Garces dubbed these vistas Valle del Lino, "valley of flax." Then, before these polyester days, nobody had to carry a field guide to identify flax.

In the wild state, the Flax River experienced seasonal extremes of turbulent floods and parched, dry sand without a trickle. Today, upstream, south of St. Johns, concrete impounds it, controls it, and creates a sizable body of water for recreation. Although "Flax Lake" has a nice ring to it, it's called Lyman Lake to honor Francis M. Lyman, a Mormon bishop. Upstream even farther, the Little Colorado reaches into the conifers of the White Mountains, splits into numerous smaller streams, many with permanently flowing crystal water and home to respectable-size trout.

Back at the bridge, the Little Colorado River which may or may not be flowing - joins Silver Creek a few dozen yards west, the real water contributor in these parts. Army wife Martha Summerhayes baptized this stream in 1875 because, unlike the Little Colorado, it is "clear and silvery." But that's not so here. It's muddy. Just a few yards up the creek, a red-rock flagstone dam imprisons a pond. Overflow seeks a course around the dam, across slanting sandstone, then drops off a bluff to form a 40-foot waterfall.

About five miles south of Woodruff, you come to our Figure 8 crossover, and I suggest you take the left fork, Hay Hollow Road. From there the pitch of your path becomes steeper, but from Holbrook to Snowflake the elevation changes only 505 feet from 5,075 to 5,580 above sea level. From the crossover, it's 24 miles to Concho Highway with the last few miles paved. En route it dips and rises, bisecting ranches and farms, climbing into denser stands of junipers.

Pronghorn may be seen anywhere along the entire Figure 8 route. In spring, summer, and fall, these higher environs rate better for spotting our fastest mammal, clocked at 60 miles per hour. Other wildlife species seen hereabouts include blacktailed jackrabbits, coyotes, several species of ground squirrels, and even porcupines. Numerous species of birds can be seen, most notably ravens and hawks; swallows nest in the canyon walls below the old bridge.Continuing upward you can't help noting thousands of uprooted junipers among the green and growing. Decades ago cattle-men-inspired pairs of bulldozers with chains slung between them crawled along, pulling down the "water-consuming" junipers in an effort to bring back, or increase, the range grass. Locals never have to want for firewood. Hay Hollow Road intercepts Concho Highway about six miles east of Snowflake.

The name "Snowflake" did not come from white stuff falling out of the winter sky. In July, 1878, William J. Flake settled here, then Erastus Snow followed that autumn. (Bill Flake was inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame when he was 93, still able to ride.) Flake's place was selected as a townsite and given the name of Snowflake for its founders. Happily, priority-of-arrival rules were not enacted: "Flakesnow"

doesn't have the same ring. Anyway, while in Snowflake, take the do-it-yourself his-toric homes tour.

You now have a choice of what to do next. You can quit the Figure 8 here for, in part, you'll be seeing the same kind of ter-ritory. You can return to Holbrook via State 77, or take it to points south. But I say, don't do it; take the rest of the drive. The rays of the late afternoon sun give a differ-ent dimension, a wonderful warm glow, and lengthening shadows add a detailed texture. It's just not the same Woodruff Figure 8 anymore. And furthermore, ap-proaching evening increases the chances of seeing wildlife.

About a mile out of downtown Snow-flake east on Concho Highway, you pick up the Old Woodruff Road again. As you head down the slope, you see mobile homes here and there.

When you move out of the juniper stands, rising from the grassland to the west, you'll periodically see what looks like a wall of rock, no more than a couple of city blocks off the road. This is Silver Creek again and must be where Martha Summerhayes made her bid for its pleasant appellation. Here it has cut a canyon of its own. Below, the gin-clear waters flow through a green lushness of trees, shrubs, And wild grasses. Zane Grey would have done a whole book about it.

At Woodruff, moving north, the Old Woodruff Road becomes the Woodruff-180 Road, skirting around the east side of Woodruff Butte. During the eight-mile drive to U.S. 180, the flats of sagebrush and rabbit-brush are broken by wash-es trimmed with tamarisk. Here you're traversing terrain similar to that of the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert.

DISCOVER RURAL ARIZONA WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN AND AROUND NAVAJO COUNTY

Unless indicated otherwise, telephone numbers are in area code 520.

HOLBROOK

Navajo County Museum: Located in the former Navajo County Courthouse, the museum contains artwork, Indian artifacts, and historical displays from Holbrook's rough-and-tumble territorial days. Admission is free. Open Monday to Saturday. Indian dances are held weeknights in summer. 524-6558.

Geronimo Trading Post: Opened in 1950, right on Route 66, the trading post offers Native American art and petrified wood collectibles. To get there, go west of Holbrook on Interstate 40 to Exit 280 and follow the frontage road, which is actually part of old 66. Open daily; closed a half day on Christmas. Hours vary by season. 288-3241. Nearby is the world's largest petrified tree. Cholla Lake County Park: Located 10 miles west of town, the park offers camping, picnicking, fishing, swimming, water-skiing, and windsurfing. Overnight fees are $7 or $10 for RV water and electric hookups. Campground has showers. Day fees are $3. Call 288-3717 for current hours.

Rock Art Canyon Ranch: For an Old West experience, plan to visit this historic cattle ranch which was once home to the Hashknife Cattle Company. It's located in a remote area off I-40 between Holbrook and Winslow. The highlight of the ranch tour is a trip along Chevelon Canyon to one of the Southwest's most impressive pictograph and petroglyph sites. Ranch tours also include cowboy-style dinners, horseback riding, hayrides, swimming, and old-fashioned Western entertainment. Open May 1 to October 15, except Sundays. Call 288-3260 or the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce toll-free, (800) 524-2459, for more information.

Old Route 66: Exit the interstate at Holbrook and follow the I-40 business loop. Look for landmarks of the "Mother Road," such as the Pow Wow Trading Post, 752 Navajo Blvd., 524-1937; Joe & Aggie's Cafe, 120 W. Hopi Dr., 524-6540; and the Wigwam Motel & Curios. Built in 1950, this roadside landmark of concrete wigwams is a classic reminder of Old Route 66. Renovated in 1988, each wigwam has air-conditioning and a bathroom. Located at 811 W. Hopi Drive. Call 524-3048 after 3 p.m. MST for more information and reservations.

WINSLOW

Old Trails Museum: With artifacts from early Indian settlements to modern times, this is a fun museum for those interested in the halcyon days of the Santa Fe Railway, the Hashknife Cowboys, and Old Route 66. 289-5861.Old Route 66: Take Exit 257 and cruise along an old stretch of the fabled highway into Winslow. Along Second Street, look for such landmarks as Gabrielle's Pancake & Steak House, 918 E. Second St., 289-2508; the Minnetonka Trading Post, East Highway 66, 289-2561; Bruchman Curio & The Whole Enchilada, 113 W. Second St.; and the La Posada Santa Fe Depot and Railway Station at 301 E. Second St.

Little Painted Desert County Park: This park, 13 miles northeast of town on State Route 87, offers a breathtaking view of the picturesque desert and is a perfect place to watch the sunset. It has picnic tables and a hiking trail.

McHood Park: Located along Clear Creek Reservoir south of Winslow, this park is a great place for fishing, swimming, boating, camping, and picnicking. Two and a half miles upstream lies a beautiful canyon with 200-foot cliffs. Admission is $3 per day. Call 289-3082 for seasonal hours.

Homolovi Ruins State Park: Just a few miles northeast of Winslow, this is the site of an ancient Anasazi village built between A.D. 600 and 1450. Admission is $3 per vehicle, and campsites are available. 289-4106.

Meteor Crater: Nearly 50,000 years ago, when a gigantic meteor slammed into the landscape 20 miles west of Winslow, it left behind a 600-foot-deep crater and an eerie moonlike landscape. To visit this celestial site, take Exit 233 off 1-40. 289-2362.

JOSEPH CITY

Old Route 66: There's not much left of the old route in Joseph City except the venerable Jackrabbit Trading Post. Located in this small community founded by Mormon settlers, the Jackrabbit and its road signs are among the best-known Old Route 66 roadside attractions. Its motto is "If you haven't stopped at the Jack Rabbit, you haven't been in the Southwest." Call 288-3230 for information.

EVENTS AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Holbrook holds its Old West Celebration and Bucket of Blood Races in June; Snowflake observes Pioneer Days in July; and the White Mountain Apache and Navajo reservations host tribal fairs in late summer and early fall. To ask about these and other events, plus trading posts, Indian jewelry and craft stores, historic sites, restaurants, and accommodations, please contact local chambers of commerce or tribal agencies including: Holbrook, toll-free (800) 524-2459; Winslow, 289-2434; Snowflake, 536-4331; Apaches, 338-4346, ext. 323 or 316; Navajos, 871-6659.

INDIAN RESERVATIONS

Fort Apache Indian Reservation: Thirty miles south of Snowflake, you'll find the pine-covered mountain home of the White Mountain Apaches. To ask about recreation, camping, fishing, or hunting opportunities on the 1.6 million-acre reservation, contact White Mountain Game and Fish Department, Box 220, Whiteriver, AZ 84941; (338-4385).

Hopi Indian Reservation: Located about 50 miles north of Holbrook, the Hopi reservation encompasses several villages, and each has its own rules on tourism. For current information on touring the Hopi Mesas and villages, contact the Hopi Tribal Office of Public Relations at Box 123, Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039; (734-2441).

Navajo Indian Reservation: Just a half hour north of Holbrook, the vast and diverse Navajo reservation dominates northeastern Arizona and the Four Corners region. For more information on visiting this land of canyons and monuments, contact the Navajo Nation Tourism Department, Box 663, Window Rock, AZ 86515; 871-6659.

NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS

Petrified Forest National Park: Including the Painted Desert, this 93,533-acre park is a mosaic of petrified logs and multihued sands. A 28-mile drive within the park meanders by numerous scenic overlooks and picnic areas, and takes you to two museums. The Rainbow Forest Museum, located two miles north of U.S. 180, is open daily from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., and admission is free. 524-3756. The Petrified Forest Gift Shop and Museum, located at the south entrance to the park, also is free and open daily from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. 524-3470. Both museums have extended hours in the summer. Also in the park is the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark Museum, which contains a collection of Hopi art by Fred Kabotie. During the summer, Native Americans conduct art demonstrations and the park maintains a bookstore for visitors. Call 524-2550 for tours and hours. For more information on the national park, contact Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, AZ 86028; 524-6228. Admission is $5 per car.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest: Just south of Snowflake, the 2 million-acre forest covers some of the most beautiful mountain country in Arizona. For general recreation and camping information, contact Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, 309 South Mountain Ave., U.S. Highway 180, P.O. Box 640, Springerville, AZ 85938; 333-4301.