Bill Ensign Trail

Plants are the business at Verde River Growers, a nursery at 300 S Rocking Chair Ranch Rd in Cottonwood. Its own site posts plant availability, weekly sales, a watering guide written for a dry climate, a guide to common pests and plant problems, educational classes, and events. Two data notes belong here. The site says the nursery is open seven days a week, while our listed hours list only Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so treat weekday times as unconfirmed. The email listed is a placeholder left by the site builder, not a real inbox. Call (928) 639-0122 instead.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish is at 700 N. Bill Gray Rd. in Cottonwood. Mass times posted on the parish site are Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 9am in English and 11am in Spanish. Daily Mass is listed at 8:30am on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, noon on Tuesday, 5:30pm on Wednesday, and 9:00am on Friday. On the 2nd Saturday the parish gathers at St. Cecilia's in Clarkdale and on the 3rd at Holy Family in Jerome. Confession and adoration times are posted too. A school, a bulletin, and a gift shop are listed. Call (928) 634-2933.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Preschool is a preschool at 750 North Bill Gray Road in Cottonwood. It holds a Child Care Center license from the AZ DHS, number CDC-17430, and can serve up to 59 children. It is in YAVAPAI county. Parents looking for an early learning program with a Catholic setting can call (928) 649-0624 to ask about ages, class times, and open spots. Ask, too, about tuition and what the children do in a normal day. A visit before you enroll lets you meet the teachers and see the classrooms.

Pest control is handled from 127 N Main St in Cottonwood by Conn Pest Control. Termite work is a large part of the list: inspections, soil treatments, post treatments, and borate treatment for new construction. Rodent control, tree pest control, tree spraying, and micro-injections also appear. The company's own site gives license number 8262 and says the family owned business has served northern Arizona since 1974. It is licensed. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday closed. The service area on file covers Cottonwood, Camp Verde, and Sedona. Call (928) 634-7373.

Cellar 433 pours in a tasting room at 909 A North Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood. The wines it features are the Bitter Creek Tarot Collection, made by winemaker John McLoughlin, with fruit from Dragoon Mountain Vineyard near Willcox. A wine club, a gallery, and a newsletter are on the site, and music bingo runs every Thursday from 6pm to 7pm. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Monday through Wednesday is listed as a zero-length entry, which means unconfirmed rather than open. Call (928) 852-4002 or email Info@Cellar433.com.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is at 675 Dead Horse Ranch Road in Cottonwood, managed by Arizona State Parks. The features listed are lagoons, fishing, canoeing, hiking trails, a campground and camping cabins, which makes it the park in this valley you can stay at rather than just visit. Entry is $10 per vehicle for one person, $20 for two to four people, and $5 to walk in or cycle. The visitor center is open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM daily. Call (928) 634-5283 about camping, which books up, or see azstateparks.com.

Raptor Bones Connector Trail is short, about 0.18 miles, and it links other paths rather than going anywhere on its own. It carries the number 181B. The tread is native material, so dirt and rock underfoot. Grades run around 5 to 8 percent, which is gentle. Trail class 3 points to a clear, well defined path. The Coconino National Forest looks after it through the Red Rock Ranger District. Because this is a connector, look at a map of the whole loop before setting out so you know what it joins. Check with the ranger district for closures, and bring water even on a short walk.

Raptor Hill Trail runs about 4.69 miles and carries the number 181. The surface is native material, which means dirt and rock rather than anything laid down. Grades sit around 5 to 8 percent, steady rather than steep. Trail class 3 describes a path that is easy to follow and holds up to regular use. The Coconino National Forest manages it through the Red Rock Ranger District. At that length, plan for a few hours and take water, a map and sun protection. Weather turns the tread slick and can change how long the route takes, so check conditions with the ranger district before you go.