Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish

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.

Bill Ensign Trail runs about 1.76 miles and is numbered 182 in the national forest trail system. The tread is native material, meaning dirt and rock rather than gravel or pavement. Grades along the route run roughly 8 to 10 percent, so expect steady climbing in places. It is rated trail class 2, which points to a simple path with little in the way of built structures. The Coconino National Forest manages it through the Red Rock Ranger District. Conditions change with weather and season, so check with the ranger district before heading out. Carry water, and wear footwear with grip, because loose ground on a native surface moves underfoot.

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.

Zalesky Loop is 0.38 miles near Verde Village, in the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest, as trail number 1001. It is a loop, so you end where you began, and at this length it is a short one. The typical grade is 0 to 5 percent, effectively flat, and the surface is native material. It is recorded as trail class 3. The allowed uses are not posted, so ask before you ride. Short, flat and a loop makes this about as approachable as anything we list, and it works well as an add on to a longer walk nearby.

Grades of 0 to 5 percent make this one of the flatter routes in the area, and it runs 4.29 miles on native dirt. Trail 1000 is rated class 3, so the tread is wider and better defined than a rough footpath, which suits a steady pace over a longer distance. This is Red Rock Ranger District land, on the Coconino National Forest. Allowed uses are not listed here, so check with the ranger district before bringing a bicycle, a horse, or anything motorized. Gentle grade does not mean short, so carry water for the full distance and ask about conditions after any storm.

Faith Lutheran Church meets at 2021 E. Fir St. in Cottonwood. Its own page posts a Sunday schedule: worship at 9:00am, fellowship after the service, and Bible study for all ages at 10:45am. An Easter sunrise service is listed at 6:00am. The church shares its address with Hilltop Christian Preschool, which has its own number, (928) 634-7759. A quarterly newsletter and calendar are posted on the site. Reach the church office at (928) 634-7876 or cottonwoodlutheran@netzero.com. Service times can change around holidays, so check the current newsletter first.

Mountain View United Methodist Church gathers at 901 S. 12th St. in Cottonwood. Its own site posts a Sunday schedule of adult Sunday school at 8:30am and worship at 9:30am, with the service also streamed online for anyone who cannot attend. Reaching out is a listed part of the work: the church runs a food bank and a free meal it calls a picnic in the park. Christian education, women's ministry, and men's ministry each have a page. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Call (928) 634-8857.

Camp Verde Baptist Church meets at 299 West Hollamon Street in Camp Verde. It is a Baptist congregation with Sunday services and a weekday Bible study, and services are also streamed online for people who cannot attend in person. Sermons are posted as well. The phone number is (928) 567-3324. Service times can change with the season and with holidays, so call or check the church website before a first visit. The church is near the center of town, a short walk from the older streets. Visitors are welcome at regular services.