Through VRBO, we found a rental the owner's named "Munds Park Cabin in the Pines" and rented it for the month of June. Our cabin is on Condor Place, a cul de sac with seven houses, just off Cedar Wood Drive.
There is a nice big porch out front. When you enter, there is a large open area that has a living room and dining room and office space, as well as what looks like a wood stove, but is actually a gas burning stove that heats the building. The living room has a full size sofa and a matching loveseat, both of which pull out to be used as sleepers. There is an entertainment center with TV, DVD/VCR and DishTV box. At the right rear are the stairs to the loft where there are two twin beds and another TV, DVD/VCR and DishTV box. On the left, there is the kitchen, a pantry and then hallway that leads to the bathroom and master bedroom with a queen size bed. And beyond that is the back enclosed porch that has the laundry room and storage of household cleaning materials. Out back, there is a patio, a picnic table on the lawn and a large fireplace; the back yard is somewhat fenced in for a pet to run loose - somewhat because the fence is dilapidated and a small section is missing.
The land is only one house away from the border of the Coconino National Forest. One of the things we have been doing is taking advantage of this proximity and exploring the different trails in the national forest.
Consistent with the Forest Service's policy favoring mixed use of National Forests, all trails allow hikers, non-motorized mountain bikes and horses. Separate from these there are generally parallel trails that are much wider and that do allow motorized vehicles such as dirt bikes, ATVs and dune buggies. And then some even bigger roads that allow all types of motorized vehicles, including trucks pulling horse trailers and trailers with ATVs.
It is the season for all the wildflowers to be in bloom, and we have come across many while hiking.
One of favorites is the mariposa lily.
The trails have excellent signage and are well marked between signs. In geological terms, a park is the flat area between mountains. Munds Park is not a federal, state or local park - it is the large flat area between the mountains. Also in geological terms, a tank is a small pond and can be either natural or man made; there are several tanks in the area, apparently used by the cattle who graze in Coconino National Forest. And the residential area of Munds Park is completely surrounded by fence to allow the cattle to graze in the forest but not wander into the residential area.
While we have seen lots of ponderosa pine trees and black oak, many squirrels, rabbits and birds, we have not yet seen any large animals in our first week here. But we have been enjoying the hiking and the much cooler temps than Phoenix - our rental does not have air conditioning and does not need it. In fact, we had to turn on the heat the first couple of mornings as the low temps were in the 30s and low 40s - a very welcome change from the heat of Phoenix.
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| Looking east on Cedar Wood |
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| Looking west on Cedar Wood |
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| Shadow at the front door |
There is a nice big porch out front. When you enter, there is a large open area that has a living room and dining room and office space, as well as what looks like a wood stove, but is actually a gas burning stove that heats the building. The living room has a full size sofa and a matching loveseat, both of which pull out to be used as sleepers. There is an entertainment center with TV, DVD/VCR and DishTV box. At the right rear are the stairs to the loft where there are two twin beds and another TV, DVD/VCR and DishTV box. On the left, there is the kitchen, a pantry and then hallway that leads to the bathroom and master bedroom with a queen size bed. And beyond that is the back enclosed porch that has the laundry room and storage of household cleaning materials. Out back, there is a patio, a picnic table on the lawn and a large fireplace; the back yard is somewhat fenced in for a pet to run loose - somewhat because the fence is dilapidated and a small section is missing.
The land is only one house away from the border of the Coconino National Forest. One of the things we have been doing is taking advantage of this proximity and exploring the different trails in the national forest.
Consistent with the Forest Service's policy favoring mixed use of National Forests, all trails allow hikers, non-motorized mountain bikes and horses. Separate from these there are generally parallel trails that are much wider and that do allow motorized vehicles such as dirt bikes, ATVs and dune buggies. And then some even bigger roads that allow all types of motorized vehicles, including trucks pulling horse trailers and trailers with ATVs.
It is the season for all the wildflowers to be in bloom, and we have come across many while hiking.
The trails have excellent signage and are well marked between signs. In geological terms, a park is the flat area between mountains. Munds Park is not a federal, state or local park - it is the large flat area between the mountains. Also in geological terms, a tank is a small pond and can be either natural or man made; there are several tanks in the area, apparently used by the cattle who graze in Coconino National Forest. And the residential area of Munds Park is completely surrounded by fence to allow the cattle to graze in the forest but not wander into the residential area.
While we have seen lots of ponderosa pine trees and black oak, many squirrels, rabbits and birds, we have not yet seen any large animals in our first week here. But we have been enjoying the hiking and the much cooler temps than Phoenix - our rental does not have air conditioning and does not need it. In fact, we had to turn on the heat the first couple of mornings as the low temps were in the 30s and low 40s - a very welcome change from the heat of Phoenix.
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