Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood, AZ

By Robin

The story behind the name: “Calvin “Cap” Ireys purchased Dead Horse Ranch in 1950. “Cap” told State Parks Director Dennis McCarthy that his children named the ranch. The first time the family looked at the property, they saw a dead horse lying in the field, and after looking at a number of properties “Cap” asked them which one they liked the best. The answer was the one with the dead horse. After they acquired the property, they named it Dead Horse Ranch.“

We only spent 2 nights here but I think we both felt some of our long-held tension slip away. It was such a lovely two days! This is hands-down my favorite Arizona state park: lovely trails for walking, running, biking, 3 serene lakes…lots of trees (less of a desert feeling), quiet campground.

Other campers’ fires made my PTSD (from Oregon wildfire smoke) and smoke-irritated cough kick in, but we now travel with our wonderful Blue Air purifier and it cleaned out the smoke inside the trailer and fixed my cough also! 

Ross got in a bike ride with some climbing to viewpoints overlooking the valley below and I did my first little strength training workout in months (since before my back injury and illness this summer). It felt SO good to push myself a little bit again.

Fall off the horse, get back on the horse, fall off the horse, get back on the horse. As long as the Horse is not a Dead One, this is what resilience is all about.

Dory getting a pawdicure. (No, not torturing her…she gets lots of treats during and after!)

The Detective making sure there are no burglars in my clothes closet.

Morning walk with my favorite people.