The Mountains of Arizona

Best Things Nearby:


Best Things About the Resort:
This is a wonderful, friendly mountain resort and the perfect place to escape the desert heat.

Resort Experience:
Fairfield Flagstaff is a large resort. Our condo was a one-bedroom with all the comforts of home. Just to the right of the entry is the kitchen, beyond that the dining room, and lastly, the living room with a gas fireplace. There is a nice deck with a table and 4 chairs off the living room. Down a short hall to the left of the living room is a bedroom with a huge king-size (and very comfortable) bed. The full bath can be accessed from either the bedroom or the hall. Directly across from the bathroom is a separate room with a huge Jacuzzi, and in a hall closet you will find the washer and dryer. There are two TVs, and the couch was a sleep sofa. While I would not describe the condo as plush, it was clean and the furniture was comfortable and serviceable. The BearPaw Activity Center has a beautiful swimming pool, hot tub, pool tables and table tennis. There are also two computers designated for guest use to allow you to check your email. That was a delightful surprise! There is also a very nice putt-putt golf course at BearPaw. There are planned activities including a Karaoke Night and several nights featuring Junk Food Bingo. Guests also have the option of using the facilities at the Country Club -- a rather unique feature at the Country Club is an outside movie screen. I would not hesitate to stay here again. You could not ask for a more convenient location to explore the wonders of Arizona.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

Words cannot adequately describe the magnificent Grand Canyon, nor can photographs - although we all try. The first view simply took my breath away and I had to pause until it came back to me. The feeling of wonderment and awe is almost spiritual followed by a huge swelling of pride and love of God and Country. The colors of the Canyon walls seem to change before your eyes as the sun moves across the sky. The mighty Colorado River looks like a tiny ribbon carelessly laid across the Canyon floor. You must experience the Grand Canyon for yourself because no one can accurately describe its beauty nor can they explain the overwhelming feeling it invokes.

As you drive through the desert, the last thing you expect to see is a colorful landscape. I was so surprised by the beauty of the Painted Desert that I was anxious to research and learn more. The rainbow of colorful sedimentary layers are caused by varying mineral content and has been described as a multi-colored layer cake... an apt description. Behold the Painted Desert! Adjacent to the Painted Desert is the Petrified Forest...a surprising land of scenic wonder and fascinating science - together they make for a full day of unbelievable sightseeing and you will leave with a desire to research this wonderful area to learn more about this amazing country of ours.

The red rocks of Sedona are another of Arizona's natural beauties and a sight to behold. Sedona is a tourist mecca, full of T-shirt shops and unique storefronts that sell a little bit of everything. There is beautiful Southwestern art, figurines, etc. We took a jeep tour through the red rocks in Coconino National Forest and it was thrilling. The drivers are entertaining, chock-full of information about the natural flora and fauna, and experts at navigating the jeeps over the red rocks. The tour company we used was Day in the West and it included a jeep tour over the red rocks, an hour of horseback riding, and an old-fashioned Cowboy Dinner at the ranch...the steaks were DELICIOUS! There are many other tour companies that operate out of Sedona.

Glen Canyon Dam was engineered and constructed as part of the Colorado River Storage Project. The purpose of the dam, begun in 1956, was to provide water storage for the southwest and to generate power for growing communities. Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the United States. The lake is 186 miles long, and it took 17 years for it to fill the first time. There are four marinas servicing Lake Powell, as well as numerous restaurants and accommodations to service the nearly three million people a year that come to visit. Lake activities include boating, fishing, swimming, snorkling, scuba-diving, water skiing and hiking -- something for every taste! Opportunities for amazing photography are unlimited!