...get out of the kitchen!!!
Phew! It's no secret how hot it can get in parts of Arizona, and the part I live in is no exception. Casa Grande tends to be about 5 degrees cooler on average than the Phoenix-metro area, but anything over 102 is just too hot (for man and beast, as my late Mother used to say).
July and August this year have had many, many consecutive days of 110+, and at some point, I need a break. I've been cooped up for months due to the Pandemic, but it is possible to get out there and keep your distance from people, and the best place I know in all of Arizona to cool off is beautiful Mt. Graham.
From my home, getting to Mt. Graham is an easy 3.5 hour drive southeast along I-10, taking me through Tucson to Willcox. Just past Willcox, a short drive to Highway 366 takes you from 100+ degrees to a cool and breezy 75 degrees! Year after year, I have been able to count on the mid-70 degree temps of Mt. Graham and make at least one trip there each summer to escape the heat.
Mt. Graham is the northernmost Sky Island of a group of mountains that start in Mexico. Here in southern Arizona you'll find elevations up to 11,000 feet with old growth Aspens, Spruce, and Fir trees. You just might think you made a wrong turn at Albuquerque and ended up in Colorado! 😀
My favorite campground is situated between two high ridges at 9100 feet in elevation. The Shannon Campground is small, quiet, and just what the doctor ordered. My daytime high was 75, with a comfortable 51 for the overnight low. Ahhhh! Heavenly. I hope to make it back one more time this summer before the temps start to dip in early Fall.
