Hi! Welcome to our July newsletter, and thank you for taking time out of your day to read through our newsletter! We are still adding to our snail mail list, and this month we have an exclusive giveaway, just for our newsletter subscribers.
SUBLIME, according to Dictionary.com means: impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, etc..
We started June with a trip that took us nearly a year to complete, not because of the distance, but because of the devastating Dragon Bravo Fire at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Last year, we had plans to camp at Point Sublime in early August, but the July fire closed off our access, and our permits were refunded. However, in March 2026, we secured a permit to camp at the Point Sublime Campground on June 6th. It was worth the wait.
The viewpoint offers a fantastic panoramic view of the Grand Canyon from a perspective that not many see. Check out our free article on Substack and blog post with details of our trip and many more photos.
Every year, my best friends from Ohio and I try to plan a girls trip since we no longer live in the same state. This was our second official girls trip together. The first was to Lake Huron in Michigan, and we’ve skipped a few years when one of us in the group had a wedding or bachelorette party to celebrate.
This year they flew out to Arizona, and I couldn’t wait to show them some of my favorite places.
Since we couldn’t check into our Airbnb until later in the day, we started the trip in Sedona. My friends aren’t big hikers like Owen and I are, so I wanted to choose a trail that was approachable but still showed why Sedona is so special. We hiked an easy loop with incredible views of Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte before spending some time exploring Uptown Sedona. Of course, I had to take them to Hideaway House for lunch. If you visit, definitely sit on the patio!
On our drive to Flagstaff, we stopped to cool off in Oak Creek before continuing up the scenic switchbacks of Highway 89A. At the top, we were happy to find the Native American Artisan Market at the Oak Creek Vista overlook!
For our time in Flagstaff, I wanted to show them a little bit of everything. We did an easy hike with views of Humphreys Peak, drove up to Arizona Snowbowl, stopped at Aspen Corner, explored historic downtown Flagstaff, and visited Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments. It was the perfect mix of outdoor adventures, scenic drives, and time to relax together. We also had a cake made from a local Flagstaff bakery to celebrate all of our birthdays!
One of my favorite decisions was booking an Airbnb within walking distance of downtown. It made it so easy to walk to restaurants, coffee shops, and local stores without having to worry about parking. If you’re planning a similar trip, I’d definitely recommend staying within walking distance of downtown. This is the Airbnb we stayed at for this trip. (The only downside to this Airbnb was the bar across the street, which could get a little noisy at night.)
If you’re looking for more details, including the hikes, restaurants, and stops we made along the way, you can check out the details here. If you want to plan a similar trip, check out our Flagstaff blog with more details on some of our favorite places in the area.
*Currently, the 89A is closed due to the pocket fire
Last month, we ventured out to Saguaro Lake to go paddleboarding, but instead of launching from the marina or the Butcher Jones day use area, we drove to Saguaro Lake Cove 2 via Tonto National Forest roads.
We found the route in onX Offroad, where it’s nicknamed “The Roller Coaster,” and we quickly understood why. At the top of one hill, the trail drops into a steep descent that requires good throttle control. If your vehicle has a low speed off road cruise control feature, this is a great place to use it. We used it on our Jeep Wrangler.
We started our trip later in the afternoon, and by the time we were ready to leave, we weren’t sure we wanted to climb the steep hill in low light. Fortunately, we found a bypass. Forest Road 1811 travels through the wash to the west and allows you to avoid the Roller Coaster obstacle.
The bypass is very sandy, has frequent blind corners, and is only wide enough for one vehicle. Drive slowly, keep your lights on, and consider giving a quick tap of your horn before entering blind turns to help alert oncoming drivers. Overall, the roads here require high clearance, strong tires, 4WD + 4 Low range, and careful control through some obstacles.
Driving in this area requires a Tonto National Forest OHV permit. We ended up purchasing the annual pass since we know we’ll be back.
We used onX Offroad to find this route. If you’d like to try it yourself, you can use code AZHIKE20 for 20% off an onX subscription.
We went back and forth on our plans for July 4th weekend. Earlier this year, we had campsites booked in Lassen Volcanic National Park, but after a few unexpected trips and the cost of flights increasing, we decided to save that adventure for another time.
Instead, we headed to a remote corner of Arizona’s White Mountains that had been on our bucket list for years. It’s a bit too far for a typical weekend, so having Friday off made it the perfect opportunity.
We spent the weekend camping at what might be our favorite campground in Arizona, enjoying a peaceful hike, taking a scenic drive, and simply slowing down. It was the perfect reminder that Arizona has so much more to offer than deserts and cacti. Did you see our Bighorn Sheep reel?
We’ve decided to keep the exact campground and itinerary exclusive to our paid subscribers. If you’d like all the details, including where we stayed and everything we did over the weekend, you can upgrade below.
Paid subscribers also get access to our Death Valley guide, coordinates to some of our favorite dispersed campsites, and our subscriber chat where you can ask questions or let us know what you’d like us to cover next.
Itineraries
Wait...This Is Arizona?
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Jul 6
When most people think of Arizona, they picture towering saguaros, red rocks, and endless desert. But Arizona is so much more than that. We're constantly surprised by how diverse this state is. This remote corner of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest had been on our list for years, but it's a long drive from Phoenix, making it tough to visit over a s…
Last summer we were given a couple MODL Infinity Tool Modular Straps as “swag bag” gifts from our friends at Scout Motors at Outside Fest in Denver. We immediately recognized them as genuinely useful and made sure we didn’t lose them. Since that trip we’ve ordered more and use them to keep “loose” pieces of gear together and as creative solutions to sometimes interesting challenges. For example, while camping last weekend we didn’t have any low branches to hang our trash from. However, there was a nail barely sticking out of the tree bark. It was the perfect size to put our MODL modular strap over the head of the nail and loop the other end through our ransack holding our trash bag. The modular straps come in 2 different lengths; they’re linkable, have 70 lbs pull strength, and are flexible, yet grippy.
MODL recently reached out to us offering us some straps, but we let them know we were already big fans and that we’d love to actually GIVE AWAY some modular straps to our newsletter subscribers. They sent over the MODL Infinity Toolkit Mini valued at $138 and we’re very happy to be able to send this to the lucky winner. If you’re interested in winning, all you need to do is email us at hello@theazhikeaholics.com using the subject line July Newsletter Giveaway and let us know in the body of the email that you’d like to be entered into the giveaway. No purchase is necessary, but your email must be on our subscribers list.
During fire restrictions, an illegal campfire can quickly become a devastating wildfire. If you see a campfire that shouldn’t be burning, don’t assume someone else has reported it.
If it’s safe to do so, note the location and report it to the appropriate land management agency (National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, BLM, or state park) or call the local ranger district. If the fire poses an immediate threat to people or property, call 911.
Reporting an illegal campfire isn’t about getting someone in trouble. It’s about helping protect our public lands, wildlife, and nearby communities. Over the Independence Day weekend we saw National Forest Fire and Law Enforcement officials actively patrolling during the Stage 2 Fire Restrictions.
As of this newsletter, Coconino, Tonto, and Kaibab National Forest (North Kaibab Ranger District) are under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, meaning campfires are prohibited, even in developed campgrounds. Prescott National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, where campfires are only allowed in designated developed recreation sites.
Before every trip, check the current fire restrictions for the area you’re visiting. Conditions can change quickly, and restrictions often differ between forests.
June was full of highs and lows. We kicked off the month with an unforgettable trip to Point Sublime on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, followed by Lauren's girls trip to Flagstaff. Toward the end of the month, we traveled to Minnesota to be with Owen's family on his Dad’s side after the passing of his grandma. While we wish the circumstances had been different, we were grateful to spend time with family and celebrate her life. During our brief trip to Minnesota, Lauren also got to visit the Mall of America for the first time.
We want to add another exclusive offering to our newsletter subscribers! After thinking of some ideas we decided that it would be fun to mail something from our trip to a handful of subscribers after each trip. Depending on what we get might influence how many we send out, but we’ll make sure the love is spread evenly. It might be a postcard, some stickers, or something fun we find on our travels. If you’d like to be on our snail mail list, please send your name and address to our email at hello@theazhikeaholics.com
Thank you so much for subscribing to our newsletters and supporting us! Some links throughout the newsletter may contain affiliate links to gear we use. When you use our links you’re supporting us without any additional cost or fee to you :)
Lauren & Owen
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