When it is hot, we are limited to what we can do outside. Lately, it is has been difficult to beat the heat even early in the morning. Mom and dad thought a drive with the AC on would be a good option, so 4 wheeling we went!
I’m not a big fan of super bumpy dirt roads, but my dad assured me that the Castle Hot Springs route would be relatively easy but scenic. I was game, so we headed out west on Carefree Highway or the 74 W/Lake Pleasant Highway until we came to Castle Hot Springs Road, about 11 miles past I-17 junction. We turned right onto the well-marked road, and followed it until the road ended at a “T” and turned left. We were on the lookout for an oasis in the middle of the desert: Castle Hot Springs, and it was 7.2 miles from the stop sign. NOTE: If you embark on the drive, you will want a high-clearance vehicle.
Castle Hot Springs was Arizona’s first health spa and opened in the late 1890s when the only way to get there was by horse or stagecoach. Affluent families like the Vanderbilts, Rockerfellers, Wrigleys, and several presidents vacationed at the property throughout the early 1900s. During WWII, the resort was turned into a rehabilitation hospital for wounded veterans like John F. Kennedy. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed part of the property in 1976 and another in 1996, and it has remained abandoned ever since.
Castle Hot Springs is nestled in the Bradshaw Mountains. You truly feel like you are in the middle of no where 
driving that road. All of a sudden, boom: palm trees and water. It’s crazy! The hot springs are a unique water source as minerals dissolve from the non-volcanic substances, and it is said to have healing properties.
The property was purchased in 2014, and it is scheduled to reopen this fall! We didn’t pop in to check on progress but continued driving the loop to Morristown and took the 60 to the 303 home. As promised, this was a gentle ride. I was grateful to be in air conditioning with my family. Should you be interested in staying at the Castle Hot Springs, visit their website: https://www.castlehotsprings.com/ I don’t know if doggies are welcome, but I know it is a cell-free zone. My kind of place. Woof!
Hi! I am Kumaito (Kuma for short), a multi-tan Shiba Inu. My breed is one of the oldest and purest from Japan. I personally was born in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, moved to Friendswood, Texas, and now call Phoenix, Arizona home. I enjoy running or hiking almost every day with my mom, chasing rabbits out of my neighborhood, playing with toys, pestering my brother Edmond, eating, napping … well, I love just about everything and everyone!
My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith (Founder of the FIT Leader Formula™) is kind enough to help me share my Great Adventures, big and small. My mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, business consultant, executive coach, behavioral-wellness expert, and author of eight published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/kuma/ and be sure to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kumathedog?ref=hl
Get outside! You never know what you’ll discover, and our paths just might cross. Happy tails!
