| Dead Horse Ranch State Park | |
|---|---|
 Dead Horse Ranch State Park | |
  Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Arizona | |
| Location | Yavapai, Arizona, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°45′8″N 112°0′44″W / 34.75222°N 112.01222°W / 34.75222; -112.01222 |
| Area | 423 acres (171 ha) |
| Elevation | 3,327 ft (1,014 m) |
| Established | 1972 |
| Visitors | 205,062 (in 2022) |
| Governing body | Arizona State Parks |
Dead Horse Ranch State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, on the Verde River in an area known as the Verde River Greenway. Located at approximately 3,300 feet (1,000 m) elevation, Dead Horse Ranch State Park covers 423 acres (1.71 km) of land with 10 miles (16 km) of hiking trails, 150 campground sites and several picnic areas, along with 23 group camping sites. It also offers trailhead access to the Dead Horse Trail System, located on adjacent Coconino National Forest land. The ranch was originally named by the Ireys family, who sold the land to the state of Arizona to become a state park.
Special events
The annual Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival, the "Birdy Verde", with emphasis on birdwatching, is held each April. In 2010, about 70 field trips were offered for the four-day event, many led by nationally recognized experts. Headquarters for the festival is at Dead Horse Ranch, but events are held throughout the Verde Valley.
Another popular yearly event at Dead Horse Ranch State Park is Verde River Day, which is held annually in September to celebrate the protection of the river's riparian habitat.
References
- "Dead Horse Ranch State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. June 27, 1984. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- "Monthly State Parks Visitation Report" (PDF). Arizona Office of Tourism. December 2022.
- Arizona State Parks. "Dead Horse Ranch State Park".
- "About Dead Horse Ranch State Park". Dead Horse Ranch State Park. "The story of the park's name begins with the Ireys family, who came to Arizona from Minnesota looking for a ranch to buy in the late 1940s. At one of the ranches they discovered a large dead horse lying by the road. After two days of viewing ranches, Dad Ireys asked the kids which ranch they liked the best. The kids said, “the one with the dead horse, dad!” The Ireys family chose the name Dead Horse Ranch and later, in 1973, when Arizona State Parks acquired the park, the Ireys made retaining the name a condition of sale."
- Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival. "Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival".