Andy and Candy traveled south from Flagstaff to Camp Verde AZ and stayed for a few nights in our winter campground. They got to party with our peeps, hang in the hot tub and relax a bit before heading on the their way back home.
They were in for a treat!
For 100 years, sheepherders in the desert valleys of the Camp Verde, AZ area have driven their herds north for the summer to pastures atop the Mogollon Rim, near Flagstaff.
Only 2 ranchers in the valley still drive their sheep overland to the summer pastures. It has become cheaper to load the sheep into trucks and take the sheep to the pastures. I’m glad there are still ranchers and their herding dogs keeping this tradition alive.
All the sheep have to be counted before the drive starts, because the forestry department charges the ranchers a fee per sheep on the trail.
The sheep route runs right through the campground so we didn’t have to go anywhere to watch the fun.
Apparently there is a place where the sheep have to cross a river. Watching the sheep swim is supposed to be quite a sight. Maybe next year we will try to find that spot to watch.
