Explore natural wonders and cultural attractions on tribal lands in Arizona’s scenic White Mountains.
Just south of the Pinetop-Lakeside communities of Eastern Arizona, the White Mountain Apache people and their ancestors have lived for thousands of years. The area’s vast forests and miles of streams provided the food and shelter needed to sustain the ancient hunter-gatherer society. Visitors today can visit one of the largest tribal lands in the nation, where destination gaming and four-season outdoor adventure create action-packed getaways.
Hon-Dah Resort Casino
Nestled in the thick pine forests just south of Lakeside, where Highway 60 meets Highway 77, visitors find a fun getaway that combines gaming and luxury amenities at Hon-Dah Resort Casino. Choose from over 800 slot machines plus poker and blackjack tables. Buffet dining at Indian Pines Restaurant and live entertainment at Timber’s Showroom round out the entertainment options at this picturesque property that looks and feels like a luxury mountain resort lodge.
Fort Apache Historic Park
Nearly 30 historic buildings tell the story of conflict and progress at Arizona’s best surviving example of an Apache Wars-era military post. Check in at the White Mountain Apache Culture Center & Museum before driving through the National Register Historic District. See structures that date back to the 1870s, including General Crook’s original cabin, officer’s quarters and barracks used by military personnel, plus a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school. Visitors can explore Fort Apache Historic Park’s trails and set off on a 1.4-mile canyon hike that leads past an ancestral pueblo village and remnants of an Apache scout camp. Four miles west of the fort, Kinishba Ruins preserves an ancestral pueblo structure once inhabited by Hopi and Zuni people.
Outdoor Recreation
Natural wonders make White Mountain Apache tribal lands a year-round destination for outdoor adventure. Enjoy destination hiking, water sports, hunting and fishing in the mountainous Mogollon Rim surroundings. Mt. Baldy and Hawley Lake Recreation Area add to this outdoor playground with high-elevation hiking plus canoeing and kayaking in spring and summer. In winter, visitors head to the hills for skiing and snowboarding at Sunrise Park Resort, Arizona’s largest ski resort. Runoff from the White Mountains reaches the Salt River, just south of Fort Apache, where whitewater rafting expeditions attract adrenaline seekers. Scenic drives along Highway 60 just south of tribal lands lead through Salt River Canyon, which takes visitors 2,000 feet into what many consider Arizona’s “other Grand Canyon.”
