The wedding and reception sites are both in the Prescott National Forest on top of Mingus Mountain, in Northern Arizona. The elevation up there is 7,500~ feet above sea level. The sites should be fairly accessible although the last few miles of road up to the top is dirt road, so be aware that the ride might get a little bumpy at the end.
There are two towns convenient to the area with lodging: Jerome and Prescott, on opposite sides of the mountain from each other. Both are popular tourist destinations, so you will want to book your lodging as soon as you can.
The road up to the top of the mountain from Prescott is far the easier road; there are fewer sharp curves and switchbacks (though there are still a few) and the road is banked properly. The road up from Jerome is much more challenging, so those that are not comfortable with mountain driving may wish to stay in/come up through Prescott.
From Prescott:
Heading north on 89, go 6.5 miles. Turn right, and heading east on 89a, go approximately 19 miles. (If you start going downhill, you've gone too far.) Turn right at the sign for the Prescott National Forest Recreation Area. The road turns to dirt here; keep going on it for 2.3 miles and you will see the United Methodist Camp; go past it another .3 miles to the stop sign. Turn right at the stop sign, and go .2 miles and you are at the wedding site. However, there is not much parking available at the site; more parking is available if you go straight at the stop sign, instead of turning. If there isn't any parking left there, park at the camp/reception site. There will also be signage to tell you where to turn and where the wedding site and reception are respectively.
From Jerome:
Heading west on 89a, go approximately 7 miles. Turn left at the sign for the Prescott National Forest Recreation Area. From there, continue as from Prescott.
Googlemaps directions from the turn-off onto the Forest Recreation Road to the wedding site.
Jerome is an old mining town. Many of the houses there are converted from old miner's barracks; there is a lot of history in Jerome. There's plenty to do, with lots of shopping and dining, and it's a great town to visit. There is only one large hotel in Jerome, the Jerome Grand Hotel (and it has some stunning views), but there are several other small hotels and B&Bs in the area.
Jerome Lodging:
- Jerome Grand Hotel (40~ rooms)
- Connor Hotel (12 rooms)
- Mile High Inn (7 rooms)
- Ghost City Inn (6 rooms)
- The Surgeon's House (3 suites/4 rooms)
- The Cottage Inn (2 suites)
Prescott is the county seat of Yavapai county and was once the capital of Arizona, making it one of Arizona's oldest towns. Again, there's a lot of history in Prescott and plenty to do. Prescott proper has Bucky's Casino as well as the Hassayampa Inn, a 67 room hotel. Again, there are also many other hotels and B&Bs in Prescott; Prescott Valley also has the usual hotels/motels.
Prescott Lodging:
If you have any further questions about lodging, the area, or anything else, please email us or call us (480-332-1695).