Cool Country Realty
Serving Parks,
Flagstaff & Scottsdale, Arizona
Offices in Parks and Flagstaff
Parks |
Flagstaff Elevation: 6800 feet Phone: 928-214-7474 609 N Humphreys St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 |
<Email us at: Inquires "at" CoolCountryRealty "dot" com
The Parks Area
Parks is a cool secret, nestled in the pines at over 7000 ft. between Williams and Flagstaff, on I-40. This rural community is surrounded by Nation Forest. In fact, it sits in the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world. You get the feeling of being way out in the woods, but Arizona's third largest city, Flagstaff, is only 20 minutes away.
Parks is a historic community comprised of several small subdivisions spread over approximately 50 square miles. It is not an incorporated town, so there are no municipalities of any type, but we do have a volunteer fire/emergency department and sheriff patrol.
Downtown Parks has an authentic country store which proudly announces its wares as "seed & mercantile". A gas station, an 80 year old structure, was once the last stop before heading to the Grand Canyon. Newer additions to our three buildings' community include a Deli Restaurant, Real Estate Office, Construction/Contractor's office, and Post Office. The Maine School handles the area's 125 children, grades K - 6. It is composed of several buildings (circa 1925) each former one-room schoolhouses, gathered from around the State many years ago and renovated to provide a unique campus-like environment to this small school setting.
This area is a nature lovers paradise. The air is clean, the scenery beautiful and a genuine small town atmosphere prevails (get ready to wave back to each passing car when you arrive). Parks is nestled in a cluster of dormant volcanic mountain whose 13,000 ft. slopes are covered in a variety of pine and fir trees. Elk, deer, antelope, coyote, fox, wild turnkey, raccoon and the indigenous Kaibab Squirrel abound and many residents name their favorite backyard visitors. Ever had a wild squirrel eat from your hand? Our squirrels do if you encourage them. Interested in a photo shoot of Elk grazing 300 ft. from you house? Bird watchers can view the American Bald Eagle, Stellars Jay, Pygmy Nut hatches along with our summer visitors from Mexico: the colorful Hummingbirds, just to name a few.
Parks is an ideal horseback riding country and is developing into a real equestrian community. Starting with Lucille Ball's 1950's ranch, about a dozen or more high value ranch properties exist throughout the area. There are several lakes are maintained by the Forest Service for those who enjoy fishing and boating. Williams and Flagstaff offer an excellent golf course and Northern Arizona University, only 20 minutes away in Flagstaff, has a beautiful campus providing the region with evening theatre, orchestra, and classes from pottery to physics. Parks is less than 2 hours from the Grand Canyon, 45 minutes to the pink canyons of world famous Sedona, and 45 minutes to the summer vistas and winter ski slopes from the 13,000' slopes of the San Francisco Peaks (only 9 miles away).
Four Fabulous Seasons!!
Summer brings an alpine splendor to the region. Every variety of of
wildflower can be seen in the vast meadows, with the giant sunflowers
blooming in late August. Often the mountain Peaks keep their snowcaps
through most of the summer, providing a truly picturesque backdrop to the
area.
The summer monsoon season usually starts in early July. Surprised Arizona has monsoons? We're the only area in the US to have them and they're another blessing of beautiful summers. Like clockwork, the clouds roll in, drop their rain with their roar of mountain thunder, and leave two hours later. Sunny morning, sunny afternoons, and a bit of excitement just after lunch. What more can a summer day bring? Within 20 minutes, the birds are chirping, the air refreshed, and the heat of the day tempered to the ideal 78 degrees, so perfect for a rest on your cabin deck. There's nothing quite like it.
The Parks community celebrates July 4th with a wonderful parade comprised of colorful locals. Starting with the Pancake Breakfast at the Maine School, everyone gathers to taste a down-home breakfast open to everyone. Around noon, the parade kicks off providing a shared laugh and terrific display of local groups, from the fire department to 4H Club, along with someone's prized pig and a couple of homemade floats. Its a true delight.
If you enjoy an active pursuit of the outdoors, no other area provides the diversity of trails, Forest Service roads, open forest and ranges, not to mention world class cross-country ski trails that are wonderful to explore on summer afternoons.
Autumn
This season arrives promptly in September, with its full glory of golden
Aspens by mid October. The first clue is the coolness of the mornings,
with the scent of wood smoke in the air. The subtle change in the day's
lighting causes a richness from the afternoon's colors. Squirrels hurry in
their gatherings and each gentle breeze warns of winter's approach. You
won't need a camera to forever remind you of the beauty you've experienced
when you've seen the Autumn in Parks.
Wintertime
Gorgeous as any postcard, the snow covered forest is a delight to see and
experience. Our snow falls deep, often 24 inches or more in a single
storm. After a storm, the strong sunlight of our latitude often melting
all but a few patches within 10 days. With plenty of warning from the
weather service, storms can roll-in as early as late October, but the real
season begins just before Christmas. Well maintained roads permit travel
even in the worst of weather conditions, but most folks stoke the family
fireplace and enjoy the scene from their couch. Good skiing is available
from the nearby Snow Bowl ski resort and, locally from the many cross
country trails and children's' sledding areas marked and maintained by the
Forest Service and resident clubs.
The best thing about our winters is the ability to experience the true warmth of the nearby desert less than 20 miles away. Imagine walking through a deep snow to your car, driving for just 30 minutes to have an outdoor lunch at your favorite restaurant in Sedona. Or heading south through Williams toward the Prescott Valley to picnic on the warm ground? You can from Parks. No need to fly to Miami for a winter break!
Spring Time
Starting in the later half of March, the snow runoff produces many
meandering streams to fill the lakes for the coming summer. Lined with
Crocus and Purple Iris, the ravines and lower fiords abound with wildlife
returning from their winter grounds (less than 20 miles away!). Everything
comes to life quickly in this high country, with the daily warmth of
approaching summer, our special style of living repeats for another
splendid year.
Notes about owning property in Parks
•Parks is
not incorporated, but is a small community in Coconino County,
covering approximately 50 square miles of private land surrounded by
the Kaibab National Forest.
•Minimum
Lot Size in Parks is One Acre.
•There
are parcels ranging from one acre, 5 acres, 10 acres and right on up
to hundred acre ranches.
•We do
not have any city type facilities such as sewer or water to each
home.
•All
homes must provide their own septic system.
Most properties will "perc test" for a Standard
Septic System, which will cost approximately $4000 - $5000 as part
of your building package. However,
if your land requires an 'Alternate Septic System' costs could run
from $9,000 to $20,000.
•WATER: There are many areas of Parks where most homes have Wells. Some wells in the area are strong long term producers, while others are seasonal. A seasonal well is dependent on the preceding seasons precipitation for its supply and tends to produce less during the drier seasons. In areas where wells are not available, folks have the choice of using several established water companies deliver to the home on a scheduled or on-call basis. Some people choose to haul water on specially built trailers.
As
a general rule, all homes in rural Arizona should be built with a
water storage tank, called a Cistern, which will store from 1500 -
5000 gallons of water. These
tanks are usually underground and provide enough water for three
weeks or more of typical use (bathing, toilets, dishwasher and
washer). Commercially trucked-in water is a reliable means of supply
and many companies compete for each new resident's business. Ask your real estate agent for more details on this subject!
•POWER
and PHONE are available to almost every property in Parks. We even
have cell phone access in most areas and Internet high speed
wireless (up to 512k/sec!)
•Taxes
are very low comparatively speaking.
Ask your real estate agent to see the taxes on any property
you are looking at!
•PARKS
HAS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, located on Spring Valley Road about
½ mile north of the school and is fully prepared for ambulatory
transport and first-strike fire protection.
•Most
ROADS in the area are Cinder/Dirt roads and are maintained by the
County. Only Rt. 66 and
a portions of Spring Valley Road are paved.
Some neighborhoods are on private roads. Our snow removal is
excellent, often surpassing the travel conditions of our more urban neighbors.
ASK YOUR
REAL ESTATE AGENT FOR MORE DETAILS ON LIFE IN PARKS!
