Arizona's White Mountains
Berry Picking:
We are often asked
when the wild berries will be ripe for picking. We do have just a very few wild
strawberries and raspberries on the Lakeside District, but we would find it
very difficult to find enough berries on the whole district on any one given
day to make a berry pie.
Wild
Grapes:
Wild grapes can be
found growing along many of the creek banks and canyon walls in our area. If
you like to make your own jelly or jam you might find this a very interesting
experience. However, if you expect a very mild-tasting jelly, you would
probably be disappointed. Wild grapes are very tart and contain a lot of
pectin. If you were to eat some raw, they would probably cause your mouth to
pucker. They do make a delicious jelly, however, and some people like to mix
the wild grape juice with milder fruits like currant or apple.
Three places
you may enjoy visiting for the pleasure of these experiences are:
- Walnut Springs
- between Lakeside and Pinetop.
- Below Fools
Hollow Dam on Show Low Creek.
- The canyon
above and below Lone Pine Dam on Show Low Creek.
Pinyon
Nuts
Gathering pinyon
nuts can be a memorable family experience. The trees on this district are not
annual producers, and a good crop of nuts may occur every three to five years,
if we are lucky.
Some people like
to gather the nuts and cones in the fall of the year just before the cones open
naturally and shed their nuts. Then they take the cones home, place them in a
fairly warm oven, and heat them until the cone opens. After this, they are
taken from the oven, placed in a bag and shaken to separate the nuts from the
cone. The cones are then discarded and the nuts preserved to enjoy.
Other people wait
for the nut to fall naturally to the ground and then compete with the rats,
squirrels, and birds. Either way, it is your choice. The species of pinyon common to our
district is called Pinus edulis. It has two needles per fascicles and a small
woody cone.
Some areas
where pinyon trees can be found in abundance are:
- The east and
southern slopes of the hills surrounding Porter Mountain.
- The flats east
of Show Low.
- The
northeastern end of the district near the old townsite of Pinon,
AZ.
- Near Vernon,
AZ
- The ridges and
flats in the Linden/Pinedale area.
For more
information, please feel free to contact the USDA Forest Service, Lakeside
Ranger District at 928.368.5111 or you may write us at 2022 W. White Mtn.
Blvd., Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona 85935
Be sure to check with the Lakeside Ranger Station for current
information on gathering permits or fees that may be required.
White Mountains Online wishes to express
our appreciation to the USDA Forest Service, Lakeside District for providing
this information!
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