“The team roping capital of Arizona.” Although our trip didn’t involve roping cattle, we still enjoy flying up there once in a while to eat a $100 hamburger.
Wickenburg is a small town about 50 miles northwest of Phoenix, AZ. The town was founded in 1863 after the discovery of
Vulture Mine, a gold mine which lies a few miles southwest of town, by Henry Wickenburg. Today the town is popular with those that “want a real, authentic taste of the
wild west“.
My wife and I flew to Wickenburg (E25 if you want to look it up) for a quick lunch date. When we arrived at the airport and got the airplane tied down, we had to wait a few minutes for the airport manager to get back from lunch so we could take the courtesy car.
Beware: the availability of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft is limited. The town generously provides a courtesy car that you can use for free to get into town from the airport. If you plan on using the car, be sure you are there during business hours, because they require you to sign a form and they take a photocopy of your driver’s license.
While we waited, we stopped by the pilots lounge to use the restroom and check out some flyers on events coming up. When the manager got back, we signed the form to take the car and off we went!
Our family has been to Wickenburg many times, so we didn’t have to do any research on what to do/where to eat. Our two favorite places to eat are Anita’s Cocina, and Screamers Drive In. We were craving a classic all-American burger, so Screamers it was! After eating, we walked through our favorite western store down the road, and then drove through old downtown. Even though it’s a small town, downtown Wickenburg is always busy with locals and tourists alike, especially at lunch time.
There’s plenty to do in Wickenburg if you have the time. Downtown has a plethora of shops, restaurants, and museums. Every time we have to leave, we wish we had time to do more. Unfortunately, we seem to always pick days that have time constraints to visit Wickenburg. Until next time!
Note to pilots: Always check NOTAMS, the Chart Supplement, and weather before starting on a flight like this one. E25 has a few things you should know.
- There is a tower about 2.5 miles south of the field at 3181(502).
- As of today, self-serve fuel is not available. They are doing work on the pumps, should be available in a month or so.
- Flight schools in the area use E25 for training on occasion, so be prepared to practice patience in the pattern.