Show Low: History, Trails, and Parks

Show Low brings together regional history, trails, and city facilities as different starting points for a trip. If you’re looking for a hotel in Show Low, you can plan your stay around your own interests—for example, historical collections, designated trail lengths, or city facilities.

History and Regional Topics

The Show Low Historic Museum displays historical objects of Indigenous and American origin, as well as photographs, books, archival materials, and works of art related to Arizona’s White Mountain region. Its time span extends from 1540 to the present. The collection therefore brings together different types of materials and a long time span, with its regional focus setting the context.

The exhibit The Last Train to Maverick presents stories of logging and railroad towns in eastern Arizona as part of a railroad exhibition. It focuses on the history of these places and the connection between logging and the railroad. In this way, it adds a specific look at the towns of eastern Arizona to Show Low’s regionally focused topics.

Building history is also marked by several names and dates. The Show Low Jail was built from sandstone quarried north of Show Low in 1935. In June 2018, the jail was moved to the corner of East Huning Street and North 9th Street. Construction of the Reidhead Home began in 1911; the building was occupied in December 1914. The two timelines differ: for the jail, the focus is on its construction year and material; for the Reidhead Home, on the start of construction and occupancy.

A cabin was moved from 16th Place to a new location next to City Hall and the library in 2019. This relocation is another specific date in the history of Show Low’s facilities. Together with the information about the jail and the Reidhead Home, it offers a timeline comparison of different building and location histories, without implying that the buildings had the same purpose or followed the same development.

Trails and City Facilities

The 12-mile Buena Vista Trail is located along the southwestern boundary of Show Low. Show Low City Park has a 1.1-mile walking path. This provides two distinctly different distances to compare: 12 miles for the trail and 1.1 miles for the path in the park. Their locations also differ: the Buena Vista Trail is along the southwestern boundary, while the walking path is part of City Park. When planning, you can take both the designated length and the respective point of reference into account.

The Frontier Inclusive Playground and Splashpad opened to the public in 2023; its operating dates are seasonal. If you’d like to include this location in your travel plans, check the dates for your travel period before visiting. The Show Low Family Aquatic Center was built in 1994 and is operated by the City of Show Low. The Card Game Bronze Monument is located at Festival Marketplace. These details relate to different city facilities: a seasonal attraction, a city-operated facility with a construction year, and a monument at a named location.

When choosing a hotel in Show Low, these interests may factor into your plans: regional history, a particular trail length, or city facilities. The historical sites differ in their dates and development; the trails can be compared using their designated lengths. For seasonal attractions, be sure to consider your travel dates.

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