If you have ever been on I-40 between Kingman and Flagstaff, then you have passed right by the amazing community of Willow Creek Ranch (WCR). We are a hardy lot of folks who have chosen to live off-grid and in a quiet, remote, and mostly peaceful location. There are young families with children, middle-aged couples who still commute to Kingman daily for work, and several retired couples who get to enjoy the community to its fullest.
Once we leave the pavement and hit the dirt road, we are free to slow down and release our seatbelts and just enjoy the view and the ride. The community is sprawling with an abundance of trees, bushes, and cacti. The closest neighbor is usually at least a twenty-minute drive away and many homes are close to an hour away.
These dirt roads are maintained by a volunteer group who use the WCR equipment. Mother Nature determines the speed of travel depending on her mood. If there is heavy rain or snow, it is possible to be “trapped” at home until the waters in the washes and creeks recede. Most of us have learned to stock up on essentials and also how to substitute one item for another.
There are many gardeners and livestock caretakers who store their summer bounties for the winter months. We know how to cook almost anything and there are many wonderful baked goods coming from our kitchens.
A typical weekend brings visitors or get-togethers among the Ranch residents. Living off-grid where the phone service is random and tentative leads us to provide our own entertainment and social lives. We have the occasional swap meet where we come together to trade items we no longer need for a neighbor’s things that we can use. Often these swap meets involve food such as baked goods, home-canned items, produce, and plants. It is amazing to see the talent hidden in these mountains! From time to time some of the more musically talented residents will bring a guitar or banjo and entertain the crowd.
Wildlife abounds here. On the trip down the dirt roads to the highway, it is possible to see deer, elk, javalina, and the occasional mountain lion. It is said that there are even some bears here. And no trip to the highway would be complete without needing to avoid the free-range cattle or horses. Of course, one also needs to watch for rabbits and rattlesnakes in the road.
Given the balance between the inconvenience of blocked roads, sketchy phone service, and watching the numbers on the solar equipment, this is one of the most serene and private locations in northern Arizona.
Ms. Hoogi Somerville
