Sustaining Strawberry at The Strawberry Inn
BY DORIE MORALES
The twin Northern Arizona communities of Strawberry and Pine – often referred to together as Pine-Strawberry – take their respective names from the surrounding ponderosa pines and wild strawberries that once thrived in the area.
Less than a two-hour drive from Phoenix, Pine-Strawberry offers a refreshing mountain respite from the Valley, with a 4,000-foot elevation gain and cooler weather. Pine-Strawberry is also working to address water shortages, reduce wildfire risk, and promote responsible land stewardship through infrastructure improvements, forest thinning, and brush removal to improve forest health and protect water resources. In Strawberry, the boutique Strawberry Inn sits just off Arizona Highway 87, marked by a charming windmill at its entrance. The property offers a range of accommodations, including hotel rooms, cozy cabins, and restored Airstreams, with options that can host anywhere from two to ten guests.
The Strawberry Inn is also mindful of its environmental impact. The property uses only native, non-invasive plants for landscaping updates and participates in annual Firewise efforts to help mitigate the risk of wildfires. Sustainability extends to daily operations as well. When guest towels get damaged, they’re repurposed as mud towels during rainy and snowy seasons and later used as cleaning rags instead of being thrown away. For pest control, the inn partners with a local company that uses products designed to avoid harming nearby wildlife. The Strawberry Inn also partners with nature influencers to help educate guests on caring for local trails by embracing Leave No Trace principles.
There is no shortage of things to do in PineStrawberry. Just a few minutes south of Pine, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is home to the world’s largest natural travertine bridge, along with three hiking trails, picnic areas, and a group-use area. Fossil Creek is also a popular nearby destination. Along the scenic drive from the Strawberry Inn cabins, you can stop to pick seasonal berries before arriving at the creek’s striking blue-green waters, waterfalls, and travertine rock formations. Once there, visitors can swim, hike, explore the creek, or take on the eightmile Bob Bear Trail hike.
While in Strawberry, start your day with a great cup of coffee or a signature strawberry mocha latte from Strawberry Inn’s Windmill Coffee. Savor a sweet or savory empanada or a slice of pie at PIEbar AZ, enjoy a delicious dinner at Mamajoe’s Italian Grill, and then cap off the evening with a locally crafted beer at THAT Brewery & Pub.
At The Strawberry Inn, Pine-Strawberry’s cooler air, natural beauty, and thoughtful stewardship offer the perfect place to reconnect with the natural world.
The Strawberry Inn
5073 AZ-87, Strawberry, Arizona 928-202-7790;
