Picacho Peak Travel Center and Dairy Queen

This gas station saved my hide the other day when I almost ran out of gas on my drive from Tucson to Phoenix.  Thankfully this gem emerged on the horizon when I'd almost lost all hope.  In addition to filling your tank they offer a heck of a lot of crap, I mean souveniers, from your visit to AZ for sale inside the store and fireworks in case you want to light up the sky at night.  Restrooms were clean and the bottled water was cold.  Good pit stop if you need one.

Reminds me of somewhere my divorced parents would have done  a shared visitation exchange! But seriously, it's a not to be missed roadside attraction that I highly suspect is owned by the same folks that run the more popular and well-known "The Thing" Dairy Queen just outside of Willcox. If you need any kind of kitschy American Indian wannabe wall hangings, dream catchers, dolls or even Minnetonka moccasins, then do not miss this pit stop. Clean bathrooms and a decent Dairy Queen that will fit the bill for road weary travelers or folks (like us) who just get done with a Rooster Cogburn's tour.

After a long day hike at Picacho Peak, nothing cools me down faster than a Strawberry milkshake from Dairy Queen.  If you really want to feel guilty, add that order with some fried stuff.  Think of all the calories you just burned coming right back into your body in the form of pure fried grease.  Yum!  Delicious, yet sinful calories.

As for the DQ itself... well... it is a DQ in the middle of nowhere; not like you have many alternatives you can pick from...  I didn't expect much, so I wasn't disappointed.

The tourist shop next to it is the perfect place to avoid if you're a hoarder.  They sell all types of trinkets (reminds me of those tourist traps, I mean shops, around Pier 39 in SF).  I almost got suckered into buying some pretty rocks (boss/mom (aka girlfriend) wouldn't let me get the fireworks, something about killing myself)... my girl left with a miniature Saguraro cactus plant.  Figured that is the only thing she cannot kill within the first week under her care.

p.s.  The cactus is still alive and well, 2 years later.  That is one strong-willed cactus.  Hats off to you Sir Cactus.