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Gila Valley Escape

Photo gallery for Gila Valley Escape

A single-story building with a gabled roof, a front door, and two windows on the side.
A gravel parking area with scattered trees and a mountain range in the background.
Private kitchen
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, a stainless steel microwave, a gas stove, and a dishwasher.
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, a stainless steel dishwasher, a microwave, a stove, and a coffee maker.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 5

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Porch or lanai
  • Internet access

Explore the area

View in a map
Central, AZ
  • Place, The Gila Valley Arizona Temple
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Eastern Arizona College
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Place, Thatcher Splash Park
    ‪13 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Single Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Double Futon

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen

About this property

Gila Valley Escape

Big Sky Views & Peaceful Country Living

Wake up to Mt. Graham views and cotton fields below you, all from a quiet country road in rural southeastern Arizona. This 3-bedroom, 2-bath home sits on 8 private acres — close enough to everything you need, far enough to actually unwind.

Grab your favorite beverage and watch the sunset from the front porch — it's the kind of view that has a way of lifting the stress right off your shoulders.

**Where you'll sleep**

- Master bedroom — queen bed
- Two additional bedrooms — twin beds each
- Comfortably sleeps up to 5

**The setting**

A peaceful country road with cotton fields below and a brand-new subdivision just across the street, so you get quiet, open views with modern neighbors nearby. Sunsets here are something else — plan to be on the porch for them.

**What's nearby**

- LDS Temple — 1.5 miles
- Hiking, trails, and mountain access — 5–10 minutes
- Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center — 7 miles
- Mt. Graham (Observatory on top) — hiking, camping, dark skies and serious stargazing, about 20 minutes +
- Roper Lake State Park & Dankworth Ponds — fishing, camping, easy nature walks
- Hot Well Dunes & natural hot springs — OHV riding and soaking
- Gila Box Riparian Conservation Area & Aravaipa Canyon — hiking and birdwatching
- Rockhounding, 4-wheeling, and the historic Black Hills Back Country Byway
- **NatureSweet SalsaFest** — Safford's signature fall festival (4th weekend of September), with salsa tastings, live music, a car show, and Graham County's famous Salsa Trail restaurants competing for best salsa

Come for the silence. Stay for the sunsets — and if your trip lines up with SalsaFest, even better.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

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House Rules

Check in after 3:30 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:30 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Other homes on the property, please be respectful.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
Towels and linens can go in the laundry basket and leave in the laundry room.
Thank you!
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Please enter the property from the WEST driveway and drive and park IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. Use side entrance for unloading and temporary parking.

Important information

You need to know

Property # 4503586vb
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Map
Central, AZ

What's nearby

  • The Gila Valley Arizona Temple - 6 min drive - 3.8 km
  • Eastern Arizona College - 12 min drive - 9.5 km
  • Thatcher Splash Park - 13 min drive - 11.3 km
  • Safford Bowl - 21 min drive - 20.4 km
  • Discovery Park Campus - 23 min drive - 21.2 km

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪SONIC Drive In - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Jerry's Restaurant - ‬13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Gila Valley Escape pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Gila Valley Escape?

As of 4 Aug 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Gila Valley Escape on 5 Dec 2026 start from £656, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Gila Valley Escape?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Gila Valley Escape?

Check-in begins at 3:30 PM.

What time is check-out at Gila Valley Escape?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 1 out of 1 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 1 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Transitions Group V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay

Thank you for a great stay!
Stayed 60 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Mar 2026
Excellent guests.

About the host

Hosted by Dawn Norton

Host profile image
We've called the Gila Valley home for 14 years, and before that spent 19 years in nearby Duncan — this corner of Arizona is deeply familiar to us, and we love it, partly because it runs in the family. My husband's great-great-grandfather settled in this area back in 1883, so there's a real sense of roots here that goes beyond just liking the scenery.

We chose this particular property for the view. There wasn't a subdivision across the street when we bought it, and while the night sky has changed a little since then, it's still something special after dark.

My husband is recently retired, and I've worn a lot of hats over the years — stay-at-home mom, realtor, investor, and now health and wellness coach, working with women through stress, mindset, and trauma healing.

We have 7 grown children and a handful of grandchildren, including two sets of twins in the same family — needless to say, family gatherings here are lively. We love to travel, spend time with the people we love, and hold a deep faith in God and gratitude for this country.

This is our first time hosting this kind of short-term rental, though we've hosted long-term tenants for years. If anything falls short of what you expected, please tell us — we'll make it right. We're looking forward to having you.

Why they chose this property

This is rural Arizona at its best — quiet, open, and far from city noise. There are two other homes on the property besides the rental, including ours right next door, so you may notice a few personal touches around. You'll have your own private driveway on the west side; the other two homes share a separate entrance to the east. It's a neighborly little pocket of the valley.
Cotton fields stretch out below for most of the year, and you can walk or bike right from the property without ever touching the main highway. The hiking and outdoor access here is excellent, and if you're up for water, Roper Lake has great paddle boarding, and Thatcher has a splash pad and public pools open from May through the end of summer.
Take a walk or run down our road and you'll likely have company — cardinals, quail, and plenty of birdsong along the way.

What makes this property unique

For a year, this property was home to Live Well O2, our hyperbaric oxygen clinic — a lot of healing happened here. The clinic has since closed, but the peace hasn't gone anywhere. Sit on the front porch and take in the mountain view, and you'll understand what we mean. We hope this place gives you a little of that same stillness during your stay.
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