The Crown King Bunkhouse is one of two properties of its parent company—the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse. Both the properties are located in the Bradshaw Mountains and woods just outside the town of Crown King. Taryn Denyce is the current owner of the business—a family-run business that her parents founded in the 1990s. The Crown King Bunkhouse is a sizeable five-bedroom cabin with extensive indoor and outdoor living areas—catered to large groups or families. A unique aspect of the Crown King lodging business is its Event Center, a feature that perhaps serves as an ideal venue for weddings, family reunions, retreats, and more. The Crown King Bunkhouse is open year-round.
The Crown King Bunkhouse is a relatively large, triple-story building built in a "historic-renovated" cabin-like fashion. The main level of the house is painted a yellow color and has a wrap-around porch that surrounds it—complete with chairs, tables, and benches. In contrast, the upper level of the house is painted a blue color with white trim. All three stories have an abundance of windows for guests to view the surrounding scenery. The inside of the Bunkhouse is decorated with antique furniture and décor that try to compliment the wooden walls and red stone floors. The Bunkhouse itself sits in a secluded area in nature at the end of a dirt round. Surrounding the house are a plethora of trees, shrubs, stones, and gardens, allowing guests to enjoy views of the mountainous area around them.
The cabin can fit up to 24 people, and therefore, is meant for larger groups. It has five bedrooms in total, four of which can room four guests each as they have two single-sized bunk beds. The fifth room has a full-sized bed and two additional singles. There is a large living room with an abundance of seating and several coffee tables and other desk-like furniture that all surround a central fireplace. In addition to the living room, there is an attached dining room with a relatively large, round dining table. Also, inside the Bunkhouse, there is a full-sized kitchen that offers a microwave, counter-space, a sink, and cabinets stocked with dishware.
The features and amenities provided at the Bunkhouse are rather extensive in an effort to be able to serve the large groups that come and stay there. Some of the most prominent among these include a grill area complete with a charcoal grill and two additional propane grills and access to outdoor fire pits. There are also coffee makers with coffee, cream, and sugar, fresh linens and towels, basic toiletries, wi-fi, cable television, and parking for multiple vehicles. Patrons of the Bunkhouse Cabin also have access to the Event Center nearby.
The Crown King Bunkhouse is one of two properties owned by the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse lodging company, the second being the Crown King Cabins. The owner of the business, Taryn Denyce, talks about how she wants the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse to be "the most premier properties in Crown King in the Southern Bradshaw's." She and her son, Dimitri Dante, try to achieve this vision through what they offer in all of their lodgings, the location and the surrounding area, and their event center. Taryn goes on to say she wants guests to feel "at home and comfortable" during their stay. In her efforts to provide such an atmosphere, she pays attention to the details of the properties, such as the flowers, decorations, unique antiques, and the history of the area. One guest's review perhaps reflects this, saying, "these are cabins, not hotel rooms, so it's more like you're staying at someone's home with all of the sensitive touches that make a home unique."
Because of its secluded area in an out-of-the-way location, Taryn describes the feel of the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse as being a "little, small, family-owned, ma and pa place." She says that many of the business's patrons are in the area for "an adventure" and that she tries to do her part in creating a space where they can come relax and feel at home during that "adventure." A unique policy of the properties that Taryn put in place to further help guests feel more at home and have "an adventure" is that they are pet-friendly.
The Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse is open year-round so that guests may enjoy staying there during any season—though their highest occupancy season is usually from April 1st to November 1st because of the warmer summer and fall weather. The typical demographic of the visitors that come to stay at the properties are couples and families. However, single-party guests who want to go somewhere more secluded are not uncommon as well. The properties have a quiet time starting at 10 pm each night in addition to a strict no-smoking policy in the lodgings and on the property grounds due to several "man-made wildfires" that have terrorized the area in the recent past. Taryn recommends that guests coming to stay at either of the properties remain for more than one night. She finds that those who only stay a single night are not able to fully capitalize on visiting all of the attractions in the area, explore the surrounding nature, and enjoy relaxing on the premises itself.
Perhaps one of the most integral parts of the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse property is the Event Center. Taryn talks about how she wishes more people knew about it and the features and amenities available it offers its patrons. Some of these features of the outdoor venue area—comprising 5000 square feet of grass area that Taryn says feels "like a park"—include gardens, a large stage for performing or hosting, an outdoor fireplace, picnic tables, chairs, a playground that caters towards kids, restrooms and shower facilities, extensive parking, and a gazebo Taryn describes as "massive." Additionally, they have a food and bar area and offer guests a catering service during their event should they want it. Many different events are held here, such as family reunions, religious and corporate retreats, fundraising events, horseshoe tournaments, and more. One of the more popular events guests host at the Event Center are weddings and/or wedding receptions. One patron who hosted an event at the Event Center said, "Taryn and her crew were an integral part of planning our event (a family get-together for 40 people) and had great ideas and even greater ability to accommodate when needed. The food was amazing (full dinner for 40 people and breakfast), and nothing was spared to ensure that guests with dietary restrictions are provided for. They are responsive, responsible, and their great attitude is infectious!"
Happy Trails Sport UTV Rentals caters to guests who want to explore more recreational activities in the area. There, guests can rent out various UTVs, inquire about nearby trails, and get a guided tour of the surrounding Bradshaw Mountains. The Horse Thief Basin Recreation Area is also a popular attraction where people can fish from the dam into the lake stocked with Carp, Perch, and Bass. Some restaurants in the area that Taryn recommends to her patrons include The Prospector Smokehouse and Grill, which serves a variety of smoked meat meals, and The Mill Restaurant, where guests can buy "Beer Bread" and other signature dishes of the area.
Taryn Denyce is the current owner of the Crown King Bunkhouse and its parent company, the Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse. Her business also consists of a second property, the Crown King Cabins. Formerly known as the Bradshaw Mountain Guest Ranch, Taryn talks about how the properties of the business are the collective vision of her family and her late husband. Her father, Dan Woodward, first started coming to Crown King with his family in the 1970s. They were called "Jeepers" as they were one of many people who would drive to the area and in the surrounding nature in a Jeep. Eventually, her family decided they loved the area so much that they bought and built a cabin on some property in the "Acres." This changed their family from being "Jeepers" to "Slopers." which Taryn explains is "a term Crown King locals use to describe 'Summer Cabin Owners'." They spent so much time there that her parents eventually purchased the Crown King General Store, and her father became the Pastor at the Chapel of the Crowned King.
The Crown King Cabins, Suites, and Bunkhouse is a family-owned and operated business. It was started by Taryn's mom and dad in the 1990s. Taryn's own family also began in Crown King. It was here she met her husband and where three out of five of their children were born. Taryn tells how her family continues "to develop on our vision every day" as they run their two properties. They have made many changes since their time there to upgrade and improve upon what her parents started. Some of these changes include adding antiques, cultivating the gardens on the properties' grounds, and building places where guests can rest, relax and enjoy the premises. One of the most significant additions they have made to the Crown King lodging properties is adding the Event Center area guests can hold events. Taryn currently lives on the premises along with her son Dimitri Dante.
The Town of Crown King and the Bradshaw Mountains in the surrounding area have a history some might say is rather extensive. Mining makes up a significant part of that history, which is reflected today in the name of Crown King. Almost 150 years ago, on July 1st, 1875, a man named Rod McKinnon staked the first mining claim in the area called Buckeye. This claim led to several other mining claims in the region by local community members. In 1887, these mining stakes eventually attracted the attention of a man named George P. Harrington, a capitalist from the east. Impressed with the area and seeing its potential, Mr. Harrington, along with the brother of Governor N. Oakes Murphy and a railroad industrialist named Frank Murphy, began the process to patent mining claims there. This led to the creation of the Crowned King Mining Company in January of 1888 and the beginning of the largest mine in the Bradshaw Mountains, the Crowned King Mine—later renamed Crown King.
In that same year, a post office—of which George P. Harrington was the postmaster—and a company store were built at the Crowned King mine site. Additionally, a sawmill and a ten-stamp mill were erected to further the work. However, in the beginning, operations were seasonal due to the lack of running water in the area. Despite this, in 1889, the mine had become big enough to start piping water to the mills, and they built a road that led from the mills to the mine. The current Crown King Road passes right by the old stone formation of the mills.
Two years after its establishment in February of 1890, a large storm hit the area and caused the Walnut Grove Dam to wash away. Considered by some to be one of the worst disasters in the history of Arizona, this storm also affected the Crowned King Mine. They lost somewhere between $20,000 to $30,000 worth of materials in the high water floods, and the mill's boilers had to be repaired.
Despite this setback, the Crowned King Mine continued to make improvements over the next few years. In 1891, a railroad was built to allow them the ability to run the mine all year long, and in 1892 they started a project to make a 300-foot deep mine shaft. They also began a new ore processing system in the mill called a cyanide process. This new process proved to be much more efficient as the cyanide solutions could be used many times and didn't need much water to operate. Several buildings were also added to the area, such as an assay office, a feed yard, a company store, several saloons, a boarding house, and two Chinese restaurants.
However, regardless of its success, the Crowned King Mining Company shut down in that same year due to a legal feud between Harrington and other factions of the company—some of which even led to outbursts of violence.
23578 S Gladiator Mine Rd
Crown King, Arizona 86343
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Taryn Denyce
Dan Woodward
