V6E10 - Wandering the Wild West
Not that my adventures adhere to any strict itinerary - my detour back to Prescott due to Jeep trouble, threw me off-track. I travel very slowly and in short hops, not only to get to know an area better, but to minimize the fatigue that comes with prolonged driving.
As soon as the Jeep was fixed, I opted to make up the hundreds-of-miles of ground that I lost during my travels across southern Arizona, and plotted a course to Bisbee - a six hour drive from Prescott. Bisbee , in southeastern Arizona, just north of the Mexican border, is a historic mining town nestled in a mountainous valley. Its main street is adorned with colored lights and lined with hip venues and eateries, with a distinctly artistic bias. For a trendy small town that’s a bit out-of-the-way, it’s a bustling destination, as the streets were crowded with tourists during the day, and parking was scarce. After spending a little time enjoying the town, I set off to the wilderness to do some exploring… Coronado National Forest The land surrounding Bisbee consists of barren, high-desert mountains and old mining claims. However, opportunities to explore near the city limits were surprisingly few, as I ended up driving 20 miles west, along the southern border, into Coronado National Forest . Coronado is a diverse landscape consisting of sprawling valleys with moderate vegetation, a decent network of primitive roads, and lightly-forested mountains and canyons. I set off along a main artery through the valley looking for roads the might lead to a good place to spend the night. I found such a road that traveled north for a few miles, toward hiking trails that led into Miller Peak Wilderness Area. I could see plainly on my map that these were dead-end roads, but off of main arteries, those are the best roads on which to find safe and secluded campsites. It was a well-traveled two-track for most of the way. Toward the end, it got a little rough - still negotiable for an all-wheel drive car with decent clearance, but only with great care. Finally, I found a place to camp near the end of the road, in a pocket of conifers with a well-constructed fire ring that didn’t see frequent use. It was a simple campsite surrounded by ample opportunities for hiking and adventure! Descent into Darkness Directly to the east is Coronado National Memorial , part of the National Park System, that offers plentiful hiking opportunities, scenic vistas, glimpses into history, picnicking, and other adventures. While I was at the Visitor Center, I became privy to Coronado Cave ; a large cave, just a short hike away, that was open to the public. I asked the attending park ranger if the cave was safe, and if I would need any special equipment. She informed me that it was well-marked, and only emphasized that I should carry extra flashlights. It was a short, but mildly strenuous hike up to the mouth of the cave, which consisted of a non-descript rock formation on the side of a hill, and a hole that descended into darkness. There, I donned my headlamp, and carefully worked my way down. The cave itself is roughly 600 feet long. In some sections, it is 70 feet wide, and 20 feet high. There are varied formations within, including stalagmites and stalactites, with very few offshoots and side passages. The floor was flat, and the environment was mostly very dry, as each step I took produced a small plume of dust. There were other people in the cave during my visit, which gave me peace of mind, but it was spacious enough to enjoy the experience as if I had it all to myself. Coronado Cave can be experienced entirely in about 20 minutes, but I spent over an hour down there, admiring the subterranean landscape and doing my best to capture the experience on camera - with very little light! Experiencing Tombstone Tombstone, Arizona , is the definitive “old west” town. This is, without a doubt, a tourist destination, and absolutely worth experiencing. If you’re just passing through along highway 80, you might miss it, but venture down a side-street and you’ll feel like you’ve instantly been transported into a western movie. There are long-mustached cowboys on horseback, stage coaches, gun fights, well-armed sheriffs keeping the peace, and individuals of ill-repute. The main street is of dirt, and permanently closed to vehicles so that tourists and citizens can wander about. The historic town is lined with shops and salloons, and some kitschy attractions, all of which ooze with character. While the saloons are great for their atmosphere and entertainment, the massive circulation of people means the food might be a little on the mediocre, mass-produced side. Though I’m sure there are exceptions. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, just a short walk from the main street, is Tombstone Brewing Company . They brew great craft beer, and offer a welcome reprieve from the crowd. Log Jam With sufficient daylight remaining, I traveled east in search of adventure, and another place to spend the night. My travels brought me to another parcel of Coronado National Forest , just south of Chiricahua National Monument . This parcel was more heavily forested, and the roads wandered to much higher elevations than they did in Coronado near Bisbee. It was getting late, and foul weather was moving in, as I pressed into the wilderness looking for a place to camp. In the road ahead, a large fallen tree blocked the way, even though I was on a main, well-traveled route. It must’ve fallen recently… I got out of the Jeep to inspect the deadfall just as the rain commenced. It was large, but it was rotten, so it was relatively light. The road here was flat with ample traction, and no significant obstructions, so I decided to try to pull the tree aside using the power of the Jeep. With haste, I looped my Rock Equipment tow-strap around the large end of the fallen tree. Then, I inserted my Warn d-ring assembly into my rear receiver hitch, and securely attached the end of the strap. In the pouring rain, I returned to the Jeep, engaged low-range, and started driving. The vehicle effortlessly pulled the tree out of the way and displaced it to the side of the road. It worked! The Rocks of Chiricahua Chiricahua National Monument is a spectacular natural area in the southeast corner of Arizona, known for its amazing, standing rock formations whose beauty and intricacy rival that of Bryce. While facing rain and wind, I reserved a campsite for two nights in Chiricahua, hoping for a more comfortable camping experience in adverse conditions. Unfortunately, there was no way to escape the conditions, so I hunkered down and made the best of them. I didn’t want to leave the park without going on a hike and getting up-close and personal with its unique terrain, so in cloudy and very windy conditions, I set off on a seven mile round-trip hike up into the Heart of Rocks . This hike featured a considerable elevation gain up into an area with a high concentration of rock formations. In every direction, one can see carefully-balanced formations of standing stone, formed by the eruption of an ancient volcano. The labyrinthine trail wandered in-and-out of the timeless monoliths, yielding a landscape that would be right at home on the cover of a fantasy novel. The trail itself wasn’t too strenuous, as the elevation changes are mostly very gradual. It is very well-maintained and not too technical. There were fallen logs across the trail during my ascent that had been removed by the time I started my way back down. Way to go National Park Service! Chiricahua National Monument is one of the better-kept secrets of the National Park system. Do not overlook this natural and spectacular destination if you’re in the area… or even if you’re not in the area. 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