February 10, 2007
February 10, 2007
We hit the jackpot today. For a while now I have wanted to stop at Chiricahua National Monument. It is a couple hours east of Tucson. We have passed the I10 exit for it several times but never stopped because of the park’s lack of name recognition. Aimee and I are both glad we made time today as it ranks among our favorite national parks. It is a real gem.
In recent history the Apache Indians inhabited the park locale. Their constant raiding prevented inroads by Spanish missionaries and later US settlers. After a series of Apache Wars with Cochise and Geronimo, the Indians were driven out in 1876 opening the area for settlement. The ruins of the Cavalry’s Fort Bowie are nearby.
Chiricahua is an isolated mountainous area in the middle of the surrounding desert. Park biologists refer to it as a “sky island”. As we drive up into the park it is like we have left Arizona and we are visiting the Appalachians. We leave the cacti behind and enter a pine forest. Even though it is 70 degrees out, there are still remnants of snow on the side of the road. What makes Chiricahua unique though is the rocks that line the mountain tops. We first stop at the Visitors Center and learn the area was near an ancient volcanic eruption. The resulting ash plumes settled here and solidified into rocks that cracked vertically and then eroded into weird shapes. From the visitors center we drive further into the park to Massai Point, which gives 360-degree views of the terrain. At the crest of the surrounding canyons are thousands of strange rock formations, pinnacles, spires and balancing rocks. The scenery is quite unique.
From Massai Point, we backtrack to Echo Canyon Parking Lot to begin a two-hour circular hike. We first trudge thru some snow and then descend down and around the rocks of Echo Canyon. It seems every rock here is balancing a larger rock on top. Continuing on we descend down into a pine forest and across a small stream. From there it is up another canyon lined with more strange rocks. The trail is wide and marked with great signs. This is definitely one of the best hikes we have ever taken. An early settler called the area a “Wonderland of Rocks” and that is an understatement.
We hit the jackpot today. For a while now I have wanted to stop at Chiricahua National Monument. It is a couple hours east of Tucson. We have passed the I10 exit for it several times but never stopped because of the park’s lack of name recognition. Aimee and I are both glad we made time today as it ranks among our favorite national parks. It is a real gem.
In recent history the Apache Indians inhabited the park locale. Their constant raiding prevented inroads by Spanish missionaries and later US settlers. After a series of Apache Wars with Cochise and Geronimo, the Indians were driven out in 1876 opening the area for settlement. The ruins of the Cavalry’s Fort Bowie are nearby.
Chiricahua is an isolated mountainous area in the middle of the surrounding desert. Park biologists refer to it as a “sky island”. As we drive up into the park it is like we have left Arizona and we are visiting the Appalachians. We leave the cacti behind and enter a pine forest. Even though it is 70 degrees out, there are still remnants of snow on the side of the road. What makes Chiricahua unique though is the rocks that line the mountain tops. We first stop at the Visitors Center and learn the area was near an ancient volcanic eruption. The resulting ash plumes settled here and solidified into rocks that cracked vertically and then eroded into weird shapes. From the visitors center we drive further into the park to Massai Point, which gives 360-degree views of the terrain. At the crest of the surrounding canyons are thousands of strange rock formations, pinnacles, spires and balancing rocks. The scenery is quite unique.
From Massai Point, we backtrack to Echo Canyon Parking Lot to begin a two-hour circular hike. We first trudge thru some snow and then descend down and around the rocks of Echo Canyon. It seems every rock here is balancing a larger rock on top. Continuing on we descend down into a pine forest and across a small stream. From there it is up another canyon lined with more strange rocks. The trail is wide and marked with great signs. This is definitely one of the best hikes we have ever taken. An early settler called the area a “Wonderland of Rocks” and that is an understatement.
posted by Mike and Aimee at 5:13 PM
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