Stream crossings can be hazardous during spring snow melt or the summer rains. TRAIL: Rising above the surrounding canyons, the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at 7,310 ft/2,228 m is one of the highest points in the monument. It provides a great introduction to the wilderness area of the monument and the opportunity to walk among the rock formations. Standing dead trees are beginning to fall at a faster rate, and while trails do get cleared as possible, deadfall can build up across trails between maintenance trips. Next is Silver Spur Meadow, home for Civilian Conservation Camp NM-2-A, Company 828 during the 1930s. Each individual seeking the reward must have a photo or selfie of themselves on each trail hiked and present the pictures to park staff at the visitor center. Echo Canyon, Upper Rhyolite Canyon and Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trails. The Chiricahua Mountains contain numerous trails of all lengths and varying degrees of difficulty. Chiricahua Mountains Hike trails near Portal, Arizona. You can easily spend two to three days hiking the trails here and not get bored. I don't know which is best, but I can tell you the best views I found were on the Crest Trail south of the peak. Hikers, birders, artists and photographers visit the Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona to enjoy the unique and spectacular rock formations. One to four hour hikes with elevation changes of 500 feet or less. Hiking is a great way to exercise while exploring the wonderland of rocks and the history of the American West at Chiricahua National Monument. Once you get to the top of the mountain there are many hiking trails to choose from. This Site All NPS Be sure to take snacks and drink plenty of water on this all day hike. There are many routes up/down this mountain. With 15 trail combinations, the Chiricahua National Monument offers hours of outdoor recreation. Chiricahua Mountains. The Rattlesnake Fire in 1994 burned more than 25,000 acres on the west side of the wilderness, and dead trees continue to fall across trails. Watch for Apache plume and prickly poppy flowers in spring and early summer. Quick Links. Watch for uneven footing, steps, and remember the higher elevation – 6,870 ft/2,094 m. TRAIL: This trail features grand vistas of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges, a huge balanced rock and trail signs highlighting the natural history of the monument. Additional information on hiking trails may also be found at Chiricahua Mountains Hiking Trails. Hiking is a great way to exercise while exploring the wonderland of rocks and the history of the American West at Chiricahua National Monument. To Rustler Park CG Trailhead From Tucson, take I-10 east to Willcox. 2. Off trail travel is prohibited except for short term picketing, hobbling, or highlining. Hiking in the Chiricahua Mountains. TRAIL: Make sure you have transportation back to your vehicle. TRAIL: Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trail begins as an easy level walk in the lower canyon forest, but soon starts climbing up Rhyolite Canyon. Access. The range takes its name from the … Ed Riggs Trail takes you back to the trailhead among large pine trees. There is a really nice 1/2-mile nature trail that I highly recommend. The Cathedral Vista Trail is accessed from a turnoff along Forest Road 42 in Cave Creek Canyon. 1. Bring plenty of water (about 1 quart of water per hour in the summer), salty snacks and/or electrolytes, sun protection, and appropriate hiking gear. Hiking SHOW Other Activities SHOW. Why it took me so long to get there, I do not know. Area Status: Open Part of the Douglas Ranger District. Watch for changes in vegetation from the upper canyon areas to the lower canyon riparian areas. High temperatures and unexpected monsoon storms are common in the summer. The Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona form one of the largest freestanding mountain ranges in the state and offer a rich assortment of hiking opportunities, with hundreds of miles of official trails. LENGTH: 1.8 miles/2.8 km round trip ACCESS: Faraway Ranch, Visitor Center or Campground. The loop consists of Echo Canyon, Hailstone and Ed Riggs Trails. 1.13 mi; 170 ft ↑ / 460 ft ↓ 9570 ft max; 4.9% slope; moderate difficulty; moderate condition; A short, beautiful segment of the Crest Trail system which serves as a bypass south of Chiricahua Peak if crossing from one of … Following the Horseshoe 2 fire of 2011, trail conditions continue to be highly variable across the range and can change rapidly. TRAIL: Winding along Bonita Creek, usually dry, this trail connects the Bonita Creek and Faraway Ranch Picnic Areas. I go for a 4 day trip but get cut short due to weather not in character for this time of year. Each hiker must hike a minimum of 5 miles / 8 kilometers in the park. Arizona whitetail deer are frequently seen in the lower portion of Bonita Canyon. This is a good trail for grassland birds. Turn left (east) on AZ Highway 181 toward Chiricahua National Monument and drive 3 miles, then turn right (south) on FR 42 (Pinery Canyon Road). Hiking the Chiricahua Mountains. This route consists of the Ed Riggs, Mushroom Rock, Big Balanced Rock and Heart of Rocks Loop Trails. They were home to the Chiricahua Apaches, who had a short-lived reservation here (before being deported to San Carlos). Echo Canyon or Massai Point, Heart of Rocks Loop to Visitor Center. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/chiricahua-natural-bridge-trail This route consists of the Lower Rhyolite Canyon, Sarah Deming and Heart of Rocks Loop Trails. LENGTH: 5.4 miles/8.6 km round trip from Massai Point or 1 mile/1.6 km round trip from Big Balanced Rock Trail Three to eight hour hikes with elevation changes of 500 to 1,000 feet / 150 to 300 meters. In order to preserve this extraordinary landscape, Chiricahua National Monument was formed by the National Park Service. Mike Breiding's Epic Road Trips Arizona Chiricahua Mountains. Willcox, AZ The best way to get in touch with the canyon is on foot. 186 m up the other side. For us, the biggest attraction at Chiricahua NM is the trails. For folks wanting to do everything, this route consists of the Echo Canyon, Upper Rhyolite Canyon, Sarah Deming, Heart of Rocks, Big Balanced Rock, Inspiration Point, Mushroom Rock and Ed Riggs trails. Sarah Deming Canyon gains 880 ft/268 m to reach the top of the ridge. If you would like to receive site updates via email, as well as news about trail conditions, maintenance projects and opportunities, and other related issues, you can join the new Chiricahua Trails mailing list by sending a blank email to chiricahua-trails+subscribe@googlegroups.com. No Pets. Hiking up the Echo Canyon Trail in Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona We were used to the red rocks of Utah ( Bryce and Arches have long been favorite national parks), but this was a totally different experience: These rock formations looked like people, animals, and objects, and these rock formations were gray and covered with green and brown lichen. 5.25 mi TRAIL: Mostly downhill through spectacular rock formations in Echo Canyon. Scenic Driving SHOW. Heart of Rocks Loop has many of the most unusual rock formations in the monument. You can stroll, hike and drive - carefully - all the way through on unpaved roads to the National Monument. Picnicking SHOW. Return the same way. Tom and Eric's hiking trip through Chiricahua National Monument and Chiricahua Peak in southern Arizona, October 2009. LENGTH: 4.8 miles/7.8 km round trip Stop into the visitor center to learn about the challenge and how to earn your pin while hiking some of the most beautiful trails in southeast Arizona. Detailed topographic maps that may be downloaded for hiking can be found online at Bootheel Maps and the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club hikes weekly in the area. Please feel free to report any inaccuracies or out of date information you may notice. TRAIL: Up and down across the canyons, the Big Loop combines the best of the wilderness scenery. Look for wild animals, including migrating birds, deer, coatimundi, and javelina. A "Wonderland of Rocks" is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. The Chiricahua Mountains massif is a large mountain range in southeastern Arizona which is part of the Basin and Range province of the west and southwestern United States and northwest Mexico; the range is part of the Coronado National Forest. Lots of rock steps make this a challenging loop, but it’s worth the effort. The last half of the hike is in shaded oak woodlands. Two Snowy Hikes in the Land of Cochise. Hiking Trails and Wilderness Routes of the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona, by Cachor Taylor The use of stock is confined to the developed trail systems of Chiricahua NM. Hiking the Chiricahua Mountains. Complete hiking information for Chiricahua Mtns, Arizona with maps, photos, trail descriptions, guides and outfitters, and more TRAIL: Offering a safer alternative to walking along the road, look and listen for birds: dark-eyed juncos in winter, hummingbirds in summer and acorn wood-peckers year round. TRAIL: The least used trail in the monument climbs through oak and juniper woodlands to a ridge then drops into the Apache pine forest of Picket Park. Ed Riggs Trail drops you into the canyon while Mushroom Rock Trail climbs 610 ft/. Earn an I Hike for Health pin by hiking at Chiricahua National Monument! Alert: Please be prepared when hiking in the park. 119 trails with 3 photos Assess the weather and your personal preparedness before setting off on the trail. At a Glance. The I Hike for Health program is a hiking challenge you can attempt on your own or with your friends and family. Excellent views of Cochise Head and Rhyolite Canyon make this a great rest stop. Up-to-date information on these trails and their status is fairly limited, however, and this guide is intended to fill that void by providing resources for anyone interested in hiking the area. Stop into the visitor center to learn about the challenge and how to earn your pin while hiking some of the most beautiful trails in southeast Arizona. It ends at an overlook for the small water-carved bridge located across the canyon. 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd Start the loop to the left and hike clockwise for the best views and easiest walking. Aside from walking the trail to the Faraway Ranch, we hiked the 3.2-mile Echo Canyon Loop. Basin Trail #600 map. There are actually about 17 miles of trails in the Chiricahua National Monument, and they are all amazing. No Pets. Hiking Around the Rocks of Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona - The Great Outdoor Blog Chiricahua Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. Your safety is in your hands. Trail descriptions & maps © 2020 Jonathan Patt; mileage, elevations & GPS coordinates public domain, chiricahua-trails+subscribe@googlegroups.com. Chiricahua National Monument is a unit of the National Park System located in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona.The monument was established on April 18, 1924, to protect its extensive hoodoos and balancing rocks.The Faraway Ranch, which was owned at one time by Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson, is also preserved within the monument. LENGTH: 1.0 mile/1.6 km round trip Hailstone Trail is fairly level, and due to its southern exposure, hotter and dryer. The highest point, Chiricahua Peak, rises 9,759 feet above sea level, approximately 6,000 feet above the surrounding valleys. ACCESS: Visitor Center or near the campground groupsite. TRAIL: This loop around the picnic area takes you along the intermittent Bonita Creek. TRAIL: If you don’t have time to hike the full Echo Canyon Loop, consider this shorter option. CHIRICAHUA MONUMENT. Gravel trail surfaces. Hikes and trails in Chiricahua National Monument, southeast Arizona, including to Echo … Big Balanced Rock Trail is along top of the ridge. Expect to see more desert plants: yuccas, agaves, prickly pear and hedgehog cactus. Additional maps are under the "Hiking map" tab at the top of the page. 27 million years ago, a large volcanic eruption in the Chiricahua Mountains left behind volcanic ash which eroded into the hoodoos and balancing rocks at Chiricahua National Monument aka The Wonderland of Rocks.The rock formations are very similar to Bryce National Park and the best part...you will see about 25 times less people! The Chiricauhua Mountains are located in southeastern Arizona and are a part of the Chiricahua National Monument. White-throated swifts are common in the summer. See the Trail Guide for more information on hiking in the “Land of the Standing up Rocks.” You can also hike 1.5 miles into Fort Bowie, now a national historic site.It was the site of the Bascom Affair, which sparked the Indian Wars. The paved portion from the parking area to the exhibit building is wheelchair accessible. TRAIL: An easier route to Heart of Rocks than starting from the Visitor Center with more views of the rock formations. Echo Canyon to Heart of Rocks and Return. Hiking Forest trails in the Chiricahua Mountains total about 111 miles. There are endless opportunities there. bdreese2 - Nov 26, 2019 4:54 pm - Voted 6/10 Views. The fireplaces are remnants from the lodge of the Silver Spur Guest Ranch in business from 1948 to 1968. LENGTH: 7.3 miles/ 11.8 km Ed Riggs, Mushroom Rock, Big Balanced Rock, Heart of Rocks Loop, Sarah Deming and Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trails. Horseshoe 2 Fire in 2011 burned nearly the entire range, and you can see the forest recovering. The I Hike for Health program is a hiking challenge you can attempt on your own or with your friends and family. Crest Trail - Chiricahua Peak Bypass #270D map. No Pets, ACCESS: Massai Point or the junction of Mushroom Rock and Big Balanced Rock Trails. At this time, descriptions for all trails on the site should be considered in a draft stage and may not be fully detailed or may contain errors. The dark rock is dacite, evidence of a lava flow. Don’t let the secret out too much though (alas, like I just did), these mountains … Chiricahua Hiking Guide National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Chiricahua National Monument EASY HIKES - Short, smooth walks with little change in elevation. Address – 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, Willcox AZ 85643; Hours – Park is open 24/7 all seasons of the year The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17-miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985 acre site. Remember that any listed condition of a trail is as of the last report or personal inspection, always prepare for the unexpected, and use multiple resources to plan any hikes. Return the same way. Stream crossings can be hazardous during spring snowmelt or the summer rains. Cold temperatures and snow are possible in the winter. Visitor Center to Heart of Rocks and Return. One stream crossing on the Upper Rhyolite segment can be hazardous if runoff is significant. National Park Service Logo National Park Service. TRAIL: Most people prefer to hike the loop counter-clockwise since walking up the Ed Riggs Trail is less strenuous than the Echo Canyon Trail. When choosing a trail, an important consideration is the temperature and season in which you will be hiking. From Willcox, head south on AZ Highway 186 for 33 miles. Stock is not permitted on the Massai Nature Trail, Heart of Rocks Loop, Natural Bridge, and Sugarloaf Mountain trails. No Pets, ACCESS: Small parking area along the Bonita Canyon Scenic Drive, 0.5 mile/ 0.8 km beyond the campground. ACCESS: Echo Canyon Parking Lot or Massai Point. Search. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17-miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 12,025 acre site. Hiking Chiricahua National Monument. BONITA CREEK LOOP LENGTH: 0.2 mile/0.3 km Pets Permitted ACCESS: Bonita Creek Parking Area TRAIL: This loop around the picnic area takes you along the intermittent Bonita Creek. And prickly poppy flowers in spring and early summer degrees of difficulty the attraction... 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