The Chiricahua Mountains

One would pass through on a trip from northern Mexico to Canada's Hudson Bay.

Most extensive, varied and complex of these Sky Islands are the Chiricahua Mountains. Mountains. Rising like a huge rampart between Sulphur Springs and San Simon Valleys, just west of the New Mexico line, they stretch north-andsouth for forty miles, have a maximum width of twenty miles, and culminate in a row of rounded peaks between 9,000 and 10,000 feet high. This rugged range is a scrambled hodge-podge of granite, gneiss, sandstone, limestone, shale and ancient lava flows which have been eroded through the ages into a jumble of deep, plunging canyons, soarings cliffs, pinnacles, ridges and fantastic rock formations. Perhaps no other Arizona mountains can match the Chiricahuas in sheer number of impressive scenic features.

Then, too, they are a remarkable natural zoo, aviary and botanical garden. From the cactus-studded outer flanks to the luxuriant summit forests animals, birds and plants from the Rocky Mountains, Pacific Coast and Mexico meet and mingle with many rare varieties found nowhere else. A collector counted 507 species of plants from eighty botanical families in one small area, and an ornithologist with 470 different birds on his lifetime list spotted fifty-seven species new to him on a five-day visit.

The Chiricahuas have also figured prominently in the history of the state, and archaeologists have found abundant evidence that pre-Columbian red men frequented Nature devised the present-day Master Plan of Arizona in the Miocene Epoch, some fifteen million years ago -give or take a couple of million. At that time all the building materials were on the site, but the country was pretty much a flat, featureless plain, some of it covered by shallow arms of the sea. Primitive horses, elephants and rhinoceroses roamed the land, and the climate was quite evenly semitropical. Then, what geologists call the Cascadian Revolution began. Nature heaved, pushed and shoved. Plateaus rose, mountains formed, volcanoes erupted, and valleys and canyons were carved out by the steepened streams. The climate became drier and more varied. In short, a mighty construction job got under way--and the amazingly diverse and spectacular region we know today as Arizona began to take shape.

In the southern part of the state faults cracked the plain and isolated mountain ranges were thrust upward in orderly, parallel rows. Separated by wide desert basins and valleys, they trend generally north-northwest and southsoutheast, and somewhat resemble "an army of caterpillars crawling toward Mexico." These ranges reach their climax in Arizona's southeastern corner. There, a dozen or so attain altitudes of 7,500 to nearly 11,000 feet and stand boldly more than a vertical mile above the broad valley floors at their feet. Aptly called the "Sky Islands of Arizona," they carry on their lofty backs cool, green oases of evergreen forests, aspen groves, lush meadows and fern-banked streams, in sharp contrast to the parched lands below. In fact, between base and summits are telescoped all the changes in climate, vegetation and wildlife

High Chiricabatta meadwe

Them sad lived in the vicinity far aweral thousand years. So, thave la socuschlag to interest almost everyone in these kaleidoscopic soudura Arizous mountains, and more visisus wach your are discovering their powerful allars.

But usually the first thing people wot to kwow about the Chindeahsus is sow to pronoce the scor. Although officially given es being derived from tail kurve, Apache for "tig zoountsło," it is quite es likely to have statiomed from the Southwestern Lodian ward for wild turkey, which sounds Hke abi-vi-d as akt-ni-ki. At any rain, the pronunciation is Chi-cd-kab-weh, and local raidents almost always refer to the concretos sa the "chesry cown."

You tours than a contury and a half the marae bad a sininer connection that made brave man shodder. Daring Arizona's early days the range was an impugnable stoanghobi of the Chiricahun Apachra, one of the contnus's swost savage and warlike Indian tribes. No white man, wonen or child was safe from the depredetloca of the dread Apaches, who left s all of toner and suddan deuth foun bordera Medco to the Magolion Rim. Buods of zed-skinned warkan swape down out of the meantains Ike devasoning tomdoes, bursing, pliaging, soxtaring kod nardaziog, thuo quickly retreated to aseret fystoете no whan nem could find. Se ciκάνω woce the wily Apaches that for many youzz they baffled and outra vered the United States Atury. Bor Army. But finally ta 1886 Geron inno, last boetika Apache chief, succedeed to roops τιδα Geascal Miles, and peace oune at Jest to iss tron bled land.

A gom reminder of the blood-arained battle front between red men and white is Ford Bowie. Located in Apaha Fun, which reparts the Chicksbus from their northwataon contincstion, the Dos Cabunan Mсата calves, this frontier military pout was activated fu 1062 το protect a long stretch of the schoen ronts to California from deadly Indian ettacke. The koely foxt had a short bat turbulent history and was abandoned in 1894. A thongh caly crembling adobe ruins mark the sits today, efforts as being made to have the building partially restored and protected within a national mormone With the Apache rendered barmless on a reservation, ranching and mining developed rapidly as southeastern Arizona's chief economic activities. The valleys east and west of the Chiricahua have an elevation of around 4,000 feet, and their vast spread of treeless grasslands is pure grazing country. Huge cattle incas now in the wrades use all aides, in pisos extending to the sexands. Parts of the range are also highly mineralized. Many individual mines have been active and a few are operating at the present time. But, although there have been several thurries of excitement, the Chiricahua were never the scene of a major strike. However, other valuable resources, such as timber and water, were early realized and received protection within a federal forest reserva by a presidential proclamation of Theodore Roosevelt let 1903. This in chow one of the tossive detached divisions of Coronado National Forest, with headquarters in Thess The fox indication that the monastery ropactive scenery, too, it a tangible asset was the creation of Chiricahua National Monument. Established in 1924, it has lowcams one of southern Arizona's foremost showplace and Parcs thousands of visitors each year. Blasted high ca the west slope in the northern part of the zenga, the area costatos seventeen siquare milks and includes the mo tacular section of the so-called "Wonderland of Rocks."

This is a weird but beautiful region of clustered shoe formations, doap, xow canyons, anul frorente cof coals, pleas aud cypress. Hers, thousands of years of erosion have carved en uplifted lave flow into a maze of gray-ixo toons, anime and spires. Among them is a standing collection of blouze and outlandish stone figures, resembling people, suhoals and objects, soch se "Balanced Rock, Punch and Judy," "Dack on a Rock and hundreds of othe Mawanart Headquarters are nestled smoog fins aulas at the foot of Rhyolite Canyon, 5,380 foot. Hayond, a wids, paved road follows up wooded Bonita Canyon noder tated cliffs, and bristling pibers and weciles, tha ciobs to the crest of the Chiricahua et Massal Pairs, 6,850 feet. This amegolficar lookout was anned for "Bigfoot Mosad, a brouco Apache who jumped the rень tion and for three years fought singleheaded against the United States, Adexico and the "ame" Indians, whom lo dkspised. Piekare, to the went, apemde the incredible rocky labyrinth of the Wonderland, backed by bread, flat Sulphur Springs Valley wretching to dlatext bins mountains. Dominating the northeastern skyline is this great recombeot profile of Cochise Hasd, 8,rog feet-an endearing memorial to the Chiricahua Apachez feattas chief.

Open the year around, the tent is administered by the National Park Service, which maintains a motor-logger-ostamist service, fourteen walks of well-goded trails leading to the finest areas, improved carapgronds with trailer spaces wear headquarters, sed pierde faali st assual Fant. Elorsos xaxy be rented, and meals and overnight accommodations are available at two baby guest ravaches.

Fate dikt zoda penatore the Chirlesirman at several počats and one completely cross the range. Umially ched by sarw from Deamber to cold-Apell, It is muc winding, and strop in phios, and shouldir'e ise satempted by thous mac aceptamed το αετταλa driving. However this trans-Chiricalsua conta le one of the most varied and somic in the southara part of the stuce. The zoud branches from paved Stace zêr, three miks wot of the w ostrance and ascends beautiful, forested Plairy Canyon to the divide st Calon Saddle, 7,700 feet. Over the top it a misime of oak sod plos, and from around y.goo fεσε και the bigheat sowarizs le tae Careudico. Za zbia zaus am the superd coniferous foreste slong the kity crest of tho Chiricatuse. Cocoat trees are tall, straight, classicoboled ponderosa asad Arizona pinss, which are difficult to tell apart except that the focimere has thres needles in a badle, the latior Ave, idingled with then are MTURES Douglas and white fisa, and scattered Mesican white piss, as well as nuples, deciduous Utah whits cala; and ex alve groves of quaking super. The highượt zous, the Hudsonien, is supramoted only on the north side of de sont peaks asad zidgen, slowm gobo fest. It is obsructerised by thick, somber stands of Byakawa sprues and picturesque, władbiowa Kamber kops down the east slope and threads impressive, κα walled Cave Crook caryon to Portal, twenty-three miles from the wat-aids junction. On the way up are the plaw kot Ploery Cresk cangronda. This drive is a zovnalog daarnstation of the sacr baove iañuenes elevation has on climate and vegetation. The difference in altitude from the surrounding valleys to the topcost peaks is 6,000 Eset, and between the tone sze coxupressed zed five of North Amarios's seves licentis ife vones. Only the Tropic and Arxaio-Alpins are so kug. The gamudanda, creosote basks, ocotillo and csctae ad the base fall within the Lower Вагонка Ζις, κawed for the wate of Bonors in nostura Mexico. Nest is the Upper Soccem, on the foothill alopes from shout 4,500 to 4000 fect elevation. This helt is largely dominated by Xavory and Ardans whits natis, which are nearly overyzena sed have the strange habit of pacing on asw leaves in the mtman. Above, the cabs form woodlush, interspersed with Apache and Colbyalos pinss, Айката сурга pors in the crayons, and piñose and allgator juxigere dot the summy, opax поров. Тонка соглиn the Transition, with plore in expound places. Thess Chirieshus sproces are ve sauberemost reported on the continent. All duso wones arm, of course, vay irregular andl are further complicated by scores of trees, daubs and flowes, some of which have trencasdons altitudinal rangen. In fact, from top to botuan, the Chiricchana Altairs presect a challenging xulogikal jigua pasaule which is fascinating to nature lovem and outdoor author shes, whether they be profesional naturals or c holiday vacatione. The vexarkable disparity in dienste and vegetation within the spacs of a few miles is due to the fact that temperatures decreen with elevation, while in the wrial Suariowest prinzipization increnses sharply. The swang lapse rate is a drop of one degres Fabreakalt for uvery chires hoodred feat shizade gloed. But it is often sch geater than that, specially to sur, ned the tumpersthree co the high suunits may be thirty dogrem o below that at the foce of the mozelos. Алий precipitation ba thu valleys surrounding sise Chiricsdis variผม froma ten to fifteen inches, while on the coast it is probably

thirty five or forty inches. This means that moisture increases at the rate of more than four inches each one thousand feet of rise. The result of these widely varying conditions is that almost every type of North American climate is represented in miniature. In southern Arizona most areas receive more than half their yearly precipitation from afternoon and evening thundershowers during the rainy season in July, August and early September. If summer rainfall is normal or above, the valleys adjacent to the Chiricahuas are spread with lush green grass, canyon vegetation attains almost tropical exuberance, mountain meadows are ablaze with wildflowers, and tumbling brooks cascade down from the heights. Although summer is undoubtedly the pleasantest season of the year in this section, the weather is apt to be damp and chilly above 8,000 feet, and the best time for visiting the high country is before the rains come, in June, or afterwards, from mid-September to the end of October. In the latter month the oaks, maples and aspens put on a brilliant show of fall colors. Easiest access to the stimulating skyland atop the Chiricahua Mountains is a four-mile spur road from Onion Saddle, which follows the crest southward to Rustler Park, 8,450 feet. A cattle-stealing hideout of the 1880's, this delightful meadow encircled by fine pine forests is a popular recreation area, with improved public campgrounds, a boys' camp, small summer cabin colony, and ranger station. A short side road leads over the divide to Barfoot Park, on the west slope, and a mile-and-a-half trail ascends to the fire lookout on Buena Vista Peak, 8,826 feet. South of Rustler Park is the 18,000-acre Chiricahua Wild Area, which preserves the highest part of the range in its primitive, natural condition. Roads and buildings are taboo, and the ageless mountaintops remain much as they were before the coming of the White Man. The wild area is traversed by a twenty-mile trail, mostly above 9,000 feet. It winds along the Chiricahua's elevated backbone through superb evergreen forests, crosses grassy parks, and comes out on rocky points commanding breathtaking panoramas over mountains, hills, canyons and valleys. The main trail is joined by several laterals on both east and west sides, and it has branches that follow ridges and canyons to road-ends in the southern part of the range. The two culminating summits, Fly Peak and Chiricahua Peak, each 9,795 feet, may be reached by short detours. The former, named for a well-known early day Tombstone photographer, is topped by a sixty-foot steel fire observation tower, which makes an excellent sevenmile round-trip hike from Rustler Park. There are also lookout towers on Sentinel and Monte Vista peaks, farther south. The exhilarating, unspoiled country of the high Chiricahuas is ideal for threeor four-day knapsack trips. The going is easy, there are plenty of springs and delectable camping spots, while the dome-like crests, rounded ridges and meadowed glades invite off-trail exploration. For, surprisingly enough, the top of this rugged range is a high-perched area of subdued contours and gentle relief. The only logical explanation seems to be that it represents a row of former lowland hills lifted bodily more than a mile into the air where they have remained little changed for several million years. The same geological anomaly occurs in the Santa Catalina, Rincon and Pinaleno mountains, three other southern Arizona Sky Islands. On the east, the main ridge of the Chiricahuas drops in plunging, cliff-broken slopes 4,000 feet to a wide, fanshaped interior basin. Here the waters of the several forks of Cave Creek gather, join at the lower end and escape to San Simon Valley through a deep canyon between two "WIDE OPEN SPACES OF THE CHIRICAHUAS." The Chiricahua Mountains rise like a mighty rampart between the Sulphur Springs and the San Simon Valleys in. Cochise County in southeastern Arizona. This range stretches north-and-south for

NOTES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS BY RICHARD D. BUCHER OPPOSITE PAGE

forty miles and has a maximum width of twenty miles. This scene is on the road from Portal to State Route 186 going from east to west. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.16 at 1/50th sec.; 150 mm. Symmar-Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

Wonderland of Rocks-In the Heart of the Chiricahuas

"ALONG CAVE CREEK IN THE CHIRICAHUAS".

Photograph taken along the Cave Creek Canyon Road, south of Paradise, the Ranger station. Area is accessible over an all-weather road from the Chiricahua National Monument across the mountain range or from U. S. 80 near Rodeo, N. M. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.32 at 1/5th sec.; bright day.

"RANGE LANDS-CHIRICAHUA FOOTHILLS."

Photograph taken in the foothills of the Chiricahuas as they rise from the San Simon Valley. Area is dotted with ranches. Scene appears along the ranch road from San Simon to Portal. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.15 at 1/50th sec.; 150 mm. Symmar-Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

"ON THE ROAD TO HILLTOP".

The lower Chiricahua range is fine cattle country. Some of the newer ranchers, taking over old spreads, are Easterners retiring to the West, and here they find themselves living the good life. Scene shown is on the road leading to Hilltop. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.16 at 1/50th sec.; 150 mm. Symmar-Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

CENTER PANEL "FOREST OF ROCK FROM MASSAI POINT." "WONDERLAND OF ROCKS IN THE HEART OF THE CHIRICAHUAS."

graph shows the magnificent rock formations of the Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona's spectacular Wonderland of Rocks in the heart of the Chiricahua Mountains. Massai Point was named after the Apache warrior, "Big Foot" Massai. The formation in the background is called "Cochise Head", in memory of the great Apache chieftain, Cochise. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.22 at 1/25th sec.; 150 mm. Symmar-Schneider-Kreuznach lens; mid-summer; fair light conditions.

"RUCKER LAKE IN THE CHIRICAHUAS."

On these two pages are scenes in the Chiricahua National Monument which show the amazing and diversified rock formations and scenery that have made this National Monument world-famed. The Monument itself, established by Presidential Proclamation on April 18, 1924, has an area of nearly 17 square miles. Elevations within the Monument range from 5,160 to 7,365 feet above sea level. The Monument entrance, on the west flank of the Chiricahua Mountains, is reached by roads from Bowie and Willcox, or by paved roads from Douglas and Bisbee. Monument headquarters are one mile from entrance and here may be obtained information, and here also are interesting exhibits explaining the geological story of the area. For more information write to Superintendent, Chiricahua National Monument, Dos Cabezas, Arizona.The February and March issues of

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

will be combined into one special issue commemorating the Golden Anniversary of Arizona's statehood. This issue of 60 pages (24 in color) will depict the growth of Arizona since statehood with a learned glimpse into the years to come.

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With Special Anniversary Mailing Envelope High eastern ridges. From Onion Saddle the cross-mountain road winds down into the basin, giving spectacular views of mountains, forests and distant valleys. In three miles an alternate route branches left to Portal by way of Paradise and Galeyville.

The former is a mining camp, dating from 1901, now almost a ghost. Nothing remains of the latter, but on the site an impressive new sign reads: JOHN H. GALEY OPENED THE TEXAS MINE AND SMELTER IN 1881. MINING BOOMED AND DIED AND THE TOWN BECAME A HAVEN FOR LAWLESS MEN LIKE CURLEY BILL AND JOHN RINGO WHO USED NEARBY GULCHES TO HOLD STOLEN CATTLE WHILE BRANDS WERE BEING ALTERED. IN 1888 THE SAN SIMON CATTLE COMPANY FORCED OUT SQUATTERS AND THE REMAINS OF GALEYVILLE WERE CARRIED AWAY TO CONSTRUCT HOUSES IN NEARBY PARADISE. Recently, however, new life has come to Galeyville. Lots are being sold and ambitious plans are afoot to create an old-time "Western" community with modern conveniences.

Four miles farther down the trans-Chiricahua road a two-mile spur leads right to a Forest Service Recreation area on Cave Creek. Here, at an elevation of 6,000 feet, is Herb Martyr Lake, an artificial trout pond among pines and oaks, stocked several times each summer. There are improved campgrounds close by and also on the road, a mile or so below. Behind the lake Sally Falls drops more than 300 feet over a cliff in the towering wall of the main ridge. When full, the stream pours down in a Yosemitelike white plume, and is perhaps the finest waterfall in Arizona. Near the Herb Martyr junction is hard-to-find Crystal Cave, an undeveloped limestone cavern of considerable extent which has been only partially explored. Either this or the many huge natural recesses in the walls of the canyon below gave Cave Creek its name.

Just beyond the junction, the cross-mountain road passes the Southwestern Research Station of the American

Museum of Natural History. With rambling, whitepainted main building, dormitories, cottages and large, well-equipped laboratory, it occupies a particularly scenic location among huge cottonwood trees, green lawns and open meadows. To the west are the high Chiricahuas, and on the east soar the multicolored cliffs of Cave Creek Canyon. The place was originally the ranch of pioneer Stephen Reed, who came into these remote, Apache-infested mountains in 1879 and built a log cabin. His principal occupation was raising garden produce for the outlaws and hoodlums of Galeyville. Although the many arrowheads found in the vicinity indicate an ancient Indian battleground, Reed and his family were never molested, and old-timers say that Geronimo often used to visit them. Stout and weather-tight, the Reed cabin still stands, shaded by a spreading walnut tree.

Bought from the last owners in 1955, the ranch was converted by the New York museum into a comprehensive and up-to-date research center. Scientists come here from all parts of the country to study the unique fauna, flora and geology of the region. But Cave Creek Canyon, long famed as one of the world's outstanding ecological areas, has been visited for many years by amateur and professional naturalists, bird watchers, butterfly collectors and botanists. Even herpetologists and entomologists become slightly glassy eyed over the wealth of rare andoff-beat reptiles and insects. A recent innovation, organized by a California "naturalist-mountaineer," is regularly scheduled, all-expense camping sojourns in the canyon each spring and fall.

Commonest large animal is the whitetail deer, while mule deer frequent the outer foothills and valleys. There are about 3,000 of the former in the Chiricahuas, and they roam everywhere, from canyon to mountaintop. A few antelope, too, live in the surrounding arid basins. Several families of black bears make their home in the high country and sometimes descend to lower elevations. They testify to the equable climate of southern Arizona by not finding it necessary to hibernate. The list of smaller animals is prodigious, and includes a bewildering variety of skunks, racoons, porcupines, squirrels, bats, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, rats, mice and shrews.

But visitors are most interested in the mountain lion, lobo wolf, ringtail cat, peccary or wild pig, and the strange, exotic coati mundi. Except for the first, these are largely Mexican and Central American animals which here reach their northern limits. Also an occasional wandering jaguar crosses the border, only to be shot and exhibited as a freakish curiosity. The last killed in the Chiricahua Mountains was in 1912, and none has been reported, dead or alive, in recent years.

Among the larger feathered inhabitants, wild turkeys, eagles, vultures, hawks and quail are seen by almost everybody. But the sharper eyed can count literally hundreds of varieties of smaller birds. However, the prize find is the gaudy green and red coppery-tailed trogon, cousin to the regal Quetzal, sacred bird of the Aztecs. So rare is this straggler from the tropics that one ornithologist and his wife diligently searched southern Arizona's Šky Islands for ten years before they found a trogon family nesting near a Cave Creek campground. But even more exceptional are the large, bright-green, thick-billed parrots, which once in awhile fly up from Mexico in considerable numbers and tarry for a few days. There are a host of temperate zone species, too, from robins to hummingbirds, and one of the delights of the high country is the cheerful chirping of yellow-eyed Arizona juncos and Mexican chickadees, as well as the vesper-like song of the hermit thrush in the deep woods at sunset.

Beyond the Research Station, the road suddenly enters Cave Creek Canyon, a gorge five miles long cut into solid rock, and from 3,000 to 3,500 feet deep. Here the stream escapes from the mountains between Portal Peak, 8,547 feet, to the east, and Silver Peak, 8,020 feet, on the west. Above the road on either side tower sheer cliffs, topped by castellated battlements and groups of slender columns, while great, yawning caves, arches and windows have been carved into the stone by centuries of wind, rain, frost and melting snow. The rock, called latite, is of volcanic origin and glows with soft shades of orange, pink, yellow and deep salmon as if it had been daubed by a giant paintbrush. Most impressive single feature is Cathedral Rock, a massive monolith on the east wall, 2,000 feet high. The canyon floor is pleasantly sylvan, with oaks sycamores, cottonwoods and other trees, and the road follows the musical creek through green arches of foliage. In many ways this little-known mountain gorge rivals Arizona's famous Oak Creek Canyon, which it resembles.

There are three shady campgrounds in the main canyon and one on the South Fork of Cave Creek, reached by a two-mile side road. From the last the trail into the wild upper reaches of the South Fork is one of the most scenic in the Chiricahuas. Sentinel Peak, 9,490 feet, at the south end of the main ridge, may also be ascended from this campground. Other hikes can be taken from Cave Creek Canyon over the Snowshed Trail to the high country, and to the summit of Silver Peak for an extended view of the east slope of the range. High up on the side of this mountain nature has sculptured a dark-red cliff into an almost perfect profile of an Indian, 250 feet high. It is familiarly known as "Geronimo's Face" to the relatively few hardy souls who have hiked the Silver Peak trail.

At the lower entrance to the canyon is Portal, a little ranching community situated on the eastern edge of the mountains at an elevation of 4,773 feet. The town was christened in English by its prospector founder around the turn of the century because of its magnificent location at the rocky gate to the Chiricahuas. So the name shouldn't be given the Spanish pronunciation, with the accent on the second syllable, as it often is by the uninitiated. Portal is trade center of the valley and mountain people for miles around, and has a post office, school, general store, service station and even a small local museum. Due to the superior brand of climate and scenery, the vicinity has recently developed as a residential and resort area. Well-to-do Easterners have bought ranches and fruit orchards, summer homes are being erected on panoramic sites, while rustic lodges and cabins furnish accommodations for the ever-increasing numbers of vacationists.

Beyond Portal, the road, now black-topped, coasts gently down into arid, treeless San Simon Valley to Rodeo, New Mexico, ten miles. The total distance across the Chiricahuas from U. S. 666, in Sulphur Springs Valley, to Rodeo, on U. S. 8o, is sixty miles. Either as a detour or a special trip it would be hard to find a more varied and rewarding mountain drive, and this trans-Chiricahua road is highly recommended to all those who like to explore fascinating Southwestern byways behind a steering wheel.

There are two other graded dirt roads, farther south, which lead into the heart of the range. One on the west side ascends Turkey Creek to a Forest Service recreation area, with three improved campgrounds and a guest ranch along the way. This road ends in a wooded mountain canyon under the highest peaks, and trails lead to the crest at Chiricahua Peak and Monte Vista Peak, 9,373 feet. On the slopes of the latter is Pole Bridge Canyon Natural Area, a delightful small reservation maintained in its undisturbed original condition. The other road crosses the Chiricahuas lower southern end, with a sixmile spur north to Rucker Lake. Here, at an elevation of 6,100 feet, a dam has created popular artificial trout waters, and in the vicinity are six public campgrounds.

along the way. This road ends in a wooded mountain canyon under the highest peaks, and trails lead to the crest at Chiricahua Peak and Monte Vista Peak, 9,373 feet. On the slopes of the latter is Pole Bridge Canyon Natural Area, a delightful small reservation maintained in its undisturbed original condition. The other road crosses the Chiricahuas lower southern end, with a sixmile spur north to Rucker Lake. Here, at an elevation of 6,100 feet, a dam has created popular artificial trout waters, and in the vicinity are six public campgrounds.

So, maybe it did take nature fifteen million years to build and furnish the Chiricahua Mountains. Possibly in another few million they will be worn down once more to rounded, undistinguished hills. But man has labored for a century to make this superb southern Arizona Sky Island easily accessible, and while it exists in its present condition, a visit is very much worthwhile.