ALONG THE WAY: Bola Ties

adventure back road HAIRPIN CURVES Traverse COWBOY AND INDIAN COUNTRY Along and Across EAGLE CREEK

THE LAND BORDERING EAGLE CREEK IN eastern Arizona proves a joyous bit of country. Its hills unfold to the horizon like a mother's best blanket. Paint ponies munch on grass at the roadside, crows sit atop fenceposts and eagles occasionally throw shadows on the ground as they soar overhead.

But these rarely seen aerial giants make up only part of the wildlife show. Sooner or later, visitors might also encounter mountain lions, elk, deer, javelinas or rattlesnakes.

"About the only thing you don't see out here is elephants," cracked Gary Hardy of the Double Circles Ranch.

No wonder there's an abundance of critters-Eagle Creek meanders through the southern portion of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, east of the San Carlos Apache Reservation. And the nearest towns, Clifton and Morenci, lie 30 miles south of the turnoff to Eagle Creek on U.S. Route 191.

With all the paper-clip turns, that 30 miles takes a full hour to drive. Forest Service Road 217 shoots off of U.S. 191 at Milepost 188 and remains in perfect shape. It runs for 22 miles to the Honeymoon Campground, where visitors have to turn around and come back the same way.

The only potential trouble lurks at the three creek crossings, one of which requires driving in foot-deep water for about 150 feet before meeting the road again on the other side. A good pickup truck or other high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle should do the trick.

Real Arizona ranch country, this area represents a throwback to the way things used to be, with a few exceptions. If you happen to see a rancher stopped on the road, don't assume his truck tossed a rod. He's probably talking on his cellular phone. No one along the creek has phone service, so residents use mobile phones, which work only in a few wellmemorized locations.

Nobody has electricity, either, and mail comes once a week "whether you want it or not," says Ed Fitch, whose mailbox hangs over FR 217 about 20 miles from the start. A retiree, Fitch spends most of his time doing chores and exploring the backcountry.

His wife, Edie, taught at the one-room