Archive for the ‘Outdoor Recreation’ Category

Looking For A Southeast Arizona Vacation Spot – It Doesn’t Stop At The Tucson City Limits

Tombstone has a cast and crew of cowboys walking the streets during operating hours. Special weekends have gun fights and other special events.

Many people looking for a Southeast Arizona vacation spot stop looking when they find Tucson. But there is much more to see a short distance east on the interstate when you look at Cochise County. Just an hour from the Tucson airport is a part of Arizona that contained the historic “Old West”. Tombstone, with the OK Corral gun fight fame, Fort Bowie where the Apache Indian Wars started and Fort Huachuca, home of the Buffalo Soldiers are just a few of the historical sites to see. The natural beauty of the mountains that soar to over 10,000 feet, Kartchner Caverns, a living cave, and the last free flowing river in Arizona are just a few of the spectacular nature sites you can visit.

Gammon’s Gulch is a working movie set and museum located north of Benson.

If you think that Tucson is the only movie studio you can visit on your Southeast Arizona vacation, guess what? There is another you can visit. North of Benson is Gammon’s Gulch. It is a movie studio that is still being used by production companies. Jay Gammon’s is host when you visit the set and he will regale you many stories about what has been done there. Many of Jay’s props were used in the move Tombstone. The HBO series Deadmen has used this set. Different films have been made in this part of Southeastern Arizona and Jay can tell you about them.

There are many historical events that happened in Cochise County. Coronado National Memorial is near the Mexican border and provides information on Coronado’s 1540 entry into this part of the US. The Butterfield Stage Line entered Arizona near Fort Bowie and ran through Benson on its way to California. Parts of the old stage road can still be found. This part of Arizona was part of the Gadsden Purchase. Old mining ghost towns dot the county and many ruins are still standing.

But this Southeast Arizona vacation spot has more to offer than just historical locales. The unfettered natural beauty can be found throughout the area. Chiricahua National Monument is an area with features similar to Bryce Canyon in Utah. Erosion has carved pinnacles, spires and created balance rocks throughout the park. The Dragoon Mountains is the lair of the great Apache Chief Cochise and contains Cochise Stronghold. The Whetstone Mountains contains Kartchner Caverns, which is probably the most pristine cavern in the states.  But the jewel of Cochise County is the San Pedro River. This river provides food and water for the migratory birds. It is one of the 5 best birding areas in the US.

So if you are looking for a Southeast Arizona vacation spot that has many different things to see and do, consider Cochise County. You can even stop by an Arizona winery for a little tasting and purchase if you wish. A majority of the wine grapes grown in the Arizona are from the vineyards here in Cochise County. Another great advantage is that peace and quiet that can’t be found in the city to the west. Nor can you find the dark skies for star gazing that is here in Cochise County. At Down By The River B and B, we have developed a list of things to do in the area. If you would like to see what there is to do in this Southern Arizona vacation spot, click here to view it.

Down By The River B and B “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County” awaits you.

The San Rafael Valley Located South Of Patagonia Arizona Has Been Set Aside As A State Park.

The San Rafael Valley stretches out before you as you come over the pass on the road from Patagonia.

After visiting the town site of Harshaw, we returned to the intersection that would lead us into the San Rafael Valley. The road goes over a pass and then at the top you have a vista open up before you. The San Rafael valley located south of Patagonia is a verdant grassland that has been set aside as a state park. The grassland stretches to Mexico and this valley is the actual headwaters of the Santa Cruz River which flows into Sonora, Mexico

This is the river bed of the Santa Cruz River. The headwaters start here in the San Rafael Valley.

and then back north toward Tucson eventually flowing into the Gila River. The Valley was originally an old Mexican Land Grant, San Rafael de la Zanja. The last owners were the Greenes who maintained the Valley as a cattle ranch. The property was purchased by the Nature Conservancy in1998. In 1999, The Arizona State Park Agency purchased 3557 acres and designated it a State Natural Area. There are other cattle ranches in the area and you will encounter cattle as you drive through. You can click on the link to view a map of the San Rafael Valley.  The area is so photogenic that the San Rafael Valley was the location set for a number films including Monte Walsh, Oklahoma!, and Tom Horn.

A lone tree stands as a sentinel on the San Rafael Valley Plain.

The State Natural Area is closed to the public because of the sensitive and fragile environment. The grassland is unique because it hasn’t had evasive plants introduced into the area and the goal is to provide safe keeping the San Rafael Valley in its natural state. There is a road that runs through the area and there are places that you can pull over and view the wildlife and birds. On our trip we didn’t encounter any vehicles on the road with the exception of a FEDEX truck. Guess they deliver even WAY off the beaten path.  There are opportunities to see prairie birds that are unique to the area. We did encounter birds as we drove through but had no time to identify them or to shoot any photos. The Tucson Audubon has had trips into this IBA and one of their blogs describes the experience.

The headwaters of the Santa Cruz River Start in the San Rafael Valley and flow into Mexico before returning to the US.

We surprised a hawk as we were driving on the road to Hwy 83.

We finally crossed the Santa Cruz riverbed as we were traveling through the valley. During the monsoon season be cautious as there are many washes beside the river that may be flowing. Don’t take the chance to cross them as you might be swept away. We came to another junction that would have taken us south to Parker Canyon Lake and Lochiel or east to Canelo Pass and on into Elgin. Since we had been to Parker Canyon Lake we decided to head up the Canelo Pass Road, FR 799. The road to the pass gave us some spectacular views toward the west and the Santa Rita Mountains. The roads are well maintained though rough in spots and there are many signs to let you know which direction you can choose. We did spot wildlife on the road and surprised two hawks as we were driving by.

The second hawk that we saw sat and posed for us until finally it decided we weren’t leaving so it did.

After this wonderful day of birding and sightseeing, Angie and I finally found ourselves back on Arizona 83. We headed north to Sonoita and Elgin. On the way we checked the time and decided we could stop and sample some wine. We like many of the wineries but since it was a Wednesday and later in the day our options were limited. We chose Kief Joshua as our stop.  We have known Kief ever since he opened his tasting room and he is always happy to see us. He has even been a guest at the B and B and has referred his patrons to our b and b.

We had an enjoyable day doing a loop trip to Patagonia for some great birding, scaring up a few Southeast Arizona ghost towns, viewing and traveling through the San Rafael Valley and finally wine tasting in Elgin. This is just one of many loop trips you can make when you stay at Down By The River B and B. Make your reservation today to have some fun in Southeastern Arizona.

Parker Canyon Lake – our back road adventure trip.

The road to Parker Canyon Lake from Coronado National Memorial is an unpaved road.

Parker Canyon Lake is just 15 miles west of the Overlook at Coronado National Memorial or a little over 70 miles from Down By The River B and B. The distance is not very far in freeway terms. When you go “boondocking” down the Arizona back roads, it will take you more time but can be quite an adventure. While growing up my dad used to take us out into the desert on unpaved back roads to explore what was out there. He called it “boondocking” and he would have agreed that the road to Parker Canyon Lake was right up there with his type of trip. Our guests have told us that they think Down By The River is off the beaten path but if they were to travel on Forest Road 61 from Coronado National Memorial they would know what off the beaten track really is.

There was a location on the road to Parker Canyon Lake that appeared to be a turtle head and neck outstretched. Quite appropriate for the desert..

After our trip to Coronado National Memorial, Angie and I had a choice to make about our return back to the b and b. We decided to head for Parker Canyon Lake and then back via Arizona 83, through Elgin and the Sonoita Wine Country. You can read about our visit on Coronado National Memorial from our last blog. We started down the west side of the pass and headed toward the Canelo Hills and the San Rafael Valley. This valley is home to the Vega Ranch which was a Spanish Land Grant. The ranch is southeast of Patagonia and Barb and I had been there one time before. The Santa Cruz River headwaters start in the San Rafael Valley and meanders south into Mexico before returning back north into the US and through Tucson.

During the monsoon times there are many streams and creeks that flow out of the Huachuca Mountains.

The road we traveled was dirt but well maintained. There were notices on the road to watch for flooding as we drove along. During monsoon season it is always a good idea to watch where you travel and not cross fast flowing water at washes. As we traveled along we were skirting the southern and western side of the Huachuca Mountains. This is cattle country and you will find many cattle guards on the road. We crossed side canyons and at times came to rough sections of the road but not bad enough to cause problems. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery. We stopped at different times to check out the views and things of interest. One interesting stop was a rock jutting out of the side of the mountain. I though it looked a little like a tortoise head and neck stretching out from the shell.

As we traveled we had to navigate over streams that crossed the road. One stream was at the junction of forest road 488. We decide to stop because of the amount of water running under the bridge. There were pools that were waist deep. As we walked on up the river we notice a lot of red flowers along the stream. These brilliant red flowers turned out to be Cardinal Flowers. After our short break we started off again. To our surprise, we could see a ranch from the top of the hill as we dropped into the canyon. The ranch was nestled on one side of a creek that flowed out of the Huachuca Mountains. The ranch was definitely off the beaten track and they need to travel about 40 miles to find the nearest grocery store. At the bottom of the canyon, we finally did come to one stream that gave us pause. The stream was flowing when we reached it. The water didn’t appear deep but there were some larger rocks that had washed down onto the roadway. We took our time maneuvering around the rocks and had no problems with the stream.  It wasn’t too long before we were stopping at Arizona 83.  83 runs from Parker Canyon Lake through Sonoita and over the Santa Rita Mountains to Interstate 10 near Vail. We found that the 15 mile trip didn’t require us to have a high ground clearance or a 4 wheel drive vehicle. However we also drove during the dry part of the day. It took us about an hour and a half to do the 15 miles but we also did stop and walked around photograph what we found on the road.

Parker Canyon Lake overview with the San Raphael Valley in the distance.

Parker Canyon Lake is a man-made lake about 5 miles north of the Mexican Border. It is at about 5400 feet elevation and covers about 130 acres. The lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout, bass and catfish. Boat rentals are available and there are boat ramps for those that want to bring a boat.  Fishing requires a license but that can be purchased at the concession shop. The Oak forest is great for birders. We watched the Barn Swallows as the maneuvered into their nests at the concession store. Bald Eagles and Osprey are also found in the area.

After we finished our wandering around the lake, we had something to quench our thirst and headed back to Down By The River B and B. The 160 mile loop trip took us about 6 hours from when we left until we got home but with all the stops and photographs we took it was a very pleasant day.  If we had gone to Bisbee it would have been about 40 miles shorter but it would not have been as adventurous. “Boondocking” is some much more fun.

Boating is allowed on Parker Canyon Lake and people were taking advantage to the great conditions for sailing.

Coronado National Memorial – a short day trip visit.

The map is courtesy of the National Parks Brochure for Coronado National Memorial.

The entrance to the Coronado National Memorial is a photogenic setting.

Coronado National Memorial is located on the Mexican Border. It is south of Sierra Vista where Arizona Route 92 veers away from the Huachuca Mountains and heads east to Bisbee. Close to the Coronado National Memorial’s location is the route traversed by Francisco Coronado when he was sent to find the fabled cities of Cibola or the Lost Cities of Gold. He was following the orders of The Viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) Antonio Mendoza to mount an expedition to find these cities. A Fray, Marco De Niza was sent along because he had reported seeing these cities. The expedition failed in finding the cities but the members of the expedition did record what the land and the inhabitants were like from Northern Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and on to present day Kansas. The Grand Canyon was first seen by Europeans on this expedition when part of the group ventured to the Northwest. If you want to read an interesting book, find the one Douglas Preston wrote titled “The Lost Cities of Gold”.

Paintings that document The Coronado Expedition are placed in the Coronado National Memorial Visitor Center and give a description of the event.

The Coronado National Memorial sits at the southern end of the Huachuca Mountains and it is one of the unique locations in the United State.  It is a crossroad of diversity with the Rocky Mountains ending, the Sierra Madre Mountains beginning, and where the Chihuahuan and the Sonoran Deserts meet. There are many plants and animals that can be found in the park. This is one of the few areas in the US where you can find the Lucifer Hummingbird. Coatimundi can be seen in the park along with Javelina. Bird watchers enjoy the Huachuca Mountains and these sky islands are home to many birds that are seen nowhere else in the US. The visitor center is about half way into the park on East Montezuma Canyon Road. It has items for purchase and has good information on the Memorial and surrounding area. There are paintings on display depicting Coronado and the expedition. It is well worth the stop.

The Border Patch Butterfly is one of many species found in Coronado National Memorial.

Hiking along with nature watching are the main things to do in the park. There are trails in the park with two starting at the Visitor Center. One hike heads north to Coronado Cave from the Visitor Center on a trail that is ¾ of a mile in length and gains about 500 feet in elevation. This is a limestone cave with some formations. You will need flashlights and it requires a permit to enter. The second trail is Joe’s Canyon Trail and it is about 3 miles long and rises 1600 feet in elevation. This trail ends on the Coronado Peak trail. Near the 2 mile point on the Joe’s Canyon Trail is the junction of the Yaqui Trail. This trail goes south to the border and marker pole 102. These poles weigh about 700 pounds and they were placed by the government in the 1890s to designate the border. The poles start near El Paso and head west. Poles 100, 101 and 102 are located inside the Coronado National Memorial. From Montezuma Pass Overlook there is The Coronado Peak Trail of almost a half a mile in length. The peak is 6864 feet in elevation and gives you a great panoramic view of the San Pedro and San Raphael Valleys. The Arizona Trail starts in the Coronado National Memorial at border Pole 102. It heads north out of the Memorial over the Huachuca Mountains for 800 miles until it stops at the Utah border north of the Grand Canyon.

Many different flower varieties can be found throughout the Coronado National Memorial grounds. These flowers are from the Firecracker bush.

For this trip, Angie and I decided that we would hike the Coronado Peak trail. The road to Montezuma Pass turns to dirt about 1 mile after leaving the visitor center. It is narrow but in good repair and a normal automobile will not have a problem navigating the road. There are places to pull off to see items of interest. With all the rains this monsoon season, there were a lot of flowers blooming on both sides of the road. The Century plants were in the process of blooming and some of the stocks were 15 feet tall. With all the rains we have had in the mountains, the vegetation was very lush. When you reach the top of the pass, you can park and there are tables if you want picnic. We started the hike to the top and it was a pretty steady climb with a 300 foot rise in elevation from the parking lot. We had lots of opportunities to take pictures and we made the best of it. Coronado Peak is less than a mile from the border. At the top of the mountain, you can see into Mexico at least 70 miles and to the foothills of the Sierra Madres and the copper mine at Cananea 30 miles away. To the west we could see Baboquivari Peak over 80 miles away. The peak is sacred to the O’odham Native Americans. The views were wonderful with deep blue sky.

The view from Montezuma Pass overlook is toward the San Pedro River Valley. The River is defined with the tree line. The border fence is the dark straight line that runs east and west.

As we got back to the car we found that we had only traveled 59 miles from Down By The River B and B. Our b and b is perfect hub location for the guest that wants to take short day trips to many sites throughout Cochise County. After the hike, we discussed our options. It was starting to get a little too warm to start another hike. The Yaqui trail was a 2 mile hike one way down to the border and we didn’t feel we had enough water for that. We decided that we would drive a loop trip back to the b and b instead of returning straight

Mike on Coronado Peak with the backdrop of Mexico behind him to the southeast.. Some of he peaks are over 70 miles away.

home. There are 2 choices we considered. One is to go to Bisbee, prowl the shops and get something to eat later. The second option was to continue west on the Montezuma Canyon Road, stopping at Parker Canyon Lake. From there we would travel on to Sonoita. Since neither of us had been to Parker Canyon Lake, we decided to take the dirt road and see what it was like. When we were young my dad took us out on back roads, he would tell us that we were going “Boondocking”. We knew it would be an adventure since you never knew what you would find or where we were going.   We will tell you about our “Boondocking” adventure to Parker Canyon Lake in our next blog.

From the top of Coronado National Memorial looking to the Southwest into Mexico.

Twin Lakes birding is a place that is great for the many waterfowl

Cochise County birding is ranked as one of the best bird watching locations in the United States. During one of his visits, Wezil Walraven told about the Twin Lakes birding location near Willcox and how good it was. Wezil is a bird guide that has taken some of our guests around Cochise County birding. He said that he takes his clients to see water birds at Twin Lakes. Since we were in the area for the Willcox Wine Festival, we decided to go and find out for ourselves what Twin Lakes was like. If you want to see a panorama of the entire lake, Click Here.

The lake is near the golf course on the southwest side of Willcox, in wide open country. The lake is nice size, my guess is that it may be 75 acres and it is kept filled with treated water. There is a wide unpaved road that encircles the entire lake, allowing you to pull off to the side so that you don’t block traffic. There is a sign in book location at the parking lot as you enter. Most of the lake appears to be shallow, although there is some places where water fowl can dive below the surface. You get to the lake by taking AZ 186, which takes you to The Chiricahua National Monument, and turning onto Rex Allen Jr. Drive. A sign for the golf course indicates the way to Twin Lakes.

Blinds are located on the shoreline at Twin Lakes Birding Area.

The lake is large enough to allow viewing room with scopes or cameras and you need not be shoulder to shoulder with other birders. At various locations along the shore, blinds have been erected. The blinds allow you to enter unseen and are near to the shoreline for photography or viewing. It is a nice feature and there is a roof to shade you and viewing slots at various heights. We stopped at a couple of places along the lake to see what it was like at different locations. At one location we saw American Avocets wading in the water with the upturned bills filtering the bottom for some morsels. They wouldn’t let me approach very close as I walked along the shore. I did have a chance for a closer look when we finally were able to get to a blind. At that point, I took a couple of good pictures.

American Avocet walking in the Twin Lakes birding area.

Other birds were there, including some ducks and smaller water fowl but without my binoculars and books I couldn’t properly identify them. We did see Northern Shovelers and Mallards, along with a snipe. Being mid May, I was surprised that there were so many birds still around. I thought that many would have flown north by now. The birds appear to like the area and were quite at home. We did stop at one end of the lake and I got out to take another picture at that location. I didn’t realize it at the time but I spooked a Northern Shoveler with some other birds as I was walking toward the lake while taking a photo. I got the birds just as they were lifting off the lake. When I got home and looked at the pictures, I realized that I had taken a great shot. It is hard to tell with the small digital screen whether you have a good shot or not. Luckily I found that my timing was very good at least once on the trip.

Since Cochise County birding is so good at most times of the year, you need to plan where to go. Down By The River has a list of Cochise County Birding areas to visit. Also part of your plan may include finding a place to lay your head. Take a look at Down By The River B and B, “The Lodging Hub of Cochise County”. We have been hosts to many Cochise County birding enthusiasts and we are the San Pedro River B and B which is centrally located to all of the area attractions. If you look at the Hub Map that we have, you can see the advantages of our location. Hope to see you soon.

Northern Shoveler taking flight at Twin Lakes Birding Area