We were going to move the camper today to be close to some places we want to visit. Then we realized that they are only an hour from this great free camp. We’ve been going to Green Valley which is an hour away, so why move to a crowded fee-based campground? Just south of Sierra Vista we found some mountains! Nice bit of hiking in the Coronado National Memorial, a park dedicated to Coronado’s expedition from Mexico up as far as Kansas in the 1540’s. We drove up to Montezuma Pass at 6575’ and took a short hike up to Coronado Peak at 6864’. I’ll let Carlene describe her 3 mile hike down to the Visitor Center. I had to drive the truck back down and they don’t allow dogs on trails. So she went alone. We met a Canadian couple from Vancouver and formerly Montreal, who were starting their hike on the Arizona National Scenic Trail. That runs the length of AZ from Mexico to UT, starting 1.6 miles south of Montezuma Pass. We also each individually met another hiker doing the same, so four hikers starting out today. Later we stopped by the Brown Canyon Ranch, a Forest Service preservation project, to check out the farmhouse and walk around the trails with Callahan. USFS is dog-friendly! Carlene: It was a wonderful hike that followed along a ridge line for a mile before dropping down into Joe’s Canyon. There the trail began to drop more steeply with numerous switchbacks. I met Andy walking up to meet me. The scenery was outstanding the entire way.
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| Sunrise at camp |
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| In Montezuma Pass |
Carlene's hike:
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| Looking back to Coronado Peak |
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| Joe's Canyon |
Brown Canyon Ranch:
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| Ring Necked Duck |
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