RECREATION

Historic Shelter

Explore the natural and cultural history at Colossal Cave

Just inside the entrance to Colossal Cave, we step onto the flagstone floor built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It’s cool even with the desert heat outside: a temperate 70 degrees year-round, and dry. Unlike most caves that are formed by groundwater seeps, this one was formed by hydrothermal processes: volcanic activity that sent hot sulfuric water into the limestone, dissolving it into big sweeping caverns decorated with curtains and draperies called flowstone. The gaping mouth of Colossal Cave lets in enough light that the Hohokam Indians at times used it for shelter and ritual, coming into this first room where they could still see by daylight alone. Dozens of artifacts—painted prayer sticks, miniature ritual bows, pottery—were found where we’re standing.

This is one of the primary reasons to visit Colossal Cave: that aside from its natural beauty, it’s filled with history. Called Five-Mile Cave in the 1880s, it became a safe house for bandits stealing bank notes from the rail cars on the nearby Southern Pacific Line. The legend of these thefts varies, but always includes the robbers hoodwinking sheriff posses by escaping via a back route to a separate entrance a half mile away. Today you can scramble through the “Bandits’ Escape” on a prearranged “Wild Cave Tour” at Colossal Cave Mountain Park, climbing through two long miles of unimproved passageways, squeezing through tight spaces and seeing the most decorated and least visited sections of the cave.

We stick to the main passageways, which the CCC improved painstakingly by hand, paving the boulder-strewn floor and installing stairways and handrails by the light of carbide headlamps. There’s one on display in the cavern, an acetylene torch strapped to the front of a canvas and leather cap. Soft yellow lights reveal the cave’s formations: fountains made of rock, dripping stalactites and curtains made from stone so thin you can shine a light through them. While I usually love the thrill of discovering a cave one turn at a time by headlamp, the lights in Colossal Cave show the depth of the cave’s galleries and give you a sense of its size.  During a “Candlelight Tour” the lights are turned off, allowing visitors to discover the cave as its earlier explorers did, though without tripping over the original rocky floor.

Outside, the Rincons surround the cave entrance and visitor’s center with a view to the desert valley below, where La Posta Quemada Ranch houses gardens, stables, picnic areas, campsites, and a museum and library. Horseback rides from the ranch follow the National Mail Stagecoach Route past towering rock walls and lush Sonoran desert. Whatever your activity, Colossal Cave Mountain Park is a place where natural and cultural history are woven together, and modern Tucsonans can follow in the footsteps of others, finding shelter from the heat.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park is located at 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail, Vail AZ, 647-7275, ColossalCave.com

Open 9am to 5pm (opens at 8am until September 15th). Daily Use Park Fee: $5 per car. Regular Cave Tour: $13, no reservation required. More tour options offered by request

Elevate Adventure

Explore Flagstaff’s peaks and valleys with boots, bikes & climbing shoes.

On a road trip up to Flagstaff, you can watch the botany change with the elevation. Somewhere north of Phoenix, saguaros and Palo Verde trees give way to stunted oaks and acacia, followed by juniper and ponderosa pine as the road climbs up the orderly basalt columns of the Mogollon Rim.

Close to Flagstaff, you can camp for free on Mount Elden and wake up to the sun lighting up the high meadows across the San Francisco Peaks. Drive down into town for Macy’s biscuits and vegan gravy that somehow doesn’t taste vegan, and still get in a full day of climbing on the cracked orange and black face of the Oak Creek Overlook before dinner time and a pint at Beaver Street Brewery. Sleep and repeat, or mix up the endless combinations of mountain biking, hiking, gallery viewing and music listening in the temperate Northern Arizona summer for the perfectly accessible road trip just five to six hours from Tucson.

Perhaps the most classic Flagstaff adventure is the highest summit in the state, Humphreys Peak. This strenuous hike has challenges beyond the steep terrain: altitude sickness and storms strike quickly on the mountain, and hikers should turn around at the first signs of dizziness or bad weather. But a successful summit rewards the grueling effort with a 360-degree view atop the roof of Arizona.

Nearby Sycamore Canyon offers one of the most diverse destinations, with forested basalt-lined cutouts of the Mogollon Rim. One of Arizona’s premier climbing areas is here – Paradise Forks is a haven of splitter cracks, smooth-sided fractures running down the face of the rocks. The Sycamore Rim trail gives hikers a view of this crag, nearby falls, and manifold sights down canyon. A non-technical canyoneering route traverses the canyon floor, from the close, water-carved walls of the upper reaches to a series of springs below.

As if more reasons were needed to visit, Flagstaff is home to a vast network of mountain biking trails, with a 33-mile urban system linking single track that branches in every direction out of town. A lava tube 12 miles outside Flagstaff beckons for a non-technical caving exploration. A hike of less than a mile into Walnut Canyon brings Sinagua cliff dweller ruins into view.

And in summer evenings, there is music.

With the first Saturday of each month comes a concert at The Arboretum, bringing Spanish guitar, bluegrass, and world music to the 200-acre pine forest against the backdrop of the San Francisco Peaks. What could be better than ending an adventure-filled day with music at sunset? For directions and the events schedule, visitTheArb.org.

In-depth details on Flagstaff’s other adventures are online at FlagstaffArizona.org and Flagstaff.az.gov. Flagstaff is also hosting a music series this summer at the Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park – visitPepsiAmp.com for the schedule.

Making Your Escape

Take I-10 to Phoenix, then switch to I-17 in Phoenix and head north. This road takes you all the way to Flagstaff, but the much more scenic route is to skip onto Highway 179 and continue north on 89A at the “Y” junction in Sedona. This route winds along Oak Creek, by plenty of pay camping, and then ascends the Mogollon Rim up to Flagstaff. The adventures listed here all have different launching points from Flagstaff proper, but the resources are readily available in the books below, all locally available at Summit Hut.

– To hike Humphreys, explore the lava tube, or examine the Sinagua ruins, get Cosmic Ray’s “50 Favorite Hikes: Flagstaff & Sedona.” Ray has also published the excellent “Arizona Mountain Bike Guide,” which covers single track across the state.

– Descend to the bottom of Sycamore Canyon with “Canyoneering Arizona” by Tyler Williams, or stay dry on the rim with “Flagstaff Hikes” by Richard and Sherry Magnum.

– For climbing, check out “A Cheaper Way to Fly,” a paperback guide by Tim Toula that covers Oak Creek Overlook, Paradise Forks, and other Flagstaff-area crags.

Hutch’s Pool

by Matthew J. Nelson

Nestled deep in the west fork of Sabino Canyon, Hutch’s Pool is the ultimate destination for those in search of riparian relief. The trail is long and the terrain can be arduous, but reaching the chasm of cold, dark water makes every step worthwhile.

From the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area take the tram all the way to the road’s end (Tram Stop 9), and follow the steep switchbacks uphill. Just as your legs and lungs begin to burn, the trail will reach an intersection; turn left and follow the Sabino Canyon Trail. After .3 miles another metal sign appears and the trail forks shortly thereafter. Stay right and continue up the canyon. Soon you’ll cross over a small pass and Sabino Basin will come into view.

Begin hiking downhill and enjoy the diversity of plants, flowers and cacti all around you. After walking among the granite boulders for about 40 minutes you’ll arrive at a sandy creek bed in the heart of Sabino Basin. Look for a small metal sign just above the ground designating the Arizona Trail and the confluence of Sabino Canyon’s east and west forks. Hutch’s Pool lies another 1.4 miles up the west fork, so follow the rock cairns across the creek to the northwest side of the basin. Ample shade can be found between here and Hutch’s Pool.

The trail will lead you to a choice campsite underneath a large oak, then turns sharply and crosses the creek. Follow the rock cairns until you locate the trail on the south side of the creek. When you encounter a twisted oak growing in the middle of the trail, turn right and hike toward the water. The sound of Sabino Creek cascading into the massive pool of cold mountain water is peaceful beyond words. Sit quietly and watch as butterflies flitter by and black phoebes pick gnats out of the sky.

Vertical cliffs surround the pool, and make for great jumping platforms. Diving is a bad idea, especially considering the lack of visibility in the dark water and the constant fluctuation of the pool’s depth.
Alternating between swimming in the cool water and sitting on the hot rocks is a backcountry spa treatment unlike any other.

After you’re sufficiently rested and rehydrated, begin the 4.1-mile trek back to the trailhead. Although the moisture from Hutch’s Pool will evaporate quickly, its refreshing properties will remain.

Spend an afternoon swimming in Hutch’s Pool and relaxing on the rocks like this family of Canyon treefrogs (Hyla arenicolor). photo: Brian Forbes Powell

Making Your Escape

Drive north on Sabino Canyon Road and follow signs toward Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. Park in the main lot ($5/day) and purchase a roundtrip tram ticket ($8 adults, $4 kids). Pick up a tram schedule so you’re aware of when you need to be back at the road, otherwise you’ve got another four miles of pavement to get back to your vehicle.

More details at: www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/forest/recreation/camping/sites/sabino.shtml 

Matthew J. Nelson is a local outdoor educator, guide and conservationist.

Exploring the Peaceful Pinaleños

by Matthew J. Nelson

The Pinaleño Mountains are a true sky island, rising from the desert floor to Mt. Graham’s sacred summit at 10,720 feet. This mountain range is home to red squirrels, black bears and an abundance of other interesting flora and fauna. These incredibly diverse forests of fir, pine, aspen and spruce are a living botanical history that many believe contain evidence of what Southwestern ecosystems were like during the last Ice Age.

It’s one of the best places to escape Tucson’s summertime heat, and high up you’ll find the Ash Creek Trail. Within this verdant ribbon of subalpine splendor is a steep canyon choked with berries, wildflowers and pools of water teeming with trout.

The Ash Creek Trail follows the creek intermittently, and after a few miles of downhill hiking through dense forest, you’ll arrive at a vista that will take your breath away. For the first time since entering Ash Creek Canyon the forest canopy gives way to open sky. Climb on top of some rocks to the right of the trail and you can see all the way down Ash Creek to the town of Thatcher and beyond. A gorgeous waterfall glistens the east, where Ash Creek plummets hundreds of feet down a granite wall.

This vista in an excellent turnaround spot, as the trail gets even steeper beyond here. For those with the time and quads to continue on, Oak Flat can be found four miles into the canyon, and the old Mt. Graham Sawmill Site another mile beyond that. Just remember that you’ve still got the tough part ahead of you – hiking back out.

Sacred shrines created on Mt. Graham in the year 900 A.D. can be traced to the Zuni people of New Mexico, and the San Carlos Apache consider Dzil nchaa si an (Mount Graham) absolutely essential to their continued practice of physical and spiritual healing. Whatever your cultural or spiritual affiliation, one visit to the Pinaleños is all it takes to realize that this place is indeed sacred.

Making Your Escape
From Tucson, drive east on I-10 for about an hour. A few miles past the town of Willcox, exit the freeway at Highway 191 (toward Safford). Turn left and drive north on Highway 191 for 25 miles. Look for Highway 366 (Swift Trail) as you enter the community of Artesia. Turn left and drive west up the steep mountain grade. The pavement takes you 22 miles into the mountains, then turns to a well-maintained dirt road near milepost 136. Ash Creek Trail is at milepost 143 across from the Columbine Ranger Station.

Special Events
A few times a year, the Pinaleños host a few special events, including the Mt. Graham Sacred Run (a running event that begins on the Fort Apache Reservation and finishes on top of the sacred peak) and the Mt. Graham Hill Climb (a bicycle race that goes from the federal prison at the base of the mountain all the way up the paved Swift Trail).
For more information, contact the Safford Ranger Station at (928) 428-4150;www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/forest/recreation/trails/ash_cr.shtml

Matthew J. Nelson is a local outdoor educator, guide and conservationist.

Fossil Creek

by Matthew J. Nelson

For millennia, Fossil Creek flowed from the limestone cliffs of the Mogollon Rim into the Verde River, creating the most diverse riparian area in Arizona. Along its 14-mile course, you’ll find 30 types of trees and shrubs, over a hundred bird species, and most of our state’s native fishes. Prolific springs gush 20,000 gallons per minute into the creek, making Fossil Creek a natural gem unlike any other in this part of the world.

But one hundred years ago that all changed.

In order to support mining activities in Jerome and to supply power to Phoenix’s burgeoning population, a hydroelectric facility was built. The majority of Fossil Creek’s flow was diverted into a flume, and the river practically ran dry. It was an ecological massacre that many thought would be irreversible. But history changed on June 18, 2005, when the power plant was decommissioned and Fossil Creek was set free. Now, only six years later, it is once again a ribbon of life in an arid land.

The miles pass quickly as you lose 1,800 feet of elevation in 3.6 miles. After an hour or so you’ll arrive at the canyon bottom. When you find the sign for the Mail Trail (to the northeast), turn left and head west toward the creek. Within a few minutes you’ll be at the water’s edge, and standing in awe at the sight of Fossil Creek.

Cool water cascades over sandstone shelves where deep pools await weary hikers. There are abundant places to sun on the warm rocks like a lizard, and cool cataracts where you can sit for hours and watch the clouds race across the clear blue sky. Believe it or not, it gets better the farther you walk downstream.

Less than one-half-mile later you’ll encounter Fossil Creek Falls, a gorgeous addition to this already magical hike. One hundred meters downstream from the falls are some of the most incredible swimming holes in this part of the state.

Beautiful surprises await adventurous hikers around every corner, and each pool will seem even more refreshing than the last. Wander downstream for as long as you’d like, but remember it’s a long hike back out. Fossil Creek is one of the Mogollon Rim Country’s natural wonders, and one day spent here may inspire you to fight for its preservation.

Making Your Escape
From Tucson, the most scenic route is north on Oracle Road (Hwy 77) to Globe. Just outside of Globe, head north on Hwy. 88 toward Roosevelt Lake. Continue north on Hwy. 188 and 87 toward Payson. Just north of Payson, go through the town of Pine (your last chance for gas and groceries) then go west on Fossil Creek Road. Less than 10 miles west of the town of Strawberry you’ll turn right and head east for a short distance to locate the Fossil Creek Trailhead. There is also great access to the creek from Fossil Creek Road (Forest Road 708), just 10 miles west of the trailhead. Excellent swimming holes and secluded areas can be found near the Sally May, Purple Mountain and Mazatzal access areas. Check out the map of Fossil Creek through the Forest Service website:
www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/fossil-spgs-wild.shtml

If you continue west on Fossil Creek Road, it will take you to the town of Camp Verde (turn left at the stop sign), just off I-17, and you can head back to Tucson via I-17 and I-10.

A River Reborn
Before you go, check out the award-winning documentary film about the restoration of Fossil Creek, A River Reborn. Information about the film is available online: www.mpcer.nau.edu/riverreborn/

An Eagle’s Nest Above the Borderlands

by Matthew J. Nelson

For those who love the diverse and dramatic topography of the borderlands, and who are interested in spotting species like jaguars and elegant trogons, there are few places that offer a Sonoran Desert experience like the Atascosa Mountains southwest of Tumacacori.

Wandering among canyons, cliffs and grasslands is always an option, but a premier hike in this remote mountain range will take you to the site of a historic fire lookout with unforgettable views. The hike itself is a straightforward march to the summit – 2.5 miles and 1,500 feet of elevation gain. It’s steady, but not too steep. Along the way you’ll share the trail with a diverse mix of grasses, cacti, shrubs and trees as you walk through semi-desert grassland and oak-juniper biomes. It’s hard to make quick progress as you’ll feel inspired to stare out across the ever-expanding landscape.

After less than two hours you’ll arrive at Atascosa Lookout, a fire tower built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps that was unfortunately destroyed by fire last summer. Even though the lookout has always been the destination, the purpose of the hike is the panorama. I’d go so far as to say that you won’t find a better view anywhere in Southern Arizona.

Virtually every mountain range can be seen from here. The Baboquivari Mountains dominate the western skyline, with Baboquivari Peak rising like a shield protecting the Tohono O’odham Nation. To the south the land ripples like an accordion, being squeezed and pulled apart as the Earth’s tectonic plates play a Norteño tune. The numerous ranges of Sonora can be seen from here, and some say that on a clear day you can see the volcanoes of the Sierra Pinacate to the southwest. Just beyond is the Sea of Cortez.

Atascosa Lookout was once home to the great Southwestern writer Edward Abbey, famous for classics such as “The Monkey Wrench Gang” and “Desert Solitaire.” About his seasonal retreat, Abbey wrote, “This lookout is merely a flimsy old frame shack perched like an eagle’s nest on a pinnacle of rock 6,235 feet high.”

Sunrise on Atascosa Lookout is epic, as it’s the time of day when the rocks really come to life. You’ll have to ascend by moonlight or headlamp if you want to catch the colors from the top. And you’ll know what Abbey meant when he wrote in 1968, “…woke up this morning on an island in the sky, surrounded by clouds. Wild swirling banks of vapor, flowing and passing to reveal brief glimpses of rocky crags, dripping trees, the golden grassy hillsides far below.”

No matter when you go or how long you stay, plan on spending some time in silence, just staring out across the borderlands.

Making Your Escape
From Tucson, drive south on I-19 toward Nogales, take the Ruby Road exit where you will see Forest Service signs for Peña Blanca Lake (exit 12). Turn right and follow the road west for nine miles. At the turnoff to Peña Blanca Recreation Area, the pavement ends and becomes the Arivaca-Ruby Road (Forest Road 39). Continue west for five miles and look for a small parking area on the south side of the road. There is a lone oak tree here, and if you look directly north from the parking area you’ll see a single brown trail marker. It’s easy to miss.

Local Conservation
Atascosa Lookout is part of the Tumacacori Highlands, a biologically significant zone that links the mountains and canyons of Sonora with Arizona. Jaguars have been spotted here, in addition to trogons, coatimundis and other exotic species. Sky Island Alliance has been working hard to rally support on a local and national level to promote the conservation of this area. Check out SkyIslandAlliance.org for more information.

Sycamore Canyon

by Matthew J. Nelson

Arizona is filled with natural wonders. Among the most sublime and spectacular is Sycamore Canyon, a seldom visited chasm just north of the US/Mexico border.

After hiking for a mile through grasslands and oak woodland, the trail enters the canyon and almost instantly it’s easy to forget you’re in Arizona. Sycamore Canyon is home to about 20 plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the state. This lush riparian corridor is a migratory route for exotic species wandering up from the jungles and mountains of Mexico and Central and South America. A primitive trail follows the canyon downstream, and crosses the creek numerous times.

About a mile and a half down the trail the canyon becomes narrow and drops off into a series of large pools. Unless you’re feeling adventurous and don’t mind getting completely soaked, you can bypass this obstacle by hiking up a few switchbacks just east of the creek. Hike immediately down to the water and you’ll arrive at one of the best lunch spots in the entire canyon. Deep pools beckon you to jump in and abundant shade trees offer an ideal spot for a mid-morning siesta. If you want to keep your hike on the light side, turn around here.

But chances are that you’ll be so enamored by Sycamore Canyon’s magic that you’ll want to continue on. The trail continues along the creek, past towering rock spires and finely sculpted cliffs. The sound of trickling water will draw you deeper and deeper in; the further you go, the better it gets.

Water in Sycamore Canyon runs all year long, but summer monsoons bring renewed life to the entire ecosystem. After the deluge the canyon fills with butterflies, birds and flowers. If you’re there in the evening, the canyon walls become an amphitheater for red spotted toads as their summertime mating rituals commence.

It’s only a two-hour drive south of Tucson, but hiking in Sycamore Canyon is as exotic as taking a trek through the jungles of Chiapas (minus the pyramids, of course). Elegant Trogons, brown vine snakes and jaguars have been documented in this desert oasis. Walk quietly and you may be lucky enough to see one.

Making Your Escape
Take I-19 south to Ruby Road. Exit Ruby Road (Hwy. 289) and drive west for 14 miles. At the junction to Peña Blanca Lake, turn left toward Arivaca (FS 39). Ten miles along this winding dirt road will deliver you to a thick forest of oak trees known as Bear Valley. When the road curves to the right, look for the Sycamore Canyon sign pointing to the left. The parking and picnic area is immediately visible. The trail begins just south of the two metal posts at the south end of the picnic area. n

Matthew J. Nelson is a local outdoor educator, guide and conservationist.