The Chiricahua National Monument is the most wondrous and beautiful spot I know of in Southern Arizona. It may be one of Arizona's best kept secrets because it's so out of the way. Don't let that discourage you! I would say, if you only do one hike in Southern Arizona, make it this one. The monument is an isolated spot on the map where, millions of years ago, volcanic activity left behind thousands of spires or "hoodoos" spread all over the landscape. These volcanic spires manifest themselves in a myriad of shapes and configurations, at times balancing impossibly on top of one another - jutting up straight out of the rocky ground in places and piercing through evergreen covered slopes in others.

The journey is a relatively easy trek with 1600 feet elevation gain spread over about 10 miles. The weather should be comfortable most of the year at 5400-7000 feet. The trail is extremely well maintained and well marked throughout and is easy to follow. You'll get a free and very good trail map (with mileage and elevation) at the entrance to the monument. You can also customize your trip - taking combinations of trails that range (round-trip) from 7.3, 9.8 or 11.3 miles. Just make sure you include the Heart of Rocks Loop Trail in your plans - that's the "sweet spot" of the trip where the rock formations are the most spectacular and accessible. Practice your free-climbing skills on the rocks and capture unique and sometimes sweeping views.

From the parking lot at the Visitor Center, head out on the Rhyolite Canyon Trail for 1.5 miles through the forest and up into the valleys where the rock spires come into view. At a signed trail junction, take the Sarah Deming Trail another 1.6 miles to the junction with the Heart of Rocks Loop Trail. The Heart of Rocks Loop Trail is a 1.1 mile loop that ventures through the epicenter of the awesome rock formations. Take your time through here - take lots of pictures and climb up some of the more accessible rocks just for fun (and some neat views). At the end of the loop, back at the trail junction, you can head back to the Visitor Center for a 7.3 mile round-trip, or continue on the trails into the park. I strongly urge you to continue on. Just a couple easy miles further places you amidst even taller rock formations jutting out of a dense, forested valley. You might even find this part of the trip more rewarding than the Heart of Rocks area (like I did).

From the Heart of Rocks Loop Trail, instead of turning back, continue along the trail that heads east into the park. (I forgot what all of the trials are called, and they're not named on the map, but you can plot the course easily with the map). Continue from the Heart of Rocks Loop trail junction for 1.0 miles to a one-way trail that splits off to something called "Inspiration Point". (I skipped that trail for lack of time). You'll travel through a forest of manzanita and pine, and capture awesome views of Cochise Head along the way. From the Inspiration Point junction, continue on for another 1.2 miles. You'll drop into a beautiful forested area and emerge on the side of a forested valley with giant rock towers sprouting up on both sides. After this 1.2 mile stretch of trail, I followed the 0.8 mile trail segment straight ahead, but you could take a 2.3 mile loop around and through Echo Canyon making your trip 11.3 miles round-trip. (Not sure what that part's like - I'll find out next time...) After the 0.8 mile stretch through the valley, you end up at a trail junction which meets up with the end of the trail that comprises the 2.3 mile loop through Echo Canyon. Follow the trail sign that indicates that you're heading back to the Visitor Center. Continue down into the bottom of the valley along the 1.1 mile stretch that links back up with the Rhyolite Canyon Trail on which you started. It's another 1.5 miles from there back to the Visitor Center.
- Apr 23 2001 brianb