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Car camping suggestions?
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FritzskiGuides: 43 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: 3,224 d | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: never - Joined: Feb 04 2002 8:26 am
- City, State: Gilbert, AZ
Car camping suggestions?
Looking for some good lcations to car camp Easter weekend with wife and kids. Looking in the Tucson area for the first night, then down toward the Chiricahuas the next night. May have a pop-up trailer or maybe just a tent.
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NighthikerGuides: 0 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: 1,415 d | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: never - Joined: Feb 03 2002 6:59 am
- City, State: Payson
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BoyNhisDogGuides: 0 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: none | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: never - Joined: Feb 03 2002 2:09 pm
- City, State: Tucson, AZ
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ck_1Guides: 9 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: 8,314 d | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: never - Joined: Feb 04 2002 9:30 am
- City, State: Mesa, AZ
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olesmaGuides: 0 | Official Routes: 0Triplogs Last: 8,457 d | RS: 0Water Reports 1Y: 0 | Last: never - Joined: Feb 09 2002 1:02 pm
- City, State: Mesa, AZ
Spilunking at Chiricahuas
If you're headding for the Chiricahuas you need to consider checking out the Chiricahua Crystal Cave. It is one of about 3 caves in the world that is a silica crystal cave. For about the first 1/3 of the way in (about 1 hour travel time) it is like walking inside a Geode. There are quartz silicate crystals on every surface - literally. The entire cave is made of the stuff. It is very impressive. If you are taking the kids, you can just go the first little way. It's pretty open for some ways and is quite easy going.
If you are an inexperienced caver but you want to do some deeper expolring - what you want to bring is headlamps and climbiing helmets (you can rent the helmets at REI - there are even little clips on them to support the headlamp straps!) a pair of sturdy shoes and some surveyors tape. As you go along the cave - place surveyors tape every 15 or 20 ft and then when you are done - just follow the tape back (making sure to collect it along the way. Not too difficult.
You can contact the Forrest Service office in Tucson and see if the cave is available (you have to have a key) then make a reservation. It is very much worth it. There is a small cost for key rental, and the process is very easy. You just have to tell them that you will have a guide with you to get the key. And the beauty for you - there is a nice car camping spot right near the entrance to the cave (about 1/4 mile distance)
If you are an inexperienced caver but you want to do some deeper expolring - what you want to bring is headlamps and climbiing helmets (you can rent the helmets at REI - there are even little clips on them to support the headlamp straps!) a pair of sturdy shoes and some surveyors tape. As you go along the cave - place surveyors tape every 15 or 20 ft and then when you are done - just follow the tape back (making sure to collect it along the way. Not too difficult.
You can contact the Forrest Service office in Tucson and see if the cave is available (you have to have a key) then make a reservation. It is very much worth it. There is a small cost for key rental, and the process is very easy. You just have to tell them that you will have a guide with you to get the key. And the beauty for you - there is a nice car camping spot right near the entrance to the cave (about 1/4 mile distance)
contribute to this member driven resource
ie: RS > Save/Share after hikes