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| Hiking | 2.50 Miles |
200 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.50 Miles | 2 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.00 mph |
| 200 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | Great place for wildlife...
The forecast called for some seriously nice weather this past Wednesday, but I wasn't expecting the overcast skies and the cool breeze. The opportunity to hike in this weather was too much to pass up, so off to Coon Bluff I went. This area turned out to be a hidden gem in a part of the Salt River Valley I seldom explore.
I started by heading up the ridgeline, dodging horse patties, as I worked my way over to Coon Bluff. Just as I was thinking this was going to be a ho-hum ridgeline hike I noticed movement in the valley to my west. Opting to due some exploration, I chose to forego the descent to the river and scope out the source of the movement. Dropping down into the valley four wild horses came into view. The fabled Stallions of the Salt.
I had a brief encounter with the majestic open-range horses of the Salt River about six months ago. I was driving down Ellsworth early one morning and a group of three passed in front of me. However, this was my first chance to get up close and personal. At first they ignored my presence, but as I inched closer they slowly backed away. The apparent leader was a smokey gray stallion who kept staring me down. He was the least intimidated by my presence and even came within ten feet of me to nibble on the leaves of the tree I was standing behind. I think it was his subtle way of telling me these trees were his and I needed to earn my place amongst the stable.
As the horses moved on so did I, backtracking to explore a concrete foundation I noticed on the hillside. Then I came across a very large mine shaft. My topo clearly indicates mining activity in the area but I was not expecting a shaft this big or deep. Thankfully, it's covered by a chain link fence. I caught a fleeting glimpse of a large owl living in the shaft. His scat is very evident and I'm left wondering how he gets through the fence to hunt every night.
Continuing on, I set off in pursuit of the horses and watched as they worked their way up the hillside. I headed through a wash towards another concrete structure I discovered. This time it was a partially-crumbling wall built into the side of the wash. There's a definite history to this area I would love to know more about... As the wash grew increasingly narrow the rock formations became more interesting. Lots of moss-covered rocks with natural alcoves. I startled a javelina herd wallowing in the dirt below a large stone. They bolted quickly leaving me with their lingering odor and a few blurry photographs.
As the rock walls closed in around me I started to wonder how I went from trail hiking to off-trail bushwhacking to entry level canyoneering. I would've turned around but I wanted to see if this canyon led to the river. On my way through the canyon I noticed a fox kit playing on the rocks. He disappeared as I approached but I chose to stop and wait for an opportunity to catch him on camera. My patience eventually paid off as he briefly poked his head out from behind the rocks just in time for me to get a photo. Looking at the picture back at home I see mama fox watching us quietly from the shadows.
Eventually the canyon got too narrow and I opted for higher ground until I was perched high above the Salt River at Coon Bluff. A horse trail skirts the very edge of the cliffs. This is not a place for kids. There's a lot of loose scree. One wrong move and you're turkey vulture dinner. When I got to the official overlook I headed downhill toward the river picking up some discarded water bottles along the way.
Coon Bluff was virtually empty. The Salt is at a good flow right now and I didn't see any Great Blue Herons down by the river. I did spot a Vermilion Flycathcer flitting around the parking lot. I returned to my vehcile via a quick hike down the road. |
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"I've driven across deserts, driven by the irony, that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
- Frank Turner "The Road" |
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