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| Hiking | 9.00 Miles |
2,800 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.00 Miles | | | |
| 2,800 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Nice hike in the Huachucas which I had just about written off due to the trashing of this range by the illegals. This trek was on Ft Huachuca property; maybe that made a difference.
Getting in the main gate was not hard just present an ID, vehicle registration and insurance if you are driving. I followed the signs for Garden canyon and since I was there pretty early, was the first to open the not locked yellow gate before the picnic areas. Once the road turns to dirt I drove until I saw the sign for Scheelite Canyon parking, a pullout on the side of the road. A short road walk and the canyon trail takes off up a narrow wash bed, rocky, winding in and out of the drainage, in heavy vegetation. Soon the limestone walls rise dramatically and the trees become large and impressive, pine and oak mainly. A sign states this is a "sensitive" area, and i guess a popular one with birders. In the upper canyon I had an owl fly right in front of me, not sure if it was a mexican spotted owl or not.
Clouds came over and it was humid. Seemed almost like a rain forest with the huge old growth trees, and now lots of maples. Could be bomber in the fall. The lower canyon was very nice, I started seeing a bit of trash here and there as I approached the Crest trail, and along a slow stagnant spring area. As I climbed I could see part of Sierra Vista. The trail steepened up at the top, reminiscent of the "brutal slog" to Kennedy peak in the Galiuros.
Suddenly in the pine duff I came to Gate 2 and the Crest trail, signed. Immediately the trail took a downhill contour, and soon opened up to great views toward Mexico, Miller Peak. I continued down the rocky, manzanita type vegetated path and soon came to a small saddle and the signed Sawmill Canyon, my return. It gently sloped down into the pines once again and soon I passed a spring running pretty well out of a pipe. On down I go until I intersect the closed road which will take me to Garden Canyon Road.
Have a map or something as trails do take off here and there and there are several roads in here.
The road goes to a boyscout camp cabin. Before you get there you go through an old picnic area, the concrete tables sitting lonely in deep weeds, almost hidden.
At the cabin I hung a right, dreading the almost two mile road walk back to my car. Wrong!! It was a pleasure walking this road, in a narrow and deep canyon, with a vigorous stream alongside, small waterfalls, flowers, pictographs, a little shade, and a riparian wonderland. I saw two vehicles, one stopped and I spoke with a young man just stationed at the fort from Nebraska via Texas. He was inquisitive about the hiking and the border situation. We had a nice ten minute chat, and then he as on his way.
I was too soon to my car. This was a very nice about 9 miles trek with some sections I would love to visit again. I did not have that high an expectation for this area and was reminded once again----don't take nature for granted. The wildlife viewed was impressive in this small area-- deer, javalina, the owl, all sorts of strange bird calls, antelope on the firing range, a bear near the crest trail, and wild turkeys on my way out. |
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Sawmill Spring |
Quart per minute |
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| | | Good flow out of pipe and small catch basin was overflowing | | _____________________
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
Can't believe I waited so long to return, but that is due to it being on Fort Huachuca. It is more of a scramble than a trail in places and obviously doesn't see much traffic (probably more bears than hikers). Sort of difficult to follow in places, especially in the steep switchback section up near the top where it is covered with leaves and pine needles. We originally were going to make a loop out of it by coming back down Sawmill Trail, but decided against that with all the time burned taking pictures and route finding. That turned out to be the right call.
Even in its freshly ravaged state the beauty remains; it can't be denied.
