A RETURN TO THE CHIRICAHUA MONUMENT

THE TRAIL JUST GOING UP & UP & UP

I WILL SPACE TODAY’S HIKING PHOTOS OUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS

When I saw the cloud cover first thing this morning I thought we were going to be in for a cool day.  By 9, warming sunlight began making it’s way through the overcast & we were off & running with another big bright & warm sunny day.

  

Decided it was a good day to head on back to the Chiricahua Monument & strap us on another mountain trail.  We had heard from friends the ‘Natural Bridge Trail’ was a scenic 4.8 mile round trip moderate hike through some very picturesque territory.

MUCH OF THIS TRAIL WAS FORESTED

We rolled through the Park’s gate at 11:30 a.m. & had our boots on the Natural Bridge Trail 10 minutes later.  Right from the beginning of the trail head we were immediately into a steady climbing ascent.  The first quarter of the trail sapped a big chunk of energy out of us right off the bat.   The rocky trail seemed to climb forever through a heavy forest of Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Apache Pine, Yucca’s, Sotol, Agave & Prickly Pear Cactus.  We had dressed too warm again & it wasn’t long before we were shedding jackets, folding up pant legs & rolling up sleeves.  Our long steady climb  leveled out for a short time about 40 minutes into the hike.  Felt good to give our burning legs a break, but it was short lived.

We began a rocky switchback descent into a second canyon complete with toe stubbing rocks & loose gravel on the path.  Proper hiking boots are imperative on these kinds of hikes because twisted ankles, scrapes & falls are around every corner if a person is not paying attention. 

 

Soon we were back down into the tree line  steadily descending to the Canyon floor through many towering & aged trees, boulders, & waving grasses.  This is truly a scenic trail with many photo opportunities.  And, for us Ontario folks with the still spongy legs, it is truly a long trail.  We began to wonder if we would ever reach the end of it.

A WELCOME FLAT STRETCH ATOP THE RIDGE

 

But, reach the end of it we finally did.  Try as we did we could not seem to locate the Natural Bridge though.  Kelly had packed a lunch of egg salad sandwiches but they were in a bit of messy mess from being  bounced around in her back pack.  Lesson learned!!  Do not take egg salad sandwiches on bumpy trail hikes.

     

A young Mom & Dad with a couple small children in tow arrived at the end of the trail as we were leaving & the Mom was able to point out the Natural Bridge across the canyon.  Had she not pointed it out we would have never seen it.  Guess we were spoiled by the large natural bridges in the Arches up in Moab, Utah.

  

THE NATURAL BRIDGE

The hike from the parking lot to the end of the trail had taken us an hour & a half.  The hike back down the trail to the parking lot took us an hour & fifteen minutes.  We generally always do the return trips faster because we figure the sooner we can get back, the sooner we can get our sore feet & legs off the ground & our tired Tushes into a couple of comfortable Jeep seats:))  And, what a great feeling that always is as we drive our way merrily & restfully home.  Another great day in the wild & wooly American Southwest……………. 10-4:))

  

SOOOO GLAD TO BE BACK AT THE JEEP

GROANER’S CORNER:((  And, in the word’s of Rodney Dangerfield…….

• I was such an ugly kid...When I played in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up.
• I could tell my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio.
• I was such an ugly baby...My mother never breast fed me. She told me that she only liked me as a friend.
• I'm so ugly...My father carries around a picture of the kid who came with his wallet.
• When I was born, the doctor came into the waiting room and said to my father, "I'm sorry. We did everything we could, but he pulled through."
• I'm so ugly...My mother had morning sickness, after I was born.

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