Chiricahua

https://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiricahua_National_Monument Chiricahua National Monument is a unit of the National Park System located in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The monument was established on April 18, 1924, to protect its extensive hoodoos and balancing rocks. Explore the pinnacles, spires, and balanced rocks that originated 27 million years ago by a massive volcanic eruption. Hike within these formations that help protect the exceptional biodiversity of the sky islands region. Connect with the human history spanning thousands of years, encompassing prehistoric indigenous peoples, Chiricahua Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, ranchers, CCC, and visitors today. Chiricahua National Monument is located 120 miles southeast of Tucson. Take I-10 east from Tucson to the first exit for Willcox. Travel 3 miles into town to the stoplight and turn right. You will follow Arizona State Highway 186 for 32 miles to the junction of Arizona State Highway 181. Turn left and 4 miles later you will be at the Chiricahua entrance station. Maximum vehicle length is 29 feet to drive beyond the visitor center. A hiking shuttle is available daily at 9 am from the visitor center. Chiricahua National Monument Visitor Center The visitor center is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mountain Standard Time. Exhibits about the geology, natural history, archaeology and cultural history are housed in the visitor center, build by CCC stone masons in the late 1930s. A short video about the park is available as well. A bookstore offers a wide range of titles on topics ranging from Apache history to children's books about the regional flora and fauna. Chiricahua National Monument is located 120 miles southeast of Tucson. Take I-10 east from Tucson to the first exit for Willcox. Travel 3 miles into town to the stoplight and turn right. You will follow Arizona State Highway 186 for 32 miles to the junction of Arizona State Highway 181. Turn left and 4 miles later you will be at the Chiricahua entrance station. Bonita Canyon Campground Bonita Canyon Campground is located in a shady pine and oak grove near the riparian area of Bonita Canyon wash. It has 25 sites and with rest rooms (flush toilets), running water, picnic tables, and trash pickup. There is a group campground that can accommodate 9 to 24 people (8 tent max). Reserve campsites through Recreation.gov There are no hookups or showers. Vehicle length limit is 29 feet. Camping is limited to 14 days. Standard, non-electric campsite 20.00 Site Access: Drive-In Checkin Time: 12:00 pm Checkout Time: 11:00 am Type of Use: Overnight Min Num of People: 1 Max Num of People: 8 Pets Allowed: Domestic Max Num of Vehicles: 2 Driveway Grade: Slight Driveway Surface: Gravel Driveway Entry: Back-In Driveway Length: 24 Max Vehicle Length: 24 Shade: Partial Tent Pad Length: 12 Tent Pad Width: 12 Tent Pad: Y BBQ: Y Food Locker: Y Location Rating: Prime Picnic Table: Y Quiet Area: Y Group Campsite 20.00 Site Access: Drive-In Checkin Time: 12:00 pm Checkout Time: 11:00 am Type of Use: Overnight Min Num of People: 9 Max Num of People: 24 Pets Allowed: Domestic Max Num of Vehicles: 5 Driveway Grade: Slight Driveway Surface: Gravel Driveway Entry: Back-In Driveway Length: 40 Max Vehicle Length: 29 Shade: Partial Tent Pad Length: 12 Tent Pad Width: 12 Double Driveway: Y Tent Pad: Y BBQ: Y Campfire Allowed: Y Fire Pit: Y Food Locker: Y Location Rating: Prime Picnic Table: Y Quiet Area: Y Bonita Canyon Campground Tents set up under pine trees The shady pines in the campground cooler temperatures in the summer and protection for wind and the elements View from Massai Point Many rock pinnacles with a valley and mountain range in background Massai Point offers excellent views of the standing rocks at Chiricahua Faraway Ranch A ranch house in a green field surrounds by low mountains Faraway Ranch preserves the heritage of early European settlers in the Chiricahua Mountains Echo Canyon Grotto Children climb through rock archways The standing rocks at Chiricahua create natural nooks and crannies ready to be explored Bonita Canyon A narrow road winds between tall oaks and rock cliffs Bonita Canyon Scenic Drive winds through standing rocks and rhyolite cliffs, climbing to Massai Point at 6900 ft / 2100 m. Big Balanced Rock Large rock balanced on a small point Big Balanced Rock It’s Alive! Biological Soil Crusts of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts It might come as a surprise to learn that in the sublime expanses of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, some of the most interesting life around can be found in the dirt right in front of your feet! Biological soil crusts form a living groundcover that is the foundation of desert plant life. Soil crust at White Sands National Monument Park Air Profiles - Chiricahua National Monument Air quality profile for Chiricahua National Monument. Gives park-specific information about air quality and air pollution impacts for Chiricahua NM as well as the studies and monitoring conducted for Chiricahua NM. Sunset from Massai Point Arizona Homestead The story of Faraway Ranch begins with the arrival of Emma Peterson, an immigrant from Sweden, in the United States. Unlike many immigrants, Emma Peterson’s family was well-off, owned a comfortable home, and employed several servants. Emma did not get along well with her step-mother, however, and decided to follow her brother and sister, who already had emigrated to the United States. Emma Peterson Erickson NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. landscape with hoodoos Monitoring Upland Vegetation and Soils in the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert Networks Vegetation and soils are two of many natural resources monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Learning about vegetation dynamics helps us to better understand the integrity of ecological processes, productivity trends, and ecosystem interactions that can otherwise be difficult to monitor. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor vegetation and soils using the scientific protocol described here. Quadrat used for biological soil crust sampling Wildland Fire in Douglas Fir: Western United States Douglas fir is widely distributed throughout the western United States, as well as southern British Columbia and northern Mexico. Douglas fir is able to survive without fire, its abundantly-produced seeds are lightweight and winged, allowing the wind to carry them to new locations where seedlings can be established. Close-up of Douglas fir bark and needles. Wildland Fire in Chaparral: California and Southwestern United States Chaparral is a general term that applies to various types of brushland found in southern California and the southwestern U.S. This community contains the most flammable type of vegetation found in the United States. Chaparral on steep rocky slopes. Wildland Fire in Ponderosa Pine: Western United States This forest community generally exists in areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. Extensive pure stands of this forest type are found in the southwestern U.S., central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Recently burned ponderosa pine forest. Civilian Conservation Corps at Tumacácori The CCC is one of the most well-remembered and highly regarded programs of the New Deal. Camp NM-1-N, located at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico, made important contributions to Tumacácori’s visitor center. men with truck and olive tree in courtyard garden Veterans Help Restore and Maintain Resilient Landscape at Chiricahua National Monument In October 2018, an Arizona Conservation Corps Veterans Fire Crew (VFC 348) helped restore and maintain a resilient landscape at Chiricahua National Monument by reducing the buildup of vegetation. Veteran Fire Crew Native Peoples of the Sonoran Desert: The Nde The Apache (Inde) people came from as far north as Canada. They split into groups and settled across the American southwest. Although frequently cast as villains due to their historically antagonistic relationship with Spanish and American settlements, Apache people have a rich and varied cultural tradition. four dancers, painted white, with black face-coverings, dance in front of a crowd Historic Designed Landscape The Historic Designed Landscape within Chiricahua National Monument is primarily a rustic landscape that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The buildings themselves are strong statements of the ‘Government Rustic’ style of architecture used in units of the National Park Service. Without the availability of CCC labor, Chiricahua National Monument would have likely remained substantially undeveloped. Chiricahua National Monument (NPS) The Faraway Ranch Landscape & Current Preservation Projects Historians often have depicted the tourism industry in the West as superseding productive relationships with the land. As the economy changed in the twentieth century, many communities that had started off in the mining, logging, or ranching industry looked to tourism as a way to survive. The Faraway Ranch complicates notions of the relationship between tourism and the environment. Modern photo of the corral at Faraway Ranch Introduction In 1957 a journalist from the Saturday Evening Post stayed at the Faraway Ranch for several days, curious about the stories of a blind woman, Lillian Riggs, who managed the ranch. In the subsequent article, he wrote admiringly of the “Lady Boss” of Faraway: “Lillian was certainly a unique person. And she ran that ranch, make no mistake about it, and she knew what was going on at all times.” Portrait of the Erickson family The Guest Ranch Business Like her mother, Lillian did not sit at home waiting to be married. With her siblings, she attended school in Galesburg, Illinois and in 1906 started teaching at local schools. Lillian returned to the area and began teaching again, but when Hildegard started boarding guests at the ranch on weekends that same year, Lillian quit teaching and started helping her sister. Six Faraway Ranch guests on horseback Chiricahua National Monument Guests at Faraway also enjoyed excursions into the area that Lillian called a “Wonderland of Rocks.” Here, spires and pinnacles of rock clustered together, forming fantastic geologic formations. Two visitors pose by a sign for Faraway Ranch advertising horseback rides to see Chiricahua NM Perseverance In the Postwar Era By the mid-1940s, Ed and Lillian started to consider leaving the business. Both were growing older, and Lillian, who had been steadily losing her hearing also lost her eyesight. Lillian Erickson Riggs standing between a dog and a horse at Faraway Ranch Conclusion & References Faraway Ranch would not have existed without the actions of the women in the Erickson family. By preserving their story, Faraway Ranch helps to tell the full history of women in the West. Aerial view of Faraway Ranch buildings at the base of a steep hillside Faraway During the Depression The late 1920s were some of the most successful years for the Faraway Ranch. The dude ranch industry in general was prospering, particularly in Arizona. Portrait of Ed Riggs in a shirt and tie, and wearing a brimmed hat Southern Basin and Range The Southern Basin and Range is an extension of the Basin and Range Province centered on Nevada and the Great Basin and extending from southern Oregon to western Texas, and into northwest Mexico. Mountains and Desert in Guadalupe Mountains National Park Climate Monitoring in the Southern Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here. Kayaking across a fl ooded parking lot, Chickasaw NRA, July 2007. Tortillas de harina (Flour Tortillas) What exactly are tortillas? How big are they? Of what are they made? How should they be made? These are questions that can spark much discussion and debate, even among tortilla makers themselves. The important thing is that none of this really matters - they are good, as you will be able to assert for yourself when you eat one made fresh by a Tumacácori demonstrator or in your own kitchen. Tortilla demonstrator in front of Tumacácori mission church Sky Island Fire Ecology A history of three major fire regimes which have shaped the current landscape and vegetation of Chiricahua National Monument, as well as other sky island sites in the southwest. Fire in grass below a tree. National Park Getaway: Chiricahua National Monument Rocks. It’s all about the rocks here at Chiricahua National Monument! Come explore the “Wonderland of Rocks” in Arizona, learn the stories of the people who called this place home, and have the one-of-a-kind experience of being on a Sky Island.  Overview of numerous pinnacle geological formations in a desert Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display at a visitor center Series: The New Deal at Tumacácori The grounds of Tumacácori protect a map of treasures made by men and women during the New Deal era of the 1930's. Will you find them all? black and white photo of young men and truck in walled courtyard garden Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: Park Air Profiles Clean air matters for national parks around the country. Photo of clouds above the Grand Canyon, AZ Series: The Story of Faraway Ranch Lillian, her sister Hildegard, and her mother, Emma Erickson, all played a vital role in the creation and management of Faraway Ranch. Emma initiated the purchase of the original cabin and property. Hildegard started the guest ranching business, and Lillian oversaw the expansion of the business with her husband, Ed Riggs, and continued to manage the ranch by herself after her husband’s death. Faraway Ranch thus preserves an important, non-traditional narrative of women's lives in the West. Two visitors pose by a sign for Faraway Ranch advertising horseback rides to Chiricahua NM Paleogene Period—66.0 to 23.0 MYA Colorful Paleogene rocks are exposed in the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and the badlands of Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks. Extraordinary Paleogene fossils are found in Fossil Butte and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, among other parks. fossil skull with teeth expsoed Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display in a visitor center Series: Native Peoples of the Sonoran Desert Who were the original inhabitants of the Sonoran desert and how did they adapt to the world-changing arrival of Spanish colonists? folklórico dancers with a series of different flags including Arizona and Tohono O'odham The Heliograph: 2020 Edition The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue features stories on how we adapted our operations to minimize field work lost to the covid-19 pandemic, vegetation mapping at Saguaro NP, and communication improvements and opportunities for network parks. We also probe the minds of our interns and celebrate a high honor for our program manager. Person wearing hat and face covering sits near a stream with a bucket and net. The Heliograph: Summer 2021 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue shares predictive tools and planning processes that can help park managers make proactive decisions in the face of climate change. We also explore some explanations for this spring's highly unusual saguaro bloom, celebrate our staff members, and provide updates on our monitoring projects. Saguaro cactus with blooms all over its top Climate and Water Monitoring at Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, and Fort Bowie National Historic Site: Water Year 2019 In the national parks of Southeast Arizona, desert plants, wildlife, and visitors all depend on reliable water sources. The Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, springs, and streams at Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, and Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting natural resources. Learn about our recent findings. Green moss grows next to water flowing down a rock face Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Dare to Imagine: Elise Dillingham Read about how Elise went from training to become a flight nurse for the US Air Force to engaging youth citizen scientists in Southwestern parks. This article is part of a National Park Foundation funded project called the Dare to Imagine project dedicated to highlighting women in parks who are breaking barriers and showing what a scientist looks like. graphic of a young woman in the field. text reads: Elise Dillingham, biologist Volcanic Inverted Topography Inverted topography arises when lava flows that filled valleys at the time of their eruption later hold up mesas because their resistance to erosion is greater than most other rock types. photo of volcanic rock with petroglyphs and a distant mesa Older Caldera Complexes The presence of voluminous ash-flow tuffs are one of the main markers for the presence of older caldera complexes. Subsequent erosion and/or volcanic activity can make their caldera walls hard to find. Most of the older caldera complexes in or near national park sites are very large and were of the resurgent type. photo of hillside with layered rock outcrops Calderas Calderas are large collapse features that can be many miles in diameter. They form during especially large eruptions when the magma chamber is partially emptied, and the ground above it collapses into the momentary void. Crater Lake and Aniakchak Crater are calderas. photo of oblique aerial view of a volcanic caldera with snow and ice Series: Volcano Types Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth. photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice Explosive Calderas Explosive calderas result from violent eruptions of great quantities of silicic magmas. These eruptions produce massive eruption columns that extend into the stratosphere, and voluminous pyroclastic flows. Eruptions that produce explosive calderas generally range from 6 (Colossal) on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) to 8 super eruptions (Apocalyptic). digital oblique aerial image of a volcanic caldera Pyroclastic Flows and Ignimbrites, and Pyroclastic Surges Pyroclastic flows and surges are among the most awesome and most destructive of all volcanic phenomena. Pyroclastic flow deposits are found in at least 21 units of the National Park System. photo of a cloud of ash and dust moving down a mountain side. Volcanic Ash, Tephra Fall, and Fallout Deposits Volcanic ash, pumice, and tephra ejected in volcanic eruptions ultimately falls back to Earth where it covers the ground. These deposits may be the thin dustings or may be many tens of feet (meters) thick near an eruptive vent. Volcanic ash and tephra can present geohazards that are present great distances from the erupting volcano. photo of a bluff with exposed fine-grained volcanic ash and pumice. eDNA Inventories to Reveal Species Use of Sonoran Desert Network Springs At nine southwestern parks, Sonoran Desert Network staff are performing environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. By analyzing the genomes present in a water sample, eDNA sampling allows us to learn which species use a given area without the use of capture, hair snares, or cameras. The results of this inventory will help NPS staff to prioritize springs for monitoring and conservation. A large tinaja set within bedrock walls The Heliograph: Summer 2022 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. In this issue, find out how eDNA inventories may change what we thought we knew about SODN springs. Learn about the new technology that will improve our streams monitoring, and the lasting contributions of our IVIPs to projects across multiple networks. Get caught up on our latest reports and the status of ongoing projects, and find out what’s happening at the DRLC. Two men at the edge of a marsh. One crouches. The other holds a long metal rod with a disc on top. Climate and Water Monitoring at Chiricahua National Monument: Water Year 2021 In the national parks of southeast Arizona, desert plants, wildlife, and visitors all depend on reliable water sources. The Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, groundwater, and springs at Chiricahua National Monument. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting natural resources. Learn about our recent findings. Storm clouds over broad landscape of hoodoos. Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Guide to the Thomas J. Allen Photograph Collection Finding aid for the Thomas J. Allen Photographs in the NPS History Collection. Wildlife Monitoring at Chiricahua National Monument At National Park Service units across the Sonoran Desert and Apache Highlands, the Sonoran Desert Network is monitoring small and mid-sized mammals using remote wildlife camera traps. Find out what we're learning about wildlife occupancy at Chiricahua National Monument. Two grey foxes--one laying down, looking at the other as it sniffs the ground Making an Impact: Long-Term Monitoring of Natural Resources at Intermountain Region National Parks, 2021 Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021. A man looks through binoculars at sunrise. Testing Treatments for Mitigating Climate-Change Effects on Adobe Structures in the National Parks In the US Southwest, climate change is making it harder to preserve historic adobe structures for future generations. Using adobe test walls and rainshower simulators, staff at the Desert Research Learning Center are evaluating the potential for increased erosion, and testing the effectiveness of different treatments methods to protect against it. The results will help park managers tailor their preservation methods to better protect culturally valuable resources. American flag viewed through the remains of an adobe doorway. A Changing Bimodal Climate Zone Means Changing Vegetation in Western National Parks When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change. Dark storm clouds and rainbow over mountains and saguaros. Lesser Long-nosed Bat Research at Organ Pipe Cactus Lesser long-nosed bats have been in scientific focus since the late 1900's. These unique animals face different obstacles in their changing environment, but researchers are at work in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, learning more about these bats. Through research here and throughout Central America, scientists are understanding better how to protect these animals and their environment. A small black lesser long-nosed bat with a black face hovers above a waxy white saguaro flower. Toad Research in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Research at Organ Pipe Cactus has seen large monsoons, drought, and the Sonoran Desert’s impact on different species of toad. The aim of this research is to understand which species are present, as well as the geographical reach of the chytrid fungus. A large dark green-gray Sonoran Desert toad sits in a pool of water. National Park Service project to build up 'workhorse' native seed stocks for major restoration and revegetation efforts The National Park Service, with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be able to build up stocks of the native workhorse plant species that can out compete invasive plant species so that native grasses and forbs can grow in previously disturbed areas.  a man kneels next to a bucket collecting seeds in a field From Buffalo Soldier to Bath Attendant: The Story of Hugh Hayes and Hot Springs National Park Learn about the life of Hugh Hayes, an African American man from Tennessee, and how his life as a Buffalo Soldier and bath attendant at Hot Springs National Park connected him to significant moments in American history. African American man wearing a white shirt and tie sits in a wooden chair Climate and Water Monitoring at Chiricahua National Monument: Water Year 2022 This report summarizes the Sonoran Desert Network’s analyses of weather, groundwater, and springs data from Water Year 2022 in Chiricahua National Monument. Monitoring these important natural resources at the park helps us understand changes over time. The data indicate the park had a heavy monsoon season and is not in drought, though most months had far below average precipitation. The groundwater was higher than in WY2021, though surface water springs show signs of drying. A vista of hoodoos, tall rocky structures, jutting out up from the ground amongst green foliage. Project Page: Bullfrog Control and Native Aquatic Animal Recovery in Southwestern Parks The American bullfrog is a great threat to aquatic ecosystems in the Southwest. They are voracious predators of aquatic animals and carry diseases that kill native species. We will implement three main actions in this project funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, Invasive Species Grant: bullfrog control, native species recovery and reintroduction, and development of early detection/rapid response protocols for bullfrogs. One scientist crouching by water and another holding water sampling equipment on a long pole. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Collaboration & Innovation For Ecosystem Restoration in the Southwest The National Park Service is implementing the restoration of native amphibians in over 20 sensitive wetlands across eight southwestern national parks. However, there's a particular threat (that croaks) that requires the NPS and partners to collaborate and innovate to find solutions. A bullfrog poking its head above a shallow pond, surrounded by twigs.

Chiricahua Hiking Guide EASY HIKES - Short, smooth walks with little change in elevation. BONITA CREEK LOOP LENGTH: 0.2 mile/0.3 km Pets Permitted ACCESS: Bonita Creek Parking Area TRAIL: This loop around the picnic area takes you along the intermittent Bonita Creek. Watch for Apache plume and prickly poppy flowers in spring and early summer. Arizona whitetail deer are frequently seen in the lower portion of Bonita Canyon. This is a good trail for grassland birds. BONITA CREEK TRAIL LENGTH: 0.5 mile/0.8 km Pets Permitted ACCESS: Bonita Creek or Faraway Ranch Parking Areas. TRAIL: Winding along Bonita Creek, usually dry, this trail connects the Bonita Creek and Faraway Ranch Picnic Areas. Look for migrating birds, deer, coatimundi and javelina. SILVER SPUR MEADOW TRAIL LENGTH: 1.2 miles/1.9km Pets Permitted ACCESS: Faraway Ranch, Visitor Center or Campground TRAIL: Beginning at the Faraway Ranch Picnic Area, this leisurely walk leads you through the Faraway Ranch Historic District to Stafford cabin, built in the 1880s. Next is Silver Spur Meadow, home for Civilian Conservation Camp NM-2-A, Company 828 during the 1930s. The fireplaces are remnants from the lodge of the Silver Spur Guest Ranch in business from 1948 to 1968. Stream crossings can be hazardous during spring snowmelt or the summer rains. VISITOR CENTER TO CAMPGROUND LENGTH: 0.4 mile/0.6 km Pets Permitted ACCESS: Visitor Center or near the campground groupsite TRAIL: Offering a safer alternative to walking along the road, look and listen for birds: dark-eyed juncos in winter, hummingbirds in summer and acorn woodpeckers year round. Stream crossings can be hazardous during spring snow melt or the summer rains. National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Chiricahua National Monument MASSAI POINT NATURE TRAIL LENGTH: 0.5 mile/0.8 km No Pets Watch for uneven footing, steps, and remember the higher elevation – 6,870 ft/2,094 m ACCESS: Massai Point TRAIL: This trail features grand vistas of the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges, a huge balanced rock and trail signs highlighting the natural history of the monument. The paved portion from the parking area to the exhibit building is wheelchair accessible. ECHO CANYON GROTTOES LENGTH: 1.0 mile/1.6 km round trip No Pets ACCESS: Echo Canyon Trailhead TRAIL: If you don’t have time to hike the full Echo Canyon Loop, consider this shorter option. It provides a great introduction to the wilderness area of the monument and the opportunity to walk among the rock formations. MODERATE HIKES – One to four hour hikes with elevation changes of 500 feet or less. Gravel trail surfaces. NATURAL BRIDGE TRAIL LENGTH: 4.8 miles/7.8 km round trip No Pets ACCESS: Small parking area along the Bonita Canyon Scenic Drive, 0.5 mile/ 0.8 km beyond the campground TRAIL: The least used trail in the monument climbs to a ridge then drops into Picket Park. The area was burned during the 2011 Horseshoe 2 Fire and is more open with less shade. It ends at an overlook for the small water-carved bridge located across the canyon. Return the same way. SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN TRAIL LENGTH: 1.8 miles/2.8 km round trip No Pets ACCESS: Sugarloaf Mountain Trailhead TRAIL: Rising above the surrounding canyons, the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at 7,310 ft/2,228 m is one of the highest points in the monument. The dark rock is dacite, evidence of a lava flow. Lightning activity is monitored from the CCC constructed fire lookout during summer. Return the same way. MODERATE HIKES CONTINUED HEART OF ROCKS ECHO CANYON LOOP No Pets LENGTH: 3.3 miles/5.5 km The loop consists of Echo Canyon, Hailstone and Ed Riggs Trails. ACCESS: Echo Canyon Trailhead TRAIL: Most people prefer to hike the loop counterclockwise since walking up the Ed Riggs Trail is less strenuous than the Echo Canyon Trail. The route winds through spectacular rock formations including the Grottoes and Wallstreet to the densely wooded Echo Park. Hailstone Trail is fairly level, and due to its southern exposure, hotter and dryer. Expect to see more desert plants: yuccas, agaves, prickly pear and hedgehog cactus. Ed Riggs Trail takes you back to the trailhead among large pine trees. Plan at least 2 hours for this hike. 1. Visitor Center-Heart of Rocks & Return/ No Pets This route consists of the Lower Rhyolite Canyon, Sarah Deming and Heart of Rocks Loop Trails. LENGTH: 7.3 miles/ 11.8 km round trip. ACCESS: Visitor Center Parking Lot TRAIL: Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trail begins as an easy level walk in the lower canyon forest, but soon starts climbing up Rhyolite Canyon. Sarah Deming Canyon gains 880 ft/268 m to reach the top of the ridge. Heart of Rocks Loop has many of the most unusual rock formations in the monument. Start the loop to the left and hike clockwise for the best views and easiest walking. Lots of rock steps make this a challenging loop, but it’s worth the effort. ECHO CANYON TO VISITOR CENTER LENGTH: 4.2 miles/6.8 km No Pets Echo Canyon, Upper Rhyolite Canyon and

T his list of the approximately 100 most common birds of Chiricahua National Monument is based on previous documentation of abundance (A) and separated into three categories. Abundant (A) birds are likely to be seen daily and in large numbers, while common (C) birds may be seen daily as a solitary bird or in smaller groups. Uncommon (U) birds are more rare, and likely to be seen on a monthly basis. Habitats (H) are separated into four categories. Riparian (R) birds can be found in or along water bodies that include riparian vegetation, such as rush-filled temperate marshlands. Grassland (G) habitats include the grassy vegetation native to drier settings, such as gramas and some mixed desert scrub. Woodland/Chaparral (WC) areas include short trees, such as Sonoran scrub oak and manzanita, while Forest (F) consists of upper-elevation evergreen trees, such as pines and other conifers. The varied habitats of southern Arizona provide a vital environment for birds across the seasons (S). Birds that do not migrate are considered Year-round (Y) residents and can be seen at any time of year. Summer (S) residents are at the park roughly during June–August, while Winter (W) residents occur during colder times of year. Migratory (M) birds may be seen at various times as they briefly pass through the monument on their way to other habitats. Key Abundance (A) A H S Gambel’s quail C R,G,WC Y Montezuma quail U R,G,WC,F Y wild turkey U R,G,WC,F Y C R,G,WC,F S TURKEY AND QUAIL VULTURES turkey vulture √ Common Name A H S northern flicker C R,W,F Y red-shafted flicker C R,W,F Y U R,G Y western wood-pewee C R,W S gray flycatcher U R,W,F M FALCONS American kestrel TYRANT FLYCATCHERS HAWKS Cooper’s hawk U R,G,WC,F Y Pacific-slope flycatcher U R,W M red-tailed hawk C R,G,WC,F Y cordilleran flycatcher U R,W,F S dusky-capped flycatcher C R,W S PIGEONS AND DOVES band-tailed pigeon U W,F S ash-throated flycatcher C R,W S Eurasian collared-dove C R,G,WC Y brown-crested flycatcher C R,W S white-winged dove C R,G,WC S Cassin’s kingbird C R,G,WC,F S mourning dove C R,G,WC,F Y western kingbird C R,G S R,W,F S ROADRUNNERS greater roadrunner VIREOS U G,W Y plumbeous vireo C Cassin’s vireo U R,W M flammulated owl U R,W,F S Hutton’s vireo C R,W,F S western screech-owl U R,G,WC Y warbling vireo U R,W,F M whiskered screech-owl U R,W,F S elf owl U R,W S OWLS CORVIDS Steller’s jay U W,F Y Mexican jay C R,G,WC,F Y A—Abundant common poorwill C G,W S Chihuahuan raven U R,G,WC Y C—Common Mexican whip-poor-will C R,W,F S common raven C R,G,WC,F Y C G,W,F Y C R,G,WC,F S U R,W,F Y R—Riparian G—Grassland Season (S) Common Name GOATSUCKERS U—Uncommon Habitat (H) √ SWIFTS white-throated swift SWALLOWS HUMMINGBIRDS CHICKADEES AND TITMICE WC—Woodlands/Chaparral magnificent hummingbird U F—Forest blue-throated hummingbird black-chinned hummingbird Y—Year-round S—Summer W—Winter M—Migratory Photos clockwise from top left: cactus wren, black-chinned hummingbird, western tanager, red-tailed hawk, greater roadrunner. All photos ©Robert Shantz except cactus wren, ©Greg Lavaty. This checklist was produced by the National Park Service, Sonoran Desert Network. violet-green swallow R,W,F S Mexican chickadee U R,W,F S bridled titmouse C R,W,F Y C R,G,WC S juniper titmouse U R,W Y Anna’s hummingbird U R,G,WC,F Y VERDINS AND BUSHTITS broad-tailed hummingbird C R,G,WC,F S verdin U R,G Y bushtit C R,W Y acorn woodpecker C R,W,F Y NUTHATCHES AND CREEPERS red-naped sapsucker U R,W,F W white-breasted nuthatch U R,W,F Y hairy woodpecker C R,W,F Y pygmy nuthatch U W,F Y Arizona woodpecker C W,F Y brown creeper U R,W,F Y WOODPECKERS √ Common Name A H S WRENS √ Common Name A H S EMBERIZINES rock wren U G,W,F Y green-tailed towhee U R,G,WC W canyon wren U G,W,F Y spotted towhee C R,W,F Y G,W Y house wren C R,W,F S rufous-crowned sparrow U Bewick’s wren C R,W Y canyon towhee U G,W Y cactus wren U G Y chipping sparrow A R,G,WC W Brewer’s sparrow C R,G W R,G,WC W KINGLETS AND GNATCATCHERS blue-gray gnatcatcher C W S white-crowned sparrow A ruby-crowned kinglet C R,W,F M dark-eyed junco A R,W,F W yellow-eyed junco C R,W,F Y hepatic tanager U R,W,F S summer tanager U R,W S western tanager C R,G,WC,F S black-headed grosbeak C R,G,WC,F S blue grosbeak U G S brown-headed cowbird U R,G,WC,F Y Scott’s oriole C R,G,WC,F S THRUSHES western bluebird U R,W,F Y hermit thrush C R,W,F Y American robin C R,W,F S MIMIDS AND THRASHERS northern mockingbird U R,G,WC Y curve-billed thrasher U G Y U R,G,WC Y SILKY FLYCATCHERS phainopepla WARBLERS TANAGERS GROSBEAKS ICTERIDS orange-crowned warbler U R,G,WC,F M Nashville war