March 20, 2019 Chiricahua National Monument & Faraway Ranch


I made it up this morning and took Ceilidh on a 3 mile run up the road from our campsite.  Then enjoyed breakfast before setting out to visit The Chiricahua National Park.  Here’s another unimaginably beautiful piece of land that we citizens own. 

Amazingly the park was pretty full – there are a lot of traveling seniors like us out there.  The camp ranger was very helpful in pointing out the route we should take to see most of the really cool things.  I was also able to get in a little 2 mile hike  The park celebrates the geological formations that have come to be by virtue of an erupting volcano many thousands of years ago.  Apparently the ash from that eruption has compacted into what we see as these beautiful “hoodo” looking structures.  There are quite a few of these structures that have been named:  Sea Captain, China Boy, Organ Pipe Formation, but the most impressive one was the profile of Cochise’s reclining head.  It reminded me of Granite Chief in the Lake Tahoe Area.  Check it out:

You may have to zoom in on this but I'm sure you can see Cochise's head


Russ and my puppy Ceilidh in front of Cochise


There were rocks perched on top of each other that looked for all its worth that they would tumble momentarily.  In fact many have as witnessed by some of the huge boulders by the side of the road.  I wouldn’t want to be there when the next one rolls down!  

Lots of rocks

Even more rocks
I also allowed myself to take a 2 mile round trip hike up to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain.


As always, it was up to get to down.  I met some nice people on the trail and one of them took a picture to show that I made it!!



The view from up here was worth it!  Wouldn't you say?



Also within the park boundaries there lies a residence called Faraway Ranch.  This place was purchased by a Swedish couple-- Emma and Neil Erickson--in 1886 as a small cabin and it eventually was developed into a guesthouse where people would come to vacation – perhaps one of the earliest “dude ranches.”  The name that was given to it – Faraway Ranch – was bestowed on it by the couples’ daughter who eventually developed it and ran it as a guesthouse.  It is now part of the National Monument and tours can be had on Saturday and Sundays.   

The Lodge at Faraway Ranch

Small graveyard where family members are buried


We leave tomorrow to head north and press on towards home.  Missing our kids and grandkid.


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