Chiricahua is one of my favorite places to hike and photograph. The main trail system wanders through a diverse series of sceneries, including some of the most amazing rocks I have ever seen. Hikers can either take the Hiker's Shuttle up to Massai Point or talk one of the folks with them into taking them up and dropping them off (THANX, Ruf!). The trails start at the top and work their way down to the ranger station some 1470 feet below. That's a bit deceptive because there are a lot of up's and down's along the way, including a 600 foot elevation change in 1.2 miles climbing up to the Inspiration Point cutoff! On our most recent trip I did the full route, which covered just about 10 miles, some over very rough terrain.

The park is located 120 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. "Chiricahua National Monument was established in 1924 to preserve and protect the pinnacles. In 1934 the Civilian Conservation Corps took on the job of improving the road and constructing the trails and many of the structures. The park comprises 11,985 acres (4794 hectares); 86 percent of this area is designated as wilderness." "The eight mile scenic drive rises through the grasslands to the summit at Massai Point, where you get a true sense of being atop a sky island." (NPS brochure). Massai Point is 9763' above sea level and the road climbs from 5124' at the park entrance. The campground is an old- style NPS campground (not built for rigs) back in the woods that only has 24 sites. There was a second, larger, campground but it got wiped out in a storm a bunch of years ago and was never rebuilt. No hookups, barely level sites that mostly are hard to get into... but a beautiful semi-primitive place to get away from everything (cell phones, data links, etc do not work in the park!).

Truth be known, photography comes in second to the sheer pleasure of getting out solitary on a challenging trail that fully involves my mental and physical being. Unless you have done this, you can never appreciate how it clears the mind and lets you focus on your inner self to the total exclusion of anything else... and that's a good thing! It really does let you get back in touch with yourself. Too hokey and philosophical? OK, how about "You h'aint lived 'til you sweat and climb and walk and get thirsty and worry 'bout whether you can make the next hill and just feel good 'bout hikin' along!"