I finally hiked in the Mule Mountains today. After all these years of just “driving through” them to get to Bisbee, I found a trailhead off Old Divide Road (just north of the Mule Tunnel).
This road is the original road over Mule Pass before the tunnel was built in 1958. I turned north on a dirt road that took me to two communications towers, and bushwhacked around the brittle limestone outcroppings studded with yuccas, manzanitas, pinon pines and young alligator junipers. I was now on BLM land and before me was the “Mule Mountain Trail,” a 2.4-mile trail. It's the only trail I’ve been able to find anywhere on the net for this small and arid mountain range. Surely, from seeing other dirt roads in the distance, there are other trails in the Mules to explore? But how can I get to them?.
A thin layer of icy snow dotted the northern and eastern slopes. Sara rolled around in a few small mounds. But otherwise it was much warmer today, in the upper 50Fs.
I had a gorgeous view east into Old Bisbee and Tombstone Canyon from this vantage point. I saw peaks I had never seen before.
The dirt road ended by a large turn-around that revealed old campsites and burned wood. This must be a popular place for the locals to drink and party under the stars.
Nearby was a 1938 Survey Marker for Juniper Flats. It seemed rather out of place, as the marker wasn’t on a peak but rather hidden in dead grass on uneven rocks.
Two lawn chairs lay abandoned with a northern view into Tombstone and the red-golden Dragoon Mountains. I sat here for a while to allow Sara time to calm down. I didn’t want her hiking much, but she was excited being outside again after almost a week of house arrest to let her paw heal from the wound she got last Wednesday.
The peaks were very rocky. I didn’t want to risk twisting an ankle. My new Montrail Torre GTX boots were holding up well.
After 30 minutes of enjoying the vistas, I packed up the dogs and drove back down, but noticed another dirt trail off a lower vista point. Again I took the dogs out and explored. This trail was badly rutted and wet from melting snow. One mesa revealed itself to be a spot for local shooters as there was much 45mm brass in the dirt.
The trail took a mostly west and northwest direction toward a large limestone outcropping with scenic views through what I learned was Escabrado Canyon. The Huachucas were visible from here. A small creek provided fresh water for the dogs who lavished the treat. Yellow lichen spotted limestone in northern-facing shadows.
This was pretty, remote country. The dogs had their fun running up and down the rocks. A young red-tailed hawk flew overhead, several quail darted from the brush. Sammy wanted to bolt down into the lusher canyon but I didn’t want to lose him; I wanted to stay along the ridge and enjoy the view.
The trail came to an end at the northern cliffs of this mountain where several mountain ranges were visible: the Whetstones, the Huachucas, the Dragoons and the distant Gauileros. Parts of the Chiricahuas were also visible. From here I rock-hopped down a bit toward the canyon, convinced I need to come back here with Kevin and explore some more. Judging from the time it took me to hike back on the trail from the furthest point, this short trail can’t be any more than 1.2 miles. I was back at the truck in 30 minutes. The dogs were panting, and Sara’s wound had cracked open from getting stomped on by Sammy and perhaps from aggravating it along the trail.
I drove east from West Blvd down into Tombstone Canyon. I had never been on this side road before and was impressed with the old homes in the upper corners of this canyon. This is a part of Bisbee I never knew existed. The homes were old and termite-infested I’m sure, and anywhere else these homes would be considered high-maintenance fixem-uppers sold at a deep discount. But not in Bisbee! The brittle yucca and pinon pine studded canyon walls make these old homes historic and an owner’s dream.
I also noticed a few other side trails off this paved road. These need exploring, too. The hardest part about the Mule mountains is that none of it is national forest land. The mountains are surrounded by private tracts, the northern hills are under State Trust Land, the southern and far eastern Mules are owned by Phelps-Dodge Mining and are off limits for all recreationists.
I do want to come back and explore the canyon more, perhaps explore as far down as I can before I hit private land. It looks like a nice, casual hike I could lure Kevin on. I would need to come back soon as this place looks tortuously hot in the summer with the exposed trail and blinding rocks. I could not have walked more than three miles today.
A thin layer of icy snow dotted the northern and eastern slopes. Sara rolled around in a few small mounds. But otherwise it was much warmer today, in the upper 50Fs.
I had a gorgeous view east into Old Bisbee and Tombstone Canyon from this vantage point. I saw peaks I had never seen before.
The dirt road ended by a large turn-around that revealed old campsites and burned wood. This must be a popular place for the locals to drink and party under the stars.
Nearby was a 1938 Survey Marker for Juniper Flats. It seemed rather out of place, as the marker wasn’t on a peak but rather hidden in dead grass on uneven rocks.
Two lawn chairs lay abandoned with a northern view into Tombstone and the red-golden Dragoon Mountains. I sat here for a while to allow Sara time to calm down. I didn’t want her hiking much, but she was excited being outside again after almost a week of house arrest to let her paw heal from the wound she got last Wednesday.
The peaks were very rocky. I didn’t want to risk twisting an ankle. My new Montrail Torre GTX boots were holding up well.
After 30 minutes of enjoying the vistas, I packed up the dogs and drove back down, but noticed another dirt trail off a lower vista point. Again I took the dogs out and explored. This trail was badly rutted and wet from melting snow. One mesa revealed itself to be a spot for local shooters as there was much 45mm brass in the dirt.
The trail took a mostly west and northwest direction toward a large limestone outcropping with scenic views through what I learned was Escabrado Canyon. The Huachucas were visible from here. A small creek provided fresh water for the dogs who lavished the treat. Yellow lichen spotted limestone in northern-facing shadows.
This was pretty, remote country. The dogs had their fun running up and down the rocks. A young red-tailed hawk flew overhead, several quail darted from the brush. Sammy wanted to bolt down into the lusher canyon but I didn’t want to lose him; I wanted to stay along the ridge and enjoy the view.
The trail came to an end at the northern cliffs of this mountain where several mountain ranges were visible: the Whetstones, the Huachucas, the Dragoons and the distant Gauileros. Parts of the Chiricahuas were also visible. From here I rock-hopped down a bit toward the canyon, convinced I need to come back here with Kevin and explore some more. Judging from the time it took me to hike back on the trail from the furthest point, this short trail can’t be any more than 1.2 miles. I was back at the truck in 30 minutes. The dogs were panting, and Sara’s wound had cracked open from getting stomped on by Sammy and perhaps from aggravating it along the trail.
I drove east from West Blvd down into Tombstone Canyon. I had never been on this side road before and was impressed with the old homes in the upper corners of this canyon. This is a part of Bisbee I never knew existed. The homes were old and termite-infested I’m sure, and anywhere else these homes would be considered high-maintenance fixem-uppers sold at a deep discount. But not in Bisbee! The brittle yucca and pinon pine studded canyon walls make these old homes historic and an owner’s dream.
I also noticed a few other side trails off this paved road. These need exploring, too. The hardest part about the Mule mountains is that none of it is national forest land. The mountains are surrounded by private tracts, the northern hills are under State Trust Land, the southern and far eastern Mules are owned by Phelps-Dodge Mining and are off limits for all recreationists.
I do want to come back and explore the canyon more, perhaps explore as far down as I can before I hit private land. It looks like a nice, casual hike I could lure Kevin on. I would need to come back soon as this place looks tortuously hot in the summer with the exposed trail and blinding rocks. I could not have walked more than three miles today.
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