Tucson
Our weeks in Tucson and Benson, Arizona, gave us a chance to explore southern Arizona. Arizona skies seem to have the perfect conditions for amazing sunsets. We enjoyed this beautiful sunset one evening on our walk around the RV park.
Since we were so near Saguaro National Park, I made a quick trip there one afternoon to get my National Park Passport Book stamped. While there, I couldn’t resist a quick trip on the 8-mile drive through the park. The photos of cactus with the snowy mountains in the background were worth it.
Green Valley
One afternoon we took a tour of the Titan II Missile Museum in Green Valley, Arizona, which is just a few miles from Tucson. The missile is not operational, but it was a sobering reminder of the former cold war and threat we faced of nuclear war.
Tombstone
Another popular southern Arizona town is the historic town of Tombstone. One day we packed a lunch and spent the day touring the town. While there, we witnessed a re-enactment of the shootout at the OK Corral. Afterwards we strolled along the streets visiting the Epitaph Press, the Bird Cage Theater, the Arizona Ranger Museum and a presentation of the history of Tombstone.
Benson
We spent one week in Benson, Arizona, just a few miles south of Tucson. Benson is an interesting town because of the murals painted on the buildings and walls around the town. It has a western small town feel to it and reminded me of our former hometown of Mariposa, California.
Chiricahua National Monument
About an hour drive from the town of Benson is Chiricahua National Monument in the southeast corner of the state. National Monuments may not be as popular as National Parks, but they can be surprisingly beautiful and interesting. It seems there isn’t a substantial difference between the two except that National Parks require an act of Congress to establish and National Monuments do not. Arizona has 18 National Monuments, more than any other state.
The eight-mile scenic drive starts by winding along the bottom of a canyon surrounded by rhyolite rock pinnacles or hoodoos for which the monument was created to protect. As the road climbs steadily, the views change until you’re overlooking the rock formations from the top of Massai Point at an elevation of 6,870 feet.
As the road climbed in elevation, we encountered some snow, and could see more mountain ranges in the distance.
At the end of the road is Massai Point where there is a parking lot and a path leading to a stone building. It was a windy day so we were glad to go inside to get out of the wind. Inside we read about the nature and history of the park.
At the summit, we could now look down on the many rock pinnacles.
At Massai Point, we could see miles of the surrounding area with distant mountain ranges, including the Dragoon Mountains and Cochise Stronghold.
The trees at the higher elevations must be hardy to withstand the harsh climate.
Chiricahua National Monument is considered a “sky island” because it is comprised of an isolated mountain range that rises up out of the surrounding desert which is like a sea. Because it rises about 6,000 feet above the surrounding valley, it provides a wide range of ecosystems and plant and animal diversity.
As we drove back down the mountain and out of the park, the evening sun cast a red glow on the nearby mountains. It was late in the day and we were hungry, but I decided to pull over and get one last photo.
As I got out of the truck, I happened to look behind me down the road where we had come. What I saw was this beautiful view of the snowy mountains in the last light of day. By the time I got back in the truck, the light was already gone. I was so glad I stopped for that one last shot.
I was surprised at the beauty and interesting topography of Chiricahua National Monument. Though it is off the beaten path, it is worth a visit.
Another surprise was a fascinating article I came across while researching for this blog. The article is about a missing ranger from Chiricahua National Monument. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the link and discovered a tangled mystery. It is quite long, but keep reading. It gets more and more mysterious the further you go. If you care to read it, I will link it below.
The Search for a Ranger Who Was Lost and Never Found: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/paul-fugate-park-ranger-search/
