Please submit any useful information about climbing Chiricahua Peak that may be useful to other climbers. This is the highest peak in Cochise County AZ! I wouldn't put this as a must do but if you are in the area go for it. TheI Hike for Health program is a hiking challenge you can attempt on your own or with your friends and family. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17-miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 12,025 acre site. Lemmon on Thursday, Chiricahua on Friday, and Graham on Saturday. The Chiricahua Peak Trail is accessible via Junction Saddle, (31.84959, -109.28897) a four-way junction where the three legs of the Crest Trail meet. The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is best used from March until November. Stayed at the Rustler Park. A Wonderland of Rocks. (31.84585, -109.29126) Follow the spine of the ridge down for approximately 1000 feet until you start to pick up more visible tread angling to the south. With 15 trail combinations, the Chiricahua National Monument offers hours of outdoor recreation. Junction Saddle is 4.86 miles south along the northern leg of the Crest Trail from the junction just above Rustler Park, 2.23 miles northeast from the terminus of the southwestern leg of the Crest Trail at the Turtle Mountain Trail just below Monte Vista Peak, and 4.94 miles northwest from the terminus of the southeastern leg of the Crest Trailat Sentinel Peak. June and July are the best month Chiricahua Peak 9,742, AZ | HikeArizona Anita park is ~4.9 miles from Rustler park, the Chiricahua peak summit trail turnoff is ~0.5 miles past the Anita park turnoff. It is a short segment of the Crest Trail, trail 270, which is a series of trails running the length of the Chiricahua Mountains. Beautiful views. The northwestern side of Chiricahua Peak burned in the Horseshoe 2 fire of 2011, and most of the trail is now fully exposed with little to no tree cover. A "Wonderland of Rocks" is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. Nearby Peak Searches: Radius Search - Nearest Peaks to Chiricahua Peak Elevation Ladder from Chiricahua Peak Prominence Ladder from Chiricahua Peak A view of Chiricahua Peak heading south on the Crest Trail (2015-04-28). Name: Crest Trail #270 Difficulty: Moderate Length of Hike (r/t): 12.8 miles Trail Elevation Change: 1,659 ft. Water: Drinking water at trailhead.Intermittent and non-potable water off trail at Tub Spring (2.4 miles from trailhead, 0.3 mile detour to the east down a trail to the left) and at Anita Spring (5.3 miles) Ed Riggs, Hailstone, and Echo Canyon Trail, Heart of Rocks Loop via Ed Riggs Trail, Mushroom Rock Trail, and Big Balanced Rock Trail, Mormon Ridge Trail and Mormon Canyon Trail Loop. The best way to get in touch with the canyon is on foot. (31.84446, -109.28831) Follow this for 100 feet to a switchback, where the trail turns approximately east. The trail to Chiricahua Peak first traverses below Raspberry Peak (elevation 2866 m), this peak is independent (prominence exceeding 100 meter) and an easy climb from the trail. Didn't want to continue in those conditions so we reversed and descended down Mormon Creek Trail, #43. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Like all hikes, glad to have done it, but given the amount of snow this year, should have waited a month and avoided Mormon Creek. The agua fria was a very nice clear spring, headquarters spring not so much, anita was good. Elevation range: I, with a group of 5, did this hike, with a modification, on April 2nd. Chiricahua Peak. Trail map here. A USGS benchmark marks the summit. Hiking is a great way to exercise while exploring the wonderland of rocks and the history of the American West at Chiricahua National Monument. This trek is known as "The Big Loop" in Chiricahua National Monument. We will catch Flys Peak on another trip. Be the first to submit your climbing note! Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of Chiricahua Peak, … Amazing views. From there we took off for another spring that was listed on our topo map. As of May 2019, this trail is free of deadfall following a Sierra Club service trip. The trail to the summit is in great shape, except for the start where lots of social trails lead in a confusing jumble. We left the packs behind and took off for the highest peak in the area Chiricahua Peak (9786 Ft.). Junction Saddle is 4.86 miles south along the northern leg of the Crest Trail from the junction just above Rustler Park, 2.23 miles northeast from the terminus of the southwestern leg of the Crest Trail at the Turtle Mountain Trail just below Monte Vista Peak, and 4.94 miles northwest from the terminus of the southeastern leg of the Crest Trail at Sentinel Peak. 119 trails with 3 photos Apart from a few paths that start along the highway, hiking in Chiricahua National Monument is concentrated in the high elevation area where the best volcanic formations are found, centered on the Heart of Rocks. The trail starts at about 8500’ and ends at approximately 8800’ winding through tall Ponderosa Pines on a well maintained trail. Silver Peak in the Chiricahua Mountains is accessed from the east side of the range. From that point until the summit we were hiking thru snow and ice. Turtle Mountain Trail #219 is in good shape, as is most of the Crest Trail #270, until reaching the intersection with Mormon Ridge Trail #269. Climaxed by 9,797 foot Chiricahua Peak, this 87,700-acre Wilderness covers the upper slopes and inner canyons of the largest mountain range in … 3-D View | Map to Trailhead | Map of Hike | Hike Info | Photo | Map to Trailhead | Map of Hike | Hike Info | Photo (31.84407, -109.28788) Over the last 0.13 mile, the trail drops down off the spine of the ridge and contours around the south slope, curving southeast, then east until it connects with the Crest Trail at the signed Ojo Agua Fria Trail junction. Located 37 miles north-northeast of Douglas Arizona. In winter, hikes in the canyon bottom and up to ~7,000 feet are pleasant. Contact Information. The views are decent. Chiricahua Peak Via Mormon Canyon Trail is a 8.6 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Rodeo, New Mexico that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. CHIRICAHUA MONUMENT. Begin at Echo Canyon Trailhead parking lot at the top of the park's eight mile scenic drive. The most popular route comes in from the north via Rustler Park campground, high on the main range crest. Bassett Peak & Chiricahua NM & Willcox Wine Weekend; when: November 13-16, 2020 where: Galiuro Wilderness, near Willcox: the hike Bassett Peak in the Galiuro Wilderness is one of the top places in Arizona to view fall colors, and early November is the peak time to be there. Chiricahua Peak Trail is a 15 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Rodeo, New Mexico that features a great forest setting and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. This trail is in bad shape, with numerous dead trees covering the trail. to watch the sunset over Sulphur Spring Valley and the Rincon Mountains in the far distance. On Saturday, we'll leave our camp and head off to Monte Vista Peak. This is a fairly easy hike up until about the last mile when you hit the switch backs to the peak. There are also many fallen trees, but thats throughout the forest and understandable since the fire. This trail goes by Rustler Park Campground, Rustler Park, Hillside Spring, Fly Park Spring, Fly Park, Booger Spring, Cima Saddle, Anita Park, Chiricahua Vista Helispot, Junction Saddle, Fly Peak, Fly Saddle, Riggs Peak… oh boy. It is the highest summit in the Chiricahua Mountains and the highest point in Cochise County. We were used to the red rocks of Utah (Bryce and Arches have long been favorite national parks), but this was a totally different experience: These rock formations looked like people, animals, and objects, and these rock formations were gray and covered with green and … Once at the peak we had to laugh because there were better views from our camp back at Anita Park. Follow the trails listed below or create your own loop for a shorter or longer hike. Chiricahua Mountains Hike trails near Portal, Arizona. Depending on the amount of energy we have left, we may hike a short distance up to Chiricahua Peak before dinner. For the hike itself I was indecisive about the route up. When choosing a trail, an important consideration is the temperature and season in which you will be hiking. This 8.3 mile RT hike will combine the best of Chiricahua scenery. A faint, abandoned southeastern route to the peak leaves the southeastern leg of the Crest Trail at Aspen Saddle, directly across from the signed junction with the Ojo Agua Fria Trail. Supervisor's Office 300 W. Congress St. Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 388-8300. The worst portion was from the saulsbury saddle heading toward the crest trail, the trail must have been burried by falling rock/soil. We'll have lunch on the peak before we head back to camp. The trail switchbacks several times as it climbs to the peak, and reenters the trees 400 feet from the peak itself. The top is still shaded with live trees and can provide a great lunch spot or campsite. "2 day Trip in the Chiricahua Mountains, Great area to Hike and avoid the heat of the Lower Elevation. this trail could use some tlc. Chiricahua Peak 9,742 is a 0.75 mile one way hike with 283 feet elevation gain. (31.84417, -109.28831) Continue to follow it 140 feet to another bend in the trail, turning south again. Chiricahua Peak was once named Round Mountain, presumably due to the fact that it's a small, rounded bump atop the crest of the Chiricahuas and not immediately obvious as the highest point. Peak: Chiricahua Peak: Location: USA-Arizona: Elevation: 9759 ft / 2974 m: Ascent Trip Report How I chose this peak: Another Ultra The plan: This was part of a trip where I had three hikes planned. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is accessible year-round. Chiricahua does offer lots of hiking when other parts of the West are under snow. Bushwacked the final because we couldn't find a trail. Hiking the Chiricahua Mountains The Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona form one of the largest freestanding mountain ranges in the state and offer a rich assortment of hiking opportunities, with hundreds of miles of official trails. Douglas, AZ 85607 The trail heads northwest through meadows. I followed in this order. The trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking and is accessible year-round. The Chiricahua Peak Trail is accessible via Junction Saddle, (31.84959, -109.28897) a four-way junction where the three legs of the Crest Trail meet. (31.84593, -109.29123) A short walk to the north reveals a great view that wasn't visible before the fire opened up the tree cover. This is good because the Crest trail is almost more a collection of many junctions to other trails. From Junction Saddle, take the central fork angling to the southwest. Chiricahua Peak is the name of a 9,763 feet (2,976 m) peak located in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, located about 35 miles (56 km) north of the United States–Mexico border. I saw fire damage mostly on the western ridges below the trail line. (31.84315, -109.28646). Chiricahua Peak is easy to climb, with a few possible starting points ranging from half-day hikes to longer overnighters. Douglas Ranger District 1192 West Saddleview Rd. Trailhead: Rustler Park The Chiricahua Mountains are one of Southern Arizona’s sky islands, rising to nearly 10,000′ from the desert near the border with Mexico. Views to the south are really incredible due to the mass of rock hoodoos around Cave Creek Canyon. Good core workout climbing over them. Difficult hike but worth it. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Chiricahua Peak Very simple hiking with moderate to easy hiking terrain. Trails are getting cleared, new Signs are up and in general the area is just a Pleasure to hike for miles on end. " Tim says that after roughly a mile you’ll finally reach the Chiricahua Peak Trail, which can take you to the summit with an elevation of 9,759 feet. The Chiricahua Mountains contain numerous trails of all lengths and varying degrees of difficulty. (31.84315, -109.28646), Trail descriptions & maps © 2020 Jonathan Patt; mileage, elevations & GPS coordinates public domain. There were simply too many trees on the peak to see much. — Nuernberger • Jun 11, 2016 The Chiricahua Wilderness is home to a fascinating diversity of both plant and animal life, as well as some of the Southwest’s most spectacular geology. This is a moderate loop trail to Chiricahua Peak in Chiricahua Wilderness Area. 9450 ft – 9740 ft. A hike up Chiricahua will give you the county highpoint of Cochise County and one of the 57 "Ultra" prominent peaks in the lower-48 states, with over 5,000 feet of prominence. A faint, ab… The first time we visited Chiricahua National Monument, we thought we must have entered a rock-formation-wonderland. Chiricahua Peak Trail is a 15 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Rodeo, New Mexico that features a great forest setting and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. A faint, abandoned portion of the trail (not included in the trail length or elevation change) heads down to Aspen Saddle from just before the summit. 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