Another Walk in the Park: Chiricahua National Monument

There are two main reasons to visit Chiricahua National Monument: the scenery and the history.
The Monument is about 35 miles south of Willcox, AZ and 120 miles east of Tucson. Geologists attribute the scenery to a massive eruption about 1000 times greater than that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. It deposited layers of compacted pumice and ash that have since eroded into fascinating shapes. The geology is similar to that of Bryce Canyon but without the vivid red, orange, and yellow colors. The history is related to the 30-year struggle between the US military and the Chiricahua Apaches led by Geronimo and Cochise. The Cochise Stronghold is about 40 miles west in the Dragoon Mountains.
It was the "scenery" that protected the Apaches. As you approach from Willcox, there is a broad, flat, desert plain extending to a mountain ridge on the horizon. Any approach by the US Cavalry would raise a cloud of dust that could be seen from 10 or 15 miles away by Apache lookouts. More than enough time for the Chiricahua to take refuge in the maze of rocks and spires. Even so, Geronimo was finally forced to surrender in 1886. He and his remaining small band of warriors were sent to prison at Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island just offshore from Pensacola, FL. (Coincidentally, another of our favorite campgrounds is at Fort Pickens. See my blog post for Gulf Islands National Seashore.)
There is an east-west gravel road through the Monument on which you might see the crumbling ruins of Fort Bowie, used by the cavalry to protect settlers, and the Butterfield Stage Station. You may recall that John Wayne's first starring role was in Stagecoach, the movie in which an Apache attack on the stage from Lordsburg was the central theme.
In the winter, high temperatures are in the 50s and 60s. The lows can be in the teens to mid-30s because of the elevation. While camped there one year, we were advised to leave earlier than planned because snow was in the forecast. The park road is narrow and steep. Even a thin dusting of snow or ice could make it impassable. Just saying, if you choose to go, check the weather first.