Tag: trails

Three Days at Zion National Park – Days 2 & 3

Again I apologize for the lateness of this follow-up article on Zion National Park. As you know from my last blog, my short film Divorce During Pandemic is getting a lot of activity on the film festival circuit and I have been busy with that. Also because of the length of time between the first blog on Zion and this one I’ve decided to combine day 2 and 3 of the trip into one blog.

The 2nd morning I woke up at my hotel in La Verkin and drove the 17 miles to Springdale to the official entrance to the park. The 1st day I took the more difficult Watchman Trail but today I was taking the Pa’rus Trail which serves as the main trail into the interior of the park. If you recall from the previous blog the only way to get around the park is to walk, rent a bicycle or take one of the shuttles. And you can only get the shuttle pass the night before online for a dollar. You cannot purchase them at the park. If you miss the online sale then you can get a free ticket at 3 PM in the afternoon from one of the rangers at the shuttle pick-up and drop-off point. Other than that you’re on your own and all the really interesting sites and trails like the Emerald Pools Trail that leads to both the upper and lower pools and the Riverside Trail are farther into the park about 4 to 5 miles. You can only reach them by hiking in on foot or renting a bike. It behooves you unless you’re in there for an all-day hike is to take the shuttle which have several drop off and pick up points inside the park. For the shuttle schedule you can find that online at https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/zion-canyon-shuttle-tickets.htm or pick up a shuttle guide from at the park headquarters at Zion.

Now the Pa’rus Trail is a much easier trail than the Watchman. It’s paved and it follows the course of the Virgin River as it runs through the park. It’s 1.75 miles in length (doubled to 3.5 round trip) and it’s not strenuous at all. However since it is paved, it’s the only pathway that bicycles can reach deep into the park so you are sharing the trail with bicycles so be cautious of that. There are some lovely views as you walk this trail. You also see a couple of waterfalls that are man-made. They are part of a water system that both the national park and the town of Springdale have worked out for them both to share the river and to keep it clean and flowing. Springdale uses the river of drinking water and other uses.

So I walked the full length of the Pa’rus Trail and got to the end of it where it joins the road that the shuttle buses use to take you further into the park when I realized I had made a mistake by not renting a bicycle originally. So I turned around and took a very leisurely 1.75 mile walk back the way I came. I had lunch at one of the restaurants that are very near the gateway to the park and then went and rented a bicycle. Now they can be rented on 2, 4 or 8 hour schedules. I asked the lady who ran the bicycle concession about the safety of the bicycle since they did not provide a lock or a chain and she told me that that theft inside the park are very rare. There are places to park the bikes at each trail head but you didn’t have to worry about them being stolen. If your bicycle actually was taken, then just take somebody else’s or let one of the shuttle bus drivers know that your bicycle has been taken and that they would take you back to the beginning of the park where you can tell the bicycle concession what happened.

So firm in that knowledge, I rode my bike back up the Pa’rus trail to where it meets the shuttle bus road that takes you further into the park. At this point the road is all uphill. Now I’m not as young as I used to be, and the elevation of this point is anywhere from 4000 to 6500 ft plus above sea level. You have to be aware to altitude sickness or just plain shortness of breath if you live in a lower area like myself. I live in Los Angeles which is at sea level, so I made it about another mile and half before I gave up. I cannot tell you what the Emerald Pools or the Riverside Trail look like but I understand they’re absolutely gorgeous. I turned around and rode my bicycle all the way downhill to the Pa’rus Trail and then on toward the park opening with stops along the way to pause by the waterfalls. The water looked inviting but there was a poisonous algae bloom in the water at that moment the was harmful to humans and deadly for dogs to drink. So it is VERY IMPORTANT to check all park postings before entering the park for possible dangerous situations. I dropped off my bike and drove home. All in all I walk or biked that day about 8.6 miles. It was a good day.

The next day I decided to visit the back country of Zion National Park, an area called Kolob Reservoir. If you want to experience the solitude and grandeur of Zion National Park without all the tourists that gather around the gateway in Springdale this is the place for you. Here you will find lovely high-country meadows, brilliant vistas and back country hiking and camping where it seems that you are the only person around. The park headquarters is where you get permission and licenses to use much of the remote back country of Zion but if you follow Kolob Terrace Rd which just off Utah 9 located in the town of Virgin. It is about about 10 miles from Springdale you will be able to drive all the way up to the reservoir through rolling pastureland, brilliant vistas, plateaus, ravines and canyons, and forests. This side of Zion is much greener then the red rock desert setting around the park headquarters. This area is more used for pasture land for the many ranches that dot this part of Utah. The road is in fairly good shape especially when you are crossing through the park. However sometimes it goes out of the park and crosses private land, and the quality of the of the road is not quite as good . But overall it is a safe drive that elevates from about 4000 feet to about 8000 feet which is where you will find the Kolob Reservoir which was created when they dammed Kolob Creek.

Along Kolob Terrace Road are many trails trailheads that lead off into the back country, and in this part of the park you will find trails like the East Rim, Hop Valley, Wildcat Canyon and The Narrows all trails worth hiking if you are into serious hiking. Some of these trails are 10 miles long, so please consult the Wilderness guide that the park provides for you so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

Because I was returning to Los Angeles that evening, I took a very short hike on a beautiful trail that wandered through a pine forest and scrub brush scenery. The views were amazing. Although it was October it was still 89 degrees in the day and the sun was blazing hot. So after about two hours, I headed back to my car and on toward LA.

The beauty of Zion is undisputed and the ability to be out in nature after being cooped up in my house for months because of the pandemic was exhilarating. I would do Zion National Park again in a heartbeat. And whatever you want to experience – paved trails like the Pa’rus Trail or crowds that you would find at the opening of the park or backcountry trails where you’re the only one there – Zion National Park can provide it. The people are friendly, the scenery is incredible and being out in nature is amazing and healthy for us especially during these strange times.

Three Days at Zion National Park – Day 1

Wonders of Utah

I’ve lived in California for over 30 years and I have been to Las Vegas at least 25 times, yet I had no idea that Zion National Park was only 2 1/2 hours away from Vegas in south-western Utah. So it was with great excitement that I decided to travel to Zion National Park when my wanderlust had become overwhelming.

View inside the park

First, I stopped off in Las Vegas for an evening before driving all the way to Zion which turned into two days when I woke up the next morning with a bad case of food poisoning that of course made me think I was suffering from COVID-19. After spending the entire day in my room recovering, I woke up on the third day hungry and refreshed. Two and half hours later, as I drove across the desert out of Nevada and across the northwestern corner of Arizona, I entered Utah. I had not been in the state of Utah for 25 years, and I had forgotten how incredibly beautiful it is.

View from Springdale

Turning off on Utah State Highway 9, I wandered through the towns of St. George and Hurricane and La Verkin and Virgin until I reached the gateway to Zion National Park which is Springdale, UT. I had started looking for a hotel to stay starting at La Verkin, and the prices increased exponentially the closer I got to the entrance to the park. I finally settled on a slightly rundown but comfortable hotel in La Verkin about 17 miles from Zion called the Hotel Zion Inn. The hotel had seen some hard times but had recently been taken over by an Indian family who was rebuilding it slowly. The hotel was a huge complex with four separate buildings but at the moment they only had about 50 rooms available. The beds were comfortable, the air conditioning was great, they had wonderful cable television and the hotel was clean if not a little dated. And the price was perfect if you weren’t looking for luxury at $34 a night. The price including tax was $117.00 off Hotels.com.

Hotel Zion Inn, 150 N State St, La Verkin, UT 84745, Phone: (435) 635-0965

Theories about the origin of La Verkin’s name suggest that it may be a corruption of the Spanish la virgen, after the nearby Virgin River, or possibly an error in the transcription of the term “beaver skin.”

Oldest store in Virgin, UT

The next morning after a simple breakfast at the hotel I drove the 17 miles to Zion. Along the way I passed through the very small-town Virgin, Utah. The first settlement at Virgin was in 1858. It’s also the name of the river that carved out the canyon that creates Zion National Park.

Very interesting rock on the Watchman Trail.

Arriving in Springdale you immediately become aware the town is set up completely to service the tourists that visit Zion National Park on a daily basis. The elevation is 3800 plus feet and the average hotel price in the town is around $230. There are several restaurants, bars and art galleries and other things to do both family related or otherwise in the town so there is a bit of a nightlife there.

Views on the Watchman Trail

Parking is quite easy in Springdale because there is a free shuttle that runs from the edge of town all the way up to the opening of Zion National Park. However there are a few peculiarities about the parking situation. Everything is based on a credit card and there are three choices. Parking is a dollar an hour in all areas and you can choose one hour, two hours or twelve hours and nothing in between. Those are the only choices. There is parking inside Zion but there is no driving in Zion. Everything is either by shuttle or hiking or by bicycle.

Vista from the end of the Watchman Trail

There is a shuttle inside the park which is a one dollar ticket, but you must (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/zion-canyon-shuttle-tickets.htm) buy the ticket online the day before and have verification either with a paper print out or on your phone or iPad when you show up at the park. For those people who did not know how to get a ticket they start handing out free shuttle tickets on the day of on a first come first serve basis at 3:00 PM in the afternoon. The shuttle will take you deep into the park to Riverside Trail, the Emerald pools both lower an upper and to other trails. It is not recommended to hike to those places because some of them are literally 10 miles in one direction. So unless you’re going to stick around the entrance of the park the only way to see those other sites is either by renting a bicycle or taking the shuttle.

The Watchman

Around the entrance of Zion National Park are two trails one is the Watchman trail and the Pa’rus trail. Both are 3.5 miles round trip, but the Watchmen is a grade two trail that goes up the face of the Watchmen a singular tower of stone that kind of feels like the sentinel or guard for the park hence the name the Watchman.

On the Watchman Trail

Starting in between the Visitor Center and the South Campground, the Watchman Trail heads up to a viewpoint on top of the first layer of cliffs roughly 300 feet above the canyon floor. While the trail doesn’t actually take you to the top of the Watchman, you can still get a good view of the famous and photogenic peak to the south as well as a good bird’s eye view of the canyon and Springdale below. The trail is mostly family-friendly but keep a close eye on children as there are a few cliff edges to pay attention to. This trail is completely exposed to the sun, so during the hot summer months, this hike is best done on a cloudy day or in the morning when this side of the main canyon is still in the shade. The trail is not paved and there are lots of rocks and strenuous areas to get through. The view is worth the hike.

More of the Watchman Trail

Part 2 of this three days In Zion National Park will focus on the Pa’rus Trail and trying to get to the Emerald Pools and the Riverside trail.

Part 3 will focus on the Kolob Reservoir on the backside of Zion National Park where there are really great trails away from the crowds and the commercialism at the entrance to the park.

Gallery of Zion Shots, Day 1

  

My Drive Across America: Van Horn to Abileen, TX

Main street, Van Horn, TX – Photo James Carey

To say that Van Horn, TX is slow would be an understatement. In the little hamlet of 2000+ people there is truly not much to see or do IN Van Horn. There are a couple of interesting buildings but by and large the town would be considered very sleepy. But outside of Van Horn is another story.

Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin capsule -Photo MATTHEW STAVER/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world, must think that Van Horn is a special place since he bought over 165,000 acres of land just outside of the small town to build his spaceport where flight tests of the New Shepard are carried out by Blue Origin, his private space company. The ranch is called the Corn Ranch, and it is very hush-hush. Yet, the financial boost that you would expect from all those engineers and science types does not appear to have helped Van Horn much. There are several closed down businesses that had put up Welcome Blue Origin banners up to welcome Bezos and company.

Inside the Time Clock Tunnel – Photo The Long Now Foundation

Bezos is also digging a hole on his ranch to place a 10000 year old clock/time capsule. Actually, it is more complex than that. Bezos is hollowing out a mountain on his ranch to place the clock inside. Installation has already begun on this project that the Amazon CEO has invested $42 million in, along with the hollowed-out mountain, with the goal of building a 500 foot mechanical clock that will run for 10 millennia. According to the website for Bezos’ 10,000-year clock, visitors will (in theory) be able to view the finished timepiece, although the site notes that it’ll be a rough trip. “The nearest airport is several hours away by car” and a rugged foot trail that rises almost 2,000 feet above the valley floor. Fortunately, if the clock runs for as long as it claims, you’ll have plenty of time to plan your trip.

First prototype of the 10000 year old clock – Photo The Long View Foundation

Another interesting factoid of Van Horn is that it is the Western most incorporated town in the Central Time zone. Yet, the only other reason that I can think of to recommend stopping off in Van Horn until the spaceport is built is that it is the southern gateway to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns.

Photo – paintyourlandscape.com

The Guadalupe Mountains (Spanish: Sierra de Guadalupe) are a mountain range located in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The range includes the highest summit in Texas, Guadalupe Peak, 8,751 ft, and the “signature peak” of West Texas, El Capitan, both of which are located within Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Photo – NPS.com

You drive north out of Van Horn on Texas Highway 54 for about 45 miles or about an hour until you hook up with US Highway 62 that will lead you up into the mountains toward Guadalupe National Park and further on to the Carlsbad Caverns tourist complex in New Mexico. Along the scenic drive you pass the 12800 acre Sierra Ranch.

After the American Civil War, this area was the site of some savage Indian War battles between the Mescalero Apaches and a cavalry unit known as the Buffalo Soldiers.  A main travel passage for settlers, mail, and stage coaches came through the Guadalupe Pass and were often attacked by the Apache tribe. The cavalry unit was ordered to the area to stop Indian raids on settlements and mail stage routes. During the winter of 1869, Lt. H.B. Cushing led his troops into the Guadalupe Mountains and destroyed two Mescalero Apache camps. The Mescalero Apache were eventually driven out of the area and into US Indian reservations.

Guadalupe Mountains – Photo National-parks.com

The national park is beautiful and has many hikes of all levels that lead to wondrous sights including one that leads to an original ranch house located next to a natural spring that was the site of a prolonged fight between a rancher who wanted the land and the Apache tribe. Eventually the rancher won and drove what remained of the tribe out of the area forever. The ranch is beautiful, but the history of it not so much.

Hotel El Capitan Photo James Carey

After taking that long detour to the mountains, it was an hour back to Van Horn and Interstate 20 and east toward Abilene. Right as you drive into Van Horn on Texas 54 you see right in front of you the most interesting building in Van Horn, the El Capitan Hotel. The hotel is a 5-star hotel built in the 1930’s. In the 1973, the hotel was convert to a bank. In 2007, Lanna and Joe Duncan of Fort Davis purchased the building from the bank with the plan to convert it back into a hotel. They rebuilt almost everything including all new bathrooms with all new plumbing. The hotel is one of five identical hotels all built in the West Texas/Carlsbad area.

Hotel Capitan – Photo James Carey

As you drive across the flat West Texas landscape you notice something that is constant and unending. The Wind! It is part of the nature and atmosphere of this environment. The constant blowing wind. And it makes you think why not wind turbines? This is the perfect place for them – however, this is Texas. The land of oil and natural gas. That is the business that drives much of America’s business engine and much of its political machine. As you approach Midland, it is obvious what part of the world you are in. Oil well after oil well, business after business that are connected to the oil business. The chances of a wind turbine out here are nil.

Yet, the wind is persistent and sustained. And as you get closer to Sweetwater you begin to understand that oil and gas maybe king but close behind is Wind Power. Huge wind turbines in all directions by the hundreds. Texas dominates the nation’s wind energy production, adding far more generating capacity than any other state last year and having more installed wind power capacity than all but five countries in the world, the U.S. Energy Department.

Texas has vaulted to the top of wind power by not only exploiting the strong winds of West Texas, but also by building the transmission to move the electricity from remote regions to state population areas. The state’s wind energy production, meanwhile, is only expected to increase and provide a growing share of the state’s electricity as advancing technology allows turbines to generate at lower wind speeds and improved weather forecasting makes it easier to integrate it into the grid. Currently, wind power is estimated to provide 17% of Texas growing power needs.

Texas added more than 2,300 megawatts of wind power last year, nearly three times the amount added by the next closest state, Oklahoma, which increased its wind generating capacity by about 850 megawatts. At the end of 2017, Texas had more than 10,000+ wind turbines producing over 22,000 megawatts of wind power, more than triple Oklahoma’s 7,500 megawatts of wind generating capacity, the second highest in the nation.

Yet, oil and gas is king in West Texas so even as Texas rises to the top of the wind power business, Texas politicians are trying to find ways to undercut the federal subsides for renewable energy which they claim are an unfair advantage. It makes one wonder why can you not have both?

After 33o miles of flat, flat road with the constant whisper of blowing wind in my ear, I pulled into a cheap motel in Abileen. A long tiring day but found out some very interesting about Texas that I did not know.

Tomorrow – Mission Out of Texas!

Fake Post Office in Van Horn Photo James Carey

My Drive Across America: Wilcox to Van Horn, TX

Woke up in Wilcox, AZ, the next morning to hit the road again. I wandered back into the small downtown area for breakfast at my new favorite Mexican place, Isabel’s South of the Border, and had their famous Shrimp Enchilades special. Excellent but extremely filling!!!

Main Street, Wilcox AZ

So to walk off the food, I wandered around the little hamlet for a while. Like a lot of small towns across America, Wilcox’s downtown was struggling. People moving away or just preferring the newer places on the edge of town, whatever the reason about half of DT Wilcox was closed up or for sale. Yet there were some really interesting jewels of history or culture, and innovative uses of older buildings.

Rex Allen Museum

Wilcox’s most famous citizen was a singing movie cowboy by the name of Rex Allen. Located in DT Wilcox is the Rex Allen Museum featuring memorabilia from his rodeo, radio, movies and television achievements. Across the street from the museum is a larger-than-life bronze statue of Rex, created by sculptor Buck McCain. Inside the statue is a molded bronze heart with arteries, symbolizing that Rex’s heart will always be in Wilcox. Rex’s horse, KoKo, is buried at the foot of the statue.

Rex Allen Statue

Rex Allen was an American film actor and singer, known as “the Arizona Cowboy” and as the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contributions to the film industry, Allen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1975. Beginning in 1950, Allen starred as himself in 19 films. One of the top-ten box office draws of the day, whose character was soon depicted in comic books, on screen Allen personified the clean cut, God-fearing American hero of the wild West who wore a white Stetson hat, loved his faithful horse Koko, and had a loyal buddy who shared his adventures. Allen passed in 1999.

The Chiricahua Museum right next to Isabelle’s South of the Border

Around the corner from the Rex Allen Musuem is the Chiricahua Regional Museum. A wonderful little museum -researched and staffed-entirely by volunteers which has tons of artifacts from rocks to art work, original Navajo/Chiricahua clothing ,medals and pictures. Only a few bucks donated gets you in and there is a volunteer on site to answer any questions. Place could use a dusting but very informative! Stop in if you have time.

City Park, Wilcox, AZ

The town has adapted the best it can to the changing times. Originally known as “Maley”, the town was founded in 1880 as a whistle stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was renamed in 1889 in honor of a visiting General. In the early 20th century, Wilcox had the distinction of being a national leader in cattle production, but Interstate 10 has replaced the railroad as the major transportation link, and much of the economy is now tied to the highway, which runs immediately north of the town.

Chochise County where Wilcox sits has many historical sites within its boundaries since many of the last battles against the Apaches happened here. Many of the famous tales and stories of the Old West actually happened here. There are several sites to see and explore. You can use this link to find out more. https://www.explorecochise.com/

Organ Mountains, New Mexico photo credit – lascrucescvb.org

But needing to get on the road I had to cut my exploration short and get back on Interstate 10. Soon I crossed into New Mexico wishing I had more time to spend in this amazingly beautiful place. There is a story that when Georgia O’Keeffe arrived in New Mexico, she is supposed to have said that she wasn’t going to say too much about it, because people would get interested and she didn’t want them so interested that they came there. New Mexico’s natural and dramatic landscape plays out like a painting: vast skies with bright sunlight, and stark shadows leaving silhouettes on the desert’s wide expanse. To see some of the best drives in New Mexico follow this link. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28952-Activities-c47-t74-New_Mexico.html

Since I was driving and had no time to stop and had to stay on my own personal schedule, I really did not see much except what passed me on the highway, but two things did happen during my drive. I crossed the Continental Divide about 30 miles west of Deming, NM. There is a sign that marks this event on the side of the highway. On every other Interstate you drive thru the Rockies. This drive is so gentle you don’t even notice it. The elevation at this point is 4585 feet about sea level.

photo credit – krwg.com

The second adventure happened about 50 miles west of Las Cruces. The whole front end of my car started to shake. So the answer – new tires – after I entered Las Cruces I found a place still open in the downtown area. It was going to take 2 hours and 500+ dollars. I had little to no tread on the tires left and I was out of alignment. Stuck in a new town for 2 hours with nothing to do, I asked the counter man where close by is there a place to eat or drink. He pointed across the street to Amador. I walked across the street and what a surprise. Amador is part of a 4 restaurant and bar complex with several bars, outdoor dining, a concert venue. It even has an outdoor courtyard with games and room for kids of all ages to run around and play in the afternoon sun. I met a couple from California who had moved to Las Cruces to escape Cali’s growing taxes and enjoy a slower but richer lifestyle. They had been there for about 3 years and were loving it. Great scenery, a pretty upscale lifestyle, lower taxes and a slower pace! What is not to like?!

View of Las Cruces, NM photo credit Dailylobo.com

It was late afternoon when I got back on the road, and I was determined to get through El Paso and on into Texas. No offense meant to anyone, but I do not like El Paso. I have driven through it 5 times during cross country trips and I find it a nightmare every time. I am sure that it is a lovely place, but I just want to get through it. If I could find a fast alternative to driving around it, I would take it.

Billboard for El Paso, TX – photo credit 52perfectdays.com

I do remember one beautiful site as I drove east from El Paso into the deserted West Texas landscape. I stopped on a side road for a pit stop and the night was completely silent except for passing traffic. The night was black with no lights 30 miles east of El Paso, and you could see the stars and the hundreds of lights across the border into Mexico. It was a lovely and very peaceful moment after a very long day driving.

Finally, about 9 PM , I pulled off the highway at Van Horn and checked into a Motel 6. Dinner was at a 24 hours Subway in a Love’s Truck Stop. One of two places open in town at that time. As I drove down the main drag I was followed by the local sheriff probably hoping for a speeding ticket from a California tourist. No luck, I drove slower than the speed limit. There seemed to be a lot of interesting buildings in the small DT area, but I was too tired to explore. It was back to the motel and sleep.

Next stop – Again somewhere in Texas.

My Drive Across America: Photos of Tombstone, AZ

Just a few images from an afternoon in Tombstone, AZ and the surrounding country. Check out Drive Across America: Yuma to Tombstone, AZ. for further details. Cheers!

Main Street – Tombstone
Main Street
Old Territory Courthouse
Stage of Bird Cage Theatre
Brothel Overlooking Birdcage Stage
Doc Holiday’s Farro Table
Longest Poker Game in US History
Longest Poker Game
Longest Poker Game
Black Mirara BootHill Hearse
Where My Rosebush is
My Rosebush
A extremely powerful pump for the silver mines that made Tombstone!
Lake Patagonia

My Drive Across America: Yuma to Tombstone, AZ

There are three popular local bars in the Old Town section of Yuma, AZ. Places that I had visited on my first discovery of the town a few months before. Upon my return to the city of Yuma and checking into my cheap hotel (this was not the luxury tour across the country, this was the budget tour), I proceeded to have dinner and revisit all my favorite Yuma joints. In no certain order, Jimmie Dee’s, Red’s Bird Cage, and the Pint House Bar and Grill, all local and all great places to meet people and have a cocktail served by great bartenders. However, lets just say that I over did it and I was paying the price the next morning when I got up. So I was slow to get on the road and not expecting to get far that day.

Leaving the Colorado River behind

I had made a plan to drive about 300 miles a day and take 6 to 7 days to drive across America. My hope for that day was just to make it to New Mexico before dark.

Outside Sedona, AZ

There are many things to see in Arizona. The Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert in the North, the lava fields(yes volcanoes) and many National Parks around Flagstaff, the red rocks and (former) spiritual atmosphere of Sedona (which is now thick with tourists and shopping malls), to the far West is the Sonoran Desert and the powerful Colorado River that marks much of Arizona western border with Nevada and California, Lake Havasu City and the original London Bridge imported from Great Britian, to the Southeast are the Superstition Mountains and the beautiful rolling grasslands that include famous Old West town Tombstone, Bisbee, and the Gila River. It is a beautiful state with a diverse geography of mountains, forests, rivers, canyons, and desert, plus it has a long and rich history centuries before it became part of the USA.

The fabled Apache and Navajo nations began arriving in Arizona in the 13th century, and somewhere between the 11th and 14th centuries, the Pueblo Indian culture built their mysterious prehistoric cliff dwellings across America’s southwest, many of which still exist today. It is not hard to imagine as you drive through this varied terrain the savage war that Native Americans fought with whites for control of this land. Savage on both sides as one race tried to hold on and the other desired more and more land. One modern and the other not primitive, but closer to the land and to nature. There are historical markers and sites everywhere you look in Arizona.

Sunset Crater National Park, Flagstaff, AZ

The Spanish arrived around the late 1530’s in search of the Seven Cities of Gold, Marcos de Niza, Franciscan friar from Spain, the first European to explore Arizona; soon after, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado followed in his quest for gold. The early settlements built here were for missionary purposes only. In 1775, the Spanish established Fort Tucson, in fact Tucson is one of the oldest cities in the United States of America.

So that morning as I drove across the Sonoran Desert towards Casa Grande to meet up with Interstate 10, I hoped to be able to take the time to drive down to Tombstone and see the sites there. I had been to Tombstone on my first around-the-country trip when I was 15, traveling in a bus full of hormonal teenagers from Georgia. I had faint memories of the town except for one really strong image that I wanted to see if it was still there as I remembered it.

Main Street, Tombstone, AZ

By making great time on Interestates 8 and 10, I got to Tucson by early afternoon. Tucson seems like a beautiful city. The downtown business area seems gleaming almost especially near the university. Their freeway system is unlike any that I have seen in America before. Maybe because they had the room to expand in the city area, but the Interstate that goes right through the center of the city has wide frontage roads on either side that make entering and exiting the highway a breeze. Really well thought out.

About 100 miles east of Tucson is the turnoff toward Tombstone at the town of Benson. Traveling about 25 miles through some beautiful country you come to Tombstone. While the area around Tombstone is not as pretty as the drive down. The town was built on top the single largest silver discovery in Arizona. It became one of the last boomtowns in the American frontier. Within two years of its founding, although far distant from any other metropolitan area, Tombstone had a bowling alley, four churches, an ice house, a school, two banks, three newspapers, and an ice cream parlor, alongside 110 saloons, 14 gambling halls, and numerous dance halls and brothels. All of these businesses were situated on top of the silver mines. The people of Tombstone attended operas presented by visiting acting troupes or gambled and dealt with the prostitutes at the Bird Cage Theatre and brothel, and other places like it.

Birdcage Theatre and Museum, contains some of the best examples of Old West memorabilia in America.
Stage of the Birdcage where stars of the day like Eddie Foy and Jennie Lind performed

Most famous for the Gunfight at the OK Corral (subject of countless movies), Tombstone was a hotbed of crime and post-Civil War tension. The city was only 30 miles (48 km) from the U.S.–Mexico border and was an open market for cattle stolen from ranches in Sonora, Mexico, by a loosely organized band of outlaws known as The Cowboys. The Earp brothers—Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan as well as Doc Holliday, arrived in December 1879 and mid-1880. The Earps had immediate ongoing conflicts with the Cowboys. The Cowboys repeatedly threatened the Earps over many months until the conflict escalated into a shootout on October 26, 1881. The historic gunfight is often portrayed as occurring at the O.K. Corral, though it actually occurred a short distance away in an empty lot on Fremont Street.

In the mid-1880s, when the silver mines closed down, the city nearly became a ghost town. Many owners just locked up and walked away like the Birdcage Theatre. When new owners opened the doors which had been locked for nearly 40 years, the place was exactly like is was the day it had been closed. It is now considered one of the best examples of authentic Old West historic lifestyle and memorabilia. Tombstone today exists almost totally on tourism.

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Brothel rooms at the Birdcage just above the stage
Table where the longest poker game in American history took place – 8 years and 4 months. 10 million US changed hands during that time 1880’s.

After spending a couple of hours walking around Tombstone and seeing the real historical Old West with my own eyes, I found my childhood memory. While the town seemed very different (40 years later) I had a very clear image of a large Rose Tree covering a house or blocking it view from the street. Right next to the old courthouse was this very tree still blocking the view of the house from the street. I asked the owner how old the tree was and he told me about 105 years old and it was still blooming.

I found my Rose Tree as I remembered it
House and Gardens where the Rose Tree is located.

Leaving Tombstone I drove about 20 miles to a beautiful little area known as Patagonia for a wonderful hike by the lake there. This area has a cool little town and the area as many really great hikes that I wish I could have stayed for but I needed to get back on the road.

Lake Patagonia west of Tombstone.

It was dark when I got back to the 10 finally and I only made it to Wilcox, AZ., before I stopped for the night. No nightlife in Wilcox to speak of, but I had a really authentic Mexican meal in a delightful place called Isabel’s South of the Border right on the main street. Great food and service.

Tomorrow – Somewhere in Texas?

Hiking in Vegas – Lake Mead Railroad Trail

One of the easiest and best hike in Las Vegas is the Historic Railway Trail that over looks Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. TripAdvisor gives this trail a 4 1/2 rating and calls it the #15 thing to do in Las Vegas.

The Historic Railroad Trail is an easy, dog-friendly hike along a former railroad grade. It provides panoramic views of Lake Mead, overlooking the Boulder Basin area. As hikers travel through five large tunnels, they will experience a portion of the railroad route that ran from Boulder City to Hoover Dam from 1931 to 1961.

As one of Southern Nevada’s most unique trail experiences, the trail was designated as a national recreation trail on June 4, 2015. It shares the rich history of the construction of the Hoover Dam and the creation of Lake Mead.

In 2017, the Historic Railroad Trail was graded and received a new layer of decomposed granite, improving its accessibility and the overall visitor experience. The trail can be accessed near the Lake Mead Visitor Center or via the Hoover Dam Parking Garage.

This is the only remaining section of Hoover Dam Railroad system that is not highly disturbed or under water

You can walk, run, bicycle or even push a stroller on this flat easy trail. Along the trail you will see a section of rough, rocky road on the south side of the railroad bed that is believed to be the first section of pioneer trail or road for the construction of Hoover Dam. Approaching Tunnel 1, on the right, look down the ravine to see concrete plugs taken out of Hoover Dam to install the turbines.

  • The first tunnel is around 1 mile from the trailhead.
  • The fifth tunnel is around 2.2 miles from the trailhead.
  • The elevation change from the trailhead to the fifth tunnel is about 11 feet.
  • After the fifth tunnel, the trail continues another 1.5 miles to the Hoover Dam Parking Garage. The elevation change between these two points is around 445 feet.
  • Total distance = 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) round trip.

All tunnels are approximately 300 feet in length, and 25 feet in diameter. The tunnels were oversized to fit penstock sections and large equipment being transported to Hoover Dam.

Tunnel 1 has eight sections of vertical supports, five of which have horizontal planks to prevent the fall of loose rock on to the tracks so there would be few delays during the 24-hour dam building schedule. Weight from the rock has damaged the outermost, eastern arch.

Tunnel 2 burned in an arson fire in 1990. You can see it looks different from the other tunnels. It was sprayed with shotcrete to fortify the now looser rock.

Rocks excavated from the tunnels were undoubtedly used for the fills. The outermost east arch was deformed by pressure of the rock in tunnel 3.

Tunnel 5 was burned in 1978 and was then sealed. The tunnel was restored, sprayed with shotcrete and reopened in July 2001. The trail continues to Hoover Dam and the visitor center parking structure. The gates after Tunnel 5 are locked at sunset.

Historic Lake Mead railroad tracks leading to tunnel

Nine steam and four gas locomotives and 71 people used to operate the system. It was a standard-gauge, 90-pound rail construction that used Oregon fir ties.

This section of the railroad was used in the motion picture “The Gauntlet” starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke for a sequence in which they were on a motorcycle being chased by an assassin in a helicopter.

You can access the trailhead from the junction of Nevada Way and US 93 at the northern end of Boulder City, Nevada, take US 93 approximately 2.4 miles in a easterly direction to Lakeshore Drive. Turn left onto Lakeshore Drive and proceed a short distance past the Alan Bible Visitor Center. The trailhead is located on the right side of Lakeshore Drive.

Note: Major parts of the information included in this article are taken from the National Park Service Lake Mead National Recreation Area website and the National Recreation Trail website. Photo credit: Photos were taken from NPS.org and NRT Database.

Acadia Images, Day 2 – Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Day two on Mt. Desert Island was focused on the western side of the island. So it is less about the Acadia National Park, which while still there – this part of the island is more about local villages, fishing, and a much slower life style. Here are some images from hiking Wonderland Trail, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Mill Cove outside Pretty Marsh Village on a wonderful bright blue day. Enjoy!!

Hike

 

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