Our final stop during our May 2015 visit to Chiricahua National Monument was at the Echo Canyon Loop Trail. As part of the 3.3 mile loop trail had been washed out due to recent flooding, I only hiked down to what I hope was the Grottoes before returning to the parking area. This made a short one-mile round trip hike in the "Wonderland of Rocks".
If you are planning to travel I-10 between Tucson and Las Cruces, schedule at least a morning or afternoon to sightsee, hike, picnic or just relax at this unique little park in the southeast corner of Arizona.
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| Trail surface |
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| This must be the picnic area |
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| Heading toward the seal posing on a pedestal |
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| The trail was built by the CCC as can be seen in the sign architecture |
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| A few columns rise above the trees |
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| It's a bird! It's a seal! No, it's just a rock poser. |
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| Hoodoos in the forest |
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| Another view of the trail |
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| A whole mountainside of rock columns |
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| Sugarloaf Mountain from the trail |
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| Bent to the point of breaking |
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| Giant chairs in a rock amphitheater |
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| Another balancing act |
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| Huddled up on the hillside |
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| Naturally carve stone statues |
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| From this direction, a stone tulip |
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| If we all just work together we can roll the big rock over the hill |
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| Looking back, the stone tulip becomes a bird bath |
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| Split right down the middle |
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| A lizard suns on the rocks |
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| An Easter Island Moai in Arizona or just a balanced rock? |
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| Looking south toward the Turkey Creek caldera |
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| The Twins |
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| Another view of Balanced Rock |
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| Playing "King of the Hill" |
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| Biggest trail cairn I've ever seen |
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| Inspiration for Rock 'em Sock 'em robots? |
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| This one fell off its pedestal |
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| More columns |
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| A trailside column |
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| Elephant parade |
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| Teed up, not teed off |
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| Leaning columns |
Entrance to Chiricahua National Monument is free.
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/chir/index.htm.
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