Weather: 70ยบ, sun and clouds
About this Hike: After about five hours of driving we arrived at Chiricahua National Monument. Bonita Creek Campground will be home for the next couple of nights as we explore what may soon be Arizona's next national park.
Since it was late in the day, I opted for a 'medium-duty' hike at the Natural Bridge Trail. There is a small parking area off the main road, but we had it to ourselves. Good thing too, because I recently acquired a small RV from Cruise America. Its a pre-production prototype of their new 'ultra-compact' model, and after they finished testing it, I picked it up for a good price. National park infrastructure is typically accommodating for those who use small RVs and vans as their primary exploration vehicle.
The natural bridge hike starts in a riparian zone, climbs to high desert savanna, and then drops into another riparian area complete with apache pines, wildflower meadows, trickling streams, and plenty of mosquitos.
The water and mosquitos are thanks to all the monsoon activity Arizona has enjoyed this summer. It also means that while these trails are well-maintained, there is some tall grass encroachment. Post-hike I did a thorough tick check even though I was wearing long pants.
After just over two miles of hiking, the namesake natural bridge came into view. You can't get really close to it. A sign denotes the end of the trail at a viewpoint. I'd suggest binoculars and/or a zoom lens.
This was a good inaugural hike to kick off our Chiricahua exploration.
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