If you don’t have enough time to hike a trail in Chiricahua, there’s one place you must stop: Massai Point. A rough trail circles the parking lot, winding around past trees and columns of rock. If you have children, they will have a great time climbing around here.
Here’s another view from Massai Point, with the rocky valley in the background.
If you love to hike, you really should plan to spend an entire day at Chiricahua. Leaving from Massai Point, a nearly 9 mile loop trail circles through the heart of the park. That’s a day’s worth of walking, but from what I’ve read and heard, it’s quite an experience. I did this hike in 2014. You can read about it here.
One final shot from Massai Point. Actually, I took dozens, just to make sure I captured the sunset perfectly. Those rainclouds were directly over the entrance to the park, but the rain never reached the ground.
On your way between Chiricahua National Monument and Willcox, be alert! The road passes through open range. Let me tell you from personal experience, there’s nothing quite as frightening as cresting a hill and suddenly finding a cow in the middle of the road. Don’t worry, I slowed down in time, but it was close.
Note: This trip was first published in 2005. I spent much more time in Chiricahua National Monument on a more recent trip. You can check it out here.
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