Chiricahua National Monument Wilderness

About 27 million years ago the Turkey Creek Volcano, in the heart of the Chiricahua Mountains, spewed forth more than 100 cubic miles of white-hot ash and pumice that settled, fused, and cooled into a 2,000-foot-thick layer of grey volcanic rock known as rhyolite. Then nature's sculptors — ice, water, wind — began whittling away at the rock to create craggy grottoes, towering rock spires, massive stone columns, and balanced rocks weighing hundreds of tons. Known to the Chiricahua Apache Nation as "Land of the Standing-Up Rocks," this wonderland of rocks was renamed Chiricahua National Monument by the National Park Service in 1924. The Wilderness encompasses most of the monument on this "sky island" mountain range, where snow falls in winter and summer temperatures hover in the 90s with dramatic monsoon thunderstorms. It is a unique crossroads of plants and animals from four ecosystems: the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts, the Rocky Mountains, and Mexico's Sierra Madre. Cactus, yuccas, and mesquite in the grassy lowlands give way to sycamore, oaks, alligator juniper, and Arizona cypress in the canyons, with Apache, Chihuahuan, and ponderosa pines plus Douglas fir in the high country along the 8-mile scenic drive to Massai Point. Watch for Chiricahua fox squirrels, coatimundi, javelina, and black bears; this birdwatchers' paradise is home to the rare sulphur-bellied flycatcher, Mexican chickadee, and red-faced warbler. The 17 miles of day-use trails offer something for hikers of any ability. Try the Massai Nature Trail for a quick overview, or the 3.3-mile moderate Echo Canyon Loop, which winds among the pinnacles. More challenging are the 0.9-mile jaunt to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain, the 4.8-mile round-trip Natural Bridge Trail, and the 7.3-mile round trip to the Heart of Rocks, location of the most unusual named formations. No overnight camping is permitted in the Wilderness. The Bonita Canyon Campground has 25 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are no services in the monument, so stock up on supplies in Willcox.