Fort Bowie Arizona - National Historic Site - Geronimo - Cochise

Fort Bowie is not far from where we are staying and was one of the more notable forts in the 1862-1890 timeframe.  It was established to control Apache Pass which was a prime route for westward migration and Apache Pass Spring, the only reliable source of water within 50 miles.  It was the site of several engagements with the Apaches under Cochise and Geronimo. The fort was named in honor of Colonel George Washington Bowie commander of the 5th Regiment California Infantry who first established the fort.

 Fort Bowie at the height of its development in the early 1890's (photo of a National Parks brochure)

Stage Station Ruin

The Cemetary

Burial place of Geronimo's son

Many of the ruins walls are capped with adobe to prevent further erosion

Ruins of the enlisted men's barracks

Another view of the barracks

Reproduction Indian camp

This is a high desert area with lots of cactus

Similar viewpoint to the following 1800's photo

The powder magazine - mostly intact due to the thick walls

Icehouse ruins

Remains of a portion of the emigrant trail

More ruins - new visitor center in the background on left - it is located where the horse stables were originally

Cistern

View of the remains of the fort from an adjacent ridge - it doesn't look like it but this was a pretty steep climb

The US flag on the parade grounds located on the spot of the original flag

This was quite an interesting National Historic Site that not a lot of people get to see as it is off the beaten path and it takes some effort to hike up here.  It ends up being about a 4-mile hike - 3 miles up and back and about an additional mile seeing the grounds.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Utah

Friday we moved from the Grand Canyon area to Lone Rock Beach Campground in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah, just over the border from Arizona.  This is a paid campground in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area with no sewer, water, or electric hook-ups - cost with the National Senior Pass is $7./night - full price is $14.  Most everone camps on the beach but we are in the dunes area which is much more private.

Our Route From The Grand Canyon To Utah

Our Campsite

The view from our campsite

Panoramic photo of the campground (click to enlarge)

Another view of the camground

The namesake rock

Today we hiked the Hanging Gardens Trail which is just a couple miles from the campground.  The hanging gardens are a mass of vegetation, mostly ferns, growing on the vertical face of a cliff. Water seeps from the porous sandstone and is absorbed by the ferns.  The cliff has an overhang which protects the plants from the sun. It is more impressive than the pictures show - this is a little oasis in the desert.

The rest of the pictures are views from the Hanging Gardens Trail or nearby.

A small section of Lake Powell - this section is mostly in Arizona

Another view of Lake Powell

Another view from the hike

Quite a variety of landscapes in a small area - red sandstone hill on our hike

Looking South into Arizona

Not as many cacti here but this one was in bloom

View of the back side of the Glen Canyon Dam which dams the Colorado River to form Lake Powell which covers 254 sq. mi.   Tomorrow we are going to the Glen Canyon Dam visitor center and to Horseshoe Bend which is just up the road from where we are - we decided to wait until Monday hoping they both won't be so busy.

Kaibab National Forest Boondocking - Grand Canyon

Monday we left Winslow, AZ and traveled to Tusayan, AZ which is about 5 miles from the entrance to the Grand Canyon.  We are boondocking in the Kaibab National Forest just South of Tusayan.  Boondocking is allowed on most of the forest roads in the National Forest.  We are in a large, fairly open area about 1000 feet from the road with no close neighbors.  

Our Route

Our Campsite

View Out Our Windows

View looking back toward the forest road (it is about as far back as you can see the trees)

We went to the Grand Canyon twice since we have been here.  The first day we took Darby but he was a little overwhelmed with all the people on the narrow trails so we left him in the camper the second day.  We hiked several miles on the Rim Trail the first day and about 5 miles on the Hermits Rest Trail the second day.   

Lots of elk wandering around in Grand Canyon Village

Views of the canyon - photographs do not do it justice

Telephoto glimpse of the Colorado River about 1 mile down and several miles away 

View of Grand Canyon Village from the Hermits Rest Trail

The Bright Angel trail - a  switchback trail used by hikers and the mules to descend into the canyon

Telephoto close-up of one of the many formations

Wide angle - click to enlarge

One of the many Grand Canyon Railroad locomotives that travel from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon several times a day

Some of the mules that are used to carry people down the steep trail into the canyon

The mule barn in Grand Canyon Village

We have been here 5 days and are leaving for Utah in the morning - we were going to leave today but this area and southern Utah had severe high wind warnings (60 to 70 mph gusts) today so we are waiting until tomorrow to leave.