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Ready to truly get away from it all? Sometimes you need to unplug, immerse yourself in a quiet place, and revel in the sights and sounds of nature. But so often the well-known areas for natural beauty are so crowded that it doesn’t feel like a true getaway. Luckily, if you know where to go, there are still some spots where you can really “get away from it all.”
One of these is in southeast Arizona. It’s called the Chiricahua Mountain range, one of the “sky islands” that rear up dramatically out of the desert flats. These islands are unique environments, oases for wildlife and the people who venture to these far-flung areas.
A weekend getaway to the most remote (east) side of the Chiricahuas is the right choice if you’re looking to get off the grid. You’ll get the joy of road tripping from Tucson, which has the nearest major airport. (El Paso is also an option.)
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When is the best time to visit the Chiricahua Mountains?
The Chiricahua Mountains can be considered a year-round destination, as long as you know what to prepare for. Although summer temperatures here are cooler than those in Tucson or Phoenix, it still gets very hot. In July and August there is a risk of flash flooding during the monsoon.
If you want to choose the most temperate months, May and October are usually safe bets for beautiful weather. If you visit in winter, you’ll usually see temperatures hover around the 50s F/mid-teens C during the day, though it can get freezing at night.
Luckily, it hardly ever snows, at least in the lower elevations.
Land in Tucson and rest up for your adventure
To get your wilderness weekend off to the best start, fly into Tucson on Friday evening. If you’ve given yourself extra vacation days, enjoy the underrated travel destination of Tucson itself. Tucson International Airport is in the southeast part of town, which is the handiest area for highway access on your road trip, so grab a room at one of the airport hotels.
Plan to get an early start after that Continental breakfast to make the most of your weekend.
When you reserve your rental car in Tucson, note that you can complete this itinerary in any passenger car. Having said that, it’s worth considering an SUV. As you can probably imagine, there are unpaved roads, and the driving can get rocky — literally. Or you can go all in on a nature weekend and rent a camper.
Make a stop to buy groceries before you leave Tucson. Even if you don’t plan to go camping, you’ll probably be glad you brought a few things to nibble on. There are small grocery stores near your destination, but the remoteness means small selections and high prices, so consider Tucson your base camp and stock up. And don’t forget to buy plenty of water!
Scenic Road Trip Itinerary
Saturday 10 am to 2 pm: Road trip
The drive from the Tucson airport area takes about three hours. A word of warning about the shortest route: Google Maps might guide you to take exit 382 from I-10. I don’t recommend this route. It has many miles of unpaved road with tooth-rattling washboard surfaces, rocks, and large ruts. If there has been heavy rain recently, stretches will be impassable due to mud.
Travel tip: You’ll have a smoother and faster trip by taking I-10 all the way into New Mexico.
Then take exit 5 onto Hwy 80. Just after getting off the exit, you can pull over at the gas station on your left and top up your tank. This pull-out is Roadforks, and while it’s quite a stretch to call this a “town,” it’s your last chance to fuel up before you get to Cave Creek Canyon.
About 25 miles further on, after you turn off Hwy 80 onto Portal Road, you’ll see Sky Island Grill on your left which is the right place to stop for lunch. Don’t expect haute cuisine in Rodeo, New Mexico, but Sky Island Grill has a large menu of good food, whether you want a simple burger or the daily special.
After lunch, continue along Portal Road back into Arizona. After about eight miles, you’ll reach Cave Creek Canyon. Remember to resume breathing again after you come around the curve of the road and see the view of the canyon! There is a Visitor Information Center not far inside the entrance where you can chat with the volunteers to get basic information and recommendations.
Saturday Afternoon: Explore Cave Creek Canyon
Take your pick of whatever piques your interest. My personal favorite hike combines two trails and covers approximately five (mostly flat) miles. It will get you oriented and lead you through an awe-inspiring range of biodiversity.
To take my recommended hike, park at the small trailhead on the right, just up the road from the Visitor Center. Take the Cave Creek Nature Trail (turn left as you start on the trail). This will move along the canyon bottom, through dense growth of grasses, yucca, shrubs, and trees, with lots of opportunity to spot birds, deer, and other wildlife.
After about two miles, the trail ends at the gorgeous Sunny Flat Campground.
Continue through the campground, cross the bridge, and turn left along the paved road (you’ll now be going back in the direction you came). Roughly a mile back down this road, take the Vista Point trail on the right-hand side. It’s a short but rewarding hike rising above the tree canopy to a dazzling view of the canyon, with its striking rock formations.
After you get back down from Cathedral Vista, continue along the road through the arching corridor of trees. About a half-mile from the Vista Point trail, you will see Stuart Campground on your right. Stay on the road past the campground. It will curve sharply to the left and take you over a bridge.
Just beyond this bridge is an entry through the trees on your left with a small “trail” sign. Follow this to rejoin the Cave Creek Nature Trail. Turn right along the trail to get back to your car.
Evening: Check in, dinner, stargaze
This being an extremely remote area, there are no major hotel chains. But that’s not why you’re here. The best way to experience the beauty of this area is to camp, and there are plenty of options for that. There are multiple campgrounds in Cave Creek Canyon, though Sunny Flat is the most popular choice.
If you would rather sleep inside four walls with electricity and plumbing, luckily you’ll still have choices. Cave Creek Ranch is the go-to lodging option, and has been for about a hundred years. Founded as a homestead in 1906, the Ranch sits in a prime spot at the canyon entrance. The landscaping is set up as a nature reserve with bird feeders which the wild animals love to visit. There are plenty of other hotels in Cave Creek.
There are also independent short-term rentals along Portal Road. If you decide to lodge on “the flats” outside of the canyon, you’ll have the advantage of wide-open views for stargazing at night. And in my view, stargazing is one of the best things to do in the Chiricahua Mountains if for no other reason than the sky is so often impossibly clear.
Rest up over dinner because the view after sundown is spectacular. This area has some of the darkest night skies anywhere in the U.S. If you’ve timed your trip during the right moon phase, you’ll be dazzled by the Milky Way, glittering constellations, and maybe even a meteor shower.
Sunday Morning: Hiking and lunch
One of the best options for a hike in the mountains is the South Fork trail. You might see groups of people standing on the side of the entry road with binoculars and cameras, because this is a world-class birding trail. If you’re lucky, you might spot an Elegant Trogon. It’s a beautiful, shiny, green and red bird that is a peak prize among twitchers (fun fact: that’s the word in British English for a birdwatcher).
If you’re an avid hiker and want a bigger challenge, head up the Silver Peak trail. The Silver Peak is a roughly ten-mile round trip that will take you above the north end of Cave Creek Canyon. In return for the extra effort, you’ll be rewarded with even more spectacular views, taking in a panoramic swath of the Chiricahuas, and vistas across the Animas Valley to the Peloncillo Mountains in New Mexico.
After you return from the trail, and before you leave this sky island behind you, stop for lunch at the Portal Cafe. This little restaurant with its huge patio is the hub of social life in the miniscule but wildly picturesque town of Portal. Local favorite dishes include the taco salad or a burger.
Sunday Afternoon: Return to civilization
As remote as this area is, there’s far more to do and to discover here than you could possibly squeeze into a couple of days. After making the most of your time, you’ll find that your weekend in Cave Creek Canyon has felt rich and full even if it has flown by. Take a little of the adventure spirit with you on your way back to Tucson.
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