This is the 2nd post for a 5-day camping and hiking trip to the Chiricahua Mountains with our friends Jay and Nancy. We had driven from Albuquerque, spending a night at the Rockhound State Park Campground before making the last leg to the Chiricahuas and setting up our R-Pod in the Stewart Campground in Cave Creek Canyon.
The Drive In
A lot of research went into planning this hiking trip. I found many sources and many trails, long and short, large and small elevation gain. We had many to choose from, but not having visited the area before, the decision was difficult. Something about this trail intrigued me, especially since it was presented as a point-to-point hike. And having two vehicles made it possible.
The drive from the campground was straightforward:
- First step was to leave a vehicle at the northern terminus of the “trail”:
- Drive east on Portal Road for 2 miles, take the hard left onto Paradise Road. (We missed the turn and went halfway to Portal before realizing our mistake and had to backtrack.)
- Then it’s 6 miles on Paradise Road to the “trailhead”. On the way you will go through the “residential area” of Paradise.
Parking is just off Paradise Road on the right where a 2-track heads north. A sign at the turnoff warned us – the road beyond was “Impassable” (no explanation). But FR 42 passes through the Chiricahuas to the western side, so we suspect an explanation was missing, and it was meant as a warning for larger vehicles (like may signs we had seen previously on FR 42).
- Then it’s retrace that route:
- Returning to Stewart Campground continue west on FR 42 for .75 miles
- At a Y in the road bear right (don’t go straight onto S Fork Rd).
- Continue for 3.2 miles to the “trailhead”, which is a large parking area and corral; there were wranglers and pack horses and mules there that day.
[With the quotes (“) above I’m suggesting that the idea of a “trail” and “trailhead” is being quite generous, as you will see in what follows.]
The Hike
Over The Ridge To Paradise Hike.PatJayNancy.2021-03-22
We “packed up” for the hike and went looking for a “trailhead”; nothing was obvious, ‘tho there was more than one “trail” leaving from the perimeter of the corral’s parking area. We chose one and off we went, on “trails” that were at times easy to discern, at other times barely discernible. And in some places there were Ys in the “trail”. I was following our route with a GPS track with which I attempted to choose the “trail” that most closely followed the track. That worked most of the time, but in one instance I chose a “trail”that took us on the east side of the ravine, away from what we concluded would have been closer to the GPS track. Facing more a difficult route, we managed to find our way back to a better “trail”. And that was characteristic of the hike – uncertain just where the “trail” was, which path to follow (we came to suspect they were mostly pack animal trails) – but I believed that staying in or near the ravine would take us “up and over” to Paradise (tho’ some among us were skeptical).
The GPS track that we were using as a guide identified a point off of the trial that afforded a better view of Silver Peak and more of the Chiricahuas. Inspecting closely the Forest Service map on USTopo, we noted that it was a 2-track and would make for easier hiking than we’d experienced so far, even ‘tho it was uphill. The view as great; the sheer rock outcroppings, hundreds of feet high, are impressive. Then we headed back down, stopped for our mid-hike break, and continued to the “trailhead” on a 2-track.
Highlight
Highlight? Maybe it was overcoming doubts about whether we were on the “trail” or had wandered afield. But to find that we had made it “Over the Ridge to Paradise” – the ‘highlight’?
Camping
The camping was most pleasant. The sites are far enough apart to give one a sense of privacy, especially with the rocky streambed adjacent to the site. The weather both days was quite pleasant daytime; the temperatures dropped to 40 or below at night, so it was a might chilly for Jay & Nancy in their tent. Pat & I were happy to have our R-Pod, tho’ it too can get cold during the night (but the heater warms the small cabin quickly in the morning).
Statistics
Total Distance: 3.17 miles
Elevation: 5,671 start ft, maximum 5,993 ft, minimum 5,618 ft
Gross gain: 375 ft. Aggregate ascending 751 ft, descending 800 ft
Maximum slope: 23% ascending, 32% descending, 8.0% average
Duration: 3:29
| GPS Track Files for Download | |
64 Downloads |
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162 Downloads |
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70 Downloads |
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109 Downloads |
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I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
Related Posts
Cave Creek Nature Walk – 03/21/2021
Basin Trail #247 Hike – 03/23/2021
References and Resources
USFS: Stewart Campground
Portal Rodeo Hiking Club: Over the Ridge to Paradise
Chiricahua Mountains Hiking Trails: Washburn Canyon Trail
