Fee free park!…read more Beautiful scenic drive, reminiscent of Bryce Canyon and the red hoodoos they have there. I'm insane and did the Big Loop (~13.5 miles, ~4.5hrs). Also camped at Bonita Campground. When I visited, they have a shuttle on Saturdays and Sundays (~9am departure) to so you can do a point to point (one way) decline hike back to your car. Rangers very friendly!

I've been here twice and each time I have visited, it is mesmerizing and I don't want to leave!…read more This place is famous for their hoodoos and amazing rock formations that will leave you speechless and in awe! And while this place is a national monument, one thing our government could do instead of all the other nonsense going on is to upgrade this place to a national park. We stopped in here after spending time at Kartchner Caverns and today the scenic drive beyond the campground was closed because of the rain and snow that came down steadily last night. And because of this and due to the amount of time we had, we did a shorter walk along the Silver Spur Meadow. This trail is very easy, well shaded and what a beautiful place to view birds! I think may have seen 15 or more species in just the short walk we did here today. I was also here about 2 years ago and did the Echo Canyon Trail to the Grotto and that was such a lovely easy hike with all sorts of cool rock formations and I enjoyed climbing around. Id like to come back and do a more strenuous hike and when I get a chance, will come back and do the Heart of the Rocks trail! Visitor center is very cool with a really nice gift shop, museum, bathrooms and very informative rangers. Parking lot can be a bit tight but more parking available down the road. I was able to get a fun stuffed sandhill crane! I could spend a lot more time here and just love this place! Great place to get a dose of nature and love how the air feels at close to 5500 feet!

We spent a few hours on this lake on a cloudy post-monsoon morning. It was lovely!…read more The state park rangers were so kind and eager to help us with any questions. I rented a kayak for 2 hours for $35 and had a blast out on the water. There were many people fishing and swimming. It was great to see so many families staying in the cabins for the weekend to enjoy the lake. I would love to check out the well-maintained trails the next time I go. Also, the views of Mt. Graham are unmatched. Highly recommend!

Beautiful and quiet. Bathrooms/showers are very clean! Great job by the staff. Sites have water and…read moreelectric. There are very well maintained paths and hiking trails.hiking

Cute little park. The lake isn't huge, but there were a lot of people fishing from the banks and…read moreone from a small boat. We hiked one of the short trails around the lake area. Beautiful scenery and an easy hike. You do need a state park pass, which isn't inexpensive. We went to Roper Lake a few miles away to purchase an annual pass, which is now $200! That's a huge increase from the $75 one we got a few years back. It's good for all the state parks for one year.

Nice small park with a few miles of trails. The trails lead to a BLM sponsored replica of a…read moreNative Village. Lots of folks were fishing in the stocked pond. You may need bug spray. Good for two hours.

Very high on my list of places i can't wait to visit again...This 49,000 acre preserve, managed by…read morethe Nature Conservancy, offers overnight accommodations in a remote, peaceful setting. Be forewarned this is NOT a full service hotel and there is a very long list of rules/guidelines for staying here which are strictly enforced. Reservations are required WAY in advance if you hope to get a casita here, and the ranch is closed to visitors during the hot summer months due to rattlesnake activity. But (if you are still reading...) if you are pretty self sufficient, willing to pack in all of the food and drink for your stay (the nearest safeway will be an hour away down a dark, pothole filled dirt road) and in search of a rare respite completely immersed in the natural beauty of southern Arizona, then this place is well worth the journey. Muleshoe Ranch is located at the southern end of a 50 mile riparian nature preserve, at the convergence of three rivers in the Galiuro mountains. You can climb mountains, explore the terrain, hike through shady riverbeds or do all of the above in a single day. Your self guided adventures can range from an easy nature trail to a half day loop (Beth Woodin Trail, which is spectacular) or a 4 wheel drive expedition into the backcountry. The landscape changes with the seasons and at night there's some of the best stargazing you'll find anywhere. Wildlife abounds, and includes many species of hummingbirds as well as elusive troops of ring tailed coatimundi. Wildflowers are abundant in the springtime and the streambeds teem with life. The casitas (actually 4 casitas round a grassy courtyard) and a little stone house down the hill are available for overnight rental. Very comfortable accommodations with beds and fully equipped kitchens. Some of the casitas have a living/dining room area with futon sofas that convert into additional sleeping accommodations. There are plenty of little outdoor seating areas to rest and relax. There is an outdoor deck for stargazing and wildlife viewing, as well as a common room for socializing with other guests. Nearby there is a visitor center and a small gift shop which are open to day visitors during limited hours. The icing on the cake are the two outdoor natural spring fed hot (very hot!) tubs crafted from round galvanized cattle troughs, which are only available to overnight guests. Before or after a strenuous day of hiking they are heavenly! Be sure to visit the Nature Conservancy/Muleshoe website and read through all of the details about a stay at Muleshoe to decide whether it's right for you. It is a very special place off of the beaten path of tourist travel.

What an absolutely incredible find! Only 2 1/2 hours or so outside of Tucson but it feels like a…read morewhole other world! No cell phone reception and no Internet. Amazing hiking trails, gorgeous wildlife, sunsets and sunrises that take your breath away. All while talked into a nature conservancy park. So you learn all about programs they are doing to help nature. One being there incredible monarch butterfly program. The Casitas are super cute! Perfect accommodations. Each has a bathroom, a little kitchen, and usually seating either on the front patio or back patio. Hot water was perfect and the septic system worked very well. And don't forget to pack your swimsuit-they have hot tubs that you can sit in. And I haven't heard if you get up early enough sitting in them to watch the sunrise is well worth the early morning alarm!

First rule of the cave.. no pictures lol. Hence, no pictures are attached. They say it's because of…read moreaccidents reported from people not paying attention. Also, basically nothing is allowed in the cave. They had lockers that takes quarters but as far as I saw, no machine, you have to exchange with cash soooo prepare ahead. Leaving things in the car felt some what okay but not my favorite. I would appreciate if they had more security. They say they are not government funded so everything comes from public support. This was such a cool experience. You can tell the amount of work and detail they've put into the cave and preserving it. Truly different than other caves I've been to. There are two different parts of the cave you can choose from. If you can't do both my preference was the big room tour. I felt there was more to it, more things to see. Also, (sorry parents) perhaps the age limit made it more enjoyable too. Our tour guide Charles was INCREDIBLE. We did both tours back to back 0945 big room tour and 12 rotunda. Timing was perfect. Enough time to use the restroom and eat a snack. We brought our snacks, their cafe was closed. It would be an enjoyable experience to eat a packed lunch outside not sure if it's 100% allowed. Beginning of April was a GORGEOUS day. There's a McDonald about 12 min away. The big room tour is a man made/marked out, well paved easy walk/route. If you're worried about endurance or handiaccesible, it seems very accessible. The rotunda seemed a bit more incline but still well paved. You can wear white shoes and you wouldn't get dirty lol. I don't recommend open toes shoes/sandals because the Floor is very moist/wet. BOOK AHEAD. At least 2 weeks ahead to get the slots you want. If you're by yourself then a lot easier. It sells out quickly Restrooms were very clean and plentiful. As you wait for your tour guide before taking the tram to the cave there are another set of restrooms so that's appreciated. They want you to get there 30 min before. There really wasn't anything much to do ahead, it's just a simple check in. They have a mini museum that's nice to look around. You can get some good pictures outside prior or after the tour. Are both caves a must see, my bf says yes. I'm in between. If I would go back I would choose the big room tour again but that also has limited time opening due to the bats. As an AZ local or visiting this is a very enjoyable spot

As much as I love going underground and at this point have about 15 caves explored in AZ under my…read morebelt, I only finally made it to this one this weekend. Our caving group was having our winter conference here and it was really nice to use the visitor center's auditorium for our all day presentations. I learned about the invertebrates that live in caves, herpetology, bats and lots of other really fun topics about caves! Auditorium was very comfortable and all the IT worked great and the projector and acoustics were perfect. Seats also very comfortable. Later that day, some of us signed up for the headlamp tour of the Big Room that started at 5:30pm, which is only offered on Saturdays in the fall/winter. I was able to use my own headlamp and helmet. This tour is $50 and the price is higher than their regular tours, which is $30 for adults and all the lights in the cavern are on. The tour was good and I'm glad the proceeds of my ticket go to support this park. Phones aren't allowed into the cavern, so I took no pics. We also stayed in one of the 4 cabins on the campgrounds and it was fabulous. Cabin was super cozy and can sleep 6, one bed and two bunk beds. Cabins also come with a dining table, microwave and small fridge. Bathrooms right across from the cabin. Porch on the front and also a picnic table available. Fire pit also available. I had firewood but we could not make a fire because of rain. This was definitely glamping! And it was lovely. I would definitely do this again. Saw some fun turkeys too! A few things to note here, there is a Bat Cave Cafe on site open 11am - 2pm, however, it was difficult to get anything here as there was only one person working and a lot of us here. I brought my lunch from home. Night headlamp tour was fun but for $50, not sure how it differs from the day tours. But, do know that AZ state taxes don't go to supoort this park, so your tour ticket supports this park, so I can be OK with that. Its pretty amazing that two college students crawled their way thru a 10-12 inch sinkhole and then found this place! I am still in awe of this amazing discovery! And this is well before all the fancy equipment was available like lidar to help with uncovering new caves. And, once these guys, Tufts and Tenen found this cavern in 1974, they kept it a secret for awhile to protect against vandalism and damage. And in 1999, the cavern was open to the public. As someone who deeply loves caves, seeing this place was like one of the best sojourns for me! Im so glad I came to see this show cave! And please, let's all do our part to make sure caves are conserved so we can all enjoy them for a long time to come.

What a fantastic park on the East side! It is a beautiful oasis with some hot springs (that are no…read morelonger in operation). It was an old farm and orchard at one time. Walk along trails the go through a mesquite "forest", hot springs, and a open area for bird and lizard watching. There are big beautiful palm lining the water. It was a soothing area. There was a small group doing yoga, and another group having a party while I was there. There is a musuem and art gallery to explore, and restrooms available. some of the old buildings on the farm are still there and in use for park operations.

Amazing everything went well and loved it all the turtles and duck and koi fish were amazing the…read moreart gallery was absolutely exceptional

Super cool place to visit seasonally- especially if you are a birder. Highly recommend coming here…read morein the early winter to witness the magnificent Sandhills cranes on their migration path... apparently some end up in Siberia (how cool is that!!). Websites say to come early morning and in the late evening... however two years in a row I have witnessed the cranes return around 11-1pm to their roosting site and witnessing the hundreds of cranes descent is a marvel. Apart from the Sandhills cranes (in season)- the terrain in the area also allow the opportunity to capture sightings of other wildlife, waterfowl, birds and plants. Wear appropriate shoes if visiting after a rain. The last 2.5 mile drive to the location is on gravel/ some washboard road. Here is the extra extra bonus apart from witnessing beautiful nature... it's free. Plus restrooms available (albeit porta pottty/ pit style).

You have to visit the Sandhill cranes during their journeys to and from migration. It is an…read moreincredible thing to see thousands of birds, and when they take off in groups of V-formations heading out with dozens of V's going into the sky, it is wonderful. Check the time of year to make sure you come during the migration times. This resting wildlife habitat is located in the middle of nowhere with only farmlands surrounding the area. It is close to Sierra Vista, Ft Huachuca and Tombstone. If you are in the area for the migration period, then you have to come and see. Mornings and evenings are the best times because you will be there when they take off, but even if you come while they are on the ground you will be amazed. There are also other migratory birds as well and finding and identifying them is also interesting. This is a rural site coming onto a dirt road with almost no amenities. There is a parking area, with what appears to be a limited dry camp location for birders. Then a couple of hundred feet away is the parking area for day use where you can then walk to the various water sites. You should see the birds as you pull in. There are two pit toilets, bring your own TP and hand sanitizer just in case. No food nearby, bring it in and take out your trash. If you live in Southern AZ it is worth the day trip. Me and wife came on a whim after hearing the birds were still there leaving Tucson around 1pm and we stayed until about 6pm after the cranes took flight. About an 90 minute drive one way depending on where you are in Tucson.

I hike the Cochise Trail ever few years. There's a lot to see here: rock formations, vistas,…read morebirds, insects and rattlesnakes, and is a challenging hike of ten miles. I usually start this from the west side, driving through Tombstone and taking Middlemarch road north of town for nine miles before turning north on a forest road. This road is a dirt road that gets very rutted the last two miles as it follows a dry wash. This wash fills into a creek during active monsoon season, so a high-clearance vehicle is necessary. Unlike the east side, parking and dry camping on the west side is free. The trail climbs immediately for 1.75 miles before hitting the western Stronghold and from here it's a gradual descent to the eastern trailhead and campground. The only source of water is at Halfmoon tank, a cattle pond about halfway up or down the trail, depending on which direction you start this hike. Lots of butterflies were in the area in September. During active monsoon season, the creek will run and the waterfall on the western side is a sight to behold. My hiking party rests here near the restrooms before returning the way we came. There was no water in the campground last month when I last did this hike. Dogs are allowed The only negative thing about this hike is its remoteness and accessibility. From Sierra Vista it's a two-hour drive each way. Add another five miles for the hike and it's a day-long adventure.

Well we came yesterday to get out of town and visit the dragoon hills…read more This campground is officially closed to all but hikers. They say mountain bikes are permitted but we are riders and I think the trails are too narrow. And slots where you can t pedal. I say hike. So no parking, bathrooms or camping or potable water. But you can park outside the gates. A few did, like us. Since we are new to the site, we only went to the water tank. Lots of shade along the way. Caves. Huge Rock formations. Hawks circling above hunting. Butterflies, BlueJays. Lots to see. I m going to go back while the weather is still cool. It is normally Officially Closed July to September due to extreme temps. Great to use your imagination about where the Apache's would have hidden in wait to protect the Stronghold.

Get rid of the manager and clean up the place We were…read moretreated poorly and people who bought trailer models are stuck.

Such a relaxing place to camp. It was a short drive to town where we were able to also enjoy a nice…read moredinner, get gas and odds & ends.