Cochise Stronghold

[trackhead]

Spent three days exploring Kartchner Caverns, Tombstone, and Cochise Stronghold. Kartchner Caverns is worth a visit, but I don't have any pics because they don't allow cameras down there, but regardless, it's a cool place that was discovered by a couple Mormon kids in the 1970's on private ranch land. They approached the rancher about their discovery, and luckily, the rancher was into conserving it, and not mining in there, so it still exists more or less as it was, save for the paved walkway through it.

We then went to Tombstone briefly, and the site of the OK Corral, but what we found there was endless trinket shops and tourist traps.

Then onto Cochise Stronghold, the mountains where the Apache hid out for years. An absolutely beautiful place that I'd love to come back to when we have more time to spend there.

First night out just south of the Park in the Whetstone Mountains.


Unseasonably cool and windy.

[nycsteve]

Thanks again, great pics!

[Budster]

sleepy wrote:
*snip*
Long time forum member "Budster" workcamped at Cochise Stronghold in the spring of 2009... we visited him there and celebrated his birthday with him on April 12th. Paul Beddows and his wife Teri stopped om their way north from Mexico. We visited all of the other points of interest in the area....

Cochise Stronghold was very primitive.... a lot of people came by to picnic and hike.... Jerry had about 7 small basic camping spots. NO utilities that I remember.... Jerry had to haul water from town.

It was a good place to visit*snip*

I had a great time there camp-hosting despite the inconveniences. Being very primitive had its perks, not a lot of 'lookyloos' It was great meeting Chet & Janet for the first time while I was there. Several other TC friends also stopped by. It is a premier place for bird watching, I know I got some great bird pictures while there. There is also some great rock climbing spots too. If you are in the area stop by there and take in the beauty!

[crabbin_cabin]

Nice pix but that "campfire" is an environmental disaster!! Why so big? The stronghold - you gave away one of our secrets!!

[sleepy]

Thanks for your trip report....

Brought back memories

Long time forum member "Budster" workcamped at Cochise Stronghold in the spring of 2009... we visited him there and celebrated his birthday with him on April 12th. Paul Beddows and his wife Teri stopped om their way north from Mexico. We visited all of the other points of interest in the area....

Cochise Stronghold was very primitive.... a lot of people came by to picnic and hike.... Jerry had about 7 small basic camping spots. NO utilities that I remember.... Jerry had to haul water from town.

It was a good place to visit

All of us met up again later on at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler.... Ms and Mr "spokencarl" joined us there.

Chet and Janet

[kerry4951]

Ah yes.........the old "Shootout at the OK Corral". What a lot of people dont realize is that the original shoot out was quite a distance from the OK Corral. It should of been called the " Shootout near Flys Photography Studio", but I guess that didnt sound cool enough. Back then the media was doing the same embellishing just like our current news media of today.

[CptnBG]

Very nice!! You are so fortunate to travel so much at a young age.

[joerg68]

Thanks for the pictures and trip report!

Incidentally, I read up on Benson, AZ and the nearby Kartchner Caverns only yesterday. And the next day I get to see the pictures 🙂

It is a wonderful area down there.

(We have friends in the area, and I listened to their local radio station Cave FM on the web, which prompted me to look up Benson, which prompted me to look up the Caverns)

[jimbow2]

Nice write-up::: also a nice camper, I noticed it right away thinking that's us; as we have a 2001 Kodiak K-99 and have enjoyed SE Arizona many of times..........

[cewillis]

Nice, and "What an annoying place that is." really nails it about Tombstone.

[bighatnohorse]

Very nice report and photos. Thanks for taking time to post them.
Kartchner Caverns is special because it is "intact" - perhaps the only cave where the stalactites and "mites" are not broken off.

The discoverers were actually two cave spelunkers out looking for caves - young men - that knew that the cave must be kept secret so that it would not be destroyed by public souvenir gatherers.

The cave is in practically pristine condition.
If one has never seen a big cave before, Kartchner Caverns would be the first one to see, as all others are damaged.

[trackhead]

billtex wrote:

Tell us about your camper...vey nice!

Bill

1993 Kodiak Travelaire........Made in Canada, out of business.

About 1800lbs dry, has a bathroom/shower, that's why we got it. Otherwise your standard TC.

[exhaustipated]

Great photos and trip report. Thanks for sharing them. While we were on our two month southwest adventure last year we also took in Kartchner Caverns after leaving Bisbee and taking the Queen Mine Tour along with a stop in Tombstone. You're right about Tombstone being a tourist trap. It was kind of neat to see all of those foreigners, especially the Japanese, walking into those clothing stores and coming out looking like John Wayne. Cochise Stronghold was on our list too so it was nice looking at your photos.

[Foy_R__Smith]

I was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Az back in 1967. We lived at Huachuca City, Az. We visited Tombstone and explored the area around it. There was a Wells Fargo Museum in Tombstone that we loved. The people that owned it would let us in for free! The Boot Hill Cemetery was neat! Tombstone was a tourist trap, back then to.

[DemingNM2009]

Spent a night at Cochise Stronghold last month. Definitely a place to visit again.