Cochise Stronghold

I hike the Cochise Trail ever few years. There's a lot to see here: rock formations, vistas, birds, 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 allowedThe 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. 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.

Mixed hiking with history with a scenic trek through the Cochise Stronghold. It was the winter home of Chief Cochise and the Chiricahua Apache. The area was termed a "stronghold" as Cochise led his people to the safety of this beautiful mountain fortress for 15 years.It was easy to grasp the attraction to this area with varying landscapes, from cool creek beds to high Rocky Mountain tops that provided lookouts with areas to hide. The 10 mile hike from west to east trailhead held its challenges with more than 1900 feet elevation change with sharp steep switch backs. In some areas the trail was very narrow with drop offs that kept your full attention on the trail and not the beautiful visuals."I am alone in the world. I want to live in these mountains... I have drunk of the waters of the Dragoon Mountains and they have cooled me, I do not want to leave here."-- Chief Cochise

Super isolated campground. Keep driving down a unpaved road for a few miles and then you run straight into it. Very bare, no tables and the fire pit is a single row of rocks. But it's open and free it seems. Cars do pass by in the middle of the night which is worrisome because there's no one else camping here. Also lots of wildlife like deer around.

This campground was so beautiful that my husband and I both gasped when we saw it. One review states that there weren't any tables or fire pits. He didn't go far enough. There are places to camp prior to the actual campground. The actual campground is stunning. Each site has a beautiful table, fire pit and locking garbage cans. The pit toilets have two stalls and are clean. The trails leading out of the campsite are well marked and educational. You can take longer trails to springs emerging from the earth like beautiful treasures. Shorter hikes teach you about the local vegetation and how the Native Americans utilized them, and about Cochise and the fascinating facts of his life. We had deer come to our camp and the trees were filled with vibrantly colored birds. Our visit was nothing short of magical. I'm a wimpy camper and it was hands down the best camping experience in my life. I recommend it highly!