Walking with Nina Friday morning gave me ideas of other hikes I could host, but I like to walk the hikes first before I lead them. It's been years since I've been to the Clanton House and that was with the hiking club via Escapule Road to the north, off Charleston Road. From Escapule Road the Clanton House is less than a mile away; not much of a hike!
Today I started the hike on SR90 at 3:15pm, across the street from the San Pedro House, and hiked 3.3 miles along perhaps the most boring stretch of the San Pedro River Natural Conservation Area (SPRNCA) River Trail, a 40-mile hiking trail that starts at the Mexican border and ends south of St. David. What makes this stretch so monotonous is partly because there is no shade along the way.
I took all four dogs with me, knowing it was risky taking Sweetie along, but she hadn't been hiked in a week and needed some run time. Luckily there were no cars in the lot and no one on this trail. The only evidence I had of recent use was horse shit from earlier in the day.
I don't think I've ever done this part of the San Pedro Trail. Hiking north from SR90, there isn't much scenery this time of year. Hues of brown and grey surround you, with a break perhaps from the sky if it's blue. The trail is a dirt road for two miles, traveling nearly straight in a northwesterly direction, with tall dead grasses along the road. The river is .3 miles to the east. The terrain is mostly flat, with less than 200 elevation gain.
The flora on either side of the road is dense thorny brush and creosote. No wildflowers burst here in the spring as the terrain is very alkaline here, with patches of white salty residue evident. Heavy downpour creates deep ruts in the soil that with time create steep canyon walls, that are hidden by the dense thorny brush. Quail and brush birds live here, but this terrain is unsuitable for cattle that would fall into the deep crevices or break a leg stepping into a snake hole. This hike is best done on a cool, cloudy day after a rain, when the creosote fills the air with its spicy aroma. On a sunny, warm, cloudless day this trail is a toll on the human psyche.
Weather was mild, in the upper 60s, but the afternoon sun shined brightly. At the 2.5 mile mark the trail reaches the Murray Springs Trail and the small gulch that flows into the San Pedro. I stopped here to let the dogs drink. Minnie had been panting the entire time up to this point. I had water with me, but wanted the dogs to drink from a fresh source. Zeke, Sweetie and of course Minnie splashed around and got drenched. The water was a much-needed cooling point.
From the stream crossing we continued in a northeasterly direction for another half mile. I made a sharp east (right) turn by two railroad posts at the three-mile mark although there was no directional sign to the Clanton House. Another .3 mile and we arrived at the adobe ruins, littered with rusty metal pieces, broken glass, and protected by several trees trying to grow over the foundation. This was not a very big house, but it did have a high view of the lower ground to the south, and a long view of the Huachuca Mountains. No historical signs described the past, but one can feel the spirits of lives long gone now.
There was no place to rest other than on a broken brick and the dogs were bored. They were ready for another dip in the water, so we turned around and walked back at the 1:10 hour mark. It was now almost 4:30pm and the sun was getting low. I rested a bit longer at the stream this time, to let the dogs play in the water. Even Sweetie was animated now.
Somehow at the 4.9-mile mark I got off the trail. There were many shorter trails at this intersection and no marker visible. I was surrounded by that nasty thorny brush that caused me to scream out a few obscenities. I was not wearing a jacket and the thorns were scratching my arms. My nylon pants were getting caught in them as well. It took me almost .8 mile to get back on the main trail. I had my app running and knew I had to go east, but the thick brush prevented me from doing so sooner.
This minor misstep really took what little fun there was left with this hike completely out of me. I was glad to get back to the truck and I think the dogs were, too. If I ever lead a hike to the Clanton House again, it would be from the Murray Springs trail head off Moson Avenue. This is a shorter and more scenic hike. I got back to the truck just after 6pm. We had hiked 6.8 miles at just around 4000' elevation.
lhttp://clantongang.com/oldwest/ranch2.htm
http://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/2086153019
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