Time: 5:10 hours
Elevation: 5316' - 7125'
Weather: Clear skies, 42F at peak
Significance: old mining site, views, solitude
Caution: Be careful in the summer, as the Dragoons are notorious for rattlesnakes.
Trailhead is two miles past the Coronado Forest Sign on Middlemarch Road. FR697 veers off to the left (north) Park off the road; you may be sharing this with RVers and hunters.
https://hikearit zona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1976
The entire weekend was beset by cold temperatures and high winds. It even rained yesterday in the evening. I didn't hike yesterday because of the winds, although the overcast skies would have been ideal. I don't trust our fire-charred trees to stay intact during high winds. Blowing sand in dogs's eyes is also not good.
I couldn't let today go without a hike, though. The Dragoons always have been a favorite winter destination for me. The rocks are enigmatic and there are no nasty rattlers on the trails this time of year.
I took Minnie, Zeke and Sadie in my Ford Escape. I had been reading up on China Peak last week, but couldn't find any recent trail reports to the peak. I wanted to know: was this road hikable? The only good resource was a trail report from 2009. Wasn't there anything more recent? So I went out there to explore. My conclusion: it's a great winter hike! Just be aware that the road is very rocky and/or steep in sections.
Yesterday's rain left no snow on the Huachuca Peaks. When I got to the trailhead off Middlemarch Road and FR697, again there was no sign of any rain from last night. The roads were dry. The Dragoons aren't as high up as the Huachucas, so I wasn't expecting snow-capped limestone hills, but I figured I'd see some water in the dry drainages that snake around these rocks.
Looking north toward the rocky hills, it was hard to gauge which trail was FR697, as there are so many unmarked ATV trails at this spot. A Bowhunter getting ready to head to his spot told me he had seen a vehicle drive up that old mining trail earlier, the same road that veers toward a domed, limestone peak near a saddle. Aim for that saddle and the nearby domed limestone peak. I opted to park the truck at the parking area and walk in. This was a wise decision. There is ample parking here, even with an RV parked on one side. It is also open grazing, and lots of cow paddies littered the area.
FR697, the main road, is the whiter one, reinforced with white gravel for better traction. Smaller dirt roads branch off on either side and meander around the foothills. One can see mine trailings from Middlemarch road. On a hot day, this hike would be uncomfortable with no shade the first mile. This road meanders in a north-northwest direction. Looking back toward the rocky western hills, one can see dry drainages and the ample valley behind a private ranch, which has an entrance just off Middlemarch road a half-mile west of FR697.
FR697 would be passable in a high-clearance vehicle orATVs, but there is no turn-around for two miles. I didn't trust my truck to make it when I saw the first uneven dip in the road. Actually, I didn't trust ME! The road touches precariously close to the steep edge, too. It's not a road for speed! The road snakes up along the edge of the upper grasslands before nearing the big rocks. After a heavy monsoon, there would be pools of water in the rocky depressions. Views open up to the west, and the higher one climbs on this road, the more the valley opens up. Tombstone and Whetsone are visible.
I actually found this hike rather easy. The grade isn't bad at all. After the first mile I hit the first overlook toward Sheepshead Rock, then the road takes a slight right, passing a rock wall on either side. Once past this rock wall, I was now on the north side of the hill. Small patches of icy snow from last night remained in the shaded area. Vegetation goes from ocotillo, agave, and spinybrush to oaks, junipers and yuccas. It is a much different landscape here. Minnie appreciated the cooler north side. I stopped a few times so that the dogs could eat some of the snow. I was now in a small, shaded area that was the old site of the San Juan camp, also known as "China Camp" because so many Chinese were laboring here. Two old slabs remain of that camp. It's now a campsite for ATVers. The three-mile hike to this old camp would be a nice enough destination.
The dogs seemed to have fun. I watched out for Minnie, as this was her longest hike in a while. I knew the cold weather would be a plus for her. The added snow, and later water found in a closed mine shaft cooled her down. Minnie stopped a few times to rest, but never panted like she normally does in warmer weather. I brought her on today's hike because I know she does much better in colder weather. The only problem I had was that I kept getting whiffs of either dog fart or skunk while walking behind Minnie. However, she was a real champ today, staying with Sadie and keeping pace with the pack.
The old China Camp (Gordon Camp) is set up against the east side of a rocky protrusion, where evidence of intermittent waterfalls are. What a lovely area this would be in the summer! I want to come back here and explore it. The small valley is surrounded by hills and a creek bed. This creek bed I'm sure once provided the water needed for the nearby mines. There was no water in it today. China Peak pokes its way ahead, above the old mine. I now saw snow in shaded patches under North-leaning trees, in agave stalks and in depressions. This was a treat for the dogs. I never had to stop to give them water from my half-gallon supply.
The road is mostly passable up to the mine. FR4390 turns off to the right while the main road takes a sharp turn west past the waterhole and then quickly switchbacks steeply above the mine to the peak. There are no road markers anywhere and I wasn't sure where to go. I realized after one dead end to stay mostly north. The only road marker anywhere indicating FR697 is on the return hike pointing south.
The views along this trail are impressive. The east side of Sheepshead Rock exposes itself. Slavin Gulch and the Cochise Stronghold are to the north. The snowcapped Chiricahuas are to the distant east, and the Huachucas and the valley are to the south. I could see the Middlemarch trail climb a hill north from my viewpoint, before descending into the Stronghold. (The hiking club will be doing that hike on March 3rd)
It took me 2:20 hours to get to the peak. I passed a few mine holes on that last ATV trail. Lead, zinc and silver were once mined here in the 1880s. I lost some time going up that dead end. It was only 42F on the peak and winds were from the northwest at 19mph. If it weren't so cold, I'd have sat here longer, but my hands were getting numb. The peak is conical in shape with no shade other than some low-lying shrubs under which the dogs sat. From China Peak, it's a gentle ridgeline covered in scrub oaks and large boulders to several other peaks of around the same elevation. Minnie wanted to play fetch with some sticks she found. It's good to know she still has that playful energy, but I needed to think about the return hike. It was 2:50pm and I wanted to get back to the truck before it got too dark.
I explored FR4390 for a half mile but turned around when I realized I was regaining elevation I had at China Peak. FR4390 road goes up an unnamed peak. There were some tire tracks here, the only ones I noticed, but never saw another vehicle. I will leave this trail for another day. Perhaps a half-mile bushwhack from China Peak to this unnamed peak is doable? The elevation gain wouldn't be too bad.
It was now 4pm and the sun was low on the western side of the hills and casting shadows on our path. This was good for the dogs, not so good for me. The yellow raincoat I wore as my outer layer today thankfully kept the chill away from my core. The wind was minimal on the return hike. The lower sun did create a softer hue, though, which is nice for photographs. I could see Middlemarch road snake off toward Tombstone.
I stopped at China Camp briefly to check out the rocks. It was tempting to stay here, and I would have, had I more daylight left. The dogs found a pool of water in a small rock depression. A faint trail led off into the rocks, and a rock circle indicating a fire ring was nearby: a popular campsite.
We made it back to the truck at 5:10pm. All the vehicles that were here at 12:30pm were still here! I fed the dogs each a can of food and got on my way. There were many more hunters parked along Middlemarch Road and scoping the hillsides for prey to kill.
The truck provided relief for the dogs. They were finally off their paws! They were so well behaved on the drive back. But now I was cold since the truck has no heat. I caught the sunset against the western Dragoons at 5:30pm. The rocks briefly turned a stunning orange and red just before the sun dipped behind the western horizon.
I stopped by the Tombstone Brewing Company again and this time met the second bartender, Jon, an older man from northern California. He only works weekends. A young man with a long beard had stopped in to try the variety of ever-changing beers and was sitting at the counter. I took a seat a few stools to his left. He was a young man; surely he'd be annoyed having me talk with him!
The bearded man had been on the road for 41 days and was slowly heading back to western Michigan. He visits National Parks and was upset that Saguaro National Park was closed due to the government shutdown. (You can still enter the national parks in AZ to hike and bike; you simply can't drive in and park. You can, however, get a parking ticket if parked on a road designating no parking.) Another couple from Littleton, CO came by and admired my three napping dogs. Jon was kind enough to invite the dogs in. I was so proud of them for being so well behaved. Three more men walked in at 6:35pm, 25 minutes before closing. "Yeah, sometimes I stay open past 7pm" explained Jon.
I think this brewpub is going to draw craft brew lovers to Tombstone via word-of-mouth; the German-trained brewmaster really does make great beers! If only Sierra Vista's chamber of commerce would realize how many wealthy beer lovers would want to visit a good brewpub in town. It's embarrassing that much smaller towns like Bisbee and Tombstone have such good breweries and all Sierra Vista gets are Bud Lite endorsements. Ugh.
I made it home by 7:15pm. The dogs rested as soon as they got home. It was quite cold out, and overnight lows will be in the low 30s/high 20s. Brr!
http://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/2670648073/
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