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NEW TRAILS COMING TO DRAGOON
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| Newly constructed trails at the Amerind Museum |
Right around the turn of the century, I took a break at the Texas Canyon rest stop during a road trip from Willcox to Phoenix, looked out over the gorge below and thought, “Cool rocks. I wonder if there are any hiking trails in there.”
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| Granite formations in Texas Canyon |
Turns out, that particular slice of Chihuahuan Desert along Interstate 10 an hour east of Tucson where restaurants and roadside services are sparse, was on private property with no way for curious hikers to explore the wonderland of weathered igneous stone.
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| Trail designer Sirena Rana in Texas Canyon |
That’s about to change, though.
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| Cottonwoods surround a pond on the Amerind Trails |
This October, a 5.7-mile trail system is set to open in Texas Canyon on the Amerind Museum property in the community of Dragoon.
“Texas Canyon is so amazing,” says Sirena Rana founder of Trails Inspire and designer of the Amerind Trails. “ There’s so much interesting geology and a lot of people have wondered what it looks like inside. Up until now, there were no public trails.”
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| Sirena Rana on the trail to whale rock |
The stony parcel of Texas Canyon sits in the shadow of the Dragoon Mountains between the towns of Benson and Willcox. Nearby attractions like the Chiricahua National Monument, Cochise Stronghold, Willcox Playa Wildlife Area, Tombstone, Southern Arizona wineries and acres of Coronado National Forest are big draws for tourists and locals alike.
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| The tafoni rock in Texas Canyon |
But Dragoon and the Amerind Museum remain comparatively under the radar. The Amerind Museum is a sort of hybrid museum, art gallery and research facility dedicated to archeology, Indigenous cultures and Western art that’s been around since 1937.
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| Whale rock is a highlight of the Amerind Trails |
Seeking to extend its reach, enrich visitor experience, and build interest in the area, museum officials contacted Rana after seeing her presentation on how trails can benefit communities to explore adding hiking trails to their property in Texas Canyon.
“When designing trails, the first thing I do is find the people who know about the land. Locals, neighbors, hikers and experts who know what’s special about the terrain,” Rana says. “To me, the most important thing is to make trails accessible to all. I like a series of stacked loops that allow for a lot of options and are customizable for all levels of difficulty and lengths.”
Routing the 5.7 miles of trails through the dramatic, boulder-strewn terrain was tricky, but extensive site scoping and design research paid off.
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| Windmill with Dragoon Mountains on horizon |
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| The whale trail departs from a picnic area |
“We found routes by using the grasslands in between the rocks and natural granite passages while keeping close to interesting control points like cliffs, dramatic rock formations and ponds,” Rana shared. The careful planning has yielded unique pathways into some of the area’s standout geological wonders including a naturally sculpted tafoni rock and the (soon-to-be Instagram darling) whale rock.
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| Dragoon Mountains seen from Amerind Trails |
The stone pillars, balanced rocks, slabs, grottos, spires, and fractured joints within the trail system are the result of millions of years of geological activity and weathering of quartz monzonite (aka granite) that crystalized underground. As the land surface slowly eroded, the harder granite intrusion was exposed to the elements that would shape them into the bizarre forms seen today.
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| Golden corydalis color the grasslands Feb - Jun |
For trail construction, Rana selected an Arizona company that specializes in building sustainable recreational trails that respect natural landscapes and cultural resources.
“For construction we used Flagline Trails, a Flagstaff-based contractor,” Rana says. “They are incredibly talented and the crew did an amazing job. They took my design and made it as good as can be. The system has three access points, north and south loops plus an out-and-back trail to whale rock. There will be benches placed along the routes and signage and painted paw prints to mark the trails where they cross bedrock will be installed over the summer. The trails will be open for day use only . There’s no camping at the site, but there are plenty of places to camp and stay in neighboring towns and in Coronado National Forest.”
Trail construction began on January 3, 2023 and wound up in April.
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| Painted paw prints will mark the trail where it crosses bedrock |
Using “Amerind Trails” as a working title, official naming of the trails is in the works. “We handed off the naming of trails, and signage placement with our recommendations to the Amerind Foundation,” Rana says. “I’m thrilled with how the trails turned out and they are sure to be a great contribution to the community.”
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| Interesting geology dominates the landscape |
A grand opening event will be scheduled for October and if all goes as planned, the community of Dragoon is going to need a restaurant.
LENGTH: 5.7 miles
RATING: easy-moderate
ELEVATION: 4,643 - 4,873 feet
GETTING THERE:
Amerind Museum
2100 N. Amerind Rd., Dragoon, AZ.
From Interstate 10 south of Tucson, take the Dragoon Road exit 318 and follow the signs 1 mile south to the Amerind entrance on the left.
HOURS: The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.. Closed on major holidays. Trails will be open for day use only.
There’s no camping on the property, but there are nearby campgrounds and lodging.
FEE: $10 - 12
FACILITIES: picnic tables, restrooms, museum exhibits and events
INFO:
TRAILS WILL OPEN OCTOBER 7, 2023.
Amerind Museum
Trails Inspire LLC
Flagline Trails LLC
