Chiricahua National Monument

EAST OF TUCSON, AZ

Whoa.

This place is amazing.

Chiricahua National Monument is about 2.5 hours east of Tucson. The hike we did is called Echo Canyon & Sarah Deming Canyon Loop.

This hike is definitely off the beaten path, so I'm lucky Deb discovered it a couple years ago and was thrilled to do it again.

You can read more about the trail here on AllTrails. Quick word of warning: we definitely gave this trail 5 stars. And most other people did as well. But if you read through the comments, David gave it 4 stars because it isn't quite as impressive as Bryce in Utah. Celia gave it 2 stars because the first mile is better than the rest of the hike, which has "nothing special" to offer. You've been warned.

My actual warning is that the pictures you're about to see are gorgeous (and not just because I'm in some of them) but if you actually do this hike, the pictures will look like garbage compared to just how insanely gorgeous this hike is in real life. All 8 miles of it. Don't listen to Celia.

The rock formations in the photos above are called hoodoos. I know this only because I read about the park on Wikipedia, which described in great detail how they are formed. The only information about hoodoos I actually retained is that in French, the formations are called demoiselles coiffées, which means ladies with hairdos, which I find amusing.

The trail weaved through canyons, forests, and labyrinths of rock, which made for some cool shots. And also, how about that BLUE sky?! I didn't edit or enhance the photos. Crazy.

Check out these balanced rocks. It's crazy how their center of gravity is perfectly aligned. Also, after much discussion to the contrary, one simple sign confirmed that yes, it is (nearly? actually?) impossible for one little human to push these over.

Total hike was 8.6 miles, 2045 ft elevation gain. Loved every bit of it. I mean, it's not Bryce Canyon, David, but pretty close and way less crowded. We still give it five stars. :)