Willcox Exploring Part II ---A Hike In The Hills

                I really do enjoy Exploring and taking pictures.  And I find that the more of this I do the more I wish to do.  Long to do when I am sitting at home, or flustered at work.  Or when it is raining all day outside, like today.  Or just when it is sunny!  Arizona has some amazing trails and places to discover.   It also has more than it's share of sunny days.  I am busily working on taking more pictures and lots of posts and features for this very page!    So please keep coming back to see what is new.   For Exploring from all over please also check out my longest running blog page at www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com    
    
              It is rare that I visit an area where I feel a two part post is needed.  Even rarer still is that I post part two directly after the first post!   Willcox was such a visit for me.  And I really hope you enjoyed the first post from Willcox.  And shared the link with everyone you know.  Today -please join me as I venture up in the hills for a mind clearing, much needed hike. 

All arrows point to great sights from here!

Down the dusty trail to Chiricahua National Monument.

Click back a page to read and see more about a great down town district.

Speaking of that I just read that the Rex Allen days

are coming up in Willcox  so I think the whole family is going to Explore that. 

Pictures to come of course. 

Rex Allen    himself

Soon down the road I found myself lost in the beauty of it all.

This was a paved road, not dirt but still a great journey. 

The hike was about 30 miles out of Willcox 

so I was soon in the middle of no where for sure!

Just across from the above water tower 

I spotted this old family cemetery.

Cemetery's always fascinate me  although I am not sure why.

I found several on this day trip-but this is the only one I stopped to take pictures of.

Again the whole area was surrounded by mountains.

Not so normal, there were also lots of trees--water and rock formations.

I guess the area was recently hit by a devastating fire.  And many of the trees were lost.

But for someone that lives in the full on desert---it seemed like tons of trees survived to me.

The tree loss and general erosion also created flooding.

From what I read the park has just recently re opened. 

A great place to start any hike here.

Magical shrooms on the trail? 

I know for a fact they grown in Oregon.

Pretty whatever kind of mushrooms they may be.

Just behind this sign is a nice trail map and several picnic tables.

The water trickles down just to the left of this.  

A very nice visitors center also is in this area. 

Small but nice.

As is often the case

So many trails  So little time!

Also usually the case in Arizona, trails are very well maintained and groomed.

It was an over cast day --another rare factor.

But nice because the trail started to go up just out of the parking lot.

Yet another rare thing for me--I had an actual back pack with me

AND a packed lunch. 

The further onward and up ward I traveled, the better the sights!

Although I did not travel to many miles on this fine day.

As in many trips in the last few weeks,

I was very impressed at how much green I saw.

Evidence of the fire and probably an amazing sight when the water was flowing.

Rocks   Rocks  every where!

I was fascinated to find that most if not all of the dead trees, had

something living and or growing all over them. 

As always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**

Willcox Exploring Part I -- Downtown

      I attempt to keep this page as current as I can.  Trying to post soon after an Exploring trip with my kiddos, dogs, and, camera, or with just myself.  I also try to keep the posts in and about amazing Arizona.   For more Exploring and pictures of mine  please check out my longest running blog sight at www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com      On a recent day off I spent an entire day roaming around Willcox.  Complete with a long hike in the mountains, surrounded by actual trees.   Good coffee, actual water, and trees, an amazing day for a desert dweller.  I have repeatably heard how crummy this town is, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the day and the amount of pictures I snapped on this day.  I probably would not want to live in this town, but we also choose to live in Benson, so I am not sure how much I would rely on my decision making skills, as a reader just based on that fact.  It does seem by the rich down town, and the relics of many a motel--that this town probably was amazing in the past.  And it is still trying for sure.  But the word of the day seemed to be closed!   Although I did find time to visit some amazing thrift and antique stores in town once they were open for business.    Now lets get on to some Exploring and pictures!

    

So this day started early for me, with my new work schedule I do not see many early mornings.
I was very happy to find that the Willcox Safeway and Starbucks offers free Wi Fi. 

The Benson store does not.

Although the wait was long to get my cup of Joe,  the store was very not busy, and

I had time to chill, write a blog on another page of mine

check out the store happenings, enjoy my coffee, and return e mails   all without being bugged once or even seeing another customer in the small eating area.

I have said before that I do not necessarily enjoy Starbucks  BUT the shere volume of there stores and the fact that they almost all have free Internet brings me back to them.  I did kind of enjoy this visit  a lot. 

I have to say I really like the Willcox branch of Chase bank also, because it never seems to be busy.   We also do not have a Chase bank in Benson, and I save up my tips, sometimes maybe to long.  The branches in Tucson are busy and busier.  So it is a joy to take my accumulated tips to the branch in Wilcox   were I have not seen a line yet or a teller roll there eyes, when they see all the dollar bills I have accumulated. 

Over I-10  from the Safeway parking lot.

One of the many fabled lakes I have heard about in the Willcox area? ??

Nope   Just a water puddle   still in the parking lot. 

Back on the open road 

Where I belong.

This shot reminds me of the movie Cars  for some reason.

Heading towards the large and well maintained golf course.
I spot wind mills all the time.

And always like to add them in a shot when I can.

Twin Lakes is part of the golf course name, but I really was not expecting to see an actual body of water.

I believe there is a bigger lake up the road a little further, but this was not in my Exploring for the day.  

This is all reclaimed water, so I would stay far away from even touching it,

but it still provided for some pretty neat pictures!

And I ALWAYS take pictures when I find water in Arizona~~!

I might well have got to many pictures.

But I found it very peaceful.

And all of the birds were great.

Although I am not sure any birds show up in any of these pictures.  There were tons on the lake.

These signs warn to stay out of the water.

In case the strange water colors is not warning enough.

I was also having great fun with the reflecting actions.

Time to head back into the city limits.

I found many deserted buildings on this trip.

But I really enjoyed how the sign at this one advertised it for sale.

Old town.

O if only old buildings could talk!

Down town really is neat!

Although I am not to sure about the towns claim to fame.

Brands in the sidewalk.  

Always neat!

As I noted before

this town has some amazing sights and is beautiful  

ALL of these pictures are in about a block area.

Salute!

Amazing old tree

still within a block of were I parked on this fine day.

Old train car turned BBQ joint  just down from the old train depot.

Smelled amazing and I have heard the food is amazing

but did not have a chance to stop on this day.

I thought the resident slowly passing in front made the picture better?

Sign in front of the train BBQ joint.

Train station turned government buildings.

Like many of the buildings in town

this brick building is mostly empty.

More or it below...

Same building  

Not sure what the question is

But the answer is Yes!

Even the modern 

And open electric company has an old feel to it.

The main streets offer so many neat buildings

and pictures.

I have not looked up the history of this town

But it must have been a vacation Mecca at one point.
Now most of the motels remain empty and with free air conditioning.

The back main sign to this   lays on the ground

Empty place near the town library.

I have no pictures but the library was amazing too.

Complete with a sun port reading room.

Many old motels and buildings are on the main road. 

In my eyes just waiting to be checked out and

to show up in pictures to forever preserve.

Many of my Exploring blogs have such pictures.

But I recently heard on another page of mine, that in each case I was trespassing.

Yes  and no.

All of these buildings are on the main drag  through town

so people know if you are in them or not.

And each is full of deserted beer cans and such from recent residents   not owners.

AND most of these buildings have for sale signs attached to them. 

I was Marley taking pictures for an interested client.

I find old deserted buildings amazing.

Almost out of town.

This motel has seen better daze.

The swimmin' hole 

complete with no diving sign!

I enjoy these pictures so much I am going to show one more old motel.

Bring on the trespassing charges.

This place was huge and offered so many pictures.

A lot like the old Benson Motel I have pictured also

I was not worried about trappasing charges

but running into current residents.

No matter how short term they may be.

Sorry about all the pictures  but this place was very cool!

An abandoned old folks home just across the street. 

                                               In part two we get away from it all and head
towards the monument.       For some trails and being alone.