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               Last week we all ventured to the Dragoon area once again, for some rock climbing fun.  Although we left the dogs behind this time around.  On this day we stopped at the rest area, just past the Dragoon exit and just before the exit to The Thing!  Both areas I have posted about before.  As I have mentioned before, this picture filled blog is all about Exploring Arizona and all it has to offer in fun and sights.  But our funding is very minimal at the moment, so many of the hikes focus around our new home town of Benson, Arizona.  This will change.  In the mean time I hope you enjoy each post.   This is a very new page, so please share the word and the links -so we can gain readers and comments from across this amazing state, and beyond.   Each comment -good, bad, or ugly, helps me make this a better sight for all!  

    

              
        

This area is about 12 miles from us but offers some great Exploring and lots of rock jumping fun

to quickly wear out the kiddos. 

The rest area also offers lots of benches, bathrooms, and even vending machines if you do not wish to

join in on the fun.

Plus there is always lots of people watching here to enjoy. 

Rocks like the above line the parking area.

And are just begging to be climbed!

A very rare picture of both of our boys together-AND looking happy.

The oldest was trying to hide behind his brother.

After I looked at this picture more-- I believe they both look more "evil" than happy.

As if happily plotting to push the other one off the rocks first.
But maybe that is just the parent in my thinking to much.

    Just  down from many of the rocks is the rest areas workers residence.  And a few heavily fenced ponds.  This is also a water treatment area.   And yes the water above is green.  A very slime mutant sludge green.  Although it is still kind of pretty.  The entire area is fenced off, around both rest areas and you have to walk a bit to get around the fences to the cooler rock formations and the open desert. 

Staying hydrated and ready to Explore!

Like here!!

The larger formations form almost cave like areas.

That are full of fun echoes. 

   The writing on the wall says "love!"   As in most places we Explore---vandals have come and gone.  Some of the art work is actually pretty neat.   If this was painted darker it might make for a nifty post card.  Although in this area de-facing the rocks is illegal.   I am not sure how one enforces this, but with all of the art work, I would say the enforcer is not to strict or crafty.

As in every hike  in this area--- magnificent mountains surround us in the distant horizon.

Each formation in this whole area is completely different and breath taking in it's own way.

Just across the way was a much taller set of hills that was calling to us. 

On this portion also very rocky   but the further to the right you look, the

easier the climb appears.  Although it still spends a lot of time going up.

Reaching the top--is far easier said than done.

For one thing from our stop-- four lanes of I-10 highway and several fences stand in the way!

I was not into playing Frogger with big rigs on this day--so we quickly loaded into our truck

and set off for the very next exit, crossed over the highway, and

turned back toward Benson.  Pulling back off at the rest area on the other side.

I have a long list of places to Explore next

But were do you think we should Explore??

Were have you been on a hike lately?

Please share your thoughts and pictures. 

The best will make it in future blog posts---giving you credit of course.

Please share on this pages comment section or at the links just below!

All new picture filled -all local blog post in the works!

Please tell your friends.  :)

Until next time

As always

**HAPPY TRAILS!!**

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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

More From Dragoon

   Greetings readers!   Yesterday the boys, Butch, and I took a break from all of the work we have been doing this week, and returned to Dragoon to Explore.  Much of the hike was on private property, so I will not explain our location in much detail.  But we started very near the off ramp for the big town of Dragoon. 
    We did resist going further into private property at the above pictured point.  Although getting to the top of this mountain looks very appealing to me on a later date.  Maybe when I do not have the kiddos with me.  Also greatly appealing is to be out this way, when the sun sets.  Arizona sun sets are always amazing, and so different every time.  But with all of the surrounding very large rocks, it would make for a great back drop.   On this day all the large rocks provided training grounds for the kids to practice there Ninja skillz.   I refrained from to much rock climbing, but soon found myself sweating.  Making it hard to wrap my mind around the fact that it was still only early January.  One really does have to enjoy living in the desert.  Especially one that grew up in Wyoming.  Were it is cold, and than really cold, and than summer for about two months.   If you are lucky!   Although here it just means that the really hot temperatures are just lying in wait. 

The rock formations in this whole area are amazing.

And fun to climb.

Near the start of our adventure.

We started in a river run off that was very sheltered.

But it was still impressive to me how many leaves remained on the trees in this area.

Another great natural picture frame.

This old tree kept becoming the focus of my attention.

Until bigger and better rock formations became part of the landscape.

                       A natural playground for sure.  Or just a great place to play king of the hill! 

At about this point I saw a work truck in the distance.   So we took off further away from civilization.

Just in case.  I know for sure I can not out run bullets.

You can just make out Butch, above doing his own Exploring.

There he goes again!

This time he found some shade to hang in.

I enjoyed all the rocks

Give me a break.

So in the above picture I was attempting to show our youngest climbing up this hill, in a close up shot.

But he feel down right before I snapped the shot.

You can just make him out, in the weeds to the right, going down.

Here I attempted again, but got the shot while he was still getting up instead of actually looking at the camera.

Butch is a young pup still, but he was even dragging butt from the adventure and the heat.

So we soon decided it was time to start heading back to the truck.

Near were we had parked, was these pathways that lead clear under the highway AKA I-10.

This one blessed us!  Look at the top.  

And they were both amazingly long. 

So much so, that by the middle of the tunnel it was very dark and very hard to see anything.

On the other side we found many more great rock formations and this old car section. 

Another quality day of slacking and Exploring.

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Exploring with Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head

Dragoon Mountain Exploring!

              Good morning all!   I have found taking the pictures for my sights and than writing about our Exploring, VERY calming.  We have three wonderful kiddos, who enjoy the six weeks of school, two weeks off of school schedule--WAY more than we do!  With all of the other day to day stressors, until about a month ago -my mother-in law lived with us.  Long story short, stress relievers are a must!   I surly hope that you enjoy my posts  even half as much as I enjoy working on them.   And that until I find an editor, you ignore my grammar and writing mistakes.   Just down the road from Benson is Dragoon.   I have posted about the area a few times now.  My favorite being about visiting the tourist trap, also known as The Thing.   The state rest area is also worth a stop, if nothing else to enjoy the amazing rock formations found through the whole area.  If you have not checked out the area, Dragoon Days are in early November.   I will have to look up the specific days and what happens, because we are new to the area and have never been.  But a good festival is always high on my to-do list. 

                                                                                    Sierra Vista

               The temps were perfect last Sunday for an Exploring trip.   And our two boys needed out of the house as much as I did.   I had planned on checking out some of the hill trails in Sierra Vista, but did not want to drive that far.  **On that note--I have not done any hikes or real sight seeing in Sierra Vista yet--any readers have any suggestions for us??**   Soon after jumping on the Internet, I found the Slavin Gulch Trail.  Many sights talked about the area, but few gave good details on getting to the actual trail head.  Please note:  Google maps is NOT a good method for finding this area!  Mainly because the dirt roads, do not have marked street names.  We only got lost once even with the less than grand directions. 
                 

So many trails---So little time!!

                 I have also noticed in my travels that hike books and web pages do not really tell you some key factors in any hike.   When we lived in beautiful Bellingham, Washington we used to love Exploring a spot of beach called Teddy Bear Cove.  I have some amazing pictures from this area, and it is beyond nice.   All of the hike books talk about this great beach.   But none of them mention a hugely key factor!   For whatever reason it is a big hangout, no pun intended, for guys to swim in the nude.   Mostly much older men, at that.  I found this out -one glorious day while Exploring with our youngest.   He was eight at the time.   Needles to say, every time I posted a blog about the cove, I included this info.  If nothing else to save someone else from suddenly going blind for a short period of time.   OR having to explain such things to there kiddos.  On that note--a few notes on this trip, nothing as Earth shattering, for sure!

                      Every guide I found noted that during the right season, this trail could be found in a car.  Obviously this is Arizona, and this whole area is in a flash flood zone, so even with our four wheel drive, I would not be around the area at all during Monsoon season.   But this road was amazingly ruff and I would not recommend taking any car down it.  In fact at one point, we decided it would be faster to walk, and did just that.   At one point you are in Forrest Service land, so as always should be the case, pack out what you pack in!   By the time we found the trail head, we had very little water left.   So as always in Arizona, take lots and lots of water.  There is an open water tank with running water, between the ranger station and the trail head, but we were unsure how clean that water was.   Much of the year, the water is also running down the canyon, so if nothing else you can cool off quickly!  It was beyond dry on our trip.  

                                                         An oasis  Not sure how clean the water is though.

                         When you enter the big city of Dragoon-just past the rail road tracks, you will drive by a very old store.   Take an immediate right at the store.  You are on a dirt road, which is deceivingly well maintained to start.   Soon you pass through a gate, and the road keeps getting rougher and rougher from there.  About 20 minutes from the gate you will pass into Forest Service land.   Follow the sign to the left, pointing to the springs.  We gave up and parked just past this sign, leaving a mile to the trail head.   At some point we encountered a huge wasp nest and decided it was time to head back to the truck.    The rock formations alone were worth the trip.  Further up the trail, you pass old mine relics.  The loop I read about is supposed to be 2.5 miles.  So a nice trek into the landscape.   We did not make it far enough to give a very accurate report on conditions and such.   But it was far enough to wear out the kids.   I would say it looked like a moderate hike though.   We started in the river bed and of course, like all good hikes, the trail mostly went upward for a long ways.  

Break time in some hard to find shade.

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**HAPPY TRAILS!!**

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Check it out personally by dropping by our book cases on the car port of 759 Mcneil street

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