9-18-16 Day Trip in Southern Arizona, Willcox AZ (Still at Magic Circle RV Park)

The RV park office told us about a hundred-mile round trip drive south of I-10 at Willcox AZ.  

This is Cochise and Geronimo, Apache Indian Chiefs, area.  One of the areas we toured is Fort Bowie National Historic Site.  

Geronimo was falsely accused of kidnapping a young child and attacking a wagon train.  Even though it was a false accusation he was attacked and chased.  This started a ten-year "war" between the Apaches and the "white man".  The Butterfield Stagecoach Company also started traveling through the area where the Apache tribe lived.  

We traveled a 7 mile gravel road that parallel the Butterfield Stage Coach route.  Faint wagon wheel tracks were visible.  

Century plant type cactus

I do not know what this cactus is; but it was all over the hills.

Below are pictures taken at the most unique landscape in the Chiricahua National Monument.  

Mexican Jay

The viewpoint had a breath-taking view.

Glen

The formations are surrounded by desert, foothills, cacti, yet is within the Chiricahua Mountains.  Don't forget this is the route for the stagecoaches and wagon trains going to the gold rush in California in the mid 1860-1880's.  

It was a scenic drive.  We were reminded of history (Apaches vs. encroaching white man)that we learned long ago.

Oh, one more thing.  Do you remember Rex Allen?  Willcox AZ has "Rex Allen Drive".  He left here to be in the movies.  I remember when he appeared at a local rodeo about an hour from our home (I was about 12).  Rex Allen, Jr. comes back to srve as Grand Marshall at the parade for Rex Allen Days.