Apache Trail

Introduction
Arizona USA

Ride through Southern Arizona. The Apache Trail promises to lead you deep into the fields of cacti, towering Saguaros, up into the historic and picturesque mountains where we will follow in the footsteps of the famous Apache chiefs Chochise and Geronimo. The first part of this trail we ride through the Sonoran Desert towards the Mexican Border. The second part of the ride is in the major mountain ranges of Southwest Arizona (The Dragoons, where Chochise alluded and out smarted the U.S. Calvary for several years.).

This is a “Point to Point” scenic ride with lots of time spent in the saddle on mountain trails, single and 2 track trails with lots of trotting and some cantering when the unique terrain allows, with several camp moves. Tasty, wholesome and hot cooked meals, roomy three season tents w/cots and a hot shower await you when you ride in each day. We strive to make it as comfortable as possible while maintaining it as a rustic “camping adventure” providing amenities such as tables and chairs for dining and around the campfire with plenty of coffee and tea available. But please don’t expect a “Dude Ranch Environment”, we are roughing it in the great outdoors!

The guides, wranglers, and camp help are there to aid in transitioning you into the routine of camp life in the wilderness, to make the passage from “city to wild” easier. We want this to be the best trail adventure of your life! Come ride with us!

Accomodation

You will sleep in roomy three season dome tents with cots ( 3 person tents for 2 riders). You should bring your own warm sleeping bag and if you prefer a mat to lay on top of the cot. We provide pillows and have some spare sleeping bags for anyone needing the extra warmth on the cold desert nights).
There is a hot shower set up in one of the horse trailers - you can take a short shower every day -- either in the afternoon after the ride or in the morning. Keep in mind -- there is one shower for everyone, so keep them short. It is quite a luxury out in the desert. In the morning  hot water is available for freshening up from a large pot and wash basins. Although there will always be water available, please remember that it is a precious commodity out here so conservation is the key word..

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Week One:
Some long days and long trots and canters. Lots of sandy washes and some mountain road riding on the last day. Relatively fast. Real desert the first few days.
Lots of cacti incl. big Saguaros. Start at ranch in Sierrita mtns.
Week Two:
Some long days (2x 30 miles+) , long trots and canters, narrow mountain trails. Santa Ritas. Gardner Canyon.

We do require riding experience on this trip! You should be able to walk, trot and canter and should be in good physical condition - able to ride 6-8 hours per day for most of our trails. We will take breaks every hour to stretch our legs, but the pace can be quite challenging with long stretches of trotting and cantering where the terrain allows us. However, we do adjust to everyone's riding ability to make it enjoyable and safe for riders and the horses as well.

Itinerary

SONORAN DESERT

Day 1: Arrival and pick-up at the Tucson International Airport at 7:00 PM and transport to your hotel. Dinner today is not included.

Day 2: After breakfast, we'll pick you up from your hotel and transfer to camp where we’ll have a brief introduction and pre-trip meeting and then you will select or be matched to your horse for the next 1 or 2 weeks. We saddle up and go for a short ride around the foot hills and trails near the ranch. We return, have lunch ,and then journey by van to the Desert Museum (no stuffed animals; it has everything you might see while riding through this desert.)

Day 3: We'll ride through some of the largest cattle ranches of the southwest to our next camp by Pozo Nuevo. This ride will lead us through the typical sonoran desert with majestic Saguaros and other cacti (watch out for those Jumping cactus; they got their name for a reason). (6-8 h, 20 miles)

Day 4: Today we'll discover a different Arizona. The cacti soon give way to the grass covered plains of the Buenos Aires wildlife refuge. Antelopes, a diversity of deer, Javalinas and any number of smaller creatures inhabit this area. Our camp is setup for one of those vacation sunset photographs. (6-8 h, 20 miles)

Day 5 A long days ride will take us by Yellow Jacket and to Arivaca Lake. Prepare yourself for a 7 mile long canter along a beautiful sand wash and the increasing mountain terrain with endless views. There will be an opportunity to go for a refreshing swim at the lake after the ride. (8-9 h, 25 miles)

Day 6: A long ride along the Mexican Border to Pena Blanca will take us by Ruby (a historic mining turned ghost town) and to Sycamore canyon, where we can look for goedes in the midst of an impressive canyon. (8-9 h, 25 miles)
... one week clients depart camp after dinner and overnight in local hotel in Tucson.

SONITA - TOMBSTONE

Day 7: We'll follow the Arizona trail north to Kentucky Camp (another historic mining depot). Still working Gold mines and steep mountain trails will make this ride an unforgettable adventure. (6-8 h, 18 miles)

Day 8:  A long ride today from Gringo Gulch through Patagonia on the way to Canelo Pass in the Canelo mountains. Beautiful scenery and views into San Rafael Valley make this a Kodak moment all day. We camp near an old ranch for the night.

Day 9:  This morning we break camp, load up horses and head for the Dragoon mountain by way of Tombstone ( “The town to tough to die”) for some sight seeing and maybe a gun fight in town. If time permits when we arrive in camp in the Dragoons we can take a short ride and maybe some more Kodak time for running across the meadows.

Day 10: Today's ride will take us into the Stronghold where Chochise outsmarted the Calvary for many years and ultimately surrendered to Gen. Howard. We will ride the route the Calvary had to take to meet with Chochise through Middle Marsh Pass and return to camp for our last camp supper and shower.

Day 11: We tack up this morning for our last ride. We will ride into China Gulch to visit an Authentic and still used medicine wheel where you can leave a prayer to the spirits or just sit and feel the power that these Mountains hold and know why the Apache loved it.
When we return to camp we will have lunch, load up and return to Tucson and the sounds of city. Dinner will be at a local restaurant (not included) and then for a loooooong hot shower in the hotel.

Day 12: In the morning take the hotel airport shuttle to the airport.

    Subject to changes !

Rates and Dates for Apache Trail

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Tucson Hotel
Airport: Tucson, AZ
Transfer: Tucson airport at 7 pm

Climate:

The Sonoran Desert region has the greatest diversity of vegetative growth of any desert region worldwide. This unique eco-region constitutes a large area located in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. With such a harsh climate some may be surprised to find so many mammals, reptiles, birds, and even about a dozen amphibian species, including the world's largest terrestrial salamander, the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). Cattle grazing and urban development are the main threats to this eco-region.

The Sonoran desert is one of the wettest deserts in North America and averages from 3 to 16 inches of rain a year. It has two rainy seasons, one in the summer and another in the winter. The summer rains are short and heavy and are often followed by a rainbow. The winter rains are longer and lighter and are more widespread.

The sunlight of the Sonoran Desert changes during the day and it gets hotter. Seasonal temperatures range from an average of 52º F in the winter, to 86º F in the summer. But in the cooler seasons the temperatures can drop to around 32º F at night. Some parts of the Mexican portion of the Sonoran Desert have been known to reach 134º F in the shade!!

There are a lot of sand dunes and grasses in the desert. There are also a lot of cacti, herbs, thorny and thornless shrubs. The creosote bush is the most common plant, and the saguaro cactus is the largest and the most conspicuous plant in the desert.

Many desert animals, such as bighorn sheep, pocket mouse, and pronghorn antelope (an endangered species) use cacti and other vegetation as a shelter from harsh weather and as a source of water. The bighorn sheep has adapted to the desert, because it has big feet, good for the rough terrain, and only needs to drink every few days. The pocket mouse has adapted to the desert, because it is very small, is sand colored, and can run fast from predators. It also doesn't need to drink because it gets all the water it needs from the food it eats and retains its urine.

Average Monthly Temperature (F)

On these camping rides we provide

• all camping gear (except sleeping bags). You must bring your own sleeping bag as we don't have these for rent. We have spare “used bags” to use over your own for extra warmth, but we do not rent them or recommend you use them in lieu of your own.  
• roomy tents with 2 camping cots in each.
• hot showers in camp
• three meals a day (hearty breakfast, bag lunch on trail, and a varied dinner menu). Please let us know of any special dietary requests at the time of booking.
• we do not provide beverages other than coffee, tea and water, but you are welcome to bring your own, or the cook can purchase it for you (at cost) when he goes to town for supplies
• horses and tack (including canteens and saddlebags)
• friendly, knowledgeable staff (all guides are First Aid certified)

You just sit back, relax and enjoy.