Portal, AZ - Rodeo, NM

Hike report for Price Canyon 3/26/26:

Last week we speculated about continued hot weather, and lo and behold, guess what?   This week was hot- not the temperatures we used to have in the first week of spring.  We selected Price Canyon, which isn’t especially high elevation, but it is very shady and not extremely steep (for the Chiricahuas).  Price Creek was flowing in a couple of stretches, as we hoped.   

9 hikers carpooled to the end of the road in Price and hiked under towering Arizona cypress, pines, Douglas firs and oaks, with an occasional madrone.

 

The first mile and a half is in good shape (thanks to hard work by several trail crews) but as one should expect in this mountain range, trees fall over and sometimes land on the trail.  We scrambled over a few logs - some in the 26” range.  The upper part of the trail got rougher but passable. Volunteers rebuilt this section of trail last year, but maintenance will always be needed. 

 

Hiking in Arizona requires some preparation that isn’t as necessary elsewhere.  The first is enough water.  For a “summer” hike in the Chiricahuas figure on a minimum of 3 quarts for a day hike & remember to consider your need for electrolytes.   Some people snack on salted nuts or chips, others use sport drinks, teas or vegetable drinks and a few take salt or mineral pills.  When it gets really hot, you can freeze one partial bottle of “sports” drink for later in the day.  I’ve often ended up sharing mine with other hikers – very popular.  We haven’t had anyone with leg cramps for a long time, so everyone has been prepared.

We learned about a sophisticated technique for keeping those little flies out of your eyes (it worked!):

Some hikers turned back about 2 1/2 miles up but 3 of us continued to the junction of Baker Canyon Trail for lunch.  We looked at the bottom of Baker Canyon, and the beginning of the trail is totally blown out from flooding and fallen trees. 

 

 

We walked back at a leisurely pace, enjoying the great cliffs, trees and blooming ceanothus, and Elaine found a lovely little orchid, Spring Coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana:

 

 

One hiker found this information about the name of the canyon: 

Price Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona is named after a U.S. Army officer, who homesteaded the ranch headquarters in 1879. The area is also known for Price Spring  - a favorite camping spot for Apache tribes during the 1800s.

 

Last week we asked the old historian about Barfoot Lookout and got a learned response: The fire lookout was named for the Barfoot Park area in general, and not so much for the peak across the valley. The name comes from pioneer Malcolm Barfoot, who ranched in the Sulphur Springs Valley and I think also in the southern part of the Chiricahuas as well. He and Noah Barfoot were charged with rustling cattle from the Riggs ranch. Malcolm Barfoot Jr. was a World War II hero.

 

Next week we have decided to return to the high country and hike the Crest Trail to Centella Point.  Meet at Silver Peak parking lot at 8 AM AZ, 9 AM NM time.  Bring water, lunch hat, good boots and sun protection.  The predicted temperature is lower than this week so dress appropriately.  We don’t know if the gate will be unlocked at Rustler Park, so we might be adding the 2 miles up the Long Park Road.  It is easy to stop at any point and return to the vehicles, so the distance a person hikes is up to them as long as they have a ride down.  The total distance to Centella Point and back is approximately 9 miles.  

 

Hike report from Al & Elaine, photos from Elaine