Southeastern Arizona is sky island country. The mountain ranges here rise out of wide desert basins, and each one has its own character. A short drive can take you from open grassland to oak woodland, from dry lakebed to volcanic rock, and from a modern highway into country that still carries a deep historical weight. This trip started near Willcox, crossed through Arizona wine country and Willcox Playa, climbed into Chiricahua National Monument, followed Echo Canyon Trail th
A 7-mile day hike on Forest Road 80 off the Apache Trail, dropping through steep switchbacks to Back Beach and Fish Beach along Cactus Lake. Quiet shoreline, big desert terrain, and a steady climb back out.
