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Off-Ranch Rides
Chiricahua National Monument This spectacular Canyon, with its fantastic rock formations, is one of the most beautiful of our National Parks. For many years after the first settlers arrived in this valley, Bonita Canyon - a refuge for the Apache - remained unknown to the white man. In the 1870s, a detachment of Buffalo Soldiers (the famous black cavalry) camped at the mouth of Bonita Canyon to prevent Indians from escaping into its wilderness. Five decades later, in the 1920s, early settler Ed Riggs discovered its wonders while looking for lost cattle. Riggs petitioned the government to designate it a National Park, protecting the area for future generations. The Civilian Conservation Corps camped in the canyon during the 1930s, and constructed the miles of winding, superbly-designed trails enabling exploration and full enjoyment of the area today. The horses are trailered to the Faraway Ranch, once the home of Ed and Lillian Riggs, and from there we ride past the recently-restored homestead - an interesting example of early Arizona architecture. Then, on through rolling meadows of ranch country, and up a steadily-ascending trail winding through tall pines reminiscent of Montana, each switchback reveals ever-more breathtaking scenery, until we arrive at the near lunar landscape of Bib Balancing Rock. Without question, this is an outing you will never forget. This trail is challenging but not daunting - unless sweeping views from dramatic overlooks are cause for concern. As the elevation is 7,000 ft (2100m), this ride, may not be possible in winter because of possible snow on the trail. Triangle T is in the process of obtaining a permit for this ride, so check with us. For Off Ranch Adventure Rides, there is an additional fee for trailering the horses to the trail head. There is a minimum of two riders and a maximum of eight for this day-long expedition.
Cochise Stronghold The Stronghold is located in a magnificent, rugged canyon that served the famous Apache Indian leader, Cochise, as a refuge against his enemies. As you enter the East Stronghold Canyon, you pass in the shadow of rocks that quite likely served the Apache warrior as perches for his lookouts. The haunting shapes into which the forces of nature have carved those rocks helps make a visit to this charismatic place an unforgettable experience. In the 1860s, the charismatic Chiricahua Apache leader, Cochise, adopted the rugged canyons that cross the midsection of the Dragoon Mountains as a refuge for himself and his people. The place came to be known as Cochise Stronghold. One feature of this natural fortress was that the two rocky canyons, one from each side of the mountain range, nearly meet high in the Dragoons. With their outlandish rock formations and thick oak-juniper vegetation they offer a concealed escape route in either direction. No one knows how many times Cochise and his people used these two canyons and the trail that connects them to move across these mountains. Today, Forest visitors travel this route as a portal back into this areas colorful past, as well as an access route to its scenic present. The trail extends between the Cochise Stronghold Campground on the east and a 4-wheel drive road (FR 688) into West Stronghold Canyon on the west side of the Dragoons. If you choose, you can travel all the way to Council Rocks at the mouth of West Stronghold. A trip along this trail will give you some idea why Cochise considered it a stronghold. This trail is also challenging with more sweeping views from dramatic overlooks. Triangle T is in the process of obtaining a permit for this ride, so check with us. For Off Ranch Adventure Rides, there is an additional fee for trailering the horses to the trail head. There is a minimum of two riders and a maximum of eight for this day-long expedition.
San Pedro River The San Pedro River is the central corridor of the Madrean Archipelago of "Sky Islands", high mountains with unique ecosystems different from the ecology of the Sonoran desert "seas" that surround it. More than 300 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies and 20 species of bats use this corridor as they migrate between South, Central and North America, including the imperiled Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). More than 80 species of mammals, including jaguar (Panthera onca), coatimundi (Nasua narica), bats, beaver (Castor canadensis frontador), mountain lion, and many rodents; more than 65 species of reptiles and amphibians, including Sonoran tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi) and Western Barking Frog (Eleutherodactylus augusti). With large portions of the river dry much of the year, it provides a spectacular horse ride. Like riding in the river, a horse ride on a gaited horse provides a comfortable and scenic ride. A favorite of the staff at Triangle T. . . |
| Triangle T Guest Ranch ~ P.O. Box 218 ~ Dragoon AZ 85609 ~ (520) 586-7533 ~ ttgr@earthlink.net |