The Story Behind Cooney’s Tomb
BESIDE THE TRICKLING WATERS of Mineral Creek in the Gila National Forest, a man’s body has rested inside a massive granite boulder since 1880. The odd gravesite reveals the stakes of the yearlong…
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Tag: Gila National Forest
Hooked on Gila Trout
“SOME PEOPLE WANT to just go catch a fish,” says Kirk Patten, chief of fisheries for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. “Others will fly all the way across the country to fish for a native…
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5 Must-Do Nature Tours
Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary. Take a Friday-afternoon docent-led tour of the mid-1900s Randall Davey House and Studio at the property, which also offers free guided bird walks every…
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Best Places to Stay Near the Gila
BACKCOUNTRY TRAVELERS CAN PICK any spot and set up camp, although some of the more scenic sites are popular for a reason. When the water starts to feel warm as you walk along the Middle Fork of the…
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To the Gila and Beyond
SEE THE GILA WILDERNESS like Aldo Leopold with a guided horseback trek from Joe Saenz, of Wolfhorse Outfitters, or Becky Campbell, of Gila Hot Springs Ranch. Hike to the undeveloped Lightfeather Hot…
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Joe Saenz Makes Connections with the Land
H AVING RETURNED TO HIS ANCESTRAL lands almost 30 years ago, Joe Saenz shows people southwest New Mexico as his ancestors experienced it. Representing the Chiricahua Apache, who he believes are the…
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Find These Plants in the Gila
THE GILA NATIONAL FOREST lists 51 plant species and 16 insect species as being of “management concern,” meaning they rely on National Forest habitats for their survival or are potentially affected by…
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Five Gila Trails to Try
HAVING A VARIETY OF USABLE TRAILS is essential for experiencing the solitude that Aldo Leopold enjoyed, says Melissa Green, trails project coordinator of Gila Back Country Horsemen. “Keeping people…
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Guardian of the Gila
PERCHED IN A STEEL LOOKOUT tower on Mogollon Baldy, Sara Irving has kept eyes on the Gila Wilderness for 42 summers. A hike along the Continental Divide Trail in 1980 prompted her to apply for a…
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Find These Birds in the Gila
LOCATED AT THE NORTHERNMOST end of some birds’ range and the southernmost of others, the Gila Wilderness climbs from cactus-filled desert to steep, pine-covered peaks. Those features, combined with…
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