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Chiricahua National Monument | Quick Guide to the Wonderland of Rocks
Chiricahua National Monument is a beautiful and unique off the beaten path pocket of wilderness in the southeast corner of Arizona. The area is known as a sky island - an isolated mountain range that rises above the vast surrounding sea of desert. As the elevation increases, the cacti and mesquite give way to sycamore, juniper and oak trees and eventually cypress, pines and fir. But what really stands out about Chiricahua National Monument are the amazing rock pinnacles found towering throughout the park.
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Big Loop Hike in Chiricahua National Monument
The Big Loop hike is the best hike in Chiricahua National Monument for immersing yourself in the incredible rock formations and experiencing the areas outstanding scenery! There are nine different trails that link together to create the Big Loop hike showcasing the most dramatic and numerous rock formations within Chiricahua National Monument.
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Hiking Natural Bridge Trail | Hikes in Chiricahua National Monument
Hiking Natural Bridge Trail is a great hike in Chiricahua National Monument to find solitude and wander through the beautiful wilderness. This hike is less sought out by visitors hiking in Chiricahua National Monument. And for this one, the magic is in the journey with a simple treat at the end. If you're not scared of putting in the miles to appreciate the wild and scenic allure of this trail then hiking Natural Bridge Trail is for you!
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Hiking Bonita Creek Trail in Chiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument is in the southeastern corner of Arizona and is full of great hiking options! The hikes explore the rugged desert terrain complimented by some really cool, interesting geology! But there is quite a bit of history in the area as well. When we first arrived at Chiricahua National Monument we stopped at the first trail/picnic area that we saw so we could look at the map and plan our adventures. And since we were parked at the trailhead we decided to start by hiking Bonita Creek Trail to Faraway Ranch and Stafford Cabin.
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Tour of the Lakes on Gold Lake Highway
Lakes Basin Recreation Area is an unbelievable destination in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains with an incredible landscape of jagged, dramatic peaks and numerous glacially carved lakes. Gold Lake Highway is a scenic route that connects Bassets Station to Graeagle and provides access to endless outdoor recreation in this gorgeous area.
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Free Camping Near the Sierra Buttes | Gold Lake Highway
After spending some time exploring the northern Gold Lake Highway in Plumas National Forest, we still had more to see and we weren't quite ready to leave the area. So that's when we headed to the southern section of Gold Lake Highway in Tahoe National Forest. And we were stoked to find that there were actually options for free camping near the Sierra Buttes. To find this spot, we actually asked some rangers about any dispersed camping in the area and they pointed us to this spot.
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Hiking Long Lake Loop + Mount Elwell on Gold Lake Highway
If you're looking for an adventure off of Gold Lake Highway, hiking Long Lake loop is a great option! Not only is it a loop (which if you don't know by now we're big fans of) but you can also add on Mount Elwell to experience a peak with incredible views in every direction. And there are also several options for extending the loop to check out even more of the gorgeous lakes in the area. Hiking Long Lake loop offers a little bit of everything while doing a great job of showcasing the beauty of this special area.
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Hiking to Sierra Buttes Lookout | Gold Lake Highway
When we first laid eyes on the Sierra Buttes and spotted the lookout tower, we had no idea how accessible hiking to Sierra Buttes Lookout would be! Once we got to the Gold Lake Highway area we were in completely unfamiliar territory and we had never even heard of the Sierra Buttes. But once we saw the dramatic towering mountains for the first time, we knew we had to see more! And hiking to Sierra Buttes Lookout was the perfect opportunity.
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Hiking to Big Bear Lake | Gold Lake Highway
Hiking to Big Bear Lake from Round Lake Trailhead is a short hike to a refreshing, scenic lake making it the perfect choice for a hot summer day! There are numerous clean, clear and beautiful lakes to choose from in the Lakes Basin Area of Gold Lake Highway. And Round Lake Trailhead leads to several gorgeous lakes in the area including Big Bear Lake, Little Bear Lake, Round Lake, Silver Lake and Long Lake for starters.
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Backpacking Grouse Ridge Loop | Tahoe National Forest
Backpacking Grouse Ridge Loop was our first backpacking trip of the year, our first time backpacking in Tahoe National Forest and our first opportunity to backpack with Shane's brother who flew out to visit from Florida. And since you can't go wrong with loop itineraries with lots of lakes, we were excited to head out to experience a new area and make new memories. The backpacking Grouse Ridge loop itinerary that we decided upon links several different trails in the Grouse Ridge area. These trails lead past lake after lake with numerous opportunities for quick side trips to visit even more lakes!
