Beautiful 60-degree day for a short 8-mile hike.
This hike is basically a walk up two roads: The fairly steep Tombstone Canyon Road up to the Continental Divide pass, then an even steeper ascent up the gravel Juniper Flats Road. This road is so steep in parts, it's a wonder one doesn't fall backwards off it. On my way down, I met a bicyclist straining his way up at 3 miles per hour, about my walking pace up. He gave me the foolish idea to try the same in a day or two which, if I do, will be posted here.
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| Juniper Flats is just behind that little hill between the trees in the distance. |
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| This road up over the Continental Divide was built by prison labor in the early 1900s. Prison labor still figures heavily in Arizona economics; slavery isn't a thing of the past, it's just been repackaged. A tunnel rendering unnecessary this climb up and over the pass was dug underneath and was opened to traffic in 1958. Juniper Flats Road climbs up to the right. |
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| The ugly radio towers of Juniper Flats. |
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| Mural Hill in the background, center. A favorite hike of mine. |
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| The Huachucas to the west. 9,500-foot Miller Peak to the left, which I've hiked several times, most recently in 2018 and 2016. |
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| Looking southwest. |
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| Not bad time for an ascent. |
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| Bisbee tucked down into Tombstone Canyon. |
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| The snow-capped Chiricahuas off in the distance. |
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| Mount Ballard a great accessible day hikes. |
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