Posted By auntie on January 6, 2016

2.5 miles; Bisbee, AZ

Today we decided to walk into the mountains up above our rental—about another 1000 feet above! I was gasping for breath the first quarter mile, until I moderated and started taking it easy. This is another walk I’d love to do again, only go further next time. A mile and a quarter up was about all I could handle today.

Our Parking Spot

Fortunately, we didn’t have to walk up the whole 1000 feet. There was a very nicely graded gravel road that we followed for a few miles till we found a likely-looking parking spot.

Staghorn Cholla Cactus Fruit

All the staghorn cholla cactus have these cool yellow fruit things. I don’t believe they’re edible, but interestingly, they stay on the plant for more than a year, even as new growth begins and new fruits start budding up. On the other hand, the flower buds are edible, but require a great deal of expertise to pluck and avoid getting skewered by the spines. I’ll pass.

Alligator Juniper

We also saw berries on these Alligator Junipers. Unfortunately I didn’t get a shot of the bark, and that’s the most distinctive feature of the plant. It’s all small black plates that almost look charred.

A Little Whimsy

There were actually houses up this high, and fences and forbidding looking signs. But some whimsy, too.

View Towards Town

You can just barely make out the town of Bisbee in this shot. That’s how high up above the town we were. And we didn’t make it to the top of the mountain ridge, either. Next time!

Categories: Arizona, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 2–5 miles, AZ, Bisbee AZ