Plan a day trip from Tucson to the Coronado National Monument

April 30, 4:09 PMTucson Getaways ExaminerNancy Dickinson

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Tucson Getaways Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Entrance to the monument.  Photo credit: Nancy M. Dickinson

As a national park, Coronado National Monument isn't one of the sexiest or most written about, but as a destination for hiking and beautiful views, maybe this is a secret that needs to be shared.

In the early 1540, fueled by rumors of "cities of gold" and treasure lined roads, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, hired by the government of Spain, set out with soldiers, a few guides, some priests and stock animals to discover the "new world".  After two years of exploration, the Coronado expedition made it as far east as modern-day Salina, KS, and as far north as the Grand Canyon and Taos, NM, before considering it an epic failure, never having found their "cities of gold".
 

Though Coronado considered his exploration a failure, as did the Viceroy of New Spain (today's Mexico), Antonio de Mendoza, the United States considers the long trek to be:

"...one of the outstanding achievements of a period marked by notable explorations. It made known the vast extent and the nature of the country that lay north of central Mexico, and from the time of Coronado, Spaniards never lost interest in the country. In no small measure their subsequent occupation of it was due to the curiosity so created." (excerpted from the National Park Service's site for Coronado National Monument).  Based on the aforementioned testimony of the Department of Interior's Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, the region was granted National Park status in 1940.

Follow Coronado's return to present-day Mexico City, a once famed explorer was now ostracized, forced to defend his good name in front of a tribunal.  Though he was successful in doing so, he died of relative obscurity at the age of 52.  However, his contributions as a result of his expedition are great: he began a movement of exploration of the west, the subtle transformation of the American Indian to Christianity due to the missionaries he left behind and, finally, he brought back to Spain a vast knowledge of the Southwest United States, allowing colonization and further exploration.
 

Sign at Montezuma Pass Photo Credit: Nancy M. Dickinson

Located on Highway 92, roughly 15 miles east of Sierra Vista, AZ, the Coronado National Memorial is an exquisite look at the expanse that is the Sonora Desert, complete with a visitor's center, hiking trails, a cave and picnic areas both at the bottom and the top of the Huachuca Mountains.

The hike to the cave can be a little intimidating.  While it's a mere mile long it has an altitude rise of about 500 feet, which is a lot when you're not used to the higher altitudes already.  At the end of this trail, though, is a small cave with some beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, so take your camera, as well as a flashlight, since the cave has no electricity to it.

Also remember, Arizona has an extremely arid climate as well as higher temperatures in the warmer months of the year.  Bring with you comfortable hiking shoes/boots, plenty of water and some snacks with which to enjoy the picnic facilities there.  As a wildlife preserve, Coronado National Monument is home to many indigenous animals such as the coatimundi, the javalina, the black bear and many, many deers such as the mule deer and the white-tail deer.

Inside the visitor's center is a small display relating the history of the location.  For the kids (or the kids at heart) is a full set of chain mail, helmets and swords to try on for a photo opportunity.  Along another wall is a photo display of the many animals you might see at the park as well as an area sectioned off with a video monitor sharing the history of Coronado and his expedition.

The visitor's center is at an altitude of roughly 5200 ft. but a short drive to Montezuma's Pass will bring you to over 6500 feet and take your breath away with it's panoramic views.  Given its "height advantage", paying a visit to the Coronado National Monument is a fantastic way to escape the heat of Tucson when the thermometer hits 90 degrees or better.  

•  Coronado National Memorial
• Directions
• Maps
• Safety Tips