As I left Guadalupe, it was fitting that my journey would have its celebratory end on an old homestead in vicinity of Army Engineer, General John Pope’s survey route from 1854, a major contributing source to the Butterfield.
Butterfield
Dog Canyon, Hueco Tanks, & Guadalupe Mountains [Butterfield Trail – Day 11]
I woke up in the ruins of Dog Canyon before heading a short sixty miles South, back to Texas. I rejoined the trail in the aptly-named ‘Butterfield, Texas’… and set off to Hueco.
San Simon & Doubtful Canyon Pass – [Butterfield Trail – Day 10, Pt. 2]
My descent from Paradise brought me to San Simon, where I’d rejoin the Butterfield at perhaps one of the most exciting regions of the trail. For starters, it was home to one of the most renowned stations, San Simon as it signified entry into Arizona territory. The reason it was such a relief to reach […]
Chiricahua Peak Run, Bootlegger’s Saddle, & Paradise – [Butterfield Trail – Day 10, Part 1]
Looking over the ridgeline and seeing the back side of the Dos Cabezas and the range I’d just explored, I decided to stop and reflect on closing the chapter in the Chiricahua mountains, a truly special place.
Up Dragoon, Apache Pass, Ft Bowie, Chiricahuas & Coronado National Forest [Butterfield Trail – Day 9, Part 2]
Unhesitatingly, St drew his revolver, and put a round in Pablo, who was later found dead in the desert. All three men cowardly ran into the night. Fearing death, Silas St. John transcribed a report of the incident, and stood watch over the post as the rest of the men became carrion to the environment.
Dragoon Springs Station and a What-Not Shoppe – [Butterfield Trail – Day 9, Pt. 1]
I enjoyed a quiet night sky, before sleeping in the stronghold of Cochise, who was, in the words of Tom Morello, “the last great American Indian chief to die free and absolutely unconquered,” The night he died, his warriors painted his body yellow, black, and vermilion, and took him deep into the Dragoon Mountains. They […]
Tucson, Saguaro, Cienega, & Tombstone – [Butterfield Trail – Day 8]
I gazed at the birds soaring above my camp in Tuscon Mountain Park and wondered if they were perhaps the same birds that greeted me the morning before, further back along the historic Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Route. As they moved on, I knew it was time for me to follow suit.
Ironwoods, Ghost Towns, & Picacho Peak – [Butterfield Trail, Day 7]
On any good adventure, when you come across ruins, you’ve got to explore them; so I decided to start my day with an unexpected detour.
Gila Valley Mesas, Petroglyphs, & Sonoran Mountains – [Butterfield Trail, Day 6]
The sixth day on the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach Route began as usual, with a sunrise and a fresh cup of coffee. I’d spent the evening at the site of the Oatman Massacre, and was ready to move further down the trail. The trail originally took this route off of the mesa, but was far too […]
Overcoming Obstacles; Winch Recovery, Shoveling, & Oatman Massacre [Butterfield Trail, Day 5]
Today would be a day full of obstacles to overcome. This was my first day in extremely remote areas of the Gila River Valley, often with no cell service and little to no traffic.
The Center of the World to The Middle of Nowhere – [Butterfield Trail, Day 4]
After leaving the Border and surveying Los Algodones, I headed for my last stop in California… The Center of the World. It runs on an honor code, and is a unique tribute to the history of mankind. Jacques-André Istel and his wife, Felicity (who the town is named after) created this site originally as the […]
On The Border Near Algodones; The Wall, Plank Road, & Imperial – [Butterfield Trail, Days 3 & 4]
From Anza-Borrego, the Butterfield Trail dips briefly into Mexico, I couldn’t cross the border this trip, so I continued to El Centro, CA where I set up shop in the State Street Coffee house and confirmed the plans for my push towards Arizona. The 8 parallels the Butterfield Route in Mexico, without any of the […]
Goat Canyon Trestle, Canyon Sin Nombre, & Vallecito Wash – [Butterfield Trail, Day 2, cont.]
From the Vallecito Springs Station, I broke off from the Butterfield Trail, and headed towards Dos Cabezas in order to link up with a defunct old railway, leading to a special place I’d always wanted to check out in Southern California, the Goat Canyon Trestle. Built in 1932, The Goat Canyon Trestle is the world’s […]
Anza-Borrego: Font’s Point, Culp Valley, & Vallecito Springs – [Butterfield Overland Mail Stagecoach Route Expedition (Days 1 & 2)]
Driving, hiking, biking, running, and climbing my way across the storied American Southwest was an incredible journey full of challenges, unexpected turns, and extremely refreshing solitude.
The Final Days in Joshua Tree; Butterfield Stage Route Expedition, West to East (D-3)
After some needed traveling to Dallas and a nice California beachtown called Carpinteria, I came back to my home in Joshua Tree to put nearly all of my household goods on a moving truck and bid it farewell for the next few months. As my belongings clattered their way towards storage limbo, hammered into nondescript […]