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 […]
Arizona
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.
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 […]