Hummingbird Springs

This weeks Portal Rodeo hiking Club hike was a return to Hummingbird Springs on the east flank of the Chiricahua Mountains.  The hike started at Naturalist Journeys outside Portal Arizona with hot juices, tea, and coffee cake before heading off into the Coronado National Forest.  About 2.5 miles into the hike, past Hummingbird Spring, the group divided up with the majority pressing onwards while several hikers headed back to attend to holiday business.  Returning with the other hikers was an opportunity to check out a shelter cave in the quartzite and wander around the old Cienega at the base of hill outside Portal identified on old topographic maps.  Covering only about 5.5 miles while the main group traveled about 8 miles it was another nice day in the forest.  The map showing a trail route is here and in the sidebar.

View from a shelter cave in the Chiricahua Mountains