Stone Geoglyphs at Horseshoe Canyon

Lying at mouth of Horseshoe Canyon are 2 dry stacked stone structures sitting in the desert.  The larger of the dry stacked stone structures, a stone spiral, is about 65' in diameter with a path leading to a large rock sitting at the center.  The smaller 30' diameter structure is about waste high, solid stone, with a path through the center.  The meaning and significance of the structures is know only to their creator.  Having heard several stories about their location and creation, they were discovered on a photographic flight to Horseshoe Canyon sometime back and after the most recent hike with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club, several members stopped for a closer examination.  Both structures are of recent design and were built by the landowner.  Several small rock outlines can be found between the 2 structures but erosion has moved rocks and grasses have obscured the complete outline.  Below is an aerial photograph of the site, with accompanying ground views of the structures.  The detail in the construction with overlapping joints suggests the structures will survive far into the future.

Aerial View of Geoglyphs at the Mouth of Horseshoe Canyon

Chiricahua Sky Island Rodeo taking a photograph of the spiral

Center Rock and Walls in Stone Spiral

Circular Stone Structure

Horseshoe Canyon Redux

Another trip into Horseshoe Canyon with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club.  The group drove up the canyon to the second gate to begin the hike.  As opposed to the hike several months ago which was open grasslands, this hike stayed in narrower parts of the canyon.  Stopping first at a shelter cave on the hillside where evidence of occupation (faded pictographs, chipping and flaking) this shelter cave has see use into historic times with use by ranch hands, migrant workers, and timber thieves.  Continuing up the canyon along the road we came to the old Ronsh Ranch (pronounced Raush).  This old homestead sits slightly above the bottom of the canyon and all that remains is the old chimney.  Further up the canyon a trail to the south leads up Blevins Draw and tops out at Jack Wood Pass where the group stopped for lunch before returning. Fresh bear tracks were found in Blevins Draw, one headed down canyon and about 3 feet away one headed up canyon.  It was suggested the bear was headed down canyon, heard the hiking group and turned around.  The hike covered 8.75 miles with 800' of elevation gain along the route.

The map is in the sidebar or may be found at the following link.

Google Earth map of hiking route

Bedrock mortar at the shelter cave

Fresh bear track

View up Horseshoe Canyon from above the Ronsh Ranch.

Portal Rodeo Hiking Club - November 4, 2010

The previous post highlighted the rock art the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club viewed before beginning the scheduled hike but the main objective for the day was Horseshoe Canyon.  Access to the mouth of the Horseshoe Canyon from Highway 80 south of Rodeo, is from Zent Rd which winds around before reaching the abandoned adobe line shack that marks the entrance to the canyon.

Hiking along the south side of the canyon on the way in, there was an old homestead about one mile up the canyon (foundation outlines visible on Google Earth).   It was marked by an old truck frame along the trail and the old orchard was also visible up one of the side canyons.  After about 1.5 miles, at the second gate,  the group of 14 had broken up since some had other commitments that day and small groups proceeded in different directions up canyon.  Four of us continued up North Fork from Horseshoe and had lunch on a grassy slope.  Our group of 4 hiked back out along the north side of the canyon along the bench.  The bench was covered in waist high grass and was spotted with boulders from the canyon wall above.   We came across a chest high boulder with a number of grinding holes on top and a small rhyolite thumbnail scraper someone had placed on the boulder.  It took a work to repeatedly climb up on the boulder and grind seeds creating 6 inch deep grinding holes.  In contrast to all the work the original inhabitants spent grinding seed, we made snow grass angels instead.  By hiking in the south side and out on the north our group covered about 5 miles total along the canyon without seeing the same view twice.

In the sidebar, and at Chiricahua Sky Island, Rodeo, there is a Google map of the hike with photographs and comments from several contributors on the hike.  Each blue placemark will open a separate window with a comment or photograph taken at that spot, sort of a virtual hiking map.  Unlike the mega websites with trail descriptions and no views of the scenery, this map is by the local hikers who have been there, know the area, and share their insights.  Open the map in new window for a larger view.

Grinding holes atop a large boulder in Horseshoe Canyon.

Making snow grass angels on the bench above Horseshoe Canyon streambed.

Petrogyphs with Dogs

Hiked with the Portal Rodeo Hiking club yesterday to Horseshoe Canyon.  It's been awhile since any free time was available for visiting local attractions but it was work related which provided justification.  The first stop was a large petroglyph boulder outside the canyon entrance.  Two of the dogs, Pepper and Elvis, found routes up the boulder and posed for photographs atop the boulder.  There were several zoomorphic petroglyphs on the boulder, what appears to be a turtle shaped creature and several bear claws.  Others I was unable to identify or lacked sufficient imagination to create a believable story.

Finally, meet the Gypsy Carpenters on the hike and compared blogging notes.

Zoomorphic figure resembling a turtle (with Pepper for scale).

Unidentified petroglyph (Pepper for scale)

Close up of "Bear Claw" petroglyph.