![Hikers along Coronado Peak Trail Hikers along Coronado Peak Trail](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090511220155im_/http://www.nps.gov/coro/planyourvisit/images/P2210025-Hikers_on_Peak_Trail.JPG) |
Hikers enjoy beautiful views from the trails. |
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With over eight miles of hiking trails, Coronado National Memorial is a great place to explore the outdoors. From grasslands through oak woodlands to pinyon and pine forests, the memorial offers a variety of experiences. Be sure to carry plenty of water and wear protection against the sun. With the exception of the Crest Trail, dogs are not allowed on trails in the memorial and must be leashed at all times.
CORONADO CAVE TRAIL: 0.75 miles one way; Elevations 5230 ft. to 5700 ft. The trail begins at the west end of the visitor center parking lot and ascends 0.75 mile up a steep, rocky slope to the cave entrance. Those planning to explore the natural limestone cave should bring at least one flashlight per person.
CORONADO PEAK TRAIL: 0.4 miles one way; Elevations: 6575 ft. to 6864 ft. Trail begins at Montezuma Pass. Quotations from the journals of Coronado's captains, posted at scenic overlooks along the trail, provide a glimpse into the minds and hearts of the conquistadors as they trekked northward along the San Pedro River. Panoramic views of the beautiful San Pedro and San Rafael Valleys as well as the hills in Mexico are stretch in all directions below the peak.
JOE'S CANYON TRAIL: 3.1 miles one way; Elevations: 5230 ft. to 6575 ft. The trailhead is 500 feet west of the Visitor Center on Montezuma Canyon Road at the picnic area turnoff. The trail climbs about 1000 feet in the first mile with scenic views of Montezuma Canyon and the San Pedro River Valley. After reaching the saddle at the top of Smuggler's Ridge, the trail continues westward with southerly views deep into the grasslands of Sonora, Mexico. Passing along the northeastern side of Coronado Peak, it joins with the Coronado Peak Trail, ending at the Montezuma Pass parking area.
YAQUI RIDGE TRAIL: 1.0 mile one way from Joe's Canyon Trail; Elevations: 6500 ft. to 5925 ft. Descends steeply from Joe's Canyon Trail down to International Boundary Marker 102 located at the southwestern corner of the park. This trail is the southernmost point of the Arizona Trail. Please do not cross over fence into Mexico.
CREST TRAIL: 5.3 miles one way to Miller Peak; Elevations: 6575 ft. to 9456 ft at Miller Peak. The trailhead is across the road at the northeast end of the Montezuma Pass parking area. The trail climbs for 2 miles to the northwestern boundary of the Memorial. There it enters Coronado National Forest and continues along the crest of the Huachuca Mountains to the turnoff for Miller Peak, the highest peak in the Huachucas. The trail passes through an area that once saw much turn-of-the-century mining activity.
Joe's Canyon Trail and the Coronado Peak Trail are both part of the National Trails System and classified as National Recreational Trails. The Yaqui Ridge and Crest Trails are part of the larger Arizona Trail which stretches from the Arizona-Mexico border at Coronado National Memorial to the Arizona-Utah border.
Please do not harm or disturb any plants or animals, as all flora and fauna found in the Memorial is protected by federal law. Wood gathering and hunting are not permitted within the Memorial, nor are firearms unless securely stored to prevent their use.
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