The first hiking trails in a stunning Arizona canyon are about to open. Here's where

Right around the turn of the century, I took a break at the Texas Canyon rest stop during a road trip from Willcox to Phoenix, looked out over the gorge below and thought, “Cool rocks. I wonder if there are any hiking trails in there.”

Turns out that particular slice of Chihuahuan Desert, along Interstate 10 an hour east of Tucson where restaurants and roadside services are sparse, was on private property with no way for curious hikers to explore the wonderland of weathered igneous stone.

That’s about to change.

This September, a 5.7-mile trail system is set to open on the Amerind Museum property in nearby Dragoon.

“Texas Canyon is so amazing,” says Sirena Rana, founder of Trails Inspire and designer of the Amerind Trails. “There’s so much interesting geology and a lot of people have wondered what it looks like inside. Up until now, there were no public trails.”

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What inspired the designer of the Texas Canyon hiking trails

The stony parcel of Texas Canyon sits in the shadow of the Dragoon Mountains between Benson and Willcox. Nearby attractions like Chiricahua National Monument, Cochise Stronghold, Willcox Playa Wildlife Area, Tombstone, southern Arizona wineries and acres of Coronado National Forest are big draws for tourists and locals alike.

But Dragoon and the Amerind Museum remain comparatively under the radar. The Amerind Museum is a sort of hybrid museum, art gallery and research facility dedicated to archaeology, Indigenous cultures and Western art. It’s been around since 1937.

Seeking to extend its reach and build interest in the area, museum officials contacted Rana after seeing her presentation on how trails can benefit communities to explore adding hiking trails to their property in Texas Canyon.

“When designing trails, the first thing I do is find the people who know about the land. Locals, neighbors, hikers and experts who know what’s special about the terrain,” Rana says. “To me, the most important thing is to make trails accessible to all. I like a series of stacked loops that allow for a lot of options and are customizable for all levels of difficulty and lengths.”

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The Amerind Museum trails include dramatic geological wonders

Routing the 5.7 miles of trails through the dramatic, boulder-strewn terrain was tricky, but extensive site scoping and design research paid off.

“We found routes by using the grasslands in between the rocks and natural granite passages while keeping close to interesting control points like cliffs, dramatic rock formations and ponds,” Rana said.

The careful planning has yielded unique pathways into some of the area’s standout geological wonders, including a naturally sculpted tafoni rock (pocked like Swiss cheese) and the soon-to-be Instagram darling whale rock.

The stone pillars, balanced rocks, slabs, grottos, spires and fractured joints within the trail system are the result of millions of years of geological activity and weathering of quartz monzonite (aka granite) that crystalized underground. As the land surface slowly eroded, the harder granite intrusion was exposed to the elements that would shape them into the bizarre forms seen today.

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The Arizona origins of the Texas Canyon trail system

For trail construction, Rana selected an Arizona company that specializes in building sustainable recreational trails that respect natural landscapes and cultural resources.

“For construction we used Flagline Trails, a Flagstaff-based contractor,” Rana said. “They are incredibly talented and the crew did an amazing job. They took my design and made it as good as can be.

"The system has three access points, north and south loops plus an out-and-back trail to whale rock. There will be benches placed along the routes, and signage and painted paw prints to mark the trails where they cross bedrock will be installed over the summer.

"The trails will be open for day use only. There’s no camping at the site, but there are plenty of places to camp and stay in neighboring towns and in Coronado National Forest.”

Trail construction began on January 3, 2023 and wound up in April.

Using “Amerind Trails” as a working title, official naming of the trails is in the works. “We handed off the naming of trails, and signage placement with our recommendations to the Amerind Foundation,” Rana says. “I’m thrilled with how the trails turned out and they are sure to be a great contribution to the community.”

A grand opening event will be scheduled for October. If all goes as planned, Dragoon is going to need a restaurant.

Coming in September 2023: Amerind Trails in Texas Canyon

Length: 5.7 miles.

Rating: Easy to moderate.

Elevation: 4,643-4,873 feet.

Getting there: Amerind Museum, 2100 N. Amerind Road, Dragoon. From Interstate 10 south of Tucson, take Exit 318 for Dragoon Road and follow the signs 1 mile south to the Amerind entrance on the left.

When to go: The opening of the trails is planned for September. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Closed on major holidays. Trails will be open for day use only.

Admission: Access to the trails is included in the museum admission fee of $10-$12 per person (free for age 9 and younger).

Facilities: Picnic tables, restrooms, museum exhibits and events. There’s no camping on the property, but there are campgrounds and lodging nearby.

Details: amerind.org, trailsinspire.com, flaglinetrails.com.

Read more of Mare Czinar's hikes at http://arizonahiking.blogspot.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Texas Canyon hiking trails at the Amerind Museum in Arizona