Back to Gila Box Riparian Campground…

We liked Gila Box so much we returned to stay there to relax before starting our trek back to Ontario.

This should take us to February 22nd…in the catch up scheme of things.

Benson - nice campground view

From Yuma the drive to Gila Box is too long and we stopped when we tired. This was the Journey KOA … looks beautiful doesn’t it…it was cold and rainy and this was the pretty sight…note the definite article. πŸ™‚

Gila Box Riverview -Riverview sign

Love it when we see this sign…that means that we’re almost there. This camp has a wonderful couple, Walt and Kathy, as camp hosts and is the cleanest BLM camp we know. The roads are well maintained, there is no garbage around, and that makes it a very pleasant place to camp. They are so knowledgeable and good company.

Gila Box Riverview - the camp at sunset

The campground at sunset is beautiful.

Gila Box Riverview - Puck the dirty look

Puck is familiar enough to wander…except he really didn’t want his photo taken.

Gila Box Riverview - sunrise at the view

Linda wakes earlier than me, so she gets to go out and take beautiful morning photos.

Gila Box Riverview -the river

I get to take evening photos.

Gila Box Riverview -Pierre at the campsite

We put up the screen tent to give us extra space…this time we didn’t use it much as the weather at night was too chilly.

Gila Box Riverview - Gila River

With the rains, the Gila River was muddier than usual.

Gila Box Riverview - Puck even braver

Puck keeps getting more adventurous and has started to follow us around the nearby trails. The Riverview Campground has mini-trails between the campsites.

Gila Box Riverview - Pierre with the sunset

Pierre is enjoying the light show.

Gila Box Riverview - ocotillo sunset

Sometimes it’s just afire.

Gila Box Riverview - Linda and puck in the trailer

Puck comes to us sometimes with affections…very un-catlike.

Gila Box Riverview - Pierre by the fire

We bought wood…humph…but it did give us a lovely fire.

Gila Box Riverview - more of pierre by the fire

I like the Coleman lantern in the tent; it keeps it a little warmer than the outside. This night, the fire was keeping us warm.

Gila Box Riverview - Linda at Telephone rock

There really isn’t consistent Internet at the campsite…but up the hill…a place we call “Telephone Rock” there is good signal. At this time the road was dried up mud…when we first drove in…it wasn’t dry and all the tires were a PEI red from the dirt.

Gila Box Riverview - Puck becoming brave

Puck has started to venture off the trail now and that worries us sometimes.

Gila Box Riverview - clifs at Gila River

The river is not only muddy but higher than usual.

Gila Box Riverview - Nive light on the hills

The mountains before sunset are just glowing.

Gila Box Riverview - the ant and the bee

This was so cool…a bee had drowned in our dishwater…I had flicked it out and onto the ground. I noticed that this solitary ant was dragging this huge bee to the anthill…amazing. It was challenging for the ant and it would rest…somewhere after about 20 feet, a second ant came to assist. Amazing!

Gila Box Riverview -Hotwell Dunes sign

We saw on the map a place called Hotwell Dunes. We asked Walt and Kathy and they said we should see it.

Gila Box Riverview - Hotwell Dunes pierre

It was a cold day, but the tub was at 106ΒΊ F. So very relaxing.

Gila Box Riverview - Hotwell Dunes Linda

You can tell it’s cold as Linda is wearing a winter hat.

Gila Box Riverview - Hotwell dunes both of us in the tub

The nice thing about cold weather was that we had the tubs to ourselves…I had just slipped into the tub as the photo timer went off…I think it looks funny.

Gila Box Riverview - Hot tub wells dirt track

There are also some wonderful dunes and we went for a very fun ride in the truck.

Gila Box Riverview - Hotwell dunes the road

A lot of tracks in the sand.

Gila Box Riverview - Bowie the restaurant

Bowie didn’t have much and we found this fun restaurant Rafer G Restaurant. It was new and it was $1.49 taco day…yippee….

Gila Box Riverview - Truck going through bonita creek

When we returned to Gila Box…there was a Bonita Creek Rd. that we’d not taken before…so we tried…maybe even got some of the sand and mud off the truck.

Gila Box Riverview -Pierre reading in the tent

A nice relaxing read in the tent.

Clofton the story of the jail

Walt and Kathy also suggested Clifton and the Morenci mine. This is the Jail rock.

Clifton - Linda in jail

Linda didn’t like it much inside either.

Clifton the jail and the train

That’s the outer wall of the Jail they’d blasted out.

Clifton the narrow guage train

The narrow gauge train they had initially used for the mine.

Morenci Pierre with narrow guage train

Pierre standing behind the little train.

Clifton and Morenci Train station

The old train station is now used as a tourist centre.

Morenci the mine pano

The massive expanse of the Morenci mine…unbelievable.

Morenci Mine - Pierre with Big Tire.

The tire is big…but not as big as the ones at Crow’s Nest Pass.

Morenci the mine

Strange how the colours of the mine are so beautiful and yet sad that it’s a strip mine.

Indian Bread Rocks sign

We also visited Indian Bread rocks as we’d heard good things.

Indian Bread Rocks

Amazing rocks and easy camps.

Indean Bread Rocks cows

And cows of course.

Gila Box Riverview - Linda and the truck

If we can get it…this is going to be one of next year’s camp.

Gila Box Riverview - campsite from the hill

A last hike and an overview of the Gila Box camp.

Gila Box Riverview - the rainbow

A cool rainbow to our next adventure….