We are just finishing up our three day stay at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area near McNeal Arizona. It is a popular wildlife viewing area, and a free camping area! It is popular mostly for the opportunities to view sandhill cranes, doves, Mexican ducks, mallards, pintails, collared peccary and mule deer.
Sandhill cranes.
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There are also a couple of great horned owls who have taken up residence under the large roofed shelter.
Camping is free, but limited to three days, and the only facilities are tables and a toilet building.
I checked out another good potential boondocking spot mentioned by Al of the Bayfield Bunch, and have recorded it in memory for future use, and decided to take in the Queen Mine tour in Bisbee. The tour is all underground, and is guided by retired miners who actually worked in the mines till they closed in 1975. Everyone gets a hard hat and miner’s light – the same as the one I wore during my short underground mining career while attending college.
Everyone rides into the mine on a little narrow guage railroad, then gets off and visits a few areas on foot.
One of the stairways we climbed up into a huge open chamber. And a ‘railroad bicycle’ they developed for the foreman to get around!
Explosives box and one variety of rock drill.
Miner’s porta-potty!
Foreman’s ‘office’.
And the incredibly huge open pit mines right in the city.
Next, we’re headed east across southern Arizona …
WEST! I mean West across Az (thanks, Al!)
Yep, we did the Mine tour as well. Was trying to figure out where your headed if your going back east across Southern Arizona. Did you forget something in New Mexico?
ReplyDeleteGreat mine tour, we did not have time when we were there. Maybe we have to go back.
ReplyDeleteHello Ivan have not checked your progress for a bit. You know how it is skiing visiting Duane etc. Have you ever thought of putting a list of all the good boon-docking sites together on your blog? I have to figure out a format to save all of your good spots. I know you told me about some good spots around Sedona but without my saving format process I can't remember. Would you remind me of the spots ??????I believe they are southwest of Sedona. My oldest boy Brad is going that way and needs a spot for his 1972 VW micro bus.
ReplyDeleteWow, that looks like a great spot. Would love to see all those sandhill cranes. May be headed that way in a couple weeks.
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