Chiricahua NM--Echo Canyon Loop Trail only

Tips for Birding

Echo Canyon Loop is one of six location-specific hotspots within Chiricahua National Monument. Use the greater Monument hotspot when you have a checklist that includes multiple locations.

Birds of Interest

Among USFWS-designated Birds of Conservation Concern for the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert regions, the following species have been listed multiple times for the hotspot:  Broad-tailed Hummingbird (March-May & August-September), Arizona Woodpecker (all year), Plumbeous Vireo (Aprill-August), Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (all year), Mexican Chickadee (September-April), Scott’s Oriole (April-May), and Black-throated Gray Warbler (April-August).

Rufous Hummingbird, a species of Continental Conservation Concern, has been recorded May-July.

Along with Woodhouse's, Mexican and Steller's Jays are often found.

Note that both Yellow-eyed and Dark-eyed Juncos are present.

About this Location

From Willcox, take A-186 to the Chiricahua National Monument. There is a fee to enter the park. Once inside, take Bonita Canyon Drive through the park to the Echo Canyon Trailhead.

This amazing trail takes visitors on a fantastic tour of the amazing hoodoos and rock formations that make up the Chiricahua National Monument. The trail begins on the Echo Canyon Trail, which immediately begins a gentle descent towards Wall Street. Wall Street is a wonderful display of gigantic boulders, though which you will hike for about one mile, as the trail takes you further and further down into Echo Park. Soon, you will leave the hoodoos behind and find yourself in a lush, riparian canyon. There is one small creek crossing, and then the trail will begin to climb gently out of the canyon.

At 1.6 miles, the Echo Canyon Trail ends at a trail junction with the Upper Rhyolite Trail and the Hailstone Trail. The Upper Rhyolite Trail will take you back to the visitor center. Take the Hailstone Trail to continue the Echo Canyon Loop.

The Hailstone Trail climbs out of Rhyolite Canyon and soon follows a rocky shelf high above the canyon, for 0.8 miles. The views are stunning, but not nearly as impressive as those along the Echo Canyon Trail. There is also limited shade here, I would not recommend this trail in the summer.

At 2.4 miles, you will reach another trail junction: the Mushroom Rock Trail, and the Ed Riggs Trail. Take the Ed Riggs Trail to complete the loop. The Ed Riggs Trail climbs gently back up to the Echo Canyon Trailhead, over a distance of 0.9 miles. Like the Hailstone Trail, it is very exposed.

About Chiricahua National Monument

See all hotspots at Chiricahua National Monument

A “Wonderland of Rocks” is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17 miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985-acre site. Visit the Faraway Ranch Historic District to discover more about the people who have called this area home.

Notable Trails

LENGTH: 3.3 miles/5.5 km
No Pets

The loop consists of Echo Canyon, Hailstone and Ed Riggs Trails.

ACCESS: Echo Canyon Trailhead

TRAIL: Most people prefer to hike the loop counter-clockwise since walking up the Ed Riggs Trail is less strenuous than the Echo Canyon Trail. The route winds through spectacular rock formations including the Grottoes and Wallstreet to the densely wooded Echo Park. Hailstone Trail is fairly level, and due to its southern exposure, hotter and dryer. Expect to see more desert plants: yuccas, agaves, prickly pear, and hedgehog cactus. Ed Riggs Trail takes you back to the trailhead among large pine trees. Plan at least 2 hours for this hike.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Official Website, Chiricahua National Monument Official Website, John Montgomery, and Southeast Arizona Birding Observatory

Last updated December 24, 2023