Greenhouse Trail #248 to Winn Falls

About this Location

Many Forest visitors, upon driving the road to Herb Martyr Campground and seeing Winn Falls tumbling 400 feet off the north shoulder of Sanders Peak, start looking for a way to get a closer look. The best way to get a close look, relatively speaking, is via the Greenhouse Trail. 

About Cave Creek Canyon

See all hotspots at Cave Creek Canyon

Nestled in the Chiricahua Mountains of Southeastern Arizona, 150 miles east of Tucson and 50 miles north of Douglas, is Cave Creek Canyon, a hidden gem with spectacular cliffs, flowing streams, and an abundance of wildlife.

Endowed with magnificent scenery and unparalleled biodiversity, Cave Creek Canyon is truly a special place. Residents and visitors who want to help protect the area now have a chance to do so by joining, volunteering, or contributing to the Friends of Cave Creek Canyon.

As individuals and families, we work closely with Coronado National Forest to support its work and mission in Southeast Arizona. We seek to provide educational opportunities for area residents, visitors, school groups, scientific researchers, and others who cherish the special qualities of our region.

Researchers and scientists claim that Cave Creek Canyon has the richest diversity of wildlife in the U.S. Birding is fine here year-round and especially rewarding in the summer. Many interesting birds from south of the border can be found here in the Chiricahua Mountains.

Notable Trails

The Greenhouse Trail #248 route from canyon bottom to high country starts at the end of a 4-wheel drive road (FR-713) off the Herb Martyr Road (FR-42A) and switchbacks its way into the Chiricahua high country. Along the way, it passes an overlook that presents a fine view of the falls. Remember that in early summer it’s liable to be dry and in winter it becomes a 400-foot icicle, but even if it’s only a bare cliff, it’s still worth a look. Beyond the Winn Falls viewpoint, the Greenhouse Trail continues climbing to a high divide between Cima and Greenhouse canyons that presents more good views. From this scenic vantage point, the trail follows a more gradual course into a mossy basin where big trees and wildflowers flourish on the moisture provided by a perennial stretch of Cima Creek. In this idyllic setting, you’ll find a couple of old Forest Service cabins where Forest officers once spent spring and summer. It is a restful spot to view history before completing the last stretch of the 1,600-foot climb to the Crest Trail #270 at Cima Park. An alternate way to access the Greenhouse Trail is via the Basin Trail off FR-42. This friendly pathway follows a moderate gradient through oak/pine woodland, past Welch Seep, to a junction with the Greenhouse Trail at the end of FR-713. The Basin Trail is a good place to see white-tailed deer and other wildlife. This trail is also accessible via the Ash Spring Trail #247A out of Herb Martyr Campground.

Content from Official Website, Friends of Cave Creek Canyon Hiking webpage, Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, and Cave Creek Canyon webpage