Located in southern Arizona, the Coronado National Forest is a collection of non-contiguous forest areas, totaling nearly 2 million acres. Each area has its own personality.

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I spent most of my time in the Mount Wrightson and Miller Wilderness Areas. The hikes were more remote and had better reviews than others. Although the area is very beautiful, the threat from illegal immigration is very real. Border Patrol was everywhere. This turned a rather peaceful area into what seemed like a warzone. I was at unease when hiking by myself. The National Forest areas are used heavily by coyotes and cartels due to their sparse population density.

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Most are probably familiar with this area as the city of Tombstone is nearby. Sierra Vista, a surprisingly large city, offered many big city amenities. Next door was Fort Huachuca, home to the Army’s unmanned aerial vehicle (or drone) training base. You can see the drone take off throughout the day. The city of Bisbee was highly recommended to me. It is a small town with a big personality and a long history. There are many old buildings and small shops filled with art and antiques. It had a hippie vibe. I would recommend staying at least a night here. There is more than enough to do to fill a day.

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This area offers a little bit of everything – history, military, hippie culture, and great hiking. The rightfully heavy presence of the Border Patrol reminded you that you were not in Kansas anymore, though. And it was a bummer.