The journey to find the three-corner of Mexico, New Mexico, and Arizona started in Douglas, AZ. After stopping for supplies (Hebrew National hot dogs, fancy mustard, ice, cocoa mix, and other niceties for car camping) at the Safeway just on the American side of the border, we (companion intrepid adventurer Connie, handsome canine Nelson, and I, your dashing hero) headed east out of Douglas on 15th Street, which eventually turned into Geronimo Trail, a very good gravel road that parallels the border about one mile north.

The road passes the San Bernardino NWR, the director of which, Bill Radke, had e-mailed me valuable information about the area and what I would find as I approached the tri-piont. After the SBNWR, the road descends into a spectacular wide valley with gorgeous mountains on all sides – a classic “big sky” valley of beautiful Sonoran Desert (left).

At about 19 miles, the road forks and, staying close to the border, we took the right fork onto Guadelupe Canyon Road, another good gravel road that, after about 10 miles, begins to snake a bit up and around into the hills. The quality of the road lessens a bit, but it remains easily passable in my Forester. We descended down into a dry wash and came upon a gate (left), but sooner on the road than expected. The Benchmark atlas of Arizona I own showed the gate about 1 mile farther along.

We got out and walked in; the owner of the ranch, a Mr. Hadley, put up the gate (understandably) several years ago after campers burned down a historic building on his property. He does allow hikers and into his ranch but, of course, it is important to respect his property and his wishes by treading lightly and not camping there.

We started walking at about 3pm; obviously we were carrying a lot of water (about a gallon) and had applied sunscreen liberally. The walk from the gate was about 2+ miles, so time was running a little short (the sun set at about 6:15). But a lovely walk past hundreds of thousands of red ants got us as far as the New Mexico line, marked in the wash we were hiking by a barbed wire fence that we clambered under. Connie was wisely beginning to discuss the lateness of the hour and the fact that she didn't want to do too much hiking in the desert after dusk. Good call. But I wanted to continue, until, as I was bouncing from rock to rock in this dry wash...