Fort Bowie National Park, AZ

What a great drive along a one lane dirt road leading to the trail head for the remains of the old Fort Bowie.  I hiked a 3.5 mile moderate hike round trip to the ruins site of the fort.

I could almost see and hear the noise of activity of the Army Soldiers there.  What remains is a fraction of the original size of the Fort.  Fort Bowie is located between Willcox and Bowie, AZ.  It was built in 1862 to guard the Butterfield Overland Trail and was the center of local military operations.  Some of the men had their wives and children there, miners sought protection there and prostitutes traded their wares there also.  The U.S. Cavalry fought with the Chiricahua Apaches until 1886 when Geronimo surrendered.

The visitors center is maned by a Park Service young woman who lives on site she said.  This place is MILES from anywhere! The visitors center was very nice and the water fountain outside had very cold wonderful water, I had downed all mine and sure was glad to have this wonderful drink.

Saw this sign on the road to Fort Bowie.

Butterfield Overland Trail.  Many of the mail carriers, civilians and soldiers were killed along the route.

When Fort Bowie was alive and active.

This is the grave of one of Geronimo's  children, a son.  All the soldiers buried here were moved to a cemetery near San Fransisco in 1895 after the cemetery was abandoned in 1894.  Only civilians are buried here.  All the remaining markers were restored.    

This is the Apache Spring where water was gotten for the fort and area Apache people.  It is fed from a stream higher than the fort and runs through the fort also.

The restoration walls of one of the buildings.  The area is huge and has many building that are preserved with protective material on the walls.

Powder magazine building.

A long lost area with a huge past. 

The soldiers riding out of the fort.