DVD
Adventurer
Have you ever thought about where you'd like to be buried or have your ashes spread? Not to be lugubrious (such a fun word for a dour subject), but the thought occurred to me when considering the attraction of a place like Kofa National Wilderness Preserve.
Kofa is a big swath of desert wilderness (over 1000 square miles) in southwestern Arizona. Although the landscape lacks the drama and spectacle of many other destinations, the remoteness, wilderness, and subtle desert beauty impart a sense of peace and solitude that feeds the living soul at least.
Typical trail view
Wide open spacesHere are some highlights from our recent New Year's trip to Kofa.
Planning a New Year's camping trip is always challenging. For both Laurie and I, an ideal New Year's eve would find us sitting around a campfire in remote, beautiful wilderness, under the cold brightness of the stars, with quiet, expansive solitude punctuated by the occasional din of coyotes howling.
Nailed it! Settling in for New Year's Eve in Kofa
On the other hand, New Year's is the bleak midwinter--even in the Southwest, and Laurie is a cold wienie. This year, we were planning for a short, relatively nearby trip. We recently adopted a dog, and this would be our first trip with him, so a short, shake-down trip was in order. As the end of the year approached, the rains subsided, but temperature forecasts were below normal, with night-time lows of 38-42 deg. This was right at the margin for our go/no-go, but we intrepidly set out for a 3 day, 2 night short trip to Kofa and had a grand time.
The first night was a bit cold
I always enjoy learning the history of places, and Kofa has an interesting history. The name "Kofa" is an acronym for "King of Arizona" mine. Apparently when mining was active in the early 1900s, supplies were stamped "Kofa," and the name was applied to the extended area. Many remnants from Kofa and other mines remain within the boundaries of the preserve.
Big Eye mine
Kofa CemeteryAccording to accounts (although I've read conflicting accounts), Kofa is also home to the only naturally growing Palm grove in Arizona. I had seen photos, which were frankly underwhelming, so I was a bit reluctant to drive a few miles out-and-back to get to the trailhead, then hike another 1/2 mile or so, but it was a worthwhile excursion. People often say photos don't do a landscape justice, and that is very true in this case. The unusual sight of a big grove of palms growing in a distant side canyon made the side trip worthwhile. And of course, our photos don't capture the scale of the vista.
That's a big grove of palms in the canyon
More to come; ran into photo limit.
Kofa is a big swath of desert wilderness (over 1000 square miles) in southwestern Arizona. Although the landscape lacks the drama and spectacle of many other destinations, the remoteness, wilderness, and subtle desert beauty impart a sense of peace and solitude that feeds the living soul at least.
Typical trail view
Wide open spaces
Planning a New Year's camping trip is always challenging. For both Laurie and I, an ideal New Year's eve would find us sitting around a campfire in remote, beautiful wilderness, under the cold brightness of the stars, with quiet, expansive solitude punctuated by the occasional din of coyotes howling.
Nailed it! Settling in for New Year's Eve in Kofa
On the other hand, New Year's is the bleak midwinter--even in the Southwest, and Laurie is a cold wienie. This year, we were planning for a short, relatively nearby trip. We recently adopted a dog, and this would be our first trip with him, so a short, shake-down trip was in order. As the end of the year approached, the rains subsided, but temperature forecasts were below normal, with night-time lows of 38-42 deg. This was right at the margin for our go/no-go, but we intrepidly set out for a 3 day, 2 night short trip to Kofa and had a grand time.
The first night was a bit cold
I always enjoy learning the history of places, and Kofa has an interesting history. The name "Kofa" is an acronym for "King of Arizona" mine. Apparently when mining was active in the early 1900s, supplies were stamped "Kofa," and the name was applied to the extended area. Many remnants from Kofa and other mines remain within the boundaries of the preserve.
Big Eye mine
Kofa Cemetery
That's a big grove of palms in the canyon
More to come; ran into photo limit.