Mark Flint, Southwest Trail Solutions guide, accompanies Tom Stafford and Jim Solon on the new Amerind Trail. (Photo by Jeff Love)
Jeff Love
Have you ever driven past the Texas Canyon Rest Area along I-10 between Benson and Wilcox and wondered what it would be like to hike through the interesting rock formations? Last April, the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club was invited to explore the newly developed hiking trails at the Amerind Museum. This location is roughly a one-hour-and-40-minute drive from SaddleBrooke. Take Exit 318 and head south on Dragoon Road for a mile, then turn left to the Amerind Museum.
Tom Stafford, Jim Solon, and Jeff Love from the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club (SBHC) met with the trail developer, Mark Flint, and hiked some of the trails with him. There are a number of groomed loops that are interconnected, so you can choose routes that are longer or shorter. The organization plans to open the trails to the public in October. A call ahead will be wise to verify this timeline. The number is 520-586-3666.
A fee to enter the museum will include access to the hiking trails. Combining the museum and hiking with a meal in Benson would make for a great day trip.
Mark Flint from Southwest Trail Solutions is scheduled to speak at the SBHC presentation on Nov. 23. He’ll speak about the Amerind Trails and other projects he’s worked on. Look for more details in a future newsletter.
To learn more about Amerind, visit the website www.amerind.org. Information about the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club is available at www.saddlebrookehikingclub.com.