SKIT Day 3: Ghost Towns and the San Pedro

Daily Miles: 14.8, Total Miles: 47.2

Just a short stroll this morning on a side trail to the Fairbanks Cemetary on a lonely, rocky knoll. Then on to Fairbanks, a ghost town on the banks of the San Pedro River. Fairbanks was the closest rail stop to Tombstone and it’s silver mining ventures in the 1880’s. Many of the buildings have been restored and I made good use of a picnic table and water spigot. The only person I saw was a maintenance guy.

I crossed the highway and continued south on the banks of the San Pedro through the little Boquillas Ranch, an historic cattle ranch originating from a Spanish land grant in the 1830’s. Much of the route was an old ranch road overgrown with high weeds and brush. I slowed a bit and on alert for a rattlesnake on a warm day.

Once at Charleston, another ghost town, I crossed a highway and dropped back down to the San Pedro River. The hot afternoon suddenly became cooler.

More water flow here, sometimes just hopping across the stream. Further upstream, I was wading across because the river was bank to bank. A few miles later, I filtered water and exited up a side drainage to paved Escapule Road.

Continuing south, I soon joined the Escapule Trail above the San Pedro River for a few miles.

Calling it quits at dusk, I set up camp and ate dinner. I then discovered I had such good phone reception I could stream the NFL Thursday night football game. A first in all my years of hiking!