Trail Overview
This biggest portion of this Jeep trail is an easy and relaxing trip on a well-maintained gravel road from Highway 79 south of Florence to Highway 77 at Dudleyville. This is where you can explore the fairly extensive "Old "96" Ranch. The trail is suitable for most vehicles. The main house is an adobe structure, and it looks like it was a nice place when it was built in 1936--even had a fancy fireplace. It appears the owner is happy to have visitors. He only asks that there be no vandalism. There are numerous outbuildings, including an underground storage room with a stone walkway down to the entrance. There is also an extensive water system down in the wash. There is a website that, at one time, offered the ranch for sale. The ranch consists of 642 deeded acres and almost 57,000 acres of State Grazing Lease. The high country surrounding the ranch is Ninetysix Hills. The original owners planted a line of saguaro at the approach to the ranch. A short distance to the west along the road is a very interesting crested saguaro. Continuing west you will rise above the saguaros to almost 4.000 feet then drop down into the San Pedro River Valley at Dudleyville. The San Pedro starts near Sierra Vista and flows 140 miles north to its confluence with the Gila River at Winkelman. It is the last major free-flowing undammed river in the American Southwest. This is a very remote area that sees very little traffic. There is an old cemetery on the west side of the river between Dudleyville and Winkleman. It has a few interesting monuments.
History
Welcome to the "Old "96"; campers, cowboys, and hunters come on in. There are 96 sections to choose from, and here the days can be spent walking the mountains or strolling through my scenic flatlands. Every mountain, stream, and valley bears a name. There are ponds where the ducks come to drink and water tanks for the wildlife, including the deer, the javelina, and quail. During the day you can watch hawks and eagles perched on saguaros or flying nickel high above the desert landscape. At night, while sitting by a soothing fire, if you listen closely you can hear the animals talk. From the three "C"s all the way past Rock Mountain to Middle Mountain, there is a half-century of history to be found.
