For the last few years I've traveled the I-10 in both directions between Galveston, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona.

The first year I did this trip, I was enthralled with the Texas Canyon, an area that stretches perhaps a mile or so filled on both sides of the highway with massive granite boulders. It's located in south eastern Arizona, southeast of Tucson between the towns of Benson and Willcox.

Lucky for those who might be interested in seeing the area up close, there's a nice rest stop there and short trails along the face of the rocks. So, on this first encounter, I got out with camera in hand and started shooting away, wishing for a way to get up close among the boulders. (In more recent years a series of trails has been open to the public on the south of the freeway. My wish came true!! Photos are farther down the page. )

The next couple of years I passed through with a somewhat subdued interest. This last year, however, there was a small dusting of snow between the boulders, and it caught my eye. I got out and walked in each direction, especially noticing the snow-dusted Dragoon Mountains in the distance.

Upon leaving the rest stop, I saw a road sign to Dragoon, three miles that-a-way. I had the time, so drove into the town that less than 300 people call home. There wasn't a whole lot going on, but it was photogenic in its own right with lots of Joshua trees along the road side and the mountains in the distance ahead. I came across a couple of ranches, a post office and a very either friendly or starving black cat. Took a few pictures and left, satisfied that I had checked it out.

Here are some pictures I took, not only in Texas Canyon and Dragoon, but there are a couple of shots of the mountains along the I-10 near the New Mexico-Arizona border. In future years I will have once again given in to temptation and stopped for more pictures.

Halleluja! We can now walk among the massive granite boulders that line Arizona's Interstate 10 between Willcox and Benson.

More than five miles of trails have been opened to the public by the Amerind Foundation, a privately-funded organization whose mission is to preserve the history and culture of Native Americans.

Its museum and art gallery are located near Dragoon and provide the entrance to the Texas Canyon Nature Preserve Ttrail System. The obvious question is why is it called Texas Canyon when it's located in Arizona. According to "the Google," a family from Texas purchased and ranched the land in the 1880s. More family members followed and so it became known as the Texas Canyon. Descendants still live on the family ranch.

The trails meander through the southern portion of the boulders (that is, on the south side of the interstate) offering an easy stroll on well-marked packed-dirt paths. Th

An admission fee is required and can be obtained at the Amerind facilities on the Texas Canyon grounds.

The following images were taken from the trails.