Facility Details - HALF MOON RANCH, AZ

Overview

Half Moon Ranch is a ranch style house located in the east Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains of Coronado National Forest. The house is situated in a dramatic canyon that provides excellent hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding opportunities.

Natural Features:

Half Moon Ranch is surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Cochise Stronghold. Located to the west of Sunsites, Arizona in the Dragoon Mountains at an elevation of 5,000 feet, this sparsely wooded area is a protective rampart of granite spires, sheer cliffs, balanced rocks and boulders which were once the refuge of Apache Chief, Cochise.

The ranch house lies in a mountain range or "sky island" in the Coronado National Forest, rising dramatically from the desert floor, supporting abundant and biologically diverse plant and animal communities.

Recreation:

Rock climbing is long standing in the area, boasting backcountry and protected routes ranging from one to seven pitches in length, and from 5.6 to 5.12 in difficulty. Most approaches are 30-60 minutes in length, although there are a number of known areas that are easily accessible from the roads.

Birders congregate in southeastern Arizona as it is touted as one of the country's most revered birding areas. With 15 species of hummingbirds, 36 species of wood warblers, and over 256 documented bird species, the area is a birder's paradise.

Facilities:

Half Moon Ranch is a seven-room ranch style house, suitable for groups of up to 10 people. The house has two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a living room, a dining room and a kitchen. The master bedroom has a queen-size bed and the second bedroom has both a bunk bed and a single bed. The living room contains two double futons and a fireplace. There are two full baths and a separate dining room with a table and seating for six.

A small dinette set with seating for four is located in the kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with a stove, oven, microwave and refrigerator, pots, pans, utensils, dishes, coffeepot, and a can opener. The house has electricity and running water. Outside, guests will enjoy using the propane grill and furniture for outdoor dining.

Although the cabin has amenities for comfortable lodging, guests do need to provide some of their own supplies, including food, sleeping bags, linens, pillows, towels, dish soap, matches, a first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags. Although electricity is available, it is recommended that guests bring an additional light source in case of emergencies.

A barn and corrals are located to the east of the main house. There is a covered storage area for hay and water is available in the corrals. Up to eight horses/mules are permitted in the corrals, and feed for the horses must be certified weed-free.

Firewood is provided, although often needs to be split. Guests must bring an axe and materials for starting a fire if they intend to use the fireplace.

Nearby Attractions:

The Half Moon Ranch is located approximately 9 miles west of Sunsites, Arizona. Attractions in the area include the Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, and the Willcox Playa.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
Axe Bed(s) With Mattress Bunkbed(s) With Mattresses Cooking Pots Cooking Utensils Drinking Water Fireplace Flush Toilets Grills Hiking Historic Sites	Horse Corrals Horseback Riding Horseback Riding Trails Mountain Biking Parking Area Propane Stove Showers Stock Watering Tank Table and Chairs Wildlife Viewing
Within 10 Miles
Accessible Hiking Trails Climbing	Interpretive Trails Museum

Know Before You Go

Access to the house is through a locked gate; the gate has a combination lock, and the house key is located in a lock box on the kitchen door; the combinations for the gate and the lock box are given out once a reservation is made
Reservation dates subject to weather conditions
Cell phone coverage is usually available in the area, but may be unreliable in certain places
The access road leading into the cabin is passable by passenger car, but high clearance vehicles are recommended
Keep the building and grounds clean to deter squirrel, mice, rats, bears, and other wildlife from area
Clean the cabin; this includes washing dishes, sweeping and mopping floors, wiping down countertops, cleaning bathrooms and showers and packing out all trash
Pets are permitted in the cabin, but owners must clean-up after their pets
The cabin is a no-smoking facility
The house is located in a desert environment; please be aware that scorpions, snakes and other insects may be present at any time
This cabin does not honor Golden Passport Discounts
A cabin manual is located inside the cabin to answer specific questions during your stay as well as provide you with area recreational information
A helispot is located at the far west end of the pasture; emergency crews may periodically use this site for emergency rescue operations
Off-highway vehicles are only allowed on designated roads and trails
Learn more about Coronado National Forest.

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
31.94637, -109.95534
31°56'47"N, 109°57'19"W

From Tucson: Take I-10 east to Exit #318 (Dragoon Road). Turn right onto Dragoon Road and travel for approximately 10 miles to the Cochise Stronghold Road. Turn right on Cochise Stronghold Road and travel for approximately 6 miles to Ironwood Road. The paved road dead ends at Ironwood Road. Turn right, and travel for approximately 3 miles to the first creek crossing. The entrance to the Half Moon Ranch is on the left beyond this creek crossing.

Off road vehicle users should be aware that the east Cochise Stronghold has only one road for vehicles. Due to heavy traffic by passenger cars, trucks, RVs, and trailers, it is not recommended for off-road vehicle use.

Contact Information:

Mailing Address:

HALF MOON RANCH
1900 West Ironwood Road
Pearce AZ 85625

Phone Number:

Project Office:(520)364-3468

HALF MOON RANCH, AZ