Half Moon Ranch

Overview

Half Moon Ranch is a ranch style house located in East Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains of the Coronado National Forest, approximately 1-1/2 hours east of Tucson. The house is situated in a dramatic canyon that provides excellent rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding opportunities.

Recreation

The area around Half Moon ranch has long been considered a bouldering and rock climbing paradise, 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. In addition, the nearby Cochise Stronghold Campground has interpretive tales for both natural and cultural resources and history.

Natural Features

Half Moon Ranch is surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Dragoon Mountains and Cochise Stronghold. At an elevation of 5,000 feet, the sparsely wooded area is a protective rampart of granite spires, sheer cliffs, and balanced rocks and boulders which were once the refuge of the 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 and supporting abundant and biologically diverse plant and animal communities.

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, the Amerind Foundation, the ghost towns of Gleeson, Dos Cabezas, and Courtland, and the Willcox Playa.