Wandering Lizard
Arizona

Cochise County

Fort Bowie National Historic Site - Apache Pass

In 1849 gold was discovered in California. One of the many trails that argonauts from the Southwest used to reach the Western gold fields crossed the Chiricahua Mountains through Apache Pass. In later years Fort Bowie was built and from 1857 until the "Bascom Affair" in 1861 the Butterfield Stage Company maintained regular operations through the pass. The Butterfield Company gave gifts to Chiricahua Apache Chief Cochise in exchange for the safe passage of their stage coaches. Today a marked trail traces the route and many remnants of the old wagon road including the stage depot can still be seen.

"We followed a dry arroyo where there was scarcely
room for wagon wheels, let alone the driver."

Emigrant Robert Eccleston, 1849