Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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Located in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona.

This 173,762-acre area, designated in 1933, is now completely within the state of Arizona. The other 29,304-acre portion in New Mexico became the new Blue Range Wilderness with passage of the 1980 New Mexico Wilderness Act.

Lying at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, the Blue Range is rugged and beautiful with many geologic and scenic attractions, including timbered ridges and deep canyons. The Mogollon Rim, made famous as the "Tonto Rim" in Zane Grey's books, crosses the area from west to east. This rim, unique both from geological and ecological standpoints, is further enhanced by the spectacular Blue River Canyon and river. There is spruce and fir in the high country, and ponderosa pine, pinion and juniper in lower areas.

Deer, elk, and other big and small game find food and shelter in the primitive area's more remote reaches.

Trail access is fairly good, but prospective visitors are reminded that this is big, rough, generally dry country. Inquire at Ranger District offices at Clifton or Alpine and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests' offices in Springerville for seasonal information and maps.

For further information contact:

• Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
  Federal Building
  309 South Mountain Avenue Hwy. 180
  P.O. Box 640
  Springerville, AZ 85938
  (602) 333-4301
  
• Alpine Ranger District
  P.O. Box 469
  Alpine, AZ 85920
  (602) 339-4384
  
• Clifton Ranger District
  P.O. Box 698
  Clifton, AZ 85533
  (602) 865-4129