The Cave Creek Visitor Information Center in Portal, the small community near the mouth of the canyon, has exhibits about the area's ecology, and you can pick up a map of the trails in the area there.

The road into Cave Creek Canyon is paved for about 4 miles. The lower dirt roads are manageable in a sedan. Make a scenic drive on the 17-mile Cave Creek Loop, combining Forest Roads 42 and 42B.

The first inkling came when the rental-car people in Tucson asked where we were headed. "Portal," we said. They looked puzzled. "Cave Creek Canyon," we tried. They looked at each other, shrugged ...

A road leading to popular recreation sites, campgrounds and prime bird-watching areas in the Chiricahua Mountains southeast of Willcox has been closed indefinitely because the route was washed out ...