Tall red cliffs define this canyon floor, their tapered ends sculpted and strange. Yucca and cactus grow in the crevices of these rocks. Below the cliffs, walnut, sycamore, cottonwood, willow, wild grape and Virginia creeper follow the river. Such shifts in environment, accomplished in a few hours or even moments of hiking, are not unusual in the Gila Wilderness. On some day trips, I can walk from the Chihuahuan desert to a sub-alpine forest.
Diversity is the rule, with five life zones, and a thousand microclimates.
Now, for two more miles, we cross and cross again the shallow Middle Fork. We like to camp right beside the Jordan Hot Springs, and we are anxious to reach our favorite site. Once there, my husband begins to set up a tent. My son wants to fish. My daughter wants to be alone.