This is an easy to moderate hike of 5.33 miles
roundtrip if one goes all the way out to the San Pedro River
and the site of Contention City. If one only goes to the
Presidio site where the ruins are it is a much shorter hike of
only about 2.5 miles roundtrip. One starts at the Trailhead and hikes across
the flat desert to an old
railroad bed which has been converted into a hiking
trail. You will know you are there when you come to a culvert. You will climb
up on the old railroad bed and hike
east toward the river. There are seats for resting along this
part of the hike. After a total distance of about 1.25
miles one approaches a
pit toilet on the right side that is maintain by the
BLM. This marks the edge of the Presidio historical
site. There are a number of ruins
of adobe structures melting away into the desert that
show where the old Presidio was. There are excellent
interpretive signs that help explain what one is
observing. If one chooses to continue on, one finds the
trail in northeast corner of the Presidio site and walks down to the
north-south running railroad bed. Note the steel
posts on either side of the trail and look for them on the way
back. As before, the rails and ties have been removed
from the railroad bed and only black rocks remain. These
black rocks make somewhat difficult walking because they are
not packed down. To get to the Contention City site one hikes north on the old
railroad bed until one sees a dirt road angling off to
the right. Follow this road to the river.
There is not much to see of the old city on the west bank of
the river. I have heard that there is a bit more on the
other side of the river but this requires crossing the stream.
To return, come back the way you arrive. When I acquired
my GPS track for this hike I tried walking back along the
river. However, the stream bank disappeared pretty
quickly and I wound up bushwacking through the brush and
finding it very difficult going. It is better to just
return the way you came. Watch closely for the two upright steel posts
framing the trail back to the Presidio.
There are pit
toilet facilities just outside the Presidio
historical site.
