Day #11-Crossings, Unboxings, and Dwellings. Miles hiked: 22.5

With the first icy dip just after 6 am this morning, the Gila crossings continued and so did the wonderful rock formations.

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I’ve hiked in Escalante, UT in a very similar environment, but it is truly magical to find an oasis like this at the bottom of a canyon…more than worth the side quest from the “official” CDT.

About halfway through our day, we arrived at Doc Campbell’s Post where resupply boxes and cold drinks were a sight for sore eyes.

After unboxing and repacking for another 135 mile stretch of trail to Pie Town, it was off for another side quest to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings. 

Similar to Mesa Verde, this is a spot the National Park Service maintains for the public to explore ancient Pueblo dwellings. What a treat to get a glimpse into the lives of others who have called this desert oasis home.

After returning to trail from the dwellings, the canyon grew deeper and the rock formations even more massive. Can it get any better? 

The answer is yes—we ended the day with a starlit soak in a natural hot spring.

There a lot of days on a thru hike that are a “grind,” but it’s the magical ones in between that make it worth it. Onward we go.