Visit Portal Arizona in Cochise County

Have you ever been to Portal, Arizona?  I had not, until recently, until we were out to geocache near Rodeo New Mexico. We made a left turn into the mountains and we sure were in for a nice surprise. Portal, Arizona is an unincorporated community in Cochise County. It sits just outside of Cave Creek Canyon, on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains, and about a 10-mile drive from Rodeo, New Mexico.  

Portal is a neat little community, one of the first things you will see when you drive up Portal Road is this neat little Store, Café, and Lodge (see pictures below). Further down the road is the local Library and Post Office. ( also pictured below) 

After you go through Portal you enter Cave Creek Canyon. This is where I really felt like Portal was named so correctly. You really get the feeling of being transported into a different place.  You go from desert to this lush place full of wildlife, water, and nature. Take a drive up the canyon and you will see so much beauty. It’s a very special place from Cliffs and caves up above, to beautiful trees, to a flowing stream and waterfalls. It’s also a very popular birding location, with around 400 species of birds. Really worth a visit or two. A birdwatchers map HERE

So many things to see in this area. Make sure to see Cave Creek Nature Trail, John Hands Waterfall, Silver Peak, Sunny Flat Campground, Cathedral Rock, Ghost Town of Paradise, and the Chiricahua Desert Museum.