The Way Is Long

I thought it might be a good time to mention a hero of mine who lived in the Gila Wilderness area, a favorite hiking and photographic area of ours. Nat Straw lived among the Mogollon mountains from the 1870’s to 1930 as a trapper and hunter; the last of the great Grizzly hunters. It’s not hard to find traces of him in the forest, he has a canyon named after him and locals still recall tales of the old mountain man. White Creek, where this photograph was taken was a favorite camp site for Nat Straw and also the famous Apache, Geronimo. It’s a few miles from the canyon dedicated to him and a easy days hike to the Mogollon mountain crest. Another hero, Ben Lilley (Lilley Park is named after him) is directed on the sign, a contemporary of Nat’s. If your planning a trip into the Gila it’s well worth your effort to spend a night under the stars where these legends once dwelt.