Coronado National Memorial
Posted by: 
leadhiker
N 31° 20.784 W 110° 15.211
12R E 571005 N 3468233
Coronado National Memorial, near Sierra Vista, Arizona, commemorates the first organized expedition into the Southwest by conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado.
Waymark Code: WM8B4K
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 03/05/2010
Views: 13
A small area of the Coronado National Forest adjacent to the Mexican border is given over to the Coronado National Memorial, which commemorates the expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1540, the first known excursion of Europeans into the United States. Francisco was a Spanish governor who arrived in Mexico in 1535 and was chosen to lead a large group of settlers charged with exploration of the then unknown territories to the north, suggested by rumors of the time to include major cities decorated with gold and jewels - the 'Seven Cities of Cibola'. Coronado entered what is now Arizona along the San Pedro River valley, a few miles east of the memorial, then continued north along a route marked today as the Coronado Trail, though there is no trace of his passage remaining today. Instead, the site offers several hiking trails through the wooded foothills of the Huachuca Mountains, excellent views over the river valley and south into Mexico, a cave, and an interesting variety of plant and animal life. All could be seen in less than one day and the area is quite isolated and not well known hence does not get many visitors.
Address:
4101 E. Montezuma Canyon Road
Hereford, AZ USA
85615
NPS Web Page for this Station: [Web Link]
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