Turkey Creek

History. Camping. Babbling mountain brook. Turkey Creek combines all three into a nice, drivable package.

Contrary to the movies, Doc Holiday didn't shoot Johnny Ringo. Neither did Wyatt Earp. Possibly, Ringo shot himself. But we will never know. Johnny Ringo was found sitting in the fork of an oak tree, shoeless, with a bullet hole in his right temple. The coroner ruled it a suicide, but locals doubted that. But Ringo had too many enemies to narrow it down, so the mystery remains. Ringo was buried where he fell. Today, anyone can visit Johnny Ringo's grave, even though it is on private property. The owner has fenced a walkway to the site. Just be courteous. Look for the pullout after a sharp curve in the road. The oak tree still stands.

Turkey Creek begins as a wide washboarded dirt road climbing into the Chiricahua Mountains up the canyon alongside its namesake creek. Private property, mostly ranches, lines the road until it crosses into the Coronado National Forest. The trail narrows and gets slightly rougher before ending at a lollipop turnaround. The trail climbs from open grasslands to oaks, junipers, and eventually pines. One of the numerous creek crossings has a nonnative weeping willow overhanging the road.

A handful of dispersed campsites, often close to the rocky babbling creek, line the road. Sycamore Campground has approximately ten shaded campsites with fire rings, grills, and picnic tables. There is a vault toilet, but no water. Reservations are not accepted, and there is a camp fee.