33: The Zen Ranch

Mesquite Bosque, Mammoth, AZ
M A M M O T H,  A Z

I’m standing in the ruins of an old Hohokam pit house near Mammoth, Arizona.  Scattered around are easy-to-find pieces of broken pottery dating back 1,100 years.  Back east, a property like this would be cordoned off and have walking trails leading to placards explaining Hohokam history.  Park rangers would be standing nearby to answer questions and make sure no one touches or takes anything, and a nearby gift shop would offer fridge magnets, coffee mugs, and tee shirts.  But the property I’m standing on is not open to the public yet.  It’s owned by a mining company hoping to swap it with the Federal Government for copper rich lands located 60 miles away.  Until that swap occurs, this 3,000 acre ranch along the vital and vibrant San Pedro River will continue to be managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 

My host is way better than a park ranger.  Celeste Andresen is TNC’s ranch manager, and her thoughtful enthusiasm for this property was immediately apparent when we met just after sunrise this morning.  She very willingly agreed to give me a tour and then let me wander at will the rest of the day. 

Our brief tour starts at the pit house on a hill overlooking the property - the perfect vantage point to acquaint myself with the 7B Ranch.  Next she takes me halfway down a mile long road through a riparian area of the San Pedro River.  We park and walk the rest of the way back to what she calls her favorite lunch spot.  We could have driven closer, but both agree walking provides a much better experience.  We stop at an artesian well from which flows a steady stream of hundred degree water creating an area of beautiful vibrancy.  Celeste bravely leads us through the snake-infested underbrush continually pointing out a wealth of interesting facts, including where a mountain lion was recently spotted.  It’s an overload of beauty and information, and my brain is scrambling to keep up.  Along the way back, she identifies several tracks in the dusty trail.  Further on, we spot a crime scene: gray fox fur is scattered throughout a grassy area.  She locates the carcass and offers the skull as a keepsake. 

The tour ends where we first met; at the head of a subtle trail which meanders through a Mesquite Bosque.  When we part ways, the ranch is all mine.  I head straight for the Caliche hills a mile away. I slowly make my way back into the hills as deep as is practical.  The tender landscape of odd shapes, gullies and flowering bushes is fascinating.  Hummingbirds whiz by with regularity. 

Caliche Hills, Mammoth, AZ

 Next I take full advantage of my authority.  With the combination Celeste has given me, I open a locked gate and follow the road to see where it leads.  It takes me to another overlook.  The view is pure Arizona, as is the midday heat.  Time for some shade. 

I deliberately left the Mesquite Bosque for the afternoon knowing the shade would be welcomed.  Wondering through the Bosque is a delight.  It’s king-like; the Mesquite’s low curved branches arching overhead are like walking between soldiers with crossed swords held high. 

Halfway around the loop, I’m ready for a break.  I plop down right on the dusty path afraid to wander into the undergrowth where I’m sure venom awaits.  The absolute quiet is meditative, and it becomes instantly clear why Celeste refers to this place as the Zen B Ranch. 

This property was one of the most highly anticipated stops along the three week tour I’m on.  Again and again it’s proven itself out: the extreme planning I do for trips never dulls the thrill of the actual experience.  And the Zen B, along with its host, is a prime example of exceeding expectations.  



LEARN MORE ABOUT TNC's WORK AT 7B HERE.  

Location: 7B Ranch, Mammoth, AZ

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