Doubtful Canyon

Doubtful Canyon
Valley
Country	United States
State	Arizona, New Mexico
Regions	Peloncillo Mountains
County	Cochise County, Arizona, Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Coordinates	32°21′05″N 109°05′14″W / 32.35139°N 109.08722°W / 32.35139; -109.08722
Highest point
- location	Doubtful Canyon, Arizona
- elevation	5,500 ft (1,676 m)
- coordinates	32°21′05″N 109°05′14″W / 32.35139°N 109.08722°W / 32.35139; -109.08722
Lowest point	mouth
- location	Animas Valley, New Mexico
- elevation	4,205 ft (1,282 m)
- coordinates	32°21′21″N 108°56′27″W / 32.35583°N 108.94083°W / 32.35583; -108.94083
Length	9.2 mi (15 km), E-W
Doubtful Canyon in Arizona, New Mexico
reference [1]

Doubtful Canyon was the name of two canyons in the Peloncillo Mountains, once considered in the 19th century as one canyon that served as the pass through those mountains. Today the canyon bearing the name Doubtful Canyon, is mostly in Cochise County, Arizona, near the New Mexico border. It descends to the east into the Animas Valley past Steins Peak ^[2] it is in Hidalgo County, New Mexico.^[1] Doubtful Canyon has a tributary, Little Doubtful Canyon^[3] that joins it just east of the Arizona New Mexico border. The western canyon is now called West Doubtful Canyon ^[4] and it descends into the San Simon Valley, in Cochise County, Arizona.

History

The mountain water sources and the low north south divide that lay between the two Doubtful canyons made it a favored wagon road for early east west travelers. Doubtful Canyon and West Doubtful Canyon formed the pass where the Southern Immigrant Trail passed through the Peloncillo Mountains. Later near Steins Peak, the Steins Peak Station of the Butterfield Overland Mail was located in Doubtful Canyon. On May 4, 1864, soldiers of California Column fought a band of Apache in the Skirmish in Doubtful Canyon, in the canyon near Steins Peak.

References