The east side of the Dragoon Mountains is as different from the west as day is to night.  Here thick forests of Oak, Mesquite, Cottonwood and Sycamore huddle at the foot of sheer granite pinnacles the size of skyscrapers.  Sprawling grasslands studded with clusters of Yucca, Sotol and Mescal (Agave) Plants pave the way into a serene box canyon that was once populated with Apache wickiups during the "reservation years".  It was within the peaceful confines of this little valley that Cochise died of a lingering ailment, probably stomach cancer, in June of 1874.  The only Anglo to be present at his burial was Thomas Jeffords, who protected the secret of the grave's exact location for the rest of his long life (Jeffords died at his ranch near Tucson in 1914).
 

TYPICAL ROCKY WONDERLAND FOUND THROUGHOUT THE DRAGOON MOUNTAINS.  IT IS EASY TO IMAGINE A LONE APACHE SENTINEL STATIONED ATOP ONE OF THESE HOUSE SIZED BOULDERS -- NEARLY INVISIBLE TO ALL BUT THE SHARPEST EYED INTRUDER.

THE PICTURE OF VIGILANCE, A HAWK ATOP A YUCCA IS FRAMED BY THE IMPOSING SILHOUETTE OF ROCKFELLOW DOME.