Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trail is one of six location-specific hotspots within Chiricahua National Monument. Use the greater Monument hotspot when you have a checklist that includes multiple locations.

Hiking in the morning, you will often be looking into the sun.

Among USFWS-designated Birds of Conservation Concern for the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert regions, the following species have been listed multiple times for the hotspot:  Broad-tailed Hummingbird (March-May), Arizona Woodpecker (February-November), Plumbeous Vireo (March-June), Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (May-June), Scott’s Oriole (April-August), Grace's Warbler (April-June), and Black-throated Gray Warbler (April-June).

Along with Woodhouse's, Mexican and Steller's Jays are reported -- with Mexican being the most abundant by far.

Note that both Yellow-eyed and Dark-eyed Juncos are present.

The trail, along the north-facing slope above Rhyolite Canyon, takes you east from the Visitor Center, through oak-juniper woodland, with much manzanita as understory, into upper reaches more dominated by pine.

A “Wonderland of Rocks” is waiting for you to explore at Chiricahua National Monument. The 8-mile paved scenic drive and 17 miles of day-use hiking trails provide opportunities to discover the beauty, natural sounds, and inhabitants of this 11,985-acre site. Visit the Faraway Ranch Historic District to discover more about the people who have called this area home.

The 1.5-mile Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trail is located between the Visitor Center, at 5400 FAS, and the junction of the Upper Rhyolite Canyon Trail with the Sarah Deming Trail, an elevation gain of almost 600 feet. It is considered a "moderate" hike by the NPS. Restrooms are located at the Visitor Center trailhead. A brief trail description is located here .