Looking into the Chiricahua Mountains with Cochise’s haunt, Dragoon Mountains, in the background
Two hours south of Silver City are the Chiricahua Mountains. Apache ways had a connection with the sky island’s diverse environments. The Apaches called it the “Land of Standing-up Rocks” and Cochise, Mangas Coloradas, Geronimo leaders of the Chiricahua Apaches all lead their people here for both food and spiritual solace.
For a portion of the year the Apaches lived in the Chiricahua Mountains and then migrated to an area just to the east of Silver City New Mexico. The warm springs near to what is now known as Fort Bayard, was on reason to select the area. Seasonal spiritual and food resources was the other reason to make it the Apache’s destination and this explains to me why Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apaches are synonymous.