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Mary & Piet's Chiricahua Cottages |
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Something wonderful for your own quiet natural
getaways... |
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Portal
Peak viewed from the Chiricahua Cottages, Krisanne
Elsner photo
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We've a quiet vacation home in the eastern foothills of the
beautiful Chiricahua Mountains of Southeastern Arizona! Built between 1992 and
1997 by friends of friends, it begins as a small
house and guesthouse. We
also have a home in Tucson. Over the years, we hope to enjoy more time at our quiet getaway. The
small guesthouse is often available and the
larger house will be available as soon as we're through with some painting and
landscaping. Either may be enjoyed by the day, week or month;
please just ask. |
| Hi!
We are working on our Southeast Arizona
property this summer & fall.
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And,
Updating/improving this old web page
information is also happening!
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| Paint, landscaping and
more... |
More photos of birds,
buildings and visiting critters to come... |
 
Colorful horse lubber
"grasshopper", Raymond Gruszka
photo
A
personalized vacation environment in the relatively remote eastern foothills of Arizona's Chiricahua
Mountains, our getaway is ideal for nature-interested individuals who treasure getting away from the
ordinary.
Rufous hummers, Jerrilyn Billings photo
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Unparalleled Beauty
Located about 3 hours southeast of Tucson, our part of
the Chiricahua Mountains is among the most biologically diverse regions in
North America, a virtual crossroads where plants and animals
from the surrounding regions converge. Known worldwide to serious birders, this
region offers
attractions to casual bird watchers and nature lovers, as well as artists,
photographers, hikers and history buffs ;
and
especially to seekers of peace and qui
Located about 3 hours southeast of Tucson, our part of
the Chiricahua Mountains is among the most biologically diverse regions in
North America, a virtual crossroads where plants and animals
from the surrounding regions converge. Known worldwide to serious birders, this
region offers
attractions to casual bird watchers and nature lovers, as well as artists,
photographers, hikers and history buffs;
and
especially to seekers of peace and qui
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Piet
& Mary’s Chiricahua Cottages are located at 4800’ on 80 quiet and
scenic acres at the base of 8500’ Portal Peak. See rugged beauty rise up
oak-filled rhyolite
canyons to sky islands of high elevation pine and fir forests.
Grand vistas call you to take in awesome summer thunderstorms marching across
the wide valley to light distant mountains with their flashing lightning.
Winter is mild, with plenty of sunshine.
Delight at the simple pleasures of the rising and setting of the sun and moon.
Most evenings
are clear and
stars
e
in the unusually
dark sky.
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The "big" house (L) and the nearby guest
house.
Nearby Attractions 
Nearby
Cave Creek Canyon, a scant five-minute drive, features towering
lichen-covered rhyolite cliffs that embrace ribbons of sycamores and
willows winding along perennial creeks. Here the hamlet of Portal offers a
country store, pay phone and restaurant. A graded dirt road takes you to
the top of the Chiricahuas to experience the cool pine-fir forests. You
can choose from numerous easy day trips—Chiricahua National Monument,
Fort Bowie, Tombstone, Bisbee.
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Accommodations
The Guesthouse
Rates:
Still only $85.00/
· Weekly and
monthly rates available.
· Special
rates for Friends of BFT...if you've traveled
with us, just ask!
· Rates and
terms subject to change.
  
The charming
air-conditioned,
separate guest-house features queen and twin beds, a private full
bath, ceiling
fan and a
spacious closet. A microwave, coffee maker, toaster and mini-refrigerator
allow simple meals to be prepared. The entry opens to your private patio for watching the light
play on mountains near and far.
The Main House
The
Main House—our original
reason for the plural in "Chiricahua Cottages"—has been available
as a rental in the past, and may be again now, as we find ourselves spending
more and more time in our new place in Tucson. Baja's Frontier Tours? As
long as we're working at the learning vacation business ( and who'd want to
stop that eh? ), we just haven't found time to move to Portal. We'll
just keep striving to make our learning vacations more diverse, fun and
interesting for our guests...and we're sure to be even more inspired as we
occasionally actually get to produce one of our programs in the shadow of our lovely Chiricahua Mountains. Mary
& Piet
Rates: We expect the 1000 sq.
ft. one bedroom 1 bath house to be available later this year as soon as we're
through with painting and landscaping. Please give us a call if you're interested for the future.
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Gift Certificates Available.
Please
plan ahead as far as possible.
But, if you’re spur-of-the-moment folks, try
anyway; we’ll accommodate you if at all possible. Call 520-887-2340 to
confirm availability.
Please leave a message if you
call and we’re away. Reservations
will be held for seven days pending receipt of payment.
·
Children (8 years and
older) are welcome.
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Our
buildings are smoke-free.
·
Sorry,
pets cannot be accommodated. Lots of wildlife here.
Directions to Portal, AZ 
Portal Post Office © Martin Creasey
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From Tucson take I-10 east to Road Forks, New Mexico (137 miles ). |
| Turn south on highway 80, travel 28 miles to the junction of Portal
Road. |
| Turn right (west) on Portal road. |
Specific directions to Chiricahua Cottages will be sent to registered
guests.
The cottages can be reached entirely on paved roads, except the
final ¼ mile of graded access road and
private drive.
Map
Chiricahua
Cottages, Portal, Arizona
QUESTIONS &
RESERVATIONS?
Contact Piet & Mary Van de Mark by phone:
520-887-2340 (Tucson, Arizona)
©Baja's
Frontier Tours LLC Tucson, Arizona 2005 & 2009
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