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This mountainside picnic area is located along the scenic Swift Trail at a major access point to one of the Pinaleños’ more popular hiking and horsebacking trails. The Round the Mountain Trail #302 starts at the edge of the picnic area and wanders across the north slopes of the mountain 14.5 miles to the historic Columbine area high on its central plateau. Along this route, it winds across scenic slopes and through several creeks presenting some of the most varied views of any of the major trails in the Pinaleños. This is a very popular trail with those forest visitors who like to do their sight-seeing from the back of a trusty trail horse. For that reason, the Safford District of the Coronado National Forest developed a three-stall public corral here at the same time it installed the picnic tables.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to be a horseback rider or even a hiker to enjoy a visit here. The Round the Mountain Picnic Area entices quite a few travelers along the Swift Trail to stop and enjoy the excellent views this area offers of the lower slopes of the mountain and of the hills, deserts and valley below. And once you’ve seen those views you may decide to go ahead and take a walk after all, which means you’ll be even more ready for a picnic when you do get around to it.
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