It began in Horseshoe Canyon on the Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest on May 8, 2011, at approximately 11:00 a.m.[2] The fire was started by human activities,[2][3] and burned over 9,000 acres (14 sq mi; 3,600 ha) in its first day.

[4] By June 1, 2011, the fire had burned an area of over 80,500 acres (125.8 sq mi; 32,600 ha) of grasses, shrubs, and trees along the mountain slopes.

[1] Regions of the Chiricahua Mountains close to the small commonwealth of Portal are experiencing a slow ecological recovery after the Horseshoe 2 fire burned more than 200,000 acres in 2011.

[8] Both the biggest draws to the area are intact, but a lot has changed after the fire swept across the rugged mountains.

[9] Additionally, because of a mix of flood harm after the fire and infrequent maintenance, trail conditions have changed quickly, and particularly during monsoon season it is necessary to be careful.