Breaking News!
June 2, 2011 by taha
Take A Hike Arizona will remain open for business!! We are very happy to report that the company will continue to offer fantastic hikes for families, individuals, groups and corporate team building. Stay tuned for more details to follow in the coming weeks. Feel free to send any email inquiries to info@takeahikearizona.com or just call at 480-634-8488 and we will be happy to speak with you about availability for future hiking excursions.
Happy hiking!
Fun Facts from Eastern Mountain Sports
May 10, 2011 by taha
Once in a while, we come across some interesting facts about the outdoors. Check out this article posted by Eastern Mountain Sports about the dangers of the outdoors as compared to everyday hazards!
http://www.emsexploration.com/wordpress/what-do-we-really-have-to-fear/
Wildflower update
March 30, 2011 by taha
Okay, it appears we are off to a bit of a slow start to our wildflower season this year. Could be those freezing cold days we had during the “winter”. But, the cacti and plants are starting to bloom! Almost all the hedgehogs we see now are blooming. The creosote and brittlebush are now well on their way. I’ve also seen some chicory, scorpionweed, poppies, and fiddlenecks. Still waiting for the Palo Verdes and Ironwood trees to blossom. I also noticed that the buckhorn chollas are chock full of buds, so when they bloom in the next week or so, they are going to be amazing! The prickly-pear cacti appear to be a few weeks off still from blooming, so be a little patient there. And as usual, the Saguaro will be one of the last to bloom, probably in late May or June this year.
Out in the Superstitions, we haven’t seen too much blooming action. 
Some thistle are blooming and the hedgehogs are blooming there as well. Still not many brittlebush with color yet and the Sumac still has a ways to go before we see any color there. But, we will be heading out there again soon, so we’ll see if anything has changed.
That’s the update for now. Stay tuned as we head further into Spring!
Hiking Resource
October 22, 2010 by taha
Happy Fall to everyone!! We are so excited to finally have the cooler weather here! June is actually out hiking in the Superstitions with one of our guests from the Netherlands today. They couldn’t ask for better weather! I can’t wait to see the photos. Anyway, on to the actual topic for this posting. At Take A Hike Arizona, we love to share great resources when we come across them. Recently, we were contacted by Jonathan Wood, founder of Trailcalendar.com, about his efforts to join like minded outdoor enthusiasts by using a virtual calendar to help coordinate activities among them. Below, in Jonathan’s own words, is his introduction to this concept and why it will be a great tool for all of us looking for hiking partners/groups. So without further adieu, here is Jonathan:
Over the past four or so years, I’ve taken to hiking or snowshoeing each and
every week. Unfortunately, most of my friends are not up for the kind of
hiking I like to do. This means I end up going on many of my hikes alone.
Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy spending a little time on my own. I’m
able to push the pace to where I get the perfect workout. Besides, I always
take my German Shepherd Dog, Suki. So I’m not really alone.
Still, I prefer to hike with others at least some of the time. Also, I’m
keenly aware that the inherent risks involved in hiking and snowshoeing can
be greatly amplified when you are on your own, and there is no one else to
assist in the unlikely event that trouble arises.
As a result, I’ve put a lot of energy into finding like-minded outdoor
enthusiasts that I can join on some of my outdoor activities. But it’s not
quite as easy as I’d have guessed. The better your conditioning, the harder
it is to find people who would enjoy your pace. Also, everyone has their own
ideas about what sort of activity is best.
So I set out to find ways to promote communities of outdoor enthusiasts,
which would allow people to connect with others that enjoyed the same types
of activities. And I thought the Internet was the best place to build these
communities.
There are already large sites where outdoor enthusiasts can hookup, but I
wanted a free community site that was dedicated to people planning and
discussing outdoor activities, and nothing else. The site also needed to be
simple: users should be able to instantly see any activities in their area
without logging in, or even having an account.
The result of this effort is the Trail Calendar website. This site is
divided into different locations so that when you visit the site, you’ll see
only those activities scheduled in your area. (The only exception is on your
very first visit, when you must tell the site where you are located.)
Although the site could potentially grow to be very big, users only see
nearby activities, which makes the site feel smaller and more intimate.
I’ve added the ability to RSVP activities so you can see who plans to join.
The site also rates people according to the number of activities they’ve
posted. I’m currently working on discussion forums and I’m looking at
implementing private groups, with a long list of cool ideas for features in
the longer term.
The site is still new. Some locations are picking up activity, while other
locations are waiting for people to post their first activity. So the next
phase is to get the word out and get more people using the site so that it
becomes more useful for those who do.
If anyone else feels this is a worthwhile cause, please post your next
activity on the site and tell your friends to do the same. Only with the
help of outdoor enthusiasts like you will the site grow the sort of online
communities, which I’d love to be part of.
Jonathan Wood
Trail Calendar
http://www.trailcalendar.com
Kids’ Night Hiking Camp!
September 10, 2010 by taha
- Starting out on our night hike!
Take a night off and tell your kids to
TAKE A HIKE!
(with Take A Hike Arizona)
The kids will love this night hiking camp made just for them! We will take the kids out on a night hike and look for the stars and the small desert critters that come out at night and we will get them actively involved in lots of fun activities and games including our version of the popular “Minute to Win It” gameshow!
ONLY $25 ($20 for each additional sibling) the Camp Adventure includes: Guided hike, pizza, water, dessert, refreshments, use of backpack, an arts & crafts project, and lots of FUN!!!
Ages: 5 and up
Date: Friday, September 24, 2010
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: The McDowell Center, 16116 N. McDowell Mountain Ranch Rd, Scottsdale (southwest corner of McDowell Mountain Ranch Rd and Paradise Lane)
Space is limited! To reserve a spot for your child, just give us a call at 480-634-8488. We look forward to speaking with you!
Hiking with Gila Monsters!
August 5, 2010 by taha
I am not a Gila Monster!
Now I'm a Gila Monster!
Tonto Natural Bridge
June 9, 2010 by taha
Inside the tunnel under the bridge
Just spent the weekend up in Payson camping with the kids and enjoying the somewhat cooler weather. One of the main activities we planned for our trip was a visit to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. The park itself is located 12 miles north of Payson right off Highway 87. It is very easy to find. Due to state budget cuts, the park is currently open 5 days a week – Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) and is scheduled to close as of September 27th! Hopefully, a resolution (other than actually closing the park) can be found before September so we can continue to enjoy this beautiful area.
The natural bridge itself is thought to be the world’s largest natural travertine bridge. Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. The precipiation of the mineral springs forms a coating on nearby surfaces such as plants, roots, rocks, etc and forms very interesting formations including stalactites and stalagmites in limestone caves. Another great example of travertine forming over plants and roots are the Havasu Falls in the western part of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai reservation. But, back to the Tonto Natural Bridge. The bridge itself sits 183 feet up above the ground. The tunnel below the bridge is 400 feet long and as wide as 150 feet in some places. Both the views from above and looking up from below are amazing!
Our favorite part of the trip was hiking down the Gowan Trail and entering the tunnel itself below the bridge. We spent quite a bit of time inside the tunnel climbing around and hiking to the other end. Some spots were a bit hazardous due to the slippery, wet surfaces. With that said, keep in mind that it is a lot easier to climb up some of these slippery slopes than it is to come back down them. So be sure to take a look at what you are contemplating climbing up and see if it is something you can manuever back down.
heading down some slickrock
In addition to the beautiful scenery the bridge provides, the other great thing about the tunnel is the cool air and refreshing water constantly dripping down from the ceiling above. It is a great way to cool off on a hot day!
Also, you are allowed to enter the water to swim as long as you are not within the tunnel. So as you come down the Gowan Trail, right before you step onto the man-made bridge that takes you to the entrance of the tunnel, veer off to the right and you can swim right there. The water is very refreshing (meaning down right cold) and there are quite a few little critters that the kids will enjoy looking for around the swimming hole. We found monster size crayfish (seriously, they looked like lobsters!), lots of fish and some interesting frogs. There’s also a large number of swallows that nest in the tunnel and many other colorful birds flying in and out of the area. So there is a lot to see. We spent the better part of our day enjoying the park and we look forward to going back up again later this summer before the park closes in September. For more information about the park visit the state park website and check out our photo gallery on our Facebook Fan page to see our photos from the trip.
A day on the Apache Trail
April 25, 2010 by taha
View looking toward Superstition Mountains
I love when family and friends come to visit us here in beautiful Arizona! It gives me the perfect excuse to do some more local sight seeing in my own backyard that I otherwise probably wouldn’t take the time to do. Sound familiar? Our latest “adventure” was taking a day to travel along the Apache Trail, one of my favorite scenic drives. To begin this drive just head out on 60 East and take the Idaho Rd exit and follow the signs to Canyon Lake.
After a short drive down the Apache Trail, we started our day at Goldfield Ghost Town, the old mining town located right by the Lost Dutchman State Park. We had a great time exploring the old town and taking lots of photos of the area. Years ago, this little “ghost town” didn’t have much to offer, but it has since been rediscovered and tourists have been pouring in ever since. As a result, it has gotten a little bit kitschy but it is still worth seeing especially with the kids! I think we investigated every nook and cranny the town had. We also spent a bit of money of some of the tours they offer there such as the mine tour.
The mine tour was a pleasant surprise. We learned quite a bit about how the miners spent their days and toiled under ground with only candle light to help them see. Did you know that the miners were only given about 6 small candles on each shift to help them see what they were doing? They would conserve their light by putting the candles out and eating their meals in the dark of the tunnels. If I’m not mistaken, there are some restaurants that currently charge a pretty price for guests to eat in the dark now! I guess the miners were on to something.
After our adventures at Goldfield, including a mock gunfight battle performed by volunteers, we hit the road again. We drove towards Canyon Lake. It is a gorgeous drive through interesting landscape with rock formations, plants, and animals not commonly seen in other parts of the valley. We stopped at the Marina where Steamboat Dolly is docked. We parked there and walked across the street to the Boulder Canyon Trail entrance. We hiked up the trail to get some unbelievable views of the area. We could see far into the Superstitions Wilderness and a good bit of Canyon Lake. We saw some folks rafting up into one of the canyons that the larger boats cannot get into (add that to my list of things to do this summer!) and we saw plenty of collared lizards and a snake!
After working up an appetite hiking, we got back in the car and continued down the Apache Trail. Our destination was Tortilla Flats. We made it just in time for dinner. Even for a Saturday evening, the restaurant closes pretty early at 7:00pm so we felt fortunate to get in for last call (for food that is). Tortilla Flats is best known for its decor of dollar bills covering every inch of space on the walls of the restaurant. It is quite entertaining to read what people have written on the dollar bills and to see how old some of them are. The food is pretty good too! I will warn you though, if you plan to order the Nachos Grande, make sure you have someone to share them with!!
At Take A Hike Arizona, we love to share our experiences with our fans and we love to hear from you as well! Tell us about some great adventures you have had whether it is here in the valley or in your hometown. Just send us your experiences to info@takeahikearizona.com and we can share them with our readers as well! Also, we offer great day hikes in the Superstitions area, described in this posting, during which our guides will show you some fantastic scenery and share many local legends and history with you along the way. Just call us at 480-634-8488 to learn more about the excursions we offer!
Hiking in the Rain
March 9, 2010 by taha
Okay, so I’m sure you’ve heard the song “Singing in the rain” right? Well, there should be one for Hiking in the rain! Wow, we have had so much rain this year in the desert!! I have never seen the desert as green as it is right now. There is so much ground cover and plenty of tiny wildflowers popping up everywhere. If you haven’t been out there yet, you should try to make some time to do so. We do not get great rainy seasons like this too often.
Speaking of which, we just did a hike this past Sunday (a very stormy day). We started out (and finished the hike) with 17 people in an absolute downpour! First of all, I have to say hats off to the hardy souls that joined us for what promised to be a very wet hike. Fortunately, the rain did slow down and actually stopped for some time so we were not being rained on the whole hike. I have not had many opportunities to actually hike here in the desert during a rainstorm. It seems more often than not, that our rains are accompanied by thunder and lightning and we do not go out in that weather. But on Sunday, we were fortunate enough to have the rain minus the lightning which would have been a showstopper. Anyway, as I was saying, this is one of the first times I’ve been out hiking in the desert mountains in the rain here in the valley. I have to say it was absolutely beautiful! The creosote bushes, which give our desert that great aroma when it rains, literally filled the air with their scent. It kind of reminded me of when I used to hike in the pine forests back east and you couldn’t seem to breathe in enough of the beautiful scented air.
Not only did the desert smell fresh and the air felt crisp, but we were rewarded with some great views from within the clouds and above the clouds as we hiked up. At some points during the hike it felt like we were walking out of the mist into a new world. It was very serene to say the least. Then to top off the hike, the clouds cleared just enough to let the sun peak through and create an unbelievably bright, colorful rainbow as we were hiking back down to reality. It really doesn’t get any better than that! Anyway, I was just so in awe of the beauty of the desert on this hike, that I just had to mention it on our blog. And I wanted to highly recommend to those of you who haven’t done so yet, try to take advantage of some of the rainy days and get out there and hike! Just don’t go if there is thunder and lightning in the forecast! If you do get out there, let me know about your experience and send me some photos. I’d love to hear about it.
Lastly, you can go to our photo gallery on our site http://www.takeahikearizona.com and look at the gorgeous photos we took during this hike. They are included in the WM Symposium folder on our flickr page (which is linked to our photo gallery). I also included a photo with this post of the rainbow we saw on our way back down.
Sonoran Desert Rainbow
Snag and Save excursions
March 9, 2010 by taha
For those of you joining Take A Hike Arizona on our Snag and Save hikes, here are the directions to the trailheads that we will be starting from.
Piestewa Peak Park (Phoenix Mountains Preserve). From Highway 51, take the Glendale Ave exit. Head east on Glendale Ave (which actually turns into Lincoln Ave as you head further east). About 3/4 of a mile from Highway 51, you take a left turn at the traffic lights onto Squaw Peak Drive. Follow this road straight into the park and stay on this road all the way to the far end where you come to a circular parking area and can drive no further. This is where we will be meeting to start this hike.
McDowell Sonoran Preserve (Gateway Trailhead). For those of you with GPS, the exact address for this location is 18333 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale. We will be meeting at the main building area on the east side of the parking lot. For those of you who still drive around the old fashioned way (like me), here are the directions.
Heading North on Hwy 101, take the Frank Lloyd Wright exit. This exit will drop you onto the service road that runs parallel to the highway (Pima Rd). Stay on this road through the first set of traffic lights (cross over Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd at the traffic lights). Go past the West World entrance. Stay straight until your next set of traffic lights at Bell Rd. Turn right onto Bell Rd. Follow Bell Rd past the Ice Den skating rink and past the Basha’s shopping center. At Thompson Peak Parkway (major intersection) take a left. Follow Thompson Peak Parkway for a few hundred yards. The entrance to the Gateway Trailhead parking area is on your right. Follow the entrance into the parking area and park wherever you find a spot. We will all meet up by the main building.
Heading South on Highway 101, take the Pima Rd/Princess Rd exit. From the exit ramp, stay straight through the first set of lights at Pima Rd. At the second set of lights, take a left onto Bell Rd. Follow Bell Rd past the Ice Den skating rink and past the Basha’s shopping center. At Thompson Peak Parkway (major intersection) take a left. Follow Thompson Peak Parkway for a few hundred yards. The entrance to the Gateway Trailhead parking area is on your right. Follow the entrance into the parking area and park wherever you find a spot. We will all meet up by the main building.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@takeahikearizona.com. See you there!
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