Colorado and Utah trip
July 1, 2010 by taha
Jim Gray's Petrified Wood Co.
In, addition to hiking in our beautiful Sonoran Desert, we also like to adventure out to surrounding areas as well in the great Southwest! Then we get to tell you about our experiences. Well, we just returned from a fantastic whirlwind trip to Colorado and Utah! Along the way we paid special attention to things we saw, experienced and liked and disliked knowing that this would be great information to share with you. So, the plan is to share bits and pieces of the trip as it progressed each day in different blog postings over the next week.
First off, just to let you know, our itinerary included the following “official” stops along the way:
- Cortez, Colorado – Mesa Verde National Park
- Durango, Colorado – the Million Dollar Highway
- Silverton, Colorado – on the way to Ouray
- Ouray, Colorado – Switzerland of North America
- Ridgway, Colorado – Ridgway State Park
- Telluride, Colorado – home of the free gondola!
- Moab, Utah – Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Deadhorse Point State Park and Warner Lake
The plan was to stay one night in a hotel in both Cortez and Durango. Then from that point on, it was camping in a tent for us! Overall, the trip was planned for 11 days, so we were set up to spend 9 nights in our tent as we moved from place to place on our route.
We started out from Scottsdale and headed in the Payson direction. I had two sets of directions to get to Cortez. One set put us on Highway 17 North through Flagstaff where we could then pick up 40 and head east. The route we chose was the one that took us out on Highway 87, the Beeline Highway, toward Payson and ultimately dropped us off in Holbrook where we then jumped on 40 heading east. The difference in total mileage was only 10 miles with Payson being the shorter route, but the Payson route was estimated to actually take about 45 minutes longer due to lower speed limits and back road driving. We decided on the Payson route just to see some new sights along the way versus driving up 17 North which we do quite often.
So, day 1 was a lot of driving. We did make some stops along the way to Cortez. One fun stop worth making (if you like rocks and petrified wood) is Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. in Holbrook, AZ. It is like rock heaven! They also have some neat fossils of prehistoric turtles, dinosaurs and birds to check out inside the store. The kids will love it! I did find the prices on some of the rocks to be a bit higher than what I am used to seeing at other rock shops, but the selection was amazing! Check them out at http://www.petrifiedwood.com to see what they have to offer before you make a trip up there. Eventually, after a number of other stops, we made it up to Cortez, Colorado. I have fond memories of counting many cows and horses along the way. So, stay tuned for more details on our adventures in Cortez and the Mesa Verde National Park!
If you have any suggestions or tidbits of information that you picked up on your travels to any of the areas listed on our itinerary, please feel free to share and I can include them in our postings! Just comment below on the blog or send us an email at info@takeahikearizona.com. Until next time!
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.
Phoenix Parks Closures!
February 22, 2010 by taha
Hello fellow hikers and outdoor enthusiasts,
As many of you may already know, the State of Arizona is starting to close 13 state parks in the coming weeks. Many of us are contacting our representatives about this issue, but in addition to the state closures I also wanted to provide you with some information about the planned closure of a number of our beautiful Phoenix parks. These closures are not getting the same amount of press as the state park closures, but to those of us who love these areas and use them regularly these closures will have a significant impact on us and visitors to our area! As of right now, it appears that the City of Phoenix is planning to lay off 14 park rangers and reduce public access to our local parks in the area. The city plans to reduce public access to the parks by closing them on Mondays and Tuesdays. The anticipated closures include:
- Camelback Mountain
- Piestewa Peak Park
- North Mountain Park
- South Mountain Park
- Shaw Butte
- Lookout Mountain
- Papago Park and
- Shadow Mountain
If this concerns you as it does us, please email one or all of the City of Phoenix Councilman listed at the links below and tell them to keep our parks open and save the jobs of 14 Phoenix Park Rangers:
Councilman Thelda Williams at: http://phoenix.gov/district1/emdist1/index.html
Councilman Peggy Neely at: http://phoenix.gov/district2/emdist2/index.html
Councilman Bill Gates: http://phoenix.gov/district3/emdist3/index.html
Councilman Tom Simplot at: http://phoenix.gov/district4/emdist4/index.html
Councilman Claude Maddox at: http://phoenix.gov/district5/emdist5/index.html
Councilman Sal DiCiccio at: http://phoenix.gov/district6/index.html
Councilman Michael Nowakowski at:http://phoenix.gov/district7/emdist7/index.html
Councilman Michael Johnson at: http://phoenix.gov/district8/emdist8/index.html
Mayor Phil Gordon at: http://phoenix.gov/mayor/emmayor/index.html
Help us save our Phoenix Mountain Parks from closure!
Saguaro Cactus Fruit
June 3, 2009 by taha
Saguaro flower awaiting pollination
Well, I would have to say it is finally here…….the summer. It’s not official by the calendar yet, but anytime it consistently reaches 90 – 100 degrees everyday and the kids are on “summer vacation”, that’s good enough for me! One of the things that we (at Take A Hike Arizona) really like to see as the weather warms up during this time of year, is the ripening of the Saguaro fruit on the Saguaro cactus.
The Saguaro is the largest cactus found in the United States and can only be found in elevation ranging from sea level up to 4,000 feet. But, that is another blog post entirely. So back to the fruit. Typically, the cactus will bloom in late May to early June with the fruit appearing and ripening about one month after that. This year, the flowers appeared a bit earlier than usual and you can now see the fruit starting to ripen at the top of the cactus.
The Saguaro flower requires pollination before it will produce any fruit. The flowers are most often pollinated by bats, White-winged Doves, Mourning Doves, bees, and other types of birds. Once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a 3 inch long fruit that contains as many as 2,000 seeds! The seeds are very tiny and and kind of remind me of the small poppy seeds you find on bagels – except the saguaro seeds are even smaller. The fruit is a very important seasonal food as it ripens during the driest part of the year right before the summer rainy (moonsoon) season. Many desert animals depend on this fruit for sustenance during this time of year.
The fruit itself has many uses for us humans as well. After being plucked (i.e., harvested) from the cactus with long saguaro rib poles, the seeds are meticuously separated from the pulp. This is a very time consuming, painstaking process done by hand. The seeds are then dried and can be ground down into a flour or even eaten as is. The pulp can be consumed as a juice or can be boiled down to make a syrup. Some of the syrup, in turn, can be used to produce a wine that the Tohono O’odham Indians use as a ceremonial drink to usher in the rainy season. The fruit is actually quite nutritious. The seeds are 30% fat and the pulp contains about 10% protein and 70% carbohydrates (which is why it makes such great wine!).
If you are interested in finding out more about harvesting and eating saguaro fruit, check out some southwest ethnobotany books at your local library, attend an ethnobotany lecture offered by Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, or travel down to the Tohono O’odham reservation just south of Tucson. The Tohono O’odham offer food products harvested from the desert including Saguaro juice and syrup. If you live in the Phoenix metro area, you may also be lucky enough to find these items at a local farmer’s market in your area. If you do come across the opportunity to try a taste of Saguaro fruit, the juice, syrup or wine, I would highly recommend trying it. It has a unique flavor all its own and you may find the natural desert flavors grow on you pretty quickly! Let me know if you try it and what you think! Happy harvesting!
Take A Hike Arizona Lends a Helping Hand
May 7, 2009 by taha
Kadija
There is a special lady named Kadija who is near and dear to many hearts including ours at Take A Hike Arizona. Kadija, a single mom with 2 young boys, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Kadija is known to be a dynamo (with an attitude) driving people to do their very best in their fitness regimes and their lives. Her loyal followers are always inspired by her unswerving support in their efforts. She always exudes confidence and a great enthusiasm toward life. She will be no different in her fight against cancer. But she does need our support.
Being a single mom with 2 young children, Kadija supports her family through her coaching as a fitness trainer. Unfortunately, she cannot continue to work at this time and her friends want to help. We, at Take A Hike Arizona, are hoping to raise funds to lend a helping hand. Join us on May 30th at 6:00am at the new Gateway Trailhead in Scottsdale for a sunrise hike. We are not charging for this guided hike, but will instead gladly accept donations to be contributed to Kadija’s fund. We will provide water, snacks, use of backpacks and trekking poles for those who need them. The hike will also be accompanied by 2 knowledgeable guides (June and Tracey) who can tell you all kinds of neat things about the desert flora and fauna.
If you’d like to join us for this hike and support a great cause, please RSVP to Andrea Hood at AHood4@cox.net or call June and Tracey (Take A Hike Arizona) at 480-634-8488 to reserve a spot on the hike. Donations will be accepted at the time of the hike. Checks can be made payable to The Kadija Support Fund (an account that has been set up to accept donations for Kadija). To learn more about Kadija and the fund that has been set up, please visit the website that has been created by iBloom Interactive Marketing at http://www.aboutkadija.com.
We hope you can join us for this beautiful sunrise hike on Saturday, May 30th!
Summer is almost here!
April 30, 2009 by taha
Saguaro cacti silhouttes
I am somewhat sad to report that Spring here in the desert is just about behind us. Now that we are heading into May, I expect that things will warm up pretty quickly here. Luckily, we still have many cactus still in the process of blooming or beginning to bloom!
The saguaros are just now starting to grow their buds and a number of them are already blooming those gorgeous large white flowers, which are our state flower by the way. The saguaro blooms do seem to be a bit early this year. Typically, the flowers on these cacti bloom in mid- May to early June with the fruit harvest then falling into late June early July. We also have many cholla cacti starting to show their colors as well as the Little Leaf Palo Verde trees and the Ironwood trees. So, there is still a lot of color to see out there.
But, there is no denying that the warmer, no….hot, okay, the really hot weather is on its way. With that in mind, we (Take A Hike Arizona) are offering our guests the option of hiking during the cooler parts of the day. From May through September, we will have sunrise, sunset, moonlight, and night hikes. Check out the following descriptions to see what you can expect from each hike:
Sunrise: We begin our sunrise hikes in the pre-dawn hours as the sky begins to lighten. Many desert dwellers are nocturnal and these early morning hours provide a great opportunity to see the desert animals, such as coyote, bobcat, and javelina, as they begin to retire for the day. Sunrise hikes are a great option for those visiting the Valley of the Sun during our warmer months.
Sunset: We begin our sunset hikes about one hour before sunset to ensure our guests have an unforgettable view of the sun setting over the valley from the peak of the hike. As the sun sets, the sky provides a fantastic display of rich color and provides a beautiful backdrop for photography. As we watch the sun set, the city lights begin to flicker on and as we hike back down the trail, we are provided with gorgeous views of these lights around each corner of the trail. During the mid to later months of the summer, we will oftentimes be fortunate enough to witness the stunning desert rainbows that hang over the valley right before evening sets in.
Moonlight: Our moonlight hikes start right at sunset. This allows our eyes to adjust naturally to the darker sky as we hike. During our moonlight hikes, we like to point out various plants that bloom only at night during the summer. We look for bats pollinating the saguaro cacti, we look for javelina rummaging in the undergrowth for food, and we listen for the howl of the coyote and the calling of the Great Horned Owls. We take some time to listen to the “quiet” of the desert night and stargaze at the numerous stars that are so visible in our dark desert skies. This is a great excursion that gets you outdoors while escaping the heat of the day.
Scorpion and Tarantula Hunts: Similar to our moonlight hikes, we start our “hunts” shortly before dark to let our eyes adjust naturally to the lack of daylight. We provide flashlights and ultra-violet (black) lights to our guests to help them “hunt” for the scorpions and tarantulas. Scorpions will actually appear iridescent in the glow of the black lights, which helps us locate them. The flashlights will help us find tarantulas and a number of other desert dwellers that are out and about during the evening hours as well. These excursions are referred to as “hunts”, but none of the animals located are ever touched or harmed in any way. It is a memorable excursion that allows you to see these animals in their natural habitat.
So that is it in a nutshell! Come see for yourself why the Sonoran Desert is considered to be the most diverse desert in the world. You will be amazed at how alive the desert really is. Check out a couple of our summer packages now and book your tour today! Space is limited on our night hikes. Stay tuned for more fun facts about the desert and the latest happenings in our future postings. Thanks for checking out our blog!
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