Perhaps it was because we decided to do this hike AFTER visiting six vineyards in Elgin. Perhaps it was the necessary nap first. Perhaps it was the fact that hiking in the dark on a moonless night and having your headlamp battery die after about a mile ... whatever the reason, somehow we managed to hike nearly a mile and a half further than the trail actually goes! Despite that, it was a great adventure which began around 8pm and completed just after 11.

On what was a day around 90 degrees, the temperature was perfect after dark, and introduced the incredible sounds of animals we never saw, most prominently the frogs, but also ducks, and plenty of dive-bombing bats.

In summer, I'd recommend doing this early in the day, as only the north side of the lake features any real shade, and even that isn't much. The Canelo Hills are a beautiful part of Arizona and I look forward to future visits to this area.