Bajada Wash Trail - Saguaro NP West, AZ

Bajada - definition and pronunciation
Overview
Bajada Wash Trail is a short 1.9-mile trail that follows Bajada Wash from its start point near Apache Peak on Hohokam Road to the Sus Picnic area, also along Hohokum Road. This trail follows Bajada Wash to the southwest and stays to the west of Hohokum Road. The trailhead at the Northern end is where the Dobe Wash Trail crosses Hohokam Road. There is not a lot of parking along the road at the northern trailhead. Hohokam Road is also one way, northbound, after the Sus Picnic area. On the southern end of the trail at Sus Picnic Ground, parking is more available. The trail drops about 250 feet in elevation if going from the northern trailhead.


Hike
I chose to do this hike from North to South as a continuation of a longer loop hike involving the Dobe Wash Trail. The trail starts at a wash, where the Dobe Wash Trail ends on Hohokam Road. Apache Peak is in your face just to the west of the road. The trail stays along the lower slopes of this Apache Peak and heads to a small saddle on the Southeast side of the peak about 30 feet above the trail start. This is the upper reaches of Bajada Wash that drains the southern slopes of Apache Peak; from here, it is all downhill. From the saddle, it remains a trail for 0.1 miles before dropping into Bajada Wash, where it remains for the rest of the trail. The wash is narrow, and the sand more like gravel, so walking is easier than the sand in some of the other washes in the park.At about 0.9 miles, the wash crosses the signed junction with the Valley View Overlook and Wild Dog Trails. There is also a trailhead along Hohokum Road at this point, just 0.1 miles to the East. Bajada Wash is not a long straight stretch of wash like some of the other washes that head down into the lower desert floor; this wash is still in the hills and does a lot of zig-zagging making it a little more interesting to walk. At about 1.5 miles, the wash goes through some rocky narrows for a change of scenery, nothing that requires any climbing but at least it is a change. Just after the narrows, the signed Spur trail to the Hugh Norris Trail heads out of the wash to the East. The Bajada Wash Trail leads out of the wash to the south about 0.1 miles from the Hugh Norris Spur Trail and is unmarked, so keep an eye out for it. This is an ideal trail as part of a more extensive loop trail or for someone just wanting a short walk after a family picnic. I would say it is an excellent trail to see the various plants and animals, but you are in Saguaro National Park, and almost any trail will suffice for that.

2017-09-26 markthurman53