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| O R S A - Sonoran Preserve North, AZ | |
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| | O R S A - Sonoran Preserve North, AZ | | | |
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O R S A - Sonoran Preserve North, AZ
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| Hiking | 4.48 Miles |
550 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.48 Miles | 1 Hour 42 Mns | | 2.83 mph |
| 550 ft AEG | 7 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | After work I wanted to see some wildflowers and based on a few HAZ triplogs, this seemed like the area to visit. I had a feeling the poppies were probably still wet and maybe a little cold from the previous day's rain but I went anyway. This is the first time I've hiked here in a clockwise direction. It's definitely easier because you get the hill/mountain 1953 out of the way right off the bat. It's really a very nice grade and pretty decent views as you make your way up. Today it was pretty windy; especially at the top.
There were plenty of wildflowers; even if the poppies were still fluted. There was lots of Phacelia Distans and Lupine providing for the purple colors today. I felt like I made good time on the hill; only encountered a few hikers. Also caught a hawk in flight (video only). As I hiked on the ridge there was a nice patch of poppies but they weren't open either. I continued down the hill and across the way I could see a hillside of open poppies so I was excited to see that up close. But before that, as I hit the bottom of the hill, I saw LOTS of Owl Clover and on both sides of the trail. Don't know that I've ever seen so much. They seemed a little scrawny but en masse, they were sure pretty. It's always hard to photograph flowers like this so low to the ground and somewhat spread out.
There was quite a bit of Desert Trumpet. I don't know about the rest of you but it seems like there is quite a bit of that this year. I rounded the corner and headed up the Sidewinder as the poppy population definitely increased and since it had been warmed by the sun almost all day; I did get a bit of a show. The poppies make such nice ground cover to show off the cactus . As I looked back at the hills across the valley I appreciated the soft green grassy look it provided. I think I encountered a few people here and that was it for the day. Because it was getting late, I didn't complete the Sidewinder hike around the eastern mountain and took the Apache Wash connector Trail back to Ocotillo to Tonto Jr.
A couple videos to enjoy the views and wildflowers:
[ youtube video ]
[ youtube video ] |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
I suppose it really could be substantial if the poppies had all been open.
Lots of tall Fiddleneck. |
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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Route Editor
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Route 
. As I looked back at the hills across the valley I appreciated the soft green grassy look it provided. I think I encountered a few people here and that was it for the day. Because it was getting late, I didn't complete the Sidewinder hike around the eastern mountain and took the Apache Wash connector Trail back to Ocotillo to Tonto Jr.
