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| Hiking | 8.63 Miles |
861 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.63 Miles | 3 Hrs 9 Mns | | 2.74 mph |
| 861 ft AEG | | | | |
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| Partners |
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[ show ]
| no partners | | After returning from Easter in Maryland, bougainvillea were doing great in our neighborhood, so I decided to take a crack at another local flower hunt.
Brown’s Ranch Trailhead was about half full when I started hiking at 8:45 a.m. Just gazing out at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, I did not see any flowers, so my hopes were not high.
I headed out on Upper Ranch Trail. After a ⅓ of a mile, Upper Ranch Trail passes under power lines. That is when I started finding some small flowers here and there. The strawberry hedgehog mostly had flowers, but they were smaller, and not fully open. The ocotillo were outstanding. 
It was interesting to watch Brown’s Mountain change shape throughout the day, as I rotated around it.
Corral Trail has some nice views north to Cave Creek, but also travels through some lower areas, so there was more grass & shrubbery along it, particularly acacia, which as bright green as I’ve ever seen them. The creosote were still blooming. 
There is little shade anywhere in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, so I took advantage of what I could find for brief break in a wash at the east end of Teddy Bear Ridge.
In the Brown’s Ranch area I found collapsed barbwire fence, an old feed hopper, a sunken foundation, a dry cinder block cattle tank, two dry cement spring boxes, and some other odds & ends. I somehow missed the ranch house remains, which are on the west side of Brown’s Ranch Road.
Just after I turned onto Brown's Ranch Road for the second time, I got rattled for my first time this year, by a small, but very angry, western diamondback. Thankfully, we were on opposite sides of the road, about 10 ft. apart. I didn’t get closer, but when I crouched down to take a photo he quickly slithered along his side of the road in my direction. That got my attention! 
After the snake and I parted ways, I finally started to encounter mountain bikers and other hikers.
I found the best strawberry hedgehog of my hike on the way up Brown's Mountain Trail.
Brown’s Summit Spur is short, but steep — 180 AEG in only 250 yds. — and slippery with pea gravel over rock. The summit is larger than it looks from below, with plenty of good sitting rocks. Being free standing, Brown’s Mountain has 360° views. Four Peaks was obvious to the east, but the only mountains I took time to identify were to the south: East End Mountain, Tom’s Thumb, Troon Mountain and Pinnacle Peak.
After photos and a snack break, I headed carefully down the summit spur to the saddle, then continued south on Brown’s Mountain Trail. As turned right onto Brown’s Ranch Road for the third time, I was sideswiped by a mountain biker blasting along the road. Not a technical track: A flat road. What a hero. 
After I finished my hike, I was going to stop at Mickey D’s for my traditional post hike lunch: Filet-O-Fish and large fries (extra salt), but I realized I was totally cashless, having donated my last $3 to the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, who maintain the park. I call that a win. 
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/538411770 |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
Some of the best ocotillo I've ever seen. Many blooming strawberry hedgehog with smaller, not quite as open flowers. Creosote still doing well. Brittlebush flowers withering. Two clusters of desert wishbone bush. Scattered, not very fluffy, desert marigold. One miniature woollystar cluster. Flat top buckwheat have small clusters. A few small desert globemallow. A single New Mexico thistle. One cluster of pink / violet six-petal flower I could not identify. |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
