| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 2.10 Miles |
1,124 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.10 Miles | 2 Hrs 22 Mns | | 1.06 mph |
| 1,124 ft AEG | 23 Mns Break | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | The Ironwood Forest National Monument is a Sonoran Desert Wonderland. The Waterman Mountain Range has plenty to offer. While I have visited the area a number of times, I had not hiked the trail to the peak until today.
I hiked from the second parking area off Johnson Mine Road. The trail is easy to follow to the first saddle where you see some nice views. Turn right from here and follow the faint use trail the rest of the way. Occasional cairns appear along the route.
For those not wishing the scramble to the top, the Leonberger Memorial is a good place to turnaround.
No need to rush as the hike isn’t long. Plenty of opportunity to take in the basin and range views and admire the impressive geology, botany and wildlife. I enjoyed perfect weather of high 40 degrees and full sun, no wind. As noted, there is full sun exposure on this hike and very little shade from the Palo Verde trees along the route. If you take a look around, you may find an endangered Nichols Turk’s Head cactus. Both the cactus and its variety namesake are worth the extra effort of the Google rabbit hole.
https://ironwoodforest.org/about/the-mo ... ead-cactus
http://cactusandsucculentsociety.org/cs ... ichol2.pdf
No bighorn sheep sighting today but if you keep your eyes open you will see the AZGFD water catchment at a lower elevation placement as you head to the summit.
If you want to spend a little more time in the area, stop at the Titan Missile Interpretive Site off Johnson Mine Road and take a look at the “Shiva” cactus along Avra Valley Road (South side of road).
https://ironwoodforest.org/monument-news/titan
https://www.abc15.com/news/region-centr ... amed-shiva
|
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 