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| Guindani Cottonwood Trail, AZ | |
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| | Guindani Cottonwood Trail, AZ | | | |
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Guindani Cottonwood Trail, AZ
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| Hiking | 9.05 Miles |
2,160 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.05 Miles | 5 Hrs 28 Mns | | 1.71 mph |
| 2,160 ft AEG | 11 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | Back to the Whetstones this time to hike the Guindani and Cottonwood Saddle Trails. I have done these before about 3 years ago but needed a refresher Coarse on just how nice it is in this area. We starting at Karchner Caverns State Park. Did the Guindani CW direction. The Whetstones are an interesting mountain range, unlike the other ranges in southern Arizona these are pretty much a stack of Sedimentary rocks. After saying that this hike was through the one section that is mainly Cambrian igneous intrusions. Won't bore you with the details but I was excited (Alaskite and Quartz Monzonite oh my). Good amount of water flowing in the streams. Ginny's new boots appeared to work just fine. The weather was in the low 70's in the afternoon with a slight breeze to cool things off a bit.
The Guidani Trail heads up along the south side of a hill that offers great views to the East over San Pedro River Valley and the Dragoon Mountains. To the South overlooking Middle Canyon and The Cape which reminds me of Ramsey Peak in the Huachuca Mountains. After climbing 1000 feet you cross over a saddle and head down into Cottonwood Creek. Multiple mines along the trail are Fluorspar mines active in the early 1900's and as late as 1967. All the rocks of this hill are Alaskite butted up against Pinal Schist.
Once down from the saddle and in Cottonwood creek the Cottonwood Saddle trail heads up stream. Fairly easy trail up to the saddle, a few short lived steep sections. Rocks along the canyon are Quartz Monzonite darker than the light colored Alaskite, both are Precambrian in age. Water was flowing in the creek almost all the way to the saddle. Nothing spectacular at the saddle, in fact I don't even remember being here before, that's how memorable it was. Catalina Mountains and Rincon Mountains can be seen to the north.
Headed back down the way we came up and returned on the Guidani trail in the CW direction. Pretty much follows and crosses the creek many times before exiting to the south and reconnecting with itself. One of the largest ocotillo I have ever seen is along this trail just before completing the loop. The branches/stems were at least 5 inches across it would take both hands to wrap around it if you were so inclined to do that. |
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