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| Hiking | 0.75 Miles |
100 AEG |
| | Hiking | 0.75 Miles | 1 Hour | | 0.75 mph |
| 100 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | An Easy, Kid-Friendly Trail
While recovering from a not-very-fun episode of heart trouble and a stay in the hospital, I've been on the lookout for short, easy walks to satisfy my Inner Hiker without putting myself back in the ER. So I took a look at a trail I had been briefly on a few years back: The Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail out at Catalina State Park.
This is a short little walk, only 3/4 of a mile long; it's been extensively groomed-- even the rise in height has been given nicely-built railroad-tie stairs-- and it takes you through some very pretty mesquite and desert oak woods up a gentle hill to the saguaro-crowned remains of a Ho'hokam village more than a thousand years old. Interpretive signs are all around, explaining the layout of the homes, fields and defensive wall; if you look carefully you'll see scattered shards of broken pottery everywhere as well. There are also the remains of a mid-1800s ranch, whose owner gave the site its name.
I was lucky enough to have just climbed to the village as a ranger-led tour arrived, and with permission I tagged along. The ranger, a tall, enthusiastic dark-haired man, was a good story-teller and quite fond of the mysteries of the locality; his audience was appreciative and the tour was both informative and entertaining.
If you have visitors staying with you or in the area, this would be an excellent place for both the young and/or the infirm or even those in excellent shape; the view from the top is beautiful and the walk's an easy one, just enough to give them a taste of history and a chance to take some really outstanding photos. Also, if you do get the chance to catch the park's own tour, I'd highly recommend it. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Desert Chicory, Scorpion Weed, Desert Lupins and Globe-mallow were all in early bloom; I was told that Mexican Poppies had also been sighted. |
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Sutherland Wash |
Pools to trickle |
Pools to trickle |
| | | Damp soil present. Mostly sand, though. | | _____________________
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Route Editor
Route Scout
. things are a little green out there but the monsoon has been a dud
Before doing that I checked out the short loop to the Romero Ruins site.
