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| | | Sonoran Preserve North - Southeastern Loop, AZ | | | |
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Sonoran Preserve North - Southeastern Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 8.74 Miles |
282 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.74 Miles | 2 Hrs 40 Mns | | 3.28 mph |
| 282 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Working on finishing up more areas on the HAZ list, in this case the Sonoran Preserve N. Believe it or not, I actually only have the flat stuff left except for the Tramonto Trail and Peak. I have four more trails to finish off this area. I was going to do this hike on Friday but it was a tad too windy for me to do that many miles, I know, pathetic. But now that I'm retired, I can be choosy  .
I created a route so that I could get 3 of the missing trails. As I started walking on the sidewalk Skip Rimsza Connector, I guess I didn't realize the first few miles would all be on sidewalk as I thot there might have been a trail next to the sidewalk. Continuing on the East Skip Rimsza Paseo I was wondering who thot we needed an ultra wide sidewalk to stretch for a couple miles alongside a road that had bike shoulders. I'm not sure of the history of this somewhat extravagant walkway. The traffic noise is awful but I enjoyed the scenery.
2-5-2022 I finally found a link about the Sonoran Boulevard https://www.phoenix.gov/streets/project ... -boulevard
I guess I never noticed the decorated cement siding either as it's really quite nicely done; you'll have to see the pictures. There was one section where the sidewalk had a spur that went down next to a bridge over the wash that I thot would have a sidewalk on the other side, but it didn't. No big deal as I just walked over the rocks and back up to the main sidewalk.
I came across the first junction to connect with Badger Brawl Trail but had mapped out to hook up with the next junction that also connects up with the Badger Brawl. I didn't see any other hikers on this section but did see a few bike riders. Finally I got to go over an opening in the fenceline to join up on the connector to Badger Brawl. Neither of these particular trails are mapped out on HAZ but they are marked with signs.
I was glad to get away from the traffic noise and have my feet on dirt as I veered north to hook up with Badger Brawl Trail. The desert really is pretty in the Preserve and I always enjoy it. The trail tread is mostly nice throughout so you can walk and gawk fairly safely.
As I got nearer the Dove Valley area I saw a tall structure that I could hear and see a long hose going up and down. I have no idea what it is; maybe a well of some sort? The trail actually continues to the east at the intersection but I went west on the North Cliff Walk Badger Brawl Connector as it skirts the south side of the tall dirt wall encasement of the Cave Creek Landfill. You can see this Landfill from quite a distance as I saw it from the Paseo North. Just past here is a fabulous stance of cholla on both sides of the trail. And then there is this one area you pass through where the grass is long and very green as are the trees and bushes on each side.
Now it was down into Cave Creek along side this incredible dirt conglomerate of the high side of the Cave Creek wall on the Esplanade Cliff Walk Connector. There were also a bunch of green ribbons tied here and on the other side. Being back on the west side of Cave Creek on the Esplanade Trail and heading south in more familiar territory was nice. It was also very green over here too. I did encounter a runner, the first person I'd seen since I left the south side of my hike.
I checked out both the owl nests but it's too early for anyone to be home. The light was shining nicely on some of the cactus so I tried to capture it a couple times with moderate success. The trail has remnants of being muddy in a couple places. Next was the turn south on the Apache Wash Trail for that last leg back to the TH. Nearer the area where you cross over Apache Wash I encountered two people. I did the wide swing back to Tonto 3 to finish off my 8 1/2 mile day.
Doing some Rx on the Preserve I did find this; I didn't realize how many acres it was: 2016 City land acquisitions reach 9,671 acres for Sonoran Preserve at a cost of $325 million. Still couldn't fin anything on what it cost for the Paseo infrastructure; it had to cost a lot!
WATCH: 8.57 miles (high point 1904, low point 1741) avg bpm 125, max 144 (16% Zone 3 Aerobic, 80% Zone 2 Weight Control) burning 1017 calories. Starting temp 69.8 degrees, 19% humidity finishing at 4:30PM |
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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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. The other gal pointed it out to me; it was hard to see below the bush. I tried to walk by but it hissed at me rather vehemently and stuck its tongue out so I just took a couple pictures. For whatever reason, all of a sudden there were more hikers and bike riders so I continued on my way.
). Foliage was still doing pretty well, though I could see some drying out. That being said I felt that vision was more obscured than it had been in previous visits from fuller and taller vegetation. Could be wrong, but it seemed that way. Trails weren't that busy. Saw one biker, 2 hikers and a jogger. Wildlife, though unimpressive was nice: good number of quail, several rabbits, a jackrabbit, a couple of Hawks circling in the evening skies and coyotes , unseen, but heard in the distant.
