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| Hiking | 3.00 Miles |
588 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.00 Miles | | | |
| 588 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | This trail made me wish I had the confidence in my route-finding skills to try some of the off-trail hikes in the awe-inspiring Superstitions. Even on a Monday afternoon we encountered kids, grannies, dogs, joggers, teenagers up to no good... But even the lack of solitude and the suburban sprawl creeping literally right up to the trailhead couldn't overshadow the majestic beauty of the mountains.
Plus, we have a strategy for beating the crowds on the trail: set out late, take your time, and complete the hike after sundown. OK, so this approach evolved somewhat by accident in that we are SO not morning people. But in my opinion early evening is the best time to be out in nature. The long rays throw the scenery into sharp relief, the rocks change color by the minute, and the critters come out. This trail is particularly ideal for a sunset hike, with the return trip featuring endless views westward across the valley and distant ranges. Even the city lights on the valley floor appeared picturesque under these conditions.
The area of the trail terminus features several especially interesting petroglyph panels, both ancient Indian pictograms and more recent markings, some of which seemed to us as though they could have been made by early Spanish explorers. And yeah, there's a fair share of latter-day graffiti too, but even this doesn't really bother me: after all, humans have been leaving their marks here for millenia, and it almost seems a natural (or at any rate quintessentially human) response to do the same. In any case this spot is all-around magical, with canyon walls towering above you, slick-sided pools that were filled with water after this morning's rain, and rocks to scramble over presenting a fun challenge at the end of this relatively straightforward trail.
Today's hike really made me understand how even a tiny bit of rain can just transform the desert. Everything seemed to pop, with vibrant greens all around. And then, just as we were returning to the trailhead, a large and loud chorus of coyotes struck up just over the first housing-developed ridges, leaving me with a glimmer of hope that civilization will lose in the end. |
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