This is not our first visit to McDowell Regional Park however we are planning to hike in a different area than we did before for an approximately 10 mile loop. The park was established after 1944 near the former location of Camp McDowell who protected the Maricopa valley until 1890. The park is well known for its mountain biking trails but it is quite good also for hiking as long as you can avoid the bikes zipping by:). This is true only in the beginning because as we get farther in the park the fewer bikes we see and soon it is all quiet.
McDowell Regional Park trail
There is some vegetation
The trail is quite flat and easy most of the way but the flipside is that besides some distant mountain views there isn't a lot to see as the terrain is quite flat. Even the vegetation is mostly sparse with only the washes and a few other spots sporting any interesting vegetation at all. We eat lunch in a wash along the way watching the birds flying around and pass through a few boulder areas before looping back to the parking lot and our car in the falling darkness to return home.
The Hawes Trail System ia close to our home but we never hiked in so today, still recuperating after a bad case of flu, we decide to try a short hike on it. The trails were built by mountain bikers then part of the system was swallowed by encroaching development before finally being adopted more officially by Tonto National Forest. There is only one major entrance with parking on the other side of a major road and this is where we start from. We carefully cross the highway and continue on the trail avoiding the many bikes that whiz by.
Start of trail
Mountain in the distance
We decide on a short three mile loop and the trail is mostly easy with some nice cacti and some good views of the Superstition Mountains. However there is an abundance of mountain bikers who go much too fast around blind curves making any curve a guessing game. As it gets later in the day and the bikes subside it is becomes much more enjoyable. Soon we return to the car after what in the end was a good training run for future longer hikes.
Usery Mountain Regional Park, which we are investigating today, became a park in 1967. Pass Mountain, also known as "Scarface" to the local folks, is the geological focal point of the park. The mountain itself was named for King Usery, who was a cattleman running stock in the area in the late 1870's and early 1880's. He had a tough struggle to survive and moved up into the Tonto Basin country where his activities, unorthodox, landed him in jail. We start at the visitor center which has a small exhibit and gift shop before continuing farther into the park.
Exhibit hall at Usery Mountain Park
Can you spot the exhibition animal?
View from visitor center
Costa's hummingbird
After looking at the map for some time we decide to do a 10 mile loop hike using a few different trails. While mountain bikes are quite common in the beginning they start to disappear as we go deeper into the park. There are more saguaros here than on the Hawes Trail System and overall the vegetation looks more healthy.
Where should we go?
Trail is flat
Saguaro and cholla
Lots of saguaro
The trails are flat and easy walking however we still have to be careful not to step on any snakes, we see a big one that we can't identify in the middle of the trail and likely there were a few more we didn't notice. As we start returning to the parking lot it gets dark and there are some nice views of the Phoenix lights on the horizon before reaching the car and leaving the park exactly 10 minutes before closing (at 8PM).
One of the yearly festivals that we go to is the Archaeology Festival, both for the exhibits and activities. This year it is quite close to our home, in Mesa however it seems smaller than usual. We go to a couple interesting presentations and play the yearly prize drawing (we win two state park tickets) before moving on to the local sites that are open for visit.
Archaeology Festival - fewer people than usual
Walking through the historic neighborhood
The first place we visit is Sirrine House - we walk to it from the festival as it is only a couple blocks away. The Sirrine House was built in 1896 by Joel E. Sirrine for his new bride, Caroline and it is Mesa's only fully-restored, Victorian era historic home museum. It is comprised of three rooms with a large wooden porch, high ceilings for cooling, and wooden baseboards, windowsills and trimmings. And today it is open for tours - most days it is closed due to lack of city funding.
Sirrine House - front
And back
We decide to first take a guided tour from one of the people who did the restoration. He is quite knowledgeable about all the little details that we might have missed otherwise and it is quite interesting to learn how the people lived at the turn of the previous century. Afterwards we take a self guided tour ourselves before returning to the car to drive to the other two archaeological attractions that are advertised by the festival.
Room inside
Interesting method of hanging artwork
Kitchen
Not real unfortunately
The first attraction is Mesa Grande Cultural Park a park preserving a group of Hohokam structures constructed during the classical period and occupied between AD 1100 and 1400. It is one of only two remaining mounds in the Phoenix area. Unfortunately the entrance is not free as it is usual during the festival and given the number of people visiting we decide to just take a look from the entrance today (there are quite a few metates) and come back on a different day.
Mesa Grande Cultural Park
Lots of metate
The second stop is at a park we didn't even know existed, the Park of the Canals. It was bought in a multiple stages both by the community and the city of Mesa to preserve canals both Hohokam and early Mormon. We wait a bit for the guide but she is out with another tour so we decide to walk around on our own following the canals and trying to imagine how the area must have looked hundreds of years ago with canals crisscrossing the land and crops everywhere.
Trail through Park of the Canals
One of the canals - overgrown
You can see it here
This is the most visible canal
Returning towards the entrance we visit also the small botanical garden which has more native plants than we expected but soon it starts to rain so we have to retreat to our car and return home after a short lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Today we plan to visit the Renaissance Festival that we passed soooo many times without entering. However this time a friend provided us with a couple tickets that they couldn't use and we are already quite curious about the festival so it is time to stop for once and visit it. We are quite surprised at the size of the parking lot, it is huge, and even so it feels difficult to find a parking place. From there we follow the throngs of people towards the entrance where with our tickets we can skip the line and go directly to the entrance....yay.
Wow - where is the entrance?
Let's follow the people
Glad we have tickets already
Main (and only) entrance
The festival grounds are built to look like a small European medieval village with each house housing a shop, restaurant or a show that we can browse through, eat or watch.
Looks medieval
Completely agree
One of the shows
Geese habitat
There is a small petting zoo that we visit but of course with all the children visiting it is difficult to get close to the animals. Still it is quite funny to see the unicorn advertised as such :).
Petting area
Too young for petting
Some of the chickens are curious
Some don't care
Piglet
Rare unicorn
A few of the games/attractions inside the grounds cost additional money like the dragon tower (a slide around a tower) but there is quite enough to do for free like to watch the handymen/artisans crafting weapons and armor in the smithy as well as food in the tavern.
Dragon tower
Witches preparing food
Impressive weapons
Creating them
Of course many people are quite into the medieval atmosphere dressing into elaborate costumes - not only the performers of course where it is expected but simply the visitors. We do our share of people/costume watching while waiting in line for some crepes for what seems like a long time.
Lots of people...
...many in costumes
Line at the crepes stand
And the end result
The major attraction at the festival are the shows, you are provided with a schedule when entering the grounds and then you can choose and decide what to do throughout the day. We visit our share of of shows but the one we circled as do not miss is the raptor show and so after finishing with our lunch we walk towards the grounds where the show will take place.
Belly dancing show
Fairies are common here
Interesting shows
People on stilts are still popular
Comfort ducks
Raptor castle
The raptor grounds are structured so that the raptors can launch from a castle onto a grass landing strip where the handlers sit and which is surrounded by onlookers which have to sit down so they don't confuse the raptors. Of course not all raptors agree with their assigned route with a few actually deciding to go to the nearby trees for some resting before returning to the handlers.
Actually there are quite a few raptors that are shown with the hawks flying in while the owls being brought in like royalty by the actual Fair royalty - it is our first glimpse of the Fair Queen.
In flight
Taking them backstage
Owls have to be carried:)
Even the queen gets involved
From the raptor grounds we make our way to the other side of the grounds (which are quite large) where we plan to attend the jousting tournament. On the way we enter shops and take in the festive atmosphere while looking at the multitude of details on the houses lining up the streets. As we approach the jousting grounds we notice that the knights are already being hoisted onto the horses so we hurry into the stands not before however sparing a thought on how interesting a joust on the nearby elephants would be :).
Very popular comfort food
Drinks are also quite popular
Looks impressive
But why not use them?
Thr joust starts with a long introduction splitting the stands to support one of the four champions. Ours takes his sweet time to get ready but after some time it is finally time for the joust.
Royal court
Preparing for the bout
Ready...
.....Go!
The first bout is a win for our champion but he loses the second one and goes crazy "killing" his opponent and a few more knights before finally order is restored. A full-on period drama quite fun to watch if we wouldn't have a person right behind us shouting and jumping around like crazy throughout the whole joust.
Our champion goes crazy...
...and kills all opposition
It is getting late and everything is closing down for the night but we still have time to buy a few more gifts that we have chosen during our window shopping earlier and we just have to pick up on our way out. We are one of the last cars off the now quite empty parking lot and return home quite satisfied with this foray in the fascinating world of the Renaissance festivals.
Every year we are trying to see the Art Festival and this year is not different. It is close to downtown Phoenix so relatively nearby but today there aren't that many art galleries open as usual or at least it seems that way. However the ones open are quite interesting and we even try our hand at blindfold painting - there is some artwork that is coming from that exercise that could really be exhibited in the gallery in our opinion.
Art gallery
Close up of art
Blindfold art
Can be quite varied
Outdoor the neighborhood is also artsy with some nice murals that we always enjoy as the are bird related. We even visit a nearby quiet church courtyard while looking for a different section of the art festival which is inside a downtown hotel.
Street art
Another gallery
Even the apartment buildings are in on the fun
Downtown church
The hotel is our last "gallery" for the day, it is an Art Hotel and the exhibits are scattered throughout the grounds. Most of them are modern and interesting enough and without any other people visiting us it is a good diversion before we have to return to our car and then home.
With the temperature in reasonable numbers we can choose to hike closer to Phoenix and we decide to explore a State Trust area close to Lake Pleasant and very close to the Maricopa Trail area we explored previously. It is unexpectedly barren and devoid of cacti maybe due to clearing activities being done previously or a fire sweeping through. It is also wedged between two main roads and crisscrossed by dirt roads used by high speed ATVers.
Exploring State Trust land
Not a lot of vegetation
Close to the street
Road in the desert
Even so we find a quiet place to explore where to our surprise we find an entire herd of donkeys watching us very very carefully as we approach them for a few photos before backing away. Still interesting but certainly not healthy for the nature are the dumping places that we discover - mostly from gardening but also a place that is a mystery with signs hinting that it was improved before being abandoned.
Can you see the donkeys?
Here they are
Dumping ground
For landscapers?
We continue exploring the less visited roads some of them towards the north leading into the wilderness and through an interesting volcano debris field type of landscape. And then it is getting dark so it is time to switch on our headlamps and find our way back to the car that we parked in the middle of the area.
As we have won two entry passes for Arizona State Parks at the Archeology Festival we had to find a State Park that is relatively close by and would be interesting to visit. We settled on Oracle State Park, a relatively new park which has an interesting mix of ranching history and trail to wander. As we arrive after a two hour drive the first thing we intend to visit is the historic Ranch House and probably the major attraction of the park. Interestingly it is spread across three levels with some beautiful details.
Oracle State Park, Kannally Ranch House
Main living room
Bathroom - painted by ranch owners
Same for wood beams
The reason for the many woodwork details was that the at least part of the ranchers living here were amateur painters and as such they worked on painting both the interior of the house as well building a portfolio of paintings never exhibited but found after their death.
Artwork discovered after their death
Nice detail
Kitchen with lots of flowers
Gift to the state park from South Korea
The garden outside is quite beautiful too with a large area set aside for what seems to be a forthcoming official function. It is well maintained and spread across two of the levels that we explore before returning towards to parking area to start the hike.
Walking around the three story building
Looking from above
There was a party on the grounds
Main garden
Metates on the ground
Flowers are in bloom
The trail that we decide to take starts from the main parking lot and continues towards a hide before looping back to the parking lot. It is not a long hike and it starts with some nice views over the valley before descending towards the hide on a well maintained trail.
Main parking lot
Time for a hike
View across the landscape
Trail is recently maintained
The hide overlooks a waterhole but there is nothing there today so we continue with the trail climbing back to a ridge and then passing some chairs plopped into the wilderness (for stargazing?) before returning back towards the parking area.
Wildlife hide on the trail
Nothing visible today
Lots of vegetation
Unexpected find near the trail
In the parking lot are a few feeders that we explore while searching for a place to eat lunch. While we do not find a good place here we see a few interesting birds including a canyon towhee. We decide to drive to the dedicated picnic spot which to our surprise is empty so we eat our lunch here before proceeding to the second area that we want to investigate today.
Hummingbird feeder
Canyon towhee enjoying the feeders
Our lunch place
Beautiful flowers close by
What we wanted to investigate, if we had enough time, is the nearby Arizona Trail Trailhead that we never visited before. It is a few miles down a well maintained dirt road and has a large parking area and is also very well marked. We decide to explore for a few miles and then try to return around nightfall. The trail follows mostly a ridge here so it is a nice walk with relatively few changes in elevation and soon we start to see that the desert is quite alive around us after the rains that fell the previous days.
Road to trailhead - well maintained
Arizona Trail Trailhead
Different type of vegetation
Blue dicks flowers
With the desert in bloom we stop to see the multitude of flowers as well to enjoy the views into the distance from the ridge that we are walking on.
The trail follows the top of the ridge
Lots of ocotillos in flower
Mix of colors
Pink fairy duster
Near our turnaround point the trail descends into a wash and we descend with it to take a closer look at the field of Goldfields that is covering the flank of the canyon. And then we return with an unexpected surprise close to the parking lot where a bunch of uncooperative cows have blocked off the trail and have no intention of leaving. So we bushwhack to the road above us and the safety of the car which we reach just as the night set. From here we have two hours of driving with no additional surprises, luckily, and soon are home after a very enjoyable visit in an area we have never visited before.
With temperatures climbing in the valley today we decide to try our first foray of the year in the Mogollon Rim area. Specifically we want to explore a new area of the Highline Trail starting at the Tonto Fish Hatchery. We are surprised at how many people made the trip up here and are a bit humbled when it takes some time to find the trail start that leads down to a log river crossing. We also find that this is the farthest most people make it with some fishing and some enjoying the water with only a select few actually hiking the trail.
View of the Rim Country
First time in the high country this year
Trailhead for the Highline Trail
Does that really help in crossing the river?
This section of the Highline Trail is surprisingly scenic with some good views of the Mogollon Rim as we pass areas that have been impacted by successive wildfires. We stop for lunch near a small stream in an almost idyllic valley with birds singing, the creek flowing merrily past us and the sun shining above us. The only fly in the ointment is the skeleton we discover a few paces away from us...ouch.
View of the Mogollon Rim from below
Crossing another small stream
Very picturesque
Not so much - still interesting.
Beautiful view along the way
Our turnaround point
Our turnaround point is Horton Spring which is quite beautiful, this late in the afternoon we are the only people here and have the area all to ourselves to explore and enjoy. Unfortunately that means we also have limited time as the darkness is falling and even so we spend half of the return trip in the darkness with only our headlamps showing the way which we actually enjoy a lot as long as we do not meet a bear along the way which we don't....this time.
This weekend our plan is to go to our first birding festival in Arizona, the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival, which is held at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. We have booked in advance a few seminars and tours and are curious to see what can be seen at such a festival. After registering and getting our bag of goodies we wander around through the tents seeing what is for sale before checking out the current panel with the birds found. And then it is time to board the bus to our first seminar for the day about insects which is quite interesting.
Festival tents
Tour buses
Birds seen to date
Insect seminar
We have some time now before our next tour so we decide to check in and then look for something to eat. The motel is in the downtown area and is simple but has all the amenities we need and even a few we don't like a kitchenette as we are staying just one night.
Hotel room
With a kitchenette
We decide on a nearby BBQ place for dinner as we have limited time before our next tour and the seem to be serving the food relatively fast. And they do and the food is quite good so quite full we are ready for our evening tour.
BBQ place
Our lunch/dinner
Before the tour we return for a short time to the motel to prepare for the hike - flashlights, warmer clothing and so on and soon we are ready for the evening tour.
Downtown Cottonwood
Our motel
We initially wanted to do an owl tour in the evening but it was full (owl tours are always very very popular) so we went with a nighthawk tour that promises to also look for owls along the way. The tour takes us first through the park but we see few birds except a turkey vulture and a crow. As it gets dark we walk outside to a nearby sports centre where we can see lots of nighthawks flying around the lights following the insects, quite fun. From here we return towards the car park while the guide calls for owls with no luck. In the car park we meet up with the owl group and after a few more calls an owl is finally attracted - quite cool to see it close by.
Turkey vulture above us
A crow in the distance
Exiting the park
Nighthawk in flight
After a good night sleep we are ready early in the morning for the last official tour we have signed for - at Tavasci Marsh. The group is unexpectedly large and even from the beginning we see quite a few birds even though there is no marsh to be seen anywhere.
Looking for birds on the Tavasci Marsh Trail
Here is one in the distance
A bit unexpected there are good views of Tuzigoot National Monument from the trail just over the river which we assume is creating the marsh further up the trail. We enjoy both the views and the river while scanning for birds with no luck at least in the short run.
Tuzigoot view
You can guess there is a river there
And here it is
River and Tuzigoot in the background
But soon the birds are everywhere including a beautiful summer tanager, gnatcatchers and even a few feisty hummingbirds.
This car didn't make it
Summer tanager in the distance
Blue-gray gnatcatcher resting on tree
Black chinned Hummingbird - looks quite large
At the marsh overlook we see a good mix of waterbirds including pied billed grebes, ducks and lots and lots of blackbirds.
Mix of ducks in the Marsh
Marsh overview
Red winged blackbird
Pied billed grebe
After returning from the official tour we have some time to explore the park on our own and we start with the River Greenway trail. It is quite beautiful and cool (given the warm weather) walking by the river and with a bit of luck we even see a hawk nest on the way - quite interesting.
Verde River Greenway Trail
And this is the river
Quite impressive
Hawk chick
Next we explore a separate trail that goes out into the desert and while the vegetation and views are interesting it is getting quite hot so soon we decide to return back to the trailhead and try to recuperate and cool down in the picnic area where we plan to eat our lunch.
This is really desert like
View over the valley
Hedgehog cacti
What is this??
The picnic area is a hot spot for birds so while we eat we watch the different birds fly in and out from the nearby trees while some are drinking from the lake. The most interesting one is a Bullock's Oriole that is quite colorful and spends some time right next to us in a tree.
Black-throated sparrow
Gray Flycatcher
Bullock's Oriole
Grackles waiting for scraps
The last trail we decide to walk is one that goes to a few ruins or at least that is what the guidebook is saying. However when we arrive in the area not much is left and as it is getting even hotter outside we soon retreat to the car and return back to Phoenix after a very enjoyable first birding festival in Arizona.
Today we are exploring the area east of Munds Park for a short while before continuing on the Kachina Wetlands Preserve. The first stop is Munds Park where we want to scout an area for future hikes to see how easy it is to find parking how busy it is and so on. We find some good parking and an official trail but for today we decide to walk on a forest road to see if we can find any mushrooms with no luck at least in the beginning - only a lizard can be seen.
Road/trail near Munds Park
Plateau Fence Lizard
We spend a bit exploring the area and the various flowers just appearing after the winter and even see a few birds including our first bluebird for the year.
Arizona Phlox
Southwestern Dwarf Mistletoe
Bird along the trail
Bluebird
From here we decide to explore the Kachina Wetlands next. We are not that sure where the parking lot is so we get lost the first time but the second time around we find it and then soon we are on the trails which follow the dams between the lakes.
Entering Kachina Wetlands Preserve
Walking on the dams
We continue along the trail and soon we see the first birds, mallards obviously and then Canada Geese. As we reach the central area it has a few trees and there we find the first interesting bird (for us) a Vesper Sparrow enjoying the shadow.
First birds we see - mallards
And a Canada Goose
Forest habitat in the middle
Has a Vesper Sparrow
From here the interesting birds are coming fast as it seems that the next pond is the center of activity on the day of our visit. We see Pintails and Teal and Wilson's Phalarope and quite a few other interesting birds in just a few minutes as we circle the pond, it is quite a nice and quiet area.
Hiding from us
Cinnamon Teal
Killdeer
Wilson's Phalarope
What is that bird?
A Northern Pintail
One of the more interesting things we see is a western thatching ant nest in the middle of the trail - it is something we haven't seen often if at all prior.
In the middle of the trail...
....is a Western Thatching Ant nest
Continuing to the next pond we see quite a few more interesting birds, some flying and some hiding. Osprey are always interesting to see as they fly majestically above looking for fish in the waters below. We also see some interesting first time birds for us like yellow headed blackbirds and green tailed towhees.
Great Heron flying close to the water
Osprey flying above us
Yellow headed blackbird
Green-tailed towhee
Next we decide to explore the forest next to the ponds, there is a trail continuing on for quite some time. We go only for a short distance but we still enjoy our walk through the pine forest and the cool air until it is getting late and we have to return to the car and then back to Phoenix and the hot weather.
Due to unexpected lower temperatures we are able to visit a lower elevation site this weekend, specifically Bushnell Tanks and the AZ Trail that passes right next to it. The parking lot at the start of the closed road leading to Bushnell Tanks is empty today, it seems most people have gone to higher elevations. From here we intend to follow the road for a short while searching for the shortcut spur to the Arizona Trail which is as far as we can tell just across the creek.
Starting at Bushnell Tanks
Former road - now trail only
Everything is flowering along the road so we stop quite often just to take photos and enjoy the beauty of the flowers.
Sand Wash Groundsel
Thurber's Desert Honeysuckle
After about a quarter of a mile we find the spur to the Arizona Trail which is well marked and on we go into the lush wash trying to see if there is a good place to cross the flowing creek.
Found the turn off for the Arizona Trail
Passing through a wash
The trail is quite nice through the riparian area with lots of birds singing around us including a Townsend Warbler, one of the most beautiful warblers we have seen. However while beautiful this part of the trail is also quite short and it soon exits on the other side of the wash where it meets the Arizona Trail.
Quite green
Townsend's Warbler
Climbing out of the wash
Searching for the AZ Trail
As we reach the Arizona Trail we have to decide on one direction and we choose north. Here the trail first loops around a private business before reaching the I87 tunnel that goes right below the highway and exits on the north side. It is a slightly surreal experience to pass below the busy highway and are happy that the tunnel exists.
Reaching the trail intersection
Sunflower ranch
Tunnel below the highway
Inside the tunnel
In fact the tunnel seems to be also doubling as a stash of water bottles for the long distance AZ Trail hikers, very thoughtful. After exiting it we climb through the middle elevation desert vegetation keeping our eyes out for any signs of wildlife but instead of wildlife we find a wildlife camera on the trail, very weird.
Water bottles for the long distance hikers
On the other side - not that different
Sotol
Should we walk in front or behind the camera?
The vegetation here is quite different from the lush wash but we still see a lot of birds including quite a few warblers which likely are migrating north.
Red barberry bush
Passing through fence
Yellow warbler
Ash-throated flycatcher
Soon the trail becomes an abandoned road that we follow for a while. Here we see our first jackrabbit for the day first looking at us incredulously and then finally deciding to hop away.
Trail becomes an abandoned road
Jackrabbit
A Grass Spider watching us
California Barrel Cactus along the way
Continuing on the trail we notice a few more interesting birds especially a Western Tanager which is quite a beautiful bird and poses for us for some time from his perch on the tree.
Western Tanager
Turkey vulture in flight
Soon it is getting late and it is time to return to the car. As the sun is setting (and it is a beautiful sunset) the wildlife seems to be coming out with quite a few mule deer to be seen especially as we approach the riparian area. We pass through the creek right as it is getting dark and then it is only a short additional walk on the road to the car before returning to Phoenix.
This weekend we are finally doing something that we intended for some time, going on a Canyon Lake cruise to see the bighorn sheep. It is advertised by the Arizona Game and Fish Department as being one of the chances to see wildlife in Arizona so we booked it online at now we are at 6 AM in a line waiting for the ticket office to open so we can get our ticket and board the boat.
Waiting for the ticket office to open
Our boat - the Dolly Steamboat
After getting the tickets we have a bit of time to look for dragonflies and damselflies on the lake shore but then it is time to board our boat, the Dolly Steamboat - we are one of the first people on board so we have a choice of seats and we choose some window seats hopefully on the right side to see the bighorn sheep.
Red-tailed pennant
Dusky Dancer
At the start the boat takes us through the middle of the lake so we have time to enjoy the sights before it starts closing in on the cliffs where they hope we can see the sheep.
People walking to the boat
Leaving the dock
Starting on the dam lake
We are aiming for the river
However instead of sheep the first interesting wildlife we see are a couple bald eagles high on the cliffs likely nesting in the area. Everyone is quite excited about the bald eagles and the boat stops for some time so everyone can see them before we proceed.
There it is - welcome shade
And a welcome bald eagle
Right around the site where we see the eagles we leave the lake and enter the river feeding into the lake and continue upstream through the canyon. The river is quite popular for water sports and we think that maybe the boats are scaring the sheep away as everyone is looking in all directions for any sign of the elusive sheep.
River is popular for water sports
Boats are everywhere
Traffic jam on the river
Looking for the elusive bighorn sheep
And then finally the guide notices them and after a lot of pointing we see them also. It is surprising how well such big animals can hide in plain sight and it isn't just one, there are a lot of them just hanging out on the slope and from time to time eating and moving for a few feet before stopping again.
Finally found them
They are very private - no headshots allowed :)
From here we can enjoy the views with the canyon being quite spectacular. The boat stops from time to time to show us the most important sights including a place where we can see fossilized tree trunks embedded in the cliffs.
Some small caves in the canyon walls
Quite impressive
Old petrified trunks?
Goldenflower century plant
Continuing we exit the narrow canyon into a more open area where to our surprise there is large seemingly very popular campground and a few picnic tables. It is surprising as the only way to reach this place is by boat so we didn't expect that level of traffic so far away from the lake.
A more open area in the canyon
Camping area in a beautiful spot
It is an amazing area
You can see the geological strata
As we start on our return trip the guide starts pointing out different formations that look like famous people or objects - for us the most obvious one is ET :).
You can see forms and figures in the different rock formations
Like ET here
And then the guide notices the bighorn sheep again and now they are even closer than before especially one of them that seems a bit surprised that the boat decides to stop as everyone is trying to see it.
Hidden again
Finally a courageous one
As we reach the larger lake the guide makes a tour of the boat and shows everyone a bighorn sheep horn - it is quite cool to hold one of them for a bit to see how heavy it is.
Bighorn sheep horn
Getting closer to the starting point
And then it is time for the tour to end as we pass the dam that created the lake and then arrive back to the starting dock about 3 hours after we left. It is already quite hot outside so in a way we are happy we can get back to our air conditioned car but we are even more happy that we were able to see both bighorn sheep and bald eagles.
Saguaro fruit
And a palm tree
The dam
and the lake
As we return we keep our eyes open and lo and behold we notice a bighorn sheep right next to the road - what a surprise. We stop a bit and wander around looking at the cacti but it is unbearably hot outside so soon we retreat back to the car and are on our way back to Phoenix and our air conditioned home.
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