Prickly Little Things - Arizona 2020

Like a Wildfire

You know you are in Arizona when you carry a pliers in your hiking pack. Don't touch anything here. There are lots of things that can hurt you or kill you. Prickly little things. Who knew there were poisonous centipedes? Who knew that desert rats want to build a nest in your engine and chew on your electrical wires? The list can go on but I am definitely having a big love affair with Arizona as it tries once again to steal my heart. All the sunshine, mountains, beautiful landscapes, wild spaces, breathtaking endless beauty and animated saguaro cactus. Almost every night an insane display of fiery sunsets and evening skies.

We really covered a lot of Arizona desert ground this time, went on some fantastic hikes and feel like we have discovered some new places. Catalina State Park is a repeat visit and we never manage to get a spot in the regular campground. We end up in the overflow but love it all the same. It's like an old wagon circle, people talk to each other and wait for the sunsets. The coyotes howl at night. It's just on the north edge of the Tucson city limits near the Oro Valley at the base of the Catalina Mountains.

Just a quick drive north to Oracle, Arizona is the Triangle L Ranch. It is by far my favorite art park anywhere. It is ever changing and the people that live and work there are as friendly as can be. It's a beautiful place to stroll around. It's only open on Saturdays and for special events but they have a sweet little bed and breakfast there so if you stay there you can walk around anytime you want.

Triangle L Ranch

Triangle L Ranch

Triangle L Ranch

Triangle L Ranch

We stayed at several other Arizona State parks. The parks are all great and seriously well managed. If you  don't mind sitting still, you will have what you need. We quickly realized here at Picacho Peak State Park that we needed to rearrange our itinerary and shortened our stay. This park was nestled between the peak and an interstate, not exactly comforting and there was no where to go. We did have one chilly afternoon in the little amphitheater with a singing cowboy and that was a pretty awesome but cold hour.

We also shortened our stay at Kartchner Caverns, visiting both Bisbee (again), Tombstone (again) and we went on a tour of the Karchner Cavern. They have a great visitor center and knowledgable docents. It has a pretty good story about the discovery of the caverns.

"Hoping to protect the cave from vandalism,  they kept the location a secret for fourteen years, deciding that the best way to preserve the cavern" ...
-- Read more about the discovery of the Caverns here: Katchner Caverns

The nearby mountain hid the sunsets here but the reflective light to the east was absolutely amazing.

Kartchner Caverns State Park

Kartchner Caverns State Park

We visited Organ Pipe National Monument two different times while in Arizona and I loved it so much I wrote a separate blog post all about our time there.
-- Read that post here: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

We had more Tucson time while staying at Gilbert Ray just west of the city. What a great place to be. It is just down the road from the Old Tucson Studios which is an old western movie set turned gentle theme park. We heard cowboy stories, took in a can can show and watched a comedic stunt actor show. Then we ran into people we had met at a previous camp and witnessed the daily shoot out together. We spent the good part of a day there and it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. So many westerns were filmed there so if you are a western film buff you will really like it. Even if you aren't it's amusing and fun.

Bath House at Old Tucson Studios

Me and the Guys at Old Tucson Studios

Gilbert Ray is adjacent to Saguaro National Park (west) which is for sure one of my favorite places on earth. It was here that we made a wrong turn one night and realized we were driving on the perfect alien abduction road. I am sure I would be a great location scout for the movies, if of course I had any interest in working. We drove the Bajada Loop Drive at the west park and on another day drove over Gates Pass and to the other side of Tucson to drive the Cactus Forest Drive at the Saguaro National Park (east park).

Perfect Alien Abduction Road (at night)

Gilbert Ray Pima County 

Our last stop in Arizona was to visit friends in Scottsdale, We took a lovely walk at Papago Park the surreal oasis and spent a few days near Apache Junction in the Superstition Mountains.

Papago Park, Scottsdale

Superstition Mountains, Apache Junction

"Then the wind blew cool through the pinyons on the rim. There was a sweet tang of cedar and sage on the air and that indefinable fragrance peculiar to the canyon country of Arizona."  ~Zane Grey

Hasta la proxima vez / Until next time
Adios Arizona

Next Stop: Joshua Tree