Having exhausted the trails in Picacho Peak State Park, we drove 40 miles south and east to Catalina State Park and hiked the Romero Canyon Trail as far as the Romero Pools. It was a perfect day for hiking, cool (50s), and a bright blue sky.
The first mile was a fairly flat approach to the base of the Santa Catalina Mountain range before we began our climb to the upper reaches.
Trail passing through the Montrose Canyon.
Climbing steeply, the route occasionally switchbacks as it gains the rugged north face of Montrose Canyon.
Fast flowing stream at the base of the Montrose Canyon drainage. (Click on the picture to see the stream.)
If you click on this picture you can see a mountain in the far distance; such mountains are called "sky islands" in Arizona. That's the Tucson sprawl in the valley below.
A real treat was encountering a blooming Century Plant.
Spectacular!
Lunch spot by the edge of the pools.
These pools exist all year, just not as full and as fast moving.
Today's hike:
Length - 5.51 miles
Duration - 4 hours (lunch included)
Elevation gain - 900 feet (118 floors on the Fitbit
I never pictured Arizona to look like that, amazing!
ReplyDeleteI love the "golden" trails, as in the first picture. Not all the trails are "golden", just certain sections, I guess it's the composition of the soil/rocks.The light in Arizona seems to enhance the local environment.
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