Agua Caliente

Today was supposed to be a six-mile hike up and around Picacho Peak, a two-hour drive and five-hour hike up an old Confederate look-out. I really was in no mood after a week of suffering from what we think is the H1N1 virus. The virus knocked me out shortly after coming home from the book festival, and which kept me in bed for three days, listless and lacking any appetite. My energy is slowly coming back but I'm still not up to par.

So, when Rod suggested that we try a different hike in Tucson, I agreed. There were only four of us: Rod, Casi, Steve and I, so we didn't care. This place was closer and that meant less time on the highway. I could always try Picacho Peak again next Sunday, when I'm surely feeling better again.

Rod took us to Agua Caliente, a trail I quickly recognized from five years ago. This was one of the first hikes I had done with the club and he had led it then with many more people. I was in awe of the desert beauty because I didn't know Tucson had such beautiful creeks and canyons so close to town. It was like hiking a mini-rim to a mini-grand-canyon. Poppies and other purple wildflowers were also in bloom, but this time we were in the Sonoran desert with ocotillo, chollas, prickly pears, saguaros, mesquites, palo verdes and various yellow and orange sages in bloom. The desert was alive with fresh scent.

Steve's car registered 58F at 9am with a cool breeze. That breeze lasted all day and was quite refreshing come noon. It was a perfect day for a perfect hike.

We started this seven-mile hike from the north end, parking the cars at the Horsehead/Suzenu Roads intersections and heading in a NE direction along the canyon paralleling the creek. It was a 3.29 mile hike to the creek bed where we rested by a deep but not-too-tall waterfall. Oh, if only Sadie had been with us, she would have enjoyed this water. I must come back! Even Steve said this was a beautiful place and worth repeating again in the fall or spring.

None of the trails were marked, though, so I am taking Rod's word that the creeks were called Agua Caliente and Millo Grosa (?). We started this hike at 9:05am and Steve and I, walking back in a loop, made it back to the car by 1pm. I did pretty good for still being under the bug.

The canyon vistas and the many saguaros were absolutely beautiful. What a gorgeous day to welcome home spring!