Posts Tagged With: hiking

The Enchanted Hills

Posted on March 6, 2024 by carryoncouple.com

Who could resist hiking a trail through such a magical-sounding place? Not carryoncouple, that’s for sure. With a name like Enchanted Hills, one might hope to find a fairy-tale castle, complete with rainbows and unicorns. Well, no such luck, but we did enjoy a sweeping view from atop Enchanted Peak.

Our Enchanted Hills Hike would take us up to Enchanted Peak, seen in the distance.

This was another hike in Tucson Mountain Park, just a short drive from our RV park. It’s a wonderful resource for day hikers like us. Covering 20,000 acres, the park boasts 62 miles of non-motorized shared-use trails. The trails are well signposted and interconnected, allowing for a “create your own experience.” We occasionally ran into other hikers and mountain bikers, but for the most part, we had these trails to ourselves.

Reg had no idea our trail would lead to the top.
We passed by some interesting rock formations.
As we wound our way up Enchanted Peak, the trail became a little more challenging.
I stopped to take a quick picture of the drop-off.

The last 25 or 30 yards were a scramble, something I conquered on all fours. We both eventually made it to the top and it wasn’t really that bad of a climb…provided one didn’t look down too much. From the peak, an information board pinpointed all the distant peaks beyond the city of Tucson, and a selection of rocks provided us with view seats for our picnic lunch.

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We Won’t Be Fooled Again

Posted on March 3, 2024 by carryoncouple.com

We should have known better than to assume our first steep, rocky climb along the Brown Mountain Loop Trail would land us at the high point. The trail is considered moderately challenging with less than 700 feet of elevation gain. We thought we’d nailed the climbing in record time. Until we looked ahead.

A steeper and rockier path lay ahead.
Spring is turning the Sonoran Desert green.
Wildflowers are beginning to bloom.
A barrel cactus is surrounded.

As it turned out, we reached the trail summit (3,000’ elevation) after our second climb, only to drop down before making two more shorter ascents. The 4.2-mile trail, located in Tucson Mountain Park, offers 360° views of the surrounding desert landscape, a particularly beautiful scene this time of year.

The trail ahead would lead us back to the valley floor.
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Desert Waterfall Walks

Posted on February 25, 2024 by carryoncouple.com

Saguaro National Park East

We enjoyed an easy start along the trail to Bridal Wreath Falls.

The trail to Bridal Wreath Falls was a bit of a challenge, but the idea of seeing a waterfall in the desert was a novelty for us. Located in the eastern side of Saguaro National Park, the 7.75-mile trek rises 1,200 feet above the valley floor, eventually leading to the base of the small waterfall. We found a perfect lunch spot tucked beneath the shade of a giant boulder.

The climb was unforgiving, but seeing the falls (top right) was the reward…along with the expansive views of the downhill trip (left top and center).

Catalina State Park

The Santa Catalina Mountains form a backdrop for our hike on the Dead Horse Canyon Trail.

With one wrong turn, we managed to make this 4.6-mile Catalina State Park trail into just under six miles. The gorgeous Mountain views (almost) made up for the extra mileage, half of which was uphill. We reached the end, 900 feet above our starting point, and after a quick lunch started back down.

The no-name waterfall was not much more than a trickle (top right), but it provided a pleasant lunch spot view.
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Climb Every Mountain

Posted on February 16, 2024 by carryoncouple.com
Up for a Challenge? Try Wasson Peak
”We should climb one of these mountains before we go home,” I said to Reg the other day.
Click Reg’s post above to see if we made it
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Beautiful Memories

Posted on February 2, 2024 by carryoncouple.com
The view across Saguaro National Park East, with Mt. Lemon in the distance.

We’ve enjoyed a week-long visit with friends Chris and Judy. Before they hitched up their trailer for the drive home, we had one last adventure in Saguaro National Park East. There’s a beautiful loop drive through the park with ample pull-outs for an up-close look at the desert vegetation. Our first stop allowed Chris, who in his younger days spent seven years in Tucson, to point out some local landmarks.

Quite a few hiking trails cross-cross the park. For us, a short hike along the Mica View Trail got us out of the car, stretching our legs and working up an appetite for a picnic lunch. 

The sun put on another spectacular show, signaling our last evening with Chris and Judy.
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Do Horse Steps make Horse Sense?

Posted on January 29, 2024 by carryoncouple.com

The trail description warned there would be no “warmup” when starting the Hugh Norris Trail, one of the many trails found in Saguaro National Park West. One grumpy AllTrails reviewer complained the “1,000 horse steps were senseless for hiking trails.” I’ve never heard of horse steps and I’m pretty sure 1,000 was an exaggeration, although I didn’t count them. 
We stopped to read the information board then immediately began the climb up all those steps. The trail leads to 4,639’ Wasson Peak, a climb we chose not to do. Instead, our plan would lead us up to an elevation just over 3,600’, an elevation gain of 1,260’ before heading back down along a section of the Sendero Esperanza Trail, then joining the Dobbie Wash which would lead us back to our starting point.

It wasn’t long before our uphill trek revealed astounding views.
The steps continued.
What felt like a summit offered just a short respite.
The best view (and favorite photo) of the day.
Still climbing, searching for the perfect lunch spot.
Not so comfortable for sitting, but a pretty good view.

After lunch, it was all downhill. We quickly reached the parking lot after cheating (just a little) and walking the last bit along the road. 

Our feet enjoyed the Sandy soil of the final Dobbie Wash section.
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Now That We’re Settled

Posted on January 17, 2024 by carryoncouple.com
We discovered this park several years ago on our first cross-country trip.

All systems remain in working order as we mark the end of our first week as temporary residents of Tucson, Arizona. The RV park is well run and Reg’s phone pings several times a day with reminders of activities meant to create a community feel. We went to trivia night – a disaster for our self esteem, Bingo night – I won three rounds taking home tickets for a free 12” pizza, a six piece chicken wing order and a one hour free bike rental. The Friday night patio wine social was fun-$6.00 bought a generous portion of red or white wine to sip under the heat lamps with fellow campers. So, it’s beginning to feel like home.

The hiking is what keeps us coming back to this area.

Since arriving, we’ve managed three hikes. Monday was our favorite, located in Tucson Mountain Park, a bonanza of hiking trails. 

We chose the Yetman Trail with a connector to the Rock Wren Trail. Along the way we passed by remains of an old rock home Sherry Bowen and his wife Ruby built when homesteading 2,000 acres in the 1930s. It was hard to imagine how extremely harsh desert life must have been back in their day.

While the rewards of desert hiking are numerous, we’ve learned there are some dangers to watch out for. While rattlesnakes are the first threat that comes to mind, there is one, far more aggressive predator to watch out for. 

Watch out for these vicious desert dwellers.

The jumping cholla, also known as the hanging chain cholla are quick to attack. We had been warned about these desert predators, but obviously hadn’t given them the respect they deserve.  I found out the hard way when I accidentally brushed one while directing Reg into a parking spot. The sharp spines of a tennis ball-sized segment grabbed on to my shoulder causing an incredibly painful predicament. Reg and I both wrestled with it, eventually saving me from serious injury. Now that we’re a bit more educated, we’ll be more careful to stay the suggested three feet away.

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500 Miles in Six Minutes

Posted on October 28, 2023 by carryoncouple.com

A quick look at the ever-changing scenery of France’s Via Podiensis.

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Camino in France – One Last Post

Posted on October 17, 2023 by carryoncouple.com

The guidebook won’t tell you, but Reg will! Click below and read on…

French Camino: Here’s the Inside Scoop
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Camino in France – Last Day!

Posted on October 16, 2023 by carryoncouple.com

Day 44 – Larceveau to Saint-Jean- Pied-de-Port

Our last day of walking. It’s hard to believe we’ve come so far. So many memories.

Reg is working on his end-of-trip wrap-up post with all the facts, figures and details I don’t bother myself with. If you have questions, you’ll find the answers there! I’ll repost it here shortly, so keep a lookout!

We did it!
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