The
weather was projected to be clear and sunny with temperatures in the mid-to-high
70s -- What a great time for a RonnieAdventure! Since a number of people were invited on
the outing, it was decided to meet at a small dirt trail that runs west from US
Highway 93 about 30 miles south of Wikieup. I was the only one that had not
previously made the hike, but I was assured that the dirt trail was easy to
find.
The
morning of the hike I arrived in the general area about 15 minutes late and, of
course, could not find the dirt trail or any of the other hikers. I decided
that I needed to travel a little farther south, so I continued on my journey
but did not find a dirt trail until I had traveled about five miles. Then, when
I did locate a dirt trail, it was blocked by a locked gate. I continued
searching the area, but no other dirt trails could be found. So, I presumed everyone
must have left without me and decided to head for home.
As
I passed the original area where we were to meet, I happened to notice some
vehicles parked in a dry wash about 500 feet distant from the highway.
Instinctively, I turned around and noticed a small dirt trail leading to the
dry wash that was partially concealed by Palo Verde Trees, which kept me from
seeing the dirt trail the first time I passed by the area. Traveling down the
dry wash, I found everyone waiting for me, wondering where I had been. So much
for meeting by the highway!
Fortunately,
I was driving a Chevy Blazer because the three miles from the
highway to the trail head was over a really, really nasty dirt trail that
required a high-clearance 4-WD vehicle. We decided that from the wilderness boundary trailhead we
would make about a five mile hiking loop that would enter Peoples Canyon about a mile upstream from
the springs we were looking for so that we could see some Native American pictographs painted on
the ceiling of a cave.
The
trip through the canyon was spectacular and we were surprised at the amount of
water flowing from the springs in mid-December. The only bad thing about hiking
to the springs was that it was all downhill from the trailhead, so the trip out was all uphill!
However, the hike out was very enjoyable because Peoples Canyon is located in
the Sonoran Desert, which has substantially different plant materials than the
Mojave Desert around Las Vegas.
Except
for scraping the bottom of the vehicle on a few rocks on the way out, and
adding some desert pin-stripping to the paint job, the trip home was
uneventful. Now, I just have to return again when I have more time to explore the surrounding area.
Trail to Peoples Canyon
Wow, dad! These are beautiful photos. Looks like a fun trip.
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