Desert Off-roading with Anita in Salome, AZ

I spent a wonderful week in Salome with RV friend Anita. We went out most every day riding in the desert. Anita gave up her seat in her friend Leroy's Razr to let me ride, while she rode on the back of another friend's 4X4. I know I had the more comfortable ride!

There are many old abandoned gold mines in the mountains around Salome. We visited several of them on the trails we followed. I learned that the presence of quartz like you see in the picture is a sign prospectors looked for when searching for gold.

 There were several in our group that went out each day.

The views were spectacular. 

 You can see the entrance of an old mine in the background.

View from the mine. 

Some mines are safe to enter a short way. 

Others in our group ventured farther than what I would consider safe... 

 Me at the entrance of a mine. They all had names, but I have let too much time pass to remember them all.

 View from one of the passes we went over.

 Climbing. 

This trail is not bad, but it's amazing the rocks and rough places these desert vehicles can negotiate. 

Sometimes we went through deep washes. 

An old cemetery associated with the nearby mine community. 

I think they called this cactus cave.  They've been watching this cactus grow inside the cave for a few years, until it reached the top of the cave and doubled back. I wonder what it will do when it reaches the cave floor again?

 One of the trails..

 I was lucky that Leroy was in the lead!

Some cacti were beginning to bloom. This is called Beavertail Cactus. 

 There's a rock shelter up there, used by miners. Do you see the rock wall in the middle of the photo? I hiked up there.

Rock shelter. 

The view from there. 

 One of the rockier trails...

More cactus blooms. 

 This was the site of a granite quarry worked by a prison chain gang.

 Wildlife on the rocks.

 View from the prison quarry.

 More wildlife...

Prisoners were chained together through these eye bolts in the rock. They even had to sleep out there. 

The prison guards used this shelter in the rocks. 

Driving between two giant saguaro. 

They call this place ribbon candy rock. 

Anita and Leroy. The guy on top is checking out a geocache. 

Another place had ancient petroglyphs on the rocks. 

We saw free-range cattle.

And deer. I never got a photo of all the rabbits we saw. 

 Perhaps the best ride was to the top of Harquahala Mountain to see the old Harquahala Peak Smithsonian Observatory. It is an all-day trip by Razr.

 It takes a while just to get across the desert to the base of the mountain. Then you start to climb.

And climb... 

Looking back... 

You can see why Anita wears a dust mask back there. I needed one in front too.

 You can see the switchbacks going up the mountain.

 And you can see the valley below.

View from the top. 

We ate lunch up there and admired the views. 

About the Observatory... 

Not much left to look at. 

Another day, another mine...this one had bats! I took a million photos using different camera settings, but all I got was a couple ghostly images of bats.

 This was the best shot and the only one that you can identify the images as bats, lol.

This "house" was built in a rock shelter and used by miners.

More cattle... 

In the valley are huge alfalfa fields. The land that once was used to grow cotton and melons was bought by Saudis. They added irrigation and grow alfalfa here to ship back to Saudi Arabia to feed their herds of cattle.

Bales of hay waiting for shipment to Saudi Arabia. Cheaper than trying to grow it in their own deserts I guess.

I can't thank Anita and Leroy enough for this fun week. Leroy has a wealth of knowledge, and I learned so much about this area. I know anita was glad to get her seat back in the Razr.

Hassayampa River Preserve

I found a great place to hike in Wickenburg...Hassayampa River Preserve. The only negative was that Thistle had to stay home.

There are six short trails adding up to about 4 miles in all. Only one of the trails was steep and rugged.

The Visitor's Center is inside the historic ranch house. Through the years the property has been a guest ranch starting in 1913, cattle ranching from the 1940s-1960s, resort and trailer park developed by Norman Lykes, who sold 333 acres to the Nature Conservancy in 1986. In 2004, his widow donated an additional 330 acres to the Conservancy.

A map and description of the trails.

These are California Palms along the Palm Lake Loop.

Starting out on Palm Lake Loop...

California Palms' "petticoats."

Willow Walkway is a short trail off the Palm Lake Loop.

I caught a glimpse of a Common Goldeneye in the lake. He was hiding.

Palm Lake

Two pair of Mallards and some Coots were seen in this part of the lake.

Finishing Palm Lake Loop...

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Crossing the river to the Lion Trail.

This little Sparrow was getting a drink. Does anybody know what kind of Sparrow? 

Lion Trail

Wildflowers were blooming here and there.

Crossing the river again.

Next I hiked the River Ramble Trail. The river is low now, but there is evidence of flooding events.

I was looking for particular frogs seen here, but didn't find any.

Looking at the trail to Lyke's Lookout.

The only steep and rugged trail in the Preserve.

A view from partway up the trail.

Lyke's Lookout is ahead.

Below you are the green trees of the Preserve, but you can see way in the distance. The mountains to the north are identified for you on the sign.

And to the south...

White Picacho

Below is the River Preserve.

Butterflies...

I spent a long time trying to get a picture of this small white butterfly with orange patches on its wings, so that's why you get this blurry picture. 

I think that's the same Sparrow back on the River Ramble trail...got it figured out yet?

I was here early and managed to avoid the groups of school trip kids, but they are setting up things for them to do along the river.

Mesquite Meander was the last trail.

Many red ants were busy along this sandy trail.

This black beetle was trying to get away from them I think.

Cottonwood tree growing new trees from its fallen trunk.

Lupine

Probably Javalina trails through the grass.

Back at the Visitor's Center, the hummingbirds were busy at the feeders.