Trip Report: Lost Dutchman State Park

Like Red Rock State Park, Lost Dutchman State Park is slated to close in June in an effort to alleviate Arizona's budget issues.

Morning on the Siphon Draw

The majority of the park's visitors focus on the Siphon Draw Trail. In spring, the trail is awash in a sea of color as flowers scream for attention. And in the Basin, visitors are rewarded with a small desert waterfall.

The top of The Flatiron

Most hikers, however, do not complete the whole trail, which ultimately ends 4861ft above sea level at the top of The Flatiron.

In the two miles from the trailhead to the Basin, hikers gain a little over 1000ft in elevation. To reach the top of The Flatiron, you must gain 1760ft in one mile.

Looking down on/from Siphon Draw

The first time I visited Lost Dutchman State Park, I (wisely) decided to save The Flatiron for another visit. At that point in the day, I had hiked all the other trails in the park and guessed Siphon Draw's final mile wasn't going to be trivial.

My Left Foot

After reaching the top of The Flatiron, I am satisfied with my earlier decision: This is not an easy hike.

Throughout the ascent you need to be very aware of your feet, and confident in their placement. To this end, my choice of footwear helped immensely.

Vibram's FiveFingers KSO Treks are a "shoe" designed to give you all the benefits of barefoot running, walking, and hiking with the protection you expect from footwear. The Treks, specifically, are designed to handle the harshest trails.

These shoes allowed me to easily climb the toughest parts of the trail; I could put all my weight on my toes and feel the stability of my foothold. I could not imagine doing this hike without that feedback.

Superstition Mountains as seen from Discovery Trail

In the end, hiking to the top of The Flatiron is difficult, but it is also very rewarding. If you have the time and physical fitness, it is one you should attempt before this park closes in June.

Distance: 6.6 miles
Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Peaks: The Flatiron, Superstition Mountains (4861 ft)

Trip Report: Grand Canyon National Park

The big one. The one "must see" national park. For years I postponed this trip, believing the hype that this was something better seen in books or on television. While it is true, your pictures are not going to rival those in a travel brochure, no picture truly captures the immensity of this wonder.

Arizona Rt-64 North

Route 64 is the main artery used by canyon tourists coming from Flagstaff and other points South. The road is flat and straight, but definitely not boring. Every thirty or so miles you come upon some civilization, be it gas stations, farms, or other points of interest. Together they help one imagine what taking a vacation in the United States must have been like in the 1950s: Long empty stretches of road with only occasional signs of civilization.

Fred's Diner, Rt-64, Williams, AZ

This motif continues up to park's entrance, even the two fast food restaurants don't seem too out of place. The Red Feather Lodge, where I stayed, definitely played to the road trip tune, reminding me of the motels from my childhood roadtrips.

Red Feather Lodge Postcard

Tip:When staying at the Grand Canyon, the best rates are always found outside the park. However be sure to take driving distance into consideration. Valle and Williams are about 45 and 70 minutes away, respectively, whereas Tusayan (and the Red Feather Lodge, among others) is only 5 minutes away.

Nothing can prepare you for the scale of the Grand Canyon. Pictures capture its beauty, but fail in capturing its immensity.

Tip: Don't miss the sights on the Hermit's Rest portion of the rim trail. Although most visitors skip this section, I spent the majority of my time here watching Ravens play in the wind rushing up the cliff sides. For views, Trailview and Pima Point were my favorites and Hopi Point is recommended as THE sunset location.

Paved portion of the Rim Trail on Hermits Rest Route

At night, the canyon's personality changes. There are no sounds of civilization, no light; it's just you, darkness, and on a clear night, stars. More stars than I have ever seen.

On the rim, you see mile upon mile of blackness, only occasionally interrupted by the small light of a campsite or ranger's vehicle. But all is not silent, you occasionally hear the wind, as it slowly whips around the canyon, until it briefly envelops you.

And then slowly, silently, the sky in the west starts to get definition. Equally as slowly, the first tourists of the day start to arrive to great the sun and another day begins.

Spring Solstice Sunrise from Mather Point

Trip Report: Red Rock State Park

In an effort to close a massive budget shortfall, Arizona has decided to close all but nine of their state parks. Red Rock State Park, unfortunately, is one of those on the wrong side of that equation.

Without a doubt, this was the best State Park I have ever visited. The facilities were extremely well maintained; the Rangers were friendly and extremely helpful. Every trail was very clearly marked with conspicuous signs, as well as "you are here" maps. All things you look for when taking a family hiking.

And yet, in spite of this, I met very few people on the trails. A group of bird watchers mulling around Oak Creek and a solitary retiree on the Coyote Ridge Trail were the only other people I saw in the morning. By the end of the day, I would cross paths with only six other groups.

This meant the trail was generally devoid of human noise; in fact in most cases the only noise was that of the creek. Without the chirping of birds, or rusting of squirrels, it is easy to forget you are in a wild habitat.

On Eagle's Nest Trail, just after leaving the Coyote Ridge, I was reminded of this when I accidentally startled a pair of Javelina. Although I came within 10 feet of a mother and her child, the first hint I had of their presence was when the mother snarled and thundered away, her offspring in close pursuit.

More pictures on my Google+ site.

All in all I had a great time, and am saddened to see the closure of such a great park. If you have the means, I strongly suggest visiting the park before it closes in June of 2010.

View on Google Maps.

Distance: 5.6 miles
Time: 3 hours 20 minutes