Catalina State Park

BearBear (a corgi mix) and I went to Catalina State Park Sunday afternoon; the weather was stunning and hardly anyone was there.  It’s exactly 30 minutes from my house to the trailhead during non-peak traffic. I remember going up to Catalina State Park when it first opened, when I was in high school; then it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, and it was such an adventure to get to that part of town: there was nothing there! Now when you leave the state park, the first thing you see is a giant walmart.

Oh well.

These are some views from the nearly 3 mile Canyon Loop Trail:

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Below is a lovely view of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness:

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Then when the trail turns a bit east there’s this great view deep into the Catalina Mountains:

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BearBear looks a bit pooped at this point:

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It’s at this point I realize I’ve left my car keys 1/2 a mile back; but after a run back up the trail, they were exactly where I’d left them, on an observation bench. Shows you how many folks are out on a Sunday afternoon! I was very thankful to find them.

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OK. So then we went back down the trail again, which takes a little dive into a small wash….great when there’s water after rain/snow in the mountains….

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…where some of the last very hardy fall flowers are blooming….

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Getting outdoors, even if for a small hike, is just so restorative!

Author: Clareannette

I love working and making art in the Sonoran Desert!

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