Along the Ouachita Trail

After having breakfast with my brother’s two children, Ben and I set off to take a stroll along a trail at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. I really wanted to see the eastern terminus of the Ouachita Trail, and figured it might be a nice trail to saunter on for a bit. FYI: The Ouachita National Recreation Trail (OT) is a 223-mile hiking trail that stretches from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Arkansas. I am thinking I might want to attempt it one day, as it does not have permitting issues that the John Muir Trail has.

We drove out to the parking lot and set off. The area had some rain the night before, so the ground was wet and we had to be mindful of our footing from time to time. We did not go that far along the Ouachita Trail before the trail had some flowing water on it. We took that as a sign to turn back, plus my sister’s daughter and her husband were now up and ready for us to come over. We retraced our route, following those helpful blazes back to the car. While I did pick up an Ouachita Trail patch the day before, we did not walk enough for it to count. 😉

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Exploring the Santa Rosa Plateau

I decided to explore a bit more of the Santa Rosa Plateau and hike out to see the vernal pool and the Rancho Santa Rosa Historic Area. There was only one car in the parking lot when I pulled in. I paid my $6 use fee and set off along the trail. The grasses were still green, and clumps of poppies could be seen scattered about. The flowers were still closed, awaiting the morning light to open them up. Hopefully, on my return, I can get a good photo or two.

The large vernal pool was about 0.6 miles due east of the trailhead. A boardwalk allows you to walk closer to the actual vernal pool. In the distance, I spotted two herons. I left the vernal pool and headed down to the Moreno and Machado Adobes, the two oldest standing structures in Riverside County. The trails are very well maintained, with each junction well-signed, and from time to time, benches were placed so you could sit and enjoy the view.

Once there, I strolled around the grounds and looked at the outside of the buildings for a bit. I had an 11 am meeting I needed to attend back in San Diego, so I headed back to the car. Instead of taking the Vernal Pool Trail back, I opted to take the Transpreserve Trail back to the car. Along the way, I spotted a balloon off in the grass, so I carefully left the trail and picked it up.

Soon, I could see the trailhead, and as I had hoped, the poppies had started to open up. I snapped a few photos and headed home. The entire hike was 3.65 miles and had 339 feet of elevation. There are some more trails around the preserve that I’ll try to explore soon.

Strolling through the Saguaros

After spending the evening looking up at the night sky atop Kitt Peak, I still got up early enough to get in a morning hike out in Saguaro National Park. I drove out to the Broadway Gate Trailhead and saw that this was a popular one, as cars lined both sides of the road. After finding a spot, I grabbed my gear and headed to the trailhead. Three different trails share this trailhead, so the popularity makes sense. A volunteer was standing at the junction, so I checked in with him about my route, and he wished me happy hiking. My plan was to link together a collection of trails to total about 5 miles. I headed southward along the Cactus Forest trail, passing the occasional fellow hiker. The trail junctions are well marked, so I was only pulling out my phone to take a photo.

I then turned eastward onto the Cholla Trail, which would take me to the Squeeze Pen Trail. Along the way, I spotted a good-sized road runner. Unfortunately, my hands were full and I could not get a photo before it ran away. At the junction with the Squeeze Pen Trail, I began hiking northward. Here, some of the saguaro were flowering, so that was a delightful sight to see.

Once I reached the Pink Hill Trail, I joined it and started heading west. I followed the small spur to the top of the hill. After taking in the view of the wide, flat desert, I rejoined the Pink Hill Trail. It crossed a few washes, but soon it connected with the Shantz Trail, which brought me back to the starting point. I let the volunteer know about the flowering saguaro along the Squeeze Pen Trail, then headed back to the car. My loop covered 5.24 miles with 180 feet of gain in 1:41. I headed over to the visitor center to pick up my Junior Ranger badge and another “I Hiked for Health” pin!

Early morning in Alamo Canyon

After finishing up my hikes that afternoon, it was time to head over to my campsite. I had secured one of the four sites at the Alamo Canyon Primitive Campground. Finding the site was not easy, as I drove right by the turn-off and had to double back to make the 3-mile drive down the dirt road. I pulled into my spot and quickly got to setting up my Luno Mattress. I could not find the nozzle for the compressor, so I had to hold it carefully to each valve to inflate them. I found the nozzle the next morning when packing up, under the folded back seat. How it got there is a mystery. I opted to bring a sandwich for dinner and skip a dehydrated meal or the hassle of any real cooking. I sat and watched an incredible sunset, and actually ran around looking for some nice saguaro to frame in the fading light. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument does not allow campfires, so when the darkness comes, it comes. Soon, Orion came into view, low in the western skies. I spent some time working on my astrophotography. I am slowly understanding AstroShader, the app I use for these experiments. Shortly, the effort of the two hikes and the drive told me it was time to crawl into my car and get some sleep.

Around 4 am, I woke up and decided to crawl out and grab a few more photos, as the Milky Way was now visible in the night sky. I slept for a couple more hours before the morning light crept through the window. I made a simple breakfast of oatmeal before heading out to hike the Alamo Canyon Trail. I was technically 0.12 miles shy of the required 5 miles to earn that “I hiked the green desert” pin. This 1.8 round trip trail is fairly flat, so those miles wouldn’t be an issue, and there is an old house and corral to be seen along the trail as well.

The trail worked its way along the north side of the wash, passing a variety of cacti, including some Organ Pipe Cactus. The morning light offered some great photos. I came to the old house first and poked around it some, but I was on a bit of a timetable. I crossed through the wash and quickly reached the corral. I snapped a few photos and began to retrace my route. There in the wash was the rusted remains of the engine that must have been the pump to pull the water from the wash to the storage troughs. Soon, I spied the end of the trail and the end of my adventures in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I changed out of my hiking gear and drove back to the visitor center to obtain my pin. Now for the 2 1/2 hour drive to Tucson for the rest of my Arizona adventure.

Hiking the Canyon Oak Trail

My wife and I drove up to William Heise County Park to attend a hosted star gazing event later that evening. After paying the $5 day-use fee, we parked near the meadow. Anita and our dog, Rocky, hung out there while I set off for a short hike. I originally was going to hike the Desert View Trail, but I was feeling the double whammy of my hike earlier in the day and the drive back up to Julian. So, instead, I opted to do the Canyon Oak Loop instead.

The 1.6-mile trail works its way up the nearby slopes to the northeast part of the park. I had some lovely views along the loop. Some high clouds were rolling in, and I hoped they cleared before the skies turned dark. Along the way, a couple of benches had been installed for those who might want a breather or to soak in the views. I made my way back down, taking the alternate trail to the campground.

Back at the meadow, Anita and I enjoyed a nice picnic dinner before wandering up to where the telescopes had been set up. We chatted with their owners, and as the skies darkened, those high clouds had faded away. Through the viewfinders, we saw Jupiter and the Galilean moons, Saturn, and the double star in the Big Dipper. It was a nice event, and all three of us enjoyed ourselves. The hike was a 1.65-mile loop from the trailhead and had 320 feet of gain.

Exploring Gonzales Canyon

Continuing my theme of hiking new places, I decided to explore Gonzales Canyon. While I had hiked the Torrey Pine Loop Trail some years ago, this time, I wanted to hike the entire Lagoon Trail. I found street parking near Solana Ranch Park. That park is attached to an elementary school, so parking there is not allowed during school hours. I followed the trail back under the road to the west.

After about a mile along the service road, I came to the junction with the Lagoon Trail and the Sword Trail. I took the right fork onto the Lagoon Trail. This trail stayed on the northern side of the canyon as it continued westward. Signs warned of the encroaching poison oak that would line the trail in the shadier sections. The trail turned northward and made a few small climbs until I neared a collection of horse properties. At the access point for some power lines, I decided to begin my return.

For my return, I opted to follow the Sword Trail, which runs along the south side of Gonzales Canyon. I passed by the connector to the Torrey Pine Loop Trail and continued eastward. I learned that this canyon is named after Levi Gonzales, a Portuguese farmer who owned the land in the 1800s. It is thought that his homestead was likely near one of the groves of eucalyptus trees. I continued cruising along the wide, flat trail, occasionally passing others enjoying a morning hike. I soon passed another trail junction, this time with the Cathedral Trail. This trail heads southward through a canyon toward Cathedral Catholic High School, of which I will need to come back and explore at a later date. Soon, the bridge came back into view, and my hike was over. I logged this hike at 5.3 miles and covered it in 1:46.

Exploring Annie’s Canyon

Some good friends from Arizona were in town to take a repositioning cruise from San Diego to Vancouver and wanted to enjoy a little bit of coastal San Diego. We settled on the short hike to see Annie’s Canyon. From the Rios Avenue Trailhead, we strolled along the south side of the San Elijo Lagoon. A few birds could be seen along the water’s edge. The trail soon found its way to the junction with Annie’s Canyon.

We started up the slope to the entrance to the canyon. Soon, we began working our way through the narrow sandstone walls. Then we climbed the ‘famous’ ladders until we reached the top and the viewing area. The views of the lagoon were nice, even under cloudy skies. We took the trail that followed the shoreline for our return, passing by benches that had been dedicated to loved ones. Back at the car, we drove through Del Mar and then on to Mi Ranchito for some excellent Mexican food.

Strolling to the Visitor Center

Once back at the shared trailhead for the Panorama Overlook Trail and the Visitor Center Trail, I set off down the concrete pathway. Interpretive signs lined the pathway. They were a collection of panels of the plants and wildlife, as well as markers denoting (in scale), the distance of each planet from the ‘sun’ that is located at the Visitor Center. Borrego Springs is a recognized “Dark Sky” community, so it is nice to have some additional astronomical mentions.

At the visitor center I inquired about backpacking into Sheep Canyon, and the ranger said to park my car facing back down the road and to have a good time! Hum, maybe I will try for a peak back there, or at least a quick overnight?

I cruised back to the campground and began setting up for the night, which was mostly inflating the Luno Mattress. I considered just heading into town and eating there, but decided to try my original plan. I got a fire going in the wind and managed to cook my steak. I retreated to the car to eat my dinner, as the winds were still blowing about 20 mph. They were predicted to die down around midnight so it should not be an issue during our climb. I guessed it was an early bedtime for me, as I used all the wood to cook the steak and it was getting cold. Tomorrow I was meeting Rick to attempt to summit Indianhead, so turning in early wasn’t too much of a burden.

Up the Panorama Overlook Trail

After checking in at the campground, I switched into my hiking clothes and set off for a little afternoon adventure. First up, I planned to hike the Panorama Overlook Trail. I would see this one on the maps when reviewing routes of various nearby peaks, but never found the time to hike it. The shared trailhead to the Overlook and the Visitor Center is located at the edge of the campground, a very short walk from my site. The trail to the Panorama Overlook headed off to the right toward the base of a ridge. Soon I was at the base of the ridge and began working my way up to a nice overlook. The clouds over the distant mountains made for some nice photos.

While this is the “official” end of the trail, a use trail continues to the west and further up the ridge. I had time, so why not? The use trail was usually visible, but from time to time I did have to pause and do a quick scan to pick it up again. I reached another bump and decided to turn back here, as I also wanted to walk over to the visitor center. Looking over to the south at the ridge up to Kay Benchmark (which I need to summit again), I could see why Greg Gerlach hopped off when he did, as it makes perfect sense. Once back on the desert floor, I returned to the start of the trail just to have a complete track recorded for this trail. Next up, walking the concrete path over to the Visitor Center.

A loop around the Inaja Trail

Since I had time before heading out to camp in Anza-Borrego, I decided to stop and hike the Inaja Memorial Trail. We just had a winter storm blow through, and I was hoping for a little snow on the ground. The parking lot was empty as I put on my hiking boots for this short .5 mile loop. Grabbing my trekking poles, I headed over to the memorial for a moment before setting off. Unfortunately, the snow that had been here had mostly melted away, and only a patch or two remained in the shade. I cruised along the trail until I reached the viewpoint. It was a nice day with the clouds in the sky, and the snow on the mountains to the east. Back at the car, I tossed in my poles, and headed down the road to Santa Ysabel, then on to Borrego Springs.