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Crested Saguaro Day Hike
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
November 11, 2021
by Quy Nguyen
group
Group. [photo by Quy]
Quy, Junette, Kim, Kelly, Randall, Arman

Starting at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, we hike on Brown’s Ranch Road for 1.5 miles and turn right on the Maverick Trail for 0.5 miles to see the first crested saguaro. Continue on the Maverick Trail 0.3 miles, to the junction with the Cholla Mountain Loop.

cactus
Crested saguaro.
[photo by Arman]
view
I’m about to swallow that saguaro!
[photo by Arman]
view
A rock with a backbone. [photo by Arman]
cactus
Crested saguaro. [photo by Arman]

We turn right to hike this loop counterclockwise. We see another crested saguaro after hiking 0.1 mile. We stop at the Amphitheater to enjoy the desert view.

hikers
The rocks provide shade. [photo by Quy]
web
A spider has made its home in the crested saguaro. [photo by Quy]
snake
A friendly gopher snake. [photo by Quy]
hikers
What a view! [photo by Quy]
hikers
It’s this way. [photo by Quy]
Arman
The perfect camera angle. [photo by Quy]

After 0.1 mile from CM4 marker, we see the third crested saguaro.

We also stop at Cathedral Rock to take a break and enjoy the rock formation.

We hike back the same way we came.

Weather is good. High of 81. This is wonderful day to hike.

→   More pictures, by Quy
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Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club, Phoenix, Arizona
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updated November 13, 2021