Black Canyon Trail

Running 80 miles through the deserts and canyons of central Arizona, this hiking trail almost connects two of the state's historic capitals - currently it's Phoenix, but in territorial days it was Prescott.  It follows a route that has been continuously traveled for centuries, even as far back as when pre-Colombian natives commuted between settlements.

I hiked just a few miles from the Black Canyon Trailhead near famous Rock Springs Cafe. This section of the trail meanders above and across the Agua Fria River shortly after the waterway enters this verdant region of the  Sonoran Desert.   A short trek from the parking area takes you to the junction of the Horseshoe and K-Mine Segments of the trail.  The first route eventually descends to the Agua Fria River at a horseshoe-shaped bend in the waterway, hence the segment's name.  But before that, you don't want to miss a stop above this canyon to take in the beauty of the landscape and the flora that years of flowing water have created and sustain.  Meanwhile, all this natural wonder is unbeknownst to the stream of drivers rushing by on nearby I17.

Normally you can cross somewhere in this riparian area to the Skyline Segment of the trail, but the flowing water was too deep to forge without getting wet.  Instead,  I hiked back up to rejoin the K-Mine Segment, stopping before it reached another wet crossing upriver.  Before returning to the trailhead I admired more incredible views of Black Canyon and the high mesas, not to mention the lush and blooming desert scenery.

I encountered many birds along the trails, including Gambel's quails, curve-billed thrashers, phainopeplas, cactus wrens, hummingbirds, rock wrens, black-throated sparrows, turkey vultures, gnatcatchers and - an exciting first for me! - a male Scott's oriole.  A red bird, possibly a cardinal or tanager, eluded identification.  A coiled rattlesnake thankfully alerted me to his presence just before our paths crossed late on the trail.  Much more welcoming were the wildflowers and cactus flowers in their glorious full bloom.  And along the roads in Black Canyon City, I saw a number of western kingbirds.

My total hike was 4.6 miles.  I stopped for many photos and several chats with local hikers, finishing in about three-and-a-half hours.  I  also drove over to Canyon Creek Ranch close to the end of Tara Springs Road to check out more of the upper Agua Fria River scenery.  It's a kind of dude ranch with horseback riding and an old west town that rival's Rawhide in the Phoenix area.  A private, by-reservation-only establishment, they were right hospitable in letting me poke around.

The Agua Fria River at Horseshoe Bend, a highlight on this segment of the Black Canyon Trail.

The brittlebush was ablaze in color in the surrounding desert landscape. 

And the mountain slopes were teeming with thousands of saguaro cacti.

While the landscape was lush with desert flora, the river bottom was an emerald ribbon of cottonwood trees for the riparian habitat.

While not deep, you'd get wet forging the river. Sandy beaches attest to frequent flash floods.

The views north on the trail were of more cacti and blooming desert, but beyond were the distant mesas and their grassland habitats.

Closer view of the desert and mesas.

Hedgehog cacti were blooming, but I liked this shot of the flower not quite open. It reminded me of colored glassware.

It was like a different desert from the one in Phoenix, forty miles away. I haven't seen this white bloom this winter or spring.

Another unique bloom in the area. The red grasses around it make a nice border. After some investigation, I believe this is a  calochortus flexuosus, commonly called a Mariposa lily - a pretty name for a pretty flower.

While peaking in Phoenix a while ago, Mexican gold poppies seemed to just be getting started.

While there were many birds, this very distant shot of a Scott's oriole is my trophy shot - it's my first sighting of one ever.  I photograph birds by the adage, "Shoot before you think," because I'd have missed him if I had waited for a closer and better shot.  In fact, I had thought he was a hooded oriole until I had arrived home and examined the photo more closely.

Interesting lizard, with wonderful turquoise colors. Note that he's lost the end of his tail and seems no worse for wear over it.

Uncharacteristically this rock wren was tweeting up a storm not on a rock, but on the decaying ribs of a saguaro cactus trunk.  The numerous cactus wrens didn't seem to mind.

While I had a clear sight of this rattlesnake coiled and hissing at me, I was too startled and too busy jumping and screaming to photograph him at that very moment.  By the time I recovered and backed up several feet, he was slithering away.  

Just before the snake encounter, I found some black-throated sparrows on the trail.  It's a favorite bird, and has consistently showed up for me to photograph late in my hikes.  Since pausing to shoot him might have been all the delay I needed to avoid crossing that snake, I'll consider him my good luck charm.

As a side trip, I visited Coldwater, a recreated old west town, at Canyon Creek Ranch up the Agua Fria River several miles. You can ride horseback, shoot guns and have a barbecue.

And I discovered the name of a distinct landmark in the area, Thumb Butte.