Deciding to visit zoos in the towns and cities that we travel to is a no-brainer. First off, with our membership to our zoo here in Seattle (Woodland Park Zoo), our entry to other zoos is often free or discounted. Secondly, it’s one of those win-win places for kids and adults. Plenty for grown-ups to enjoy without feeling like they are missing out and sitting at the kiddie table all day, but also so engaging for children with exhibits designed just for them. It would be hard to find a kid who wasn’t interested in animals, right?
Arizona’s White Tank Mountains: A Lesson in Native Cacti
While hiking along the Waterfall Trail and later the Black Rock long loop in Arizona’s White Tank Mountain Regional Park, for whatever reason, I really took notice of the native cacti. Maybe it was the sheer abundance of different species, some that I may have seen before, but never really thought twice about. Another possible reason is that we were on full-cactus-alert for the first part of the hike as Bergen was off and running on his own. Also many were just quite a spectacle to look at and appreciate.
It was after this hike that I not only became better at identifying types of cacti, but I came away with a favorite type of cactus species. There certainly may be other types of cactus lurking around White Tank Mountain Regional Park, but we came away with being able to identify four common species.
The Saguaro to me is the stereotypical cactus. It’s the cactus that I think of when someone brings up the subject. Beautiful, fragrant flowers bloom from this cactus, and it just so happens that they are the Arizona State flower. Interestingly enough, the number of branches on a Saguaro do not correspond with the it’s age.
Tucked away amongst the ocotillo plants, is the Barrel cactus. I’ve definitely seen larger barrel cacti on other Arizona hikes, but I’m always struck by the visible hints of red that show through. What also stands out to me is that they are just one singular structure as opposed to so many of the cacti that have branches and various pieces sticking out every which way.
The hedgehog cacti was a newer one to me in terms of identification. It’s true, the long wispy spikes do remind me of a hedgehog (as well as a porcupine!). Many feel that the hedgehog produces some of the most spectacular flowers. I have yet to see this in person, but maybe I should plan trip in the later spring months to see for myself!
The Teddy Bear Cholla comes away as my absolute favorite cactus. The’re something about the thick, straw-colored spines that make me just want to give it a squeeze, though I know that would definitely NOT be a wise thing to do! From my research, and clearly from the photo, these cacti seem to exist in groves, which I think really adds to their appeal.
Thankfully on this hike (unlike our visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens), we came away with zero cactus-spine related incidents. We were left only with a new appreciate for this beautiful and fascinating species!
Info to Know:
- The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located about 30 miles Northeast of Phoenix in Waddell, AZ.
- 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road
Waddell, AZ 85355 - Park Hours: Sun-Thu: 6 am – 8 pm, Fri-Sat: 6 am – 10 pm
- Park Entry Fee: $6/vehicle for day use
- 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road
- Strollers: While it wouldn’t be my first choice for transporting little ones, it is possible and doable on the Waterfall Trail & Black Rock Long Loop. We saw a family navigating with a regular stroller just fine.
- We really didn’t need water or snacks for such a short hike given the weather conditions, but on a regular hot, sunny Arizona day, you’ll want plenty of water to keep you hydrated.
Do you have a favorite type of cactus? Share your thoughts and feel free to add more to our list!
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This post is linked-up with R We There Yet Mom?’s Friday Daydreamin’!
A Rare Waterfall Viewing in Arizona’s White Tank Mountains
We like to think we are pretty good travel planners. Now that Slaed’s mom lives in the Phoenix area, we’ve carefully selected the month of March to be our time to visit for a few days. It’s about that time where we just can’t stand the doom and gloom of Seattle, and it’s nice and warm and sunny in Phoenix in a perfect way, not a 113 degree way. It worked out so well last year. This year’s visit was another story.
For 2 out of our 4 (full) days, we were busting out the raincoats and pants instead of slathering on sunscreen and traipsing around in flip flops. You’ll be happy to know though that we didn’t retreat and spend all of our time indoors. We just altered our plans a bit, and it turns out we were able to experience something that rarely comes around in the hot, dry desert of Arizona: A waterfall. We also got to experience another Phoenix area rarity: Cool hiking temperatures.
The White Tank Mountains are located about 30 miles Northwest of Phoenix. The park is part of Maricopa County Parks and Recreation and has about 25 miles of multi-use trails. Since it was our first visit, it was getting late, and we only had a limited amount of time, we chose the short Waterfall Trail (.9 miles out to the waterfall), and instead of going straight back, we hiked part of the Black Rock long loop.
The beginning of the trail is paved, and then the path eventually turns to gravel. Bergen (18 months) hiked for a while, and when we wanted to speed up (and stop worrying about his fingers getting pricked by cactus thorns) we threw him on my back in the ergo.
We viewed petroglyphs all along the trail, and I found them fascinating. It’s believed that they are at least 700 years old and the work of the Hohokam Indians who abandoned the area around 1100 A.D. There are placards throughout attempting to explain some of the designs though no one truly knows the meaning of the various images.
After few easy steps up, we entered a box canyon that is completely dry almost 100 percent of the time. Because of all the previous day’s rain, there was a small pool of water along with a tiny trickle of a waterfall seen once we bouldered over a few rocks.
Unfortunately, I felt the footwork was a little too tricky to take Bergen along on my back, so he stayed back with Grandma while Slaed and I enjoyed the experience. The view was unexpected, and I was really surprised at the true whiteness of the canyon. The rock almost looks fabricated, but is actually white granite.
As we walked away from the canyon with the view of the valley looking towards Phoenix in the distance, we were no longer disappointed with the less than perfect weather conditions. How could we be disappointed, really. The weather played a huge factor in our unique experience, and that was just the first half of our hike! Stay turned for part two where we learned all about the native cacti of Arizona!
Info to Know:
- The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located about 30 miles Northwest of Phoenix in Waddell, AZ.
- 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road
Waddell, AZ 85355 - Park Hours: Sun-Thu: 6 am – 8 pm, Fri-Sat: 6 am – 10 pm
- Park Entry Fee: $6/vehicle for day use
- 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road
- Strollers: While it wouldn’t be my first choice for transporting little ones, it is possible and doable on the Waterfall Trail. We saw a family navigating with a regular stroller just fine.
- We really didn’t need water or snacks for such a short hike given the weather conditions, but on a regular hot, sunny Arizona day, you’ll want plenty of water to keep you hydrated.
Where have you hiked in Arizona? Tell us about your experience!
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Don’t miss a thing from Wild Tales of…in 2013: Follow us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter!