Slide Rock State Park

Slide Rock State Park just north of Sedona is an old farm along the river. There are two main parts of the park, a picnic area to the south, and the beautiful section of the river to the north that the park is named for.

We arrived at the park just around lunch and broke out the cooler (compliments of my mother) at the picnic area for a nice lunch at the picnic tables near the parking lot.

From Slide Rock State Park

After lunch we started to explore the park. There is a paved trail that leads along the old farm parallel to the road towards the river to the north. If your in to history there is a  lot of old displays and buildings of how they use to grow fruit here.

From Slide Rock State Park

A the north end of the park is the river and that is what this place is all about.

From Slide Rock State Park

The river has eroded down through the red rock over the years here and created a spectacular scene and a natural water slide

From Slide Rock State Park

As you move farther up the river bed the river rises and creates faster moving water and rapids. Because the floor of the valley is hard red rock, and the bottom of the river is worn smooth you can get in the water and ride down sliding on the smooth moss covered rock as you go.

From Slide Rock State Park

The original water slide

From Slide Rock State Park

One small difference. Since this water is coming out of the melted snow capped mountains around here the water is just a bit chilly. Well…. ass freezing ice cold would be more like it!

From Slide Rock State Park

We spent most of the afternoon here and only 3 people braved the cold water to try the slide. We were happy just sunning ourselves on the rocks and enjoying the beautiful area. Good thing we left our swimming suits at the car a mile back or I may have had to try the slide!

From Slide Rock State Park

 

From Slide Rock State Park

We hiked farther up the river. During heavy rains there must be some serious water running down this river to have moved these large gray rocks in to the red rock river bed.

From Slide Rock State Park

There are less people farther up the river but still spectacular scenery.

From Slide Rock State Park

The water has jammed rocks and trees under this bolder and has it balanced almost on end.

From Slide Rock State Park

What a relaxing and serene place to spend an afternoon

From Slide Rock State Park

Arizona Hot Air Ballooning

One of the things we have had an opportunity to do over the years that certainly qualifies as an adventure is a hot air balloon ride. While it isn’t our typical fare of scrambling over rocks to stand on a mountaintop, we certainly got high enough!

If you haven’t noticed hot air balloon rides are always early in the morning or late at night. The reason is the winds are more manageable. Our trip was scheduled for early in the morning. We had to be out at the launch site in northern Phoenix by 6:00AM. We would launch for an hour and a half or so and return to the ground  (in one piece hopefully) by 8:00AM.

Here you see the balloon crew unrolling the balloon on the desert floor getting ready for take off.

From Hot Air Ballooning

We were in an area with maybe 6 or 8 balloons getting ready for flight

From Hot Air Ballooning

It doesn't take long with those huge flames to fill the balloon with hot air

From Hot Air Ballooning

All aboard and ready for take off. There was 4 of us and 1 pilot in the balloon basket.

From Hot Air Ballooning

We rose quickly and quietly into the air along with several other balloons. The feeling is quite eerie because other than the noise of the flames occasionally it is absolutely quiet.  We could watch the other balloons as they moved along in the early morning breeze with us.

From Hot Air Ballooning

We drifted for an hour or so reaching an altitude of almost 12,000 feet.

From Hot Air Ballooning

Prevailing winds at different altitudes allow the balloons to go in different directions based on the altitude they were at. The pilots keep in radio contact with each other relaying wind directions at different altitudes. Looking down on other balloons going in different was amazing.

From Hot Air Ballooning

Here is a balloon about to land. A good landing in a balloon is one you can walk away from, because of the wind they cannot just exactly stop. When they hit the ground they often drag for quite some ways. Sometime they tip over the basket.

From Hot Air Ballooning

Our landing wasn’t exactly great. We bounces and dragged for almost 50-60 yards, but the basket didn’t tip over, and all parties walked away undamaged!

We were safe back on the ground and the chase crew has found us with a great breakfast of Champagne, Orange juice, and fruit.

Flat Iron at the Lost Dutchman

The Lost Dutchman State Park named after the fabled Lost Dutchman Gold mine somewhere in the maze of canyons east of Mesa has a host of trails and hikes.

One of the more interesting and difficult trails is the summit trail that leads to the top of a rock outcropping called “Flat Iron”. The name comes from the unique prow shaped likeness to the back side of an anvil or flat iron as they used to be called. It also happens to be the highest peak in the area, so that means you have to stand on top of it right?

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

We often hike with Margaret’s sister Angie, and here husband Jeff when we are in the Phoenix area at the same time together. Since Angie and Jeff had hiked the Lost Dutchman Park before, but never made it to the top of Flat Iron it seemed like a good time to remedy that “You have to stand on the highest rock thing.”

The hike has to being early because even though it still a bit cool in March the afternoon will get scorching hot on the tops of the peaks, so you need to be in and out before to late.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Online reviews of this trail indicated that it was a tough trail, but only about 3 miles one way. How tough can a 3 mile trail be?

Recent rains had made the made the desert surrounding the mountain amazingly green and beautiful in the early morning light

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

As we approach the canyon that leads to the top from the west side most of the trail is still bathed in shade at this early time of day.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

All along the trail are beautiful wild flowers blooming from the spring rains.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

The morning sun makes for interesting images as you walk along the trails in and out of the shadows.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

In the center top of this photo you finally can see the prow shaped Flat Iron in the sunshine

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

A close up in better light

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

This doesn't look to bad, will just follow the canyon around to the left and come up on the back side of the peak were the slope doesn't look so steep

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

The trail starts to rise quickly as we transition out of the desert in to the rocks

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Deep inside the canyon now the trail turns into a slippery rock basin with a trickle of water running down the center

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Things seem to be getting a little rugged don’t they? Maybe that’s what they mean by a tough trail?

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

A break in the shade and a bit of conversation. Are you sure this is the only way to the top?

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

From our perch in the ravine working our way up the “not so steep side of the peak”, looking out at the edge of Flat Iron.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

It gets better from here doesn't it?

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Once over the lip at the top its really flat! You could land a plane up here! It looks like someone has planted an American flag on the edge of the cliff.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

A victory celebration with a glass of wine for standing on the highest rock around!

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Summit photos courtesy of another hiker that made it to the top.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Looks like going down is no better than going up. I wonder who is helping who here?

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Looking back on a very satisfying hike on the way out that will provide good memories for ever.

From Flat Iron Lost Dutchman

Hot Springs of Arizona

(or a few of them anyway)

After discovering hot spring and a book that documents where many of them are located a road trip was required to the Safford,AZ area where there are several natural hot springs to check out. Safford is located in the far South east corner of Arizona East of Tucson. 1st stop was Roper State Park just south of Safford about 6 miles on AZ Hwy 191. The park is split into two parts. The bigger one on the north Part of a small lake the other on the south shore of the lake. We stopped firsts at the smaller park to explorer. It is really more of a way side rest or picnic area with a small hot water creek running through it.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

We spent about an hour here enjoying the little park, Here is the little creek with about 85-90 degree water flowing through it. It was very strange for us have never seen anything like it before.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Moving on to the other side of Roper Lake is a full fledged State Park with a nice camp grounds and a few hiking trails around the Lake. We walked around the lake and inspected the campground vowing to return and stay in the park for a week sometime.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

The highlight of the park for us was the in ground stone hot tub fed by the continually flowing hot springs on the east side of the park.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

We will absolutely have to try this out!

Here is Margaret ready to soak

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Nice tub. The stone is slippery, but oh so warm and inviting. Hot water from a pipe in the ground flows continually into the pool keeping it hot and clean. No spa chemicals involved.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Moving on to Hot Well Dunes a natural hot Springs on Some BLM land south east of Safford about 30 miles. This spring is seriously located in the middle of no where. You must travel about 30 miles through the desert with absolutely nothing along the way. When you arrive you are in a BLM camping area that is frequented by 4 wheelers. You can camp free for 14 days anywhere in the area except right next to the hot springs. The hot springs is an improved area with toilets and parking. There are two different pools with fences around where water from the ground continually flows into the pools.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Dressed up with no place to go for 30 miles except the hot tub.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Here is one of the pools with a local camper in it. We enjoyed the pool and spoke to him for awhile. The other pool was full of screaming children, but it was far enough away that they didn’t disturb us much.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

Overflow from the pools runs off into a sandy area where you can go wading.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

The next hot spring on our list is Watson Wash Hot Well. Located north of Safford in the small town of Thatcher. Following an unimproved road up a wash in a BLM area you come across this strange sight. Right in the middle of a clearing of willow trees is this hand built stone tub. When we arrived there was a couple of scruffy looking gentlemen soaking in the tub bare ass. I asked if they would mind if I took a picture and they indicated they were leaving anyway and we could have the place to ourselves.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

After they left we took a few pictures and jumped in for a quick soak, but the area was not very comfortable (not sure about the scruffy gentlemen) and while it was one of the neatest tubs of the trip we didn’t stay in it very long.

From Hot Springs Arizona 2004

We still have our hot springs book and look forward to exploring many more of the hot springs in the future.