Hiking – Kingsnake's Home Den

Lake Pleasant: Just below the summit of Yavapai Point, looking southeast across Ariel Island, towards Black Mountain. The TSMC chip fab, Middle Mountain, Pyramid Peak and Ludden Mountain were clearly visible in the distance. New Waddell Dam is behind Scorpion Bay Marina on the right.

Yavapai Point Trail

2025-03-19 Hiking 0

Today’s plan was to hike to the Cholla Benchmark, atop Yavapai Point, in Lake Pleasant Regional Park. 2025 has been the worst flower season since I […]

I left home at 6:00 a.m. to avoid rush hour. Then, to kill time before dawn, I had a chicken-fried steak Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's in Fountain Hills. Many folks eat but don't exercise, some eat to exercise: I exercise to eat.

McDowell Mountain Regional Park

2025-03-12 Hiking 0

Despite its name, McDowell Mountain Regional Park is largely in the flats, washes and foothills immediately east of the McDowell Mountains. The trails tend to be […]

Looking down Hau'Pal Loop, and across Phoenix, to (left-to-right) Shaw Butte, North Mountain, Piestewa Peak, Mummy Mountain, Camelback Mountain and Papago Buttes. Most of the 1,000 ft. Hau'Pal Loop climb is visible.

South Mountain: Hau’Pal Loop

2025-03-05 Hiking 0

Today, I hiked the first third of Hau’Pal Loop; bits of Alta Trail, Bajada Trail, Max Delta Trail and Crosscut Trail; then finished with the […]

The only flowers I found were ocotillo, in the 1650-1850 ft. elevation band, on the south and west flanks of Hill 1893. At least it's something.

Deem Hills Recreation Area

2025-02-26 Hiking 0

I last hiked Deem Hills 12½ years ago. Another one of my pre-video hikes, I’ve been meaning to get back for at least five years. […]

Mansel Carter, and his Cherokee sidekick Marion Kennedy, were mid-20th century prospectors in the San Tan Mountains. When Carter passed in 1987, Queen Creek was still mostly rural. Now, it is a city of 76,000, extending nearly to Florence. The Carter & Kennedy graves are just off Goldmine Trail, ⅓ mile south of Goldmine Trailhead.

San Tan Mountain Regional Park

2025-02-19 Hiking 0

It’s a long drive from Sunnyslope to Queen Creek, so it’s been three years since I last hiked San Tan Mountain Regional Park. Back then, […]

Ludden Mountain

2025-02-04 Hiking 0

Ludden Mountain is a free-standing, double-peaked, formation in far northwest Phoenix. Part of the Deem Hills, Ludden Mountain was named for area rancher Homer Charles […]

The highlight of the hike were saguaro on Lost Dog Wash Trail. Thompson Peak on the left.

Lost Dog Wash Trail to Taliesin Overlook

2025-01-15 Hiking 0

Lost Dog Wash Trail to Taliesin Overlook is 2.1 miles, 400 ft. accumulated elevation gain (AEG), outbound. Only 60 AEG on the return trip. Alternately, Ringtail […]