On to Picacho Peak State Park

We found Picacho Peak State Park. We were expecting friends and this seemed an easy place to meet up as none of us were sure when they’d leave Texas and when they’d arrive. The state park gave us somewhere easy to find and set up – they had big parking spaces and hot showers…what more could we want?

December 19th and 20th.

Picacho Peak State Park campsite

We arrived late in the day without enough time to go hiking. Linda had read about a couple of trails, The Hunter Trail and the Sunset trail. The hikes would have to wait until tomorrow.

Picacho Peak begining of hike

Nice and level at the beginning.

Picacho Peak Linda at the start of the climb portion

They told us this little grove of Palo Verde trees – about 2 miles into the hike was the beginning of the climb.

Picacho Peak getting up the South side

You know it gets steep when someone has pounded rods into rock.

Picacho Peak the cables up to the top

Cables and a very steep climb…we decided it was getting too late to attempt to go up and over. Our campground was on the other side of the mountain. Almost directly on the other side.

Picacho Peak view from the cables

Looking back from those cables at the desert expanse.

Picacho Peak going back down the same side

Those rods again on the way back down.

Picacho Peak Linda reaching out

The sun beginning to set and Linda finding a friendly Saguaro. We had to be back in time to make dinner for our friends who would arrive – sometime after 6pm they had said.

Linda really wanted to see the sunrise from the Calloway Trail, so we awoke early the next day and drove out to the trailhead.

Picacho Peak Linda waiting for sunrise

Where is it?

Picacho Peak Sunrise

Here it comes.

Picacho Peak Linda at sunrise

Picacho Peak cliff at sunrise

Picacho Peak morning hike overview

Just a beautiful sunrise.

Picacho Peak shadows of mountains

The shadow of mountains on our campground.

We hiked down and drove to Gila Bend with our friends…then off to the Barry Goldwater Air Force Range….