Maricopa County, Arizona.

We often take I-8 from Gila Bend to the Tucson area, but last year we decided to take a scenic route to Maricopa (the community south of the Phoenix metro.) Highway 238 out of Gila Bend winds its way through the Sonoran Desert to Maricopa. On the way, we noticed the sign in the image above through locked gates.

A little research told me that there are three sections to the park. This access is about four miles (6.4 km) east of Gila Bend on Highway 238. The reason for the locked gates is that there is a temporary motor vehicle closure (that’s been in place for many years). This part of the park is accessible by horseback and for hiking. Parking is available for access to the section which leads to the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The trail parallels three major routes, the Butterfield Overland Stage Route, the Mormon Battalion Trail, and the Gila Trail.

Though the road is blocked for vehicles, this entrance road has recent vehicle tracks, no doubt made by park ranger vehicles. It would have been fun to go for a short hike on the day I took these cellphone pictures, but we had an appointment in Maricopa, so I only had a few minutes to capture some of the views of this section of the national monument.

For those who prefer motorized tours, you can access the Sand Tank Mountains south of I-8 via Exit 140, Freeman Road. That area is known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range and requires a permit. That permit is free and is valid for one year, but requires the recipient to watch a 13-minute safety video. That permit is available here. In this section of the national monument, motorized vehicles are allowed but must remain on existing routes.

There are more than 460 miles (740 km) of back-country, off-highway roads, and primitive trails, but there are wilderness areas where vehicles of any type are prohibited, hiking and horseback only.

South of I-8, the eastern Tabletop Wilderness Area is accessible via Exit 144, Vekol Road. The Sonoran Desert is remote in these areas with primitive access and low-maintenance roads. Cell phones are not functional in many areas of the park. The best times to visit are October to April. In the summer, temperatures may exceed 110 degrees F. (37.7 degrees C.) Make sure your gas tank is full, carry extra water, and make sure your vehicle is in excellent working order.

A PDF map of the Sonoran Desert National Monument is available here.

For those who like to pixel peep at the 2K HD photos, click on the images above to view them on my Flickr site. Alternatively, you can visit the Flickr album here.

John Steiner

This week, Ann-Christine asks us to use the photographer’s lens to show and share happiness. Less than a decade ago, I’d have had an entirely different response to this challenge. Then, by chance, I found myself considering the purchase of a house in Arizona strictly to get out of those cold North Dakota winters. In December 2011, I said good-bye to my friends and colleagues of over 30 years and in January 2012 my wife and I found ourselves spending the remaining days of that winter in an entirely new environment to us.

Coincidentally, 2012 is Arizona’s centennial year and one of the activities to celebrate the state’s 100th year, a 100-mile  hiking challenge (approximately 168 km) became a popular thing to do. Our local gym offered a weekly hike with mile tracking to pair experienced hikers with us “gym rats” on the many nearby trails. We met the goal that year and several years after.

Prior to our first steps in the Sonoran Desert around Phoenix, I believed deserts were nothing but sand dunes and scrub. How wrong I was. As spring rolled around, I was introduced to the beauty of desert flora in bloom. In the image above, the yellow flowers belong to a shrub called Brittlebush and the purple blossoms are on a hedgehog cactus.

Since that introduction to hiking, I’ve gone on to be a hiking leader. I don’t lead long or super challenging hikes, I leave that to younger hikers, much more fit than I. Instead, I choose to select trails of no more than moderate difficulty, long walks in the desert with maybe a moderate altitude change. I have become very familiar with the parks in the area and have joined a group that features hike leaders with varying degrees of ability. Though 100 miles in a season is no longer a goal, our desert hikes are still a weekly activity.

For me, happiness is a walk in the desert. Prior to 2012, I would have laughed at that thought.

To review Ann-Christine’s challenge post, click here.

John Steiner

Phoenix, AZ

Now that the first day of winter has just passed in the northern hemisphere, Ben Huberman challenges us to focus on warmth. From the challenge post, “Whether you live on my side of the planet or in the Southern Hemisphere, enjoying real heat on the beach or in your yard, show us your take on warmth.” I will be happy to accommodate. You can view the entire challenge post here.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, Lynn and I are late in leaving for our winter retreat in the Sonoran Desert just outside of Phoenix. Yes, I know the desert can be cold, dropping below freezing on occasion, but relative to our North Dakota winters, the desert represents warmth at any temperature. As we are within but a few days of our trip south, I decided to focus on our favorite pastime, hiking the desert parks around Phoenix.

I submit for your approval, a gallery of images of the desert featuring the iconic succulent that is only native to the Sonoran Desert, the Saguaro cactus. Click on an image to enlarge and to scroll through the gallery.

Read more about the Saguaro cactus here.

For a different perspective, read about a cold day on an Arizona desert hike here.

Check out my Photobyjohnbo page on Facebook here.

John Steiner