We left Tucson in the middle of the eclipse and drove north to Phoenix, where hotter weather and family were waiting for us. My niece had flown in for a conference in Scottsdale and my sister and her husband joined her as they kicked off a two-week Arizona vacation. Our arrival in Phoenix was coincidental, but it’s nice when these things work out!
We met the following morning at the Desert Botanical Gardens, one of Phoenix’s highest rated attractions. Normally the entrance fee is a steep $29 per person, but it happened to be one of a few free admission days. Like I said, it’s nice when these things work out.
We still needed to make reservations, and by the time we got around to making plans only the 8 am time slot was available.
But that meant we got in before the crowds arrived and before it got too hot. The gardens are a showcase of Arizona’s desert botany. When constructions crews are clearing lands, they usually give the botanical gardens a call to come claim any cacti or other native plants they might want. As a result, the displays are quite impressive!
We were able to join a tour at 9 a.m. and we learned a lot of fascinating details about the saguaro cactus and other stars of the park.
Afterwards, we all went for pizza at Grimaldi’s in old Scottsdale. Pizza never disappoints. After a few hours of rest, my sister and her family joined us at our campsite in Usery Mountain Regional Park, where we grilled burgers and then played a few board games.
Usery Mountain is a beautiful park run by Maricopa County. It boasts 29 miles of hiking and biking trails. The following morning, I hiked the Mountain Pass Trail, a 7.1 mile loop trail, that I could access from our campsite on a one-mile connector trail. The trail loops from the campground, around the backside of a large mountain, then over a mountain pass to return to the campground.
After lunch we connected again with my sister and her husband and took a drive along the Apache Trail scenic drive into the Superstition Mountains. The drive starts from Apache Junction and heads to the tiny old west community of Tortilla Flat. We stopped at an old mining ghost town called Goldfield, then drove past the Lost Dutchman State Park with its spectacular view of the Superstitions.
The road then winds through a canyon to Canyon Lake, which is large enough to have a marina for fairly large boats. Coming around a blind curve, we came face to face with a large truck hauling one of the boats up the canyon coming head-on in our lane. We weren’t sure if he was trying to pass other cars or if the truck and trailer were too large to stay in his lane on the sharp curves. Either way, we all had a moment of panic seeing the large truck barreling at us, honking his horn. Fortunately, there was room for us to avoid each other.
We drove past Tortilla Flats, but the road was closed only a few miles later, so we came back to check out the small town. We briefly entertained having lunch at the local saloon, but my sister had to pick up my niece that afternoon and we didn’t think we’d have time for a full meal.
We opted instead to try the Prickly Pear ice cream. The Prickly Pear cactus flowers and bears a sweet fruit that natives have been eating for centuries. The ice cream shop described the flavor as a cross between strawberry and raspberry, and that’s as good of a description as I could come up with. The fruit is also used in jams and other products, and definitely worth a try!
Tortilla Flat, population 6, is reportedly Arizona’s smallest community with a post office and a voter’s precinct. It was once a welcome respite for travelers on the Apache Trail, an old stagecoach trail that ran from Phoenix to Roosevelt Lake.
Spending a few days with family was a joy, particularly as our visit happened to land on Siblings Day! We’ve been on the road for more than three months now, and some of the highlights of our trip have been meeting with family and friends. We expect to have a few more such visits coming up next month.
Days: 93
Miles Traveled: 12,002
Next stop: Sedona, Arizona
