December 10, 2013 Tucson Mountain Park

We arrived at Gilbert Ray Campground in Tucson Mountain Park and immediately fell in love with this campground. 3-P1030373 14-P10304112-P1030371 The campground was not as deserted as we expected, but we still had our pick of campsites.  After choosing one with a beautiful view of the mountains and saguaros, we quickly set up and headed to the nearby Saguaro National Park Visitors Center.  We watched a movie there on the plants and animals of the desert.  We have watched movies at many visitors centers in the past, but this one had an amazing ending.  After enthralling us with the sights and sounds of the 1-P1030364desert, they ended the movie by having the screen raise and the huge drapes open to show a breathtaking view of the desert outside.  it was a very dramatic way to end of movie.  I wish I had the words to express the affect it left on us.  Above all else, it left us with an appreciation for how we as visitors to to the desert, need to respect and care for such an amazing resource entrusted to us.  After the movie and touring the rest of the visitors center we attended a talk on desert life given by one of the park volunteers.  We ended the day by taking the scenic Bajada Loop Drive.  That evening the Space Station was visible overhead and we heard coyotes howling.

Our second day in the desert park we wanted to do some hiking and additional scenic driving.  We hiked the Desert Discovery Trail where we learned more about desert plant and animal life.  We then hiked to the top of Signal Hill to see some petroglyphs which were created by the prehistoric Hohokam people more than a thousand years ago.  I kept telling myself the rattlesnakes had hibernated for the winter!  02-P1030386 04-P1030398
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After lunch at a picnic table made by the Civilian Corps men many years ago, we went back to the Visitors Center for a talk about the history and life of the Hohokam people.

We spent the rest of the afternoon grabbing a geocache in the desert and then rode along Picture Rocks Road which included narrow Gates Pass and some amazing scenery. 15-P1030419 3-P1030373 4-P1030376 5-P1030377 6-P1030378 When we arrived home we enjoyed sitting outside watching the sunset and listening to the coyotes.  They were especially vocal tonight!  16-P1030444 17-P1030445