Saturday, March 25, 2017

Double Butte at Papago Park (Maricopa County, Arizona)



For my second hike of the day, I chose to visit the Double Buttes of Phoenix's Papago Park. As I struggle to find parking, I realize just how popular this area, which is in the middle of the city, is among the local population. I end up having to park at the nearby zoo's overflow lot and then walk to the trail head.

A number of trails head out towards the red sandstone rises known as the Double Buttes, but my intention is to do the loop around both of them. Unfortunately, the trails are marked with numbers instead of names and I don't have a map. Luckily, the entire area is relatively small and while I don't end up getting in more than a mile and a half, I do get some really nice views of the buttes. 


They rise from the desert floor a hundred or so feet above the trails. The sandstone is covered with wind-carved nooks, that on a smaller scale would look like a tree stump pelted with a BB gun. Adventurous hikers climb in and around the structures, as I walk past. I wish I had a bit more time, as I would like to join them, but unfortunately, my time today is very limited. Perhaps, I'll get a chance to explore more on a later trip.

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