By Robert Samuelsen The harshness of the Sonoran Desert is no better demonstrated than through the cuts, pokes, scrapes and bites by desert rocks, flora, and fauna. It seems like every time I’m outdoors I come back with some sort of trauma – blood, swelling, itching, or a burn. Everything in the desert ecosystem seems to have adapted to inflict...
By Rob Samuelsen When you think of the Sonoran Desert the last thing that might come to mind are waterfalls. Yet, with our sky island mountain ranges the desert yields some beautiful cascades during snowmelt and summer rains. One of the most prominent is Tanque Verde Falls on the northern flank of the Rincon Mountains. Easily accessible from...
By Robert Samuelsen As you enter the historic Vail community, there is a sign that declares Vail to be an Arizona Trail Gateway Community. In southern Arizona, the 800-mile Arizona Trail – Mexico to Utah – roughly follows SR 83 from Patagonia to Vail before summiting Mica Peak in the Rincon Mountains. Perhaps the most accessible and hikeable...
