Start: San Pedro Riparian Trailhead, Palominas off SR 92.
Loop: Follow first wash (do not cross it) west to river, then follow east bank south taking illegal trails or faint USBP trails until you hit international border.
Rest at border and river, then continue return hike via the border eastbound until you hit official river trail at broken windmill. This is an unmarked old jeep trail. Stay on this old jeep trail for 4 miles.
Highlight: Great for birding year-round.
Distance: Approx 10 miles.
The San Pedro River (more of a creek to me, coming from the Midwest) is Arizona's last undammed river. Its source is in far northern Sonora and flows mostly northward into the Gila River in central-eastern Arizona. The underground watershed for the great Sierra Vista area comes from this river.
Today's hike was an unplanned hike. I waited until it warmed up enough early in the afternoon. I bundled in multi layers, packed my backpack and took Sadie, Zeke and Minnie to the San Pedro River east of Palominas. It was a spontaneous decision to get out and hike the exposed, flat trail that I knew would be warmer than the foothills. I was right about that.
I was the only car at the trailhead. A desert fox quickly scattered out of the parking area and disappeared into the shrubs.
The Bureau of Land Management has built a nice parking area with bathroom here. Metal signs lead hikers to the trail, which is an old jeep trail also used by the US Border Patrol, which crosses the first wash and continues southward. Hiking the trail makes for a very dry and exposed walk. Trail signs are only visible when hiking southbound. The international border is four miles south.
Instead of following the trail signs away from the river, I let the dogs start out in the first wash which took us west straight to the river. Despite the cold the dogs enjoyed the water! Ice was only along the banks, or in shady spots. Zeke went right in.
I wasn't sure whether I would just let the dogs romp near the river, and for how long, or if I wanted to hike farther south, but I knew I had enough time to explore the winter river. If the dogs showed any sign of being cold or uncomfortable, I'd turn around, no questions asked. They didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable, so I trekked on. The scenery pulled me in from all directions: glistening cottonwoods, shrieking hawks, prancing deer, rusty relics. I see something new all the time. The dogs had fun exploring, too.
It had been two years since I hiked here with a group, but last time we stayed on the official river trail, which is .3 miles east of the river. The trail is relatively flat, safe, but boring. To see wildlife, especially birds, one must hug the riverbed.
Today the hike started along the river as we hiked in a southeasterly direction, following the cottonwoods. Because no shooting is allowed here near the international border, the trees are not shot-up. Large ash and cottonwood are used for hawks and migrating raptors.
There were sections of the river that were heavily damaged from recent flash floods: downed trees, eroded river banks, dead debris stuck around tree trunks. The river changes it course every season. I had to be careful that I didn't fall into a hidden hole from a javalina. One thing I didn't see much of this time is trash left behind by Mexicans.
Today's high was 41F (Low was 13). It felt warm here. The afternoon sky was cloudless and blue. This made for good photography. The barren cottonwoods shined golden against the sky. I knew I'd see hawks today and I did: eight flew around me in the course of my hike.
This whole region is full of history. Abandoned machinery remind passers-by of a long gone era of Mexican ranchers, Chinese fieldhands (Before they were expelled in the 1880s to settle in Cananea, Sonora), Mormon settlers, and Apache Indians. That time wasn't that long ago when the Mormon Battalion traveled through here on their way south to fight the Mexicans in 1846. I have to wonder what this place was like then, or how much deeper and wider the river was. The San Pedro River is only a fraction of its original size since the 1887 earthquake swallowed it.
Early on this hike along the river one sees an abandoned picnic area with basketball hoop on the west bank. Kevin and I saw this back in 2004. Its origin is unknown as the only sign there now is an old Mormon Battalion sign. The river provided water for traveling troops through here, just as it provided Coronado and other conquistadores centuries before. Why was this picnic area left to fade away in the desert sun? With public access this could be a nice resting stop for birders and river hikers.
There are some points along this area that one can see the San Pedro Valley as it spreads north. The trail was on a "high" point; the river in a low one. But west of the river the terrain rises gently. The mountains rise high in the distance and slopes continue into Sonora. At dusk one can see the lights of homes in the foothills.
I didn't sway far from the water for the dogs' sake. I preferred walking on level ground and found a USBP trail toward the end. By now my feet were thankful for the level ground after stepping into a few javalina holes. Wind-swept tracks, scat, sun-burned posts, rusty wires, abandoned machinery and even an old foundation were along this stretch. Other than shrieking hawks there were no other animals nearby. What a sense of isolation here on the border!
At one point I came across a bowhunter. I waved at him to let him know I was in the area, but got out of his path so that we wouldn't be in his way. I saw him a few hours later driving off at sunset.
I was bundled up in several layers. The dogs had orange safety vests (to let bowhunters know they aren't game). The dogs didn't even seem phased by the cold. Zeke splashed into the icy river as if he were having fun. I had to take off his wet safety vest because it was dragging on the ground. As long as I was in the open sun, I was fine. I kept at a steady pace, following the river until I hit the border by 3:30pm.
I was glad to be at the border now. I sat on some rocks along the bank and ate some chilly clementines. That's when two USBP vans drove up from the other side of the river, inspected me and my dogs from a distance, realized we weren't border crossers, and gave us some privacy. I knew they were watching me and that is fine. I felt better with them nearby anyway. With the border fence at this point being nothing more than barbed wire and hedgehogs, having agents nearby made the area more secure.
But talk about feeling isolated! Not a sound around.
It was 4pm when I left the river for my return hike. We stayed along the border fence the first mile, until we hit the official river trail near an old, broken windmill. A large empty farm building stands unused on the Sonoran side. The border fence changes from mesh metal to stronger steel rods here. It's designed to allow flash floodwater through whenever the river rises during a monsoon.
The sun was getting low and I could feel the cold come on. I hadn't expected to see the sun set behind the mountains from this vantage point. I knew I didn't have much daylight to work with. High cerrus clouds above the mountains gave the sky a pretty wind-swept look, but the colors didn't last. By 5:30pm I could feel the cold, and soon thereafter the winter chill set in. Even Minnie looked tired, resting a few times on the path. I talked to the dogs more to keep them motivated. Talking to them also kept me from feeling isolated.
On a mild evening one can hear coyote yelps, birds chirping, hawks shrieking, perhaps even catch a brood of javalina digging for cactus roots. Today it was too cold for all that. Even the wildlife save the deer were hunkered down.
Two more USBP vans drove by as I was on the final stretch to the car.
It was dark when we arrived at the truck at 6pm, with just enough light available to open the truck door. I was glad to be back to safety; the desert and this river are not safe at night.
The dogs were exhausted and napped quietly in the truck for the drive home. Kevin had made some extra chicken gravy for them and set out three portions for them on the floor, which they quickly devoured when they got home. Minnie was famished. They also got each one extra can of food for replenishment from me. All three got a good work-out today and went to bed right away. Zeke was too exhausted to harrass the other dogs. My legs were sore, too. Thank god Kevin had a chicken dinner waiting for me when I got home.
http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation/hiking/sptrail.html
No comments:
Post a Comment