SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN: WILDFLOWER WONDER OF ARIZONA
45 miles outside of Phoenix a lush mountain retreat rises high above the dust of the desert floor. Superstition Mountain, part of a 160,000 acre preserve in the middle of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, is one of the wildflower wonders of the state. Home to a staggering array of desert flora, the mountain is a blaze of color all year round.
Campers, hikers, and horseback riders eager to escape the congested streets of their hometowns flock to the brilliant Superstition wilderness. Tiny lilac flower clusters dot the emerald hillside. Giant saguaro grow sky high, their ribbed upward curving branches bursting with white funnel shaped flowers. Sporadic clumps of pale yellow grass grow haphazardly across rolling hills.
Visitors entering the Park on the east side should make their way to the Treasure Loop Trail. The first leg of the 2.4-mile trek is a gentle climb, allowing hikers the chance to take in the scenery as they walk. Palos Verdes line the path on either side, shining in coats of canary yellow blossoms. Ocotillo boast plumes of burnt umber, their branches slightly bent with the weight of their load.
To read the full article, click here.
Published at TravelPostMonthly.com. August 2008.
posted by Leanne Matzenger @ 2:59 PM
<< Home