ONE DAY HIKING IN ARIZONA
Everyone... college is so demanding. Okay, you probably already knew that. In fact, if you're a college student, you definitely know that. I'm gearing up for my last finance final ever tomorrow! I cannot tell you how excited I am. Writing this post makes me wish I lived in Arizona right now because I could totally use a relaxing hike up the side of a beautiful mountain to relax my brain.
When I went hiking at Pinnacle Peak, I was under the impression that I was on a mile or so loop trail.. haha.. no, no I wasn't. I was on a trail with a sign that said, "highest elevation on trail," to which I marched onward thinking the end of the trail was nearing... no, yet again no. The mile markers just kept going and going. The trail finally dipped down, and I saw a totally new view of the breathtaking Arizona desert - the side of the mountain that overlooked a golf course (one of countless in Arizona), homes the color of light desert sand, and deep red rocks. Arizona is a must-visit place, and the hiking trails are no different. If you only have one day to hike or prefer to spend only a portion of your vacay hiking, I recommend hiking Pinnacle Peak in Scottsdale, AZ. But you said it kept going on and on.. Yes it did. So how are you telling me it won't take up..Okay fine I just came to a point where I turned around and went down the way I came. So did ninety percent of other day hikers! But the beautiful thing about Pinnacle Peak is that while yes, you can turn around at any point you're ready and go back down, there are some serious hikers out there who use fancy trekking poles, heavy gear, and industrial backpacks and take the long hike very seriously. In other words, you can make of the hike what you want.
Like me, I'm sure you don't want to spend your limited time hiking every second of the day. Then again, I've mildly considering hiking the PTC for an extended time in hopes to recreate Wild.. we'll see. For those longer, more enduring hikes, check out the countless trails the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, Arizona Outdoor Adventures, Papago Park, etc. offers. The list goes on and on! And how could it not as your in the middle of the desert with endless hiking trails surrounding you every which way you turn. Not only is the view stunning - you get to see literally countless varieties of cactus and flowers, beautiful sunrises/sunsets, and the best outlooks, but you also get in an amazing workout. Burn off that pizza from last night, am I right?
I know this post is short, but I wanted to write something easy to read while still telling you to definitely take a hike in Arizona while you're there. You owe it to yourself. And again, make it as intense or moderate as you'd like. It's completely up to you! I'm thinking about breaking down my Arizona trip into mini blog posts so that it's easy to read and organized because I AM an organization freak.. You knew that too, right? Until next time.
xoxo Rebecca
