[Az-Geocaching] Hiking in Phoenix area

[crystalh at cox.net]

Guy emailed me off list with some South Mountain suggestions.  I live in Laveen, so S. Mtn is really the only hiking I've done in the valley except for Squaw Peak.  I love the north side because is is so less congested.  

Thanks for the info on the Wilderness area and ways to get around paying for parking.  That'll be helpful when we do the Supers in a few weeks!  

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.  If anyone has any more, I'd be happy to hear about them!

Crystal
---- Team Sprocket <scottsparks1 at gmail.com> wrote: 
Don't forget that geocaches are not allowed in the Superstition Wilderness
Area (or any Wilderness Area, for that matter.)  If you plan to "drop" a
cache while you're out hiking and looking for others, you should keep that
in mind.  There are a number of caches in the area between Lost Dutchman
Park and the Wilderness Boundary though.  To avoid the fee for the privelege
of 'parking' at Lost Dutchman Park, I'd recommend one of the trailhead
parking areas along First Water Road.


I'm surprised no one has mentioned South Mountain as a hiking/caching
location within 20 minutes of Phoenix.  South Mountain Park is the largest
municipal park in the country (if not the world) and (at least the last time
I was there) there is no use fee.  There are miles and miles of trails and
possible elevation changes of over 1000 feet.  It's in the heart of the city
and sees heavy traffic but as you get further into the interior you will
forget you are in the city. There are a couple of bookmark lists detailing
South Mountain caches which would indicate that there are between 50 and 80
active caches in the area.  A carefully planned hiking/caching trip could
give easily give even a moderately experienced hiker a dozen cache finds in
a day of hiking. My biggest complaint with the park is the fact that it
closes at night and you have to wait for the gates to open in the morning to
access the main trailheads but, if you know where to go, you can avoid that
inconvenience.

Regards,
-- Sprocket


> Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:44:00 -0400
> From: <crystalh at cox.net>
> Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Hiking in Phoenix area
> To: listserv at azgeocaching.com
> Cc: Susan King <susaneking at yahoo.com>
> Message-ID: <20080925174400.J8A16.484006. imail at fed1rmwml41>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> Wow!  That Siphon Draw trail looks awesome!  I've been wanting to do some
> in the Superstitions, too.  Thanks!!
>

--
-Crystal


"Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare" - Japanese proverb