Our First Hiking Trip

This past Sunday we went for a short 3 mile hike in the South Mountains. The South Mountains are the foothills that you see from our backyard. They separate downtown Phoenix from our area of Phoenix (Ahwatukee). The South Mountain Park is the largest city park in the United States. There are about 10-15 different marked hiking paths that can be used for hiking, dog walks, mountain biking, and some for horseback riding. These pictures are from the Telegraph Pass Trail which starts at the base of the mountain about 10 minutes from our house. There is a trail that starts right around the corner from our neighborhood, but we thought this one looked more adventurous. In any event, it was fun and we are looking forward to taking the dogs next time and seeing all the trails. It is just amazing that these things are 5-10 minutes from home. Watch out for mountain bikers though...these guys are freakin' crazy! The paths get really steep and have no dirt towards the top...all rocks, and very uneven. We were looking for rattlesnakes and gila monsters too, but didn't see anything. The trails are pretty heavily travelled and the websites say that most animals or reptiles come out at night. Take a look, the views as you hike up are breathtaking!