2. Vacation

Hiking the Aqua Fria at Black Canyon City

We hiked the trail from Black Canyon City down to the Aqua Fria. It is a great trail, shared by hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. There are often not many places to easily pass but we found friendly and outgoing people as we traversed the up and down terrain. I think there was perhaps 270 feet of vertical climbing in the 1.8 miles between the parking lot and the river bank.
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Let's get started!
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Let's get started!

Black Canyon Cityhikinglandscape

  • Let's get started!
  • Looking back toward the starting point along the upper Sonoran desert terrain.
  • The Aqua Fria River winds around Horse Shoe Bar
  • We see our destination as the trail crosses the river and climbs back up as it traces its way south.
  • A lovely stand of cottonwoods along the sandy river bottom.
  • Finally! a good place to stop for a drink.
  • They tell us that horseback riders need better than average skill to ride this trail. Probably cyclists should have some experience as well.
  • Padraig the wonder dog looks back along the trail.
  • Beginning the descent toward the river.
  • A lone saguaro perhaps ponders adding another arm.
  • Rugged!
  • A bit of cloud makes for a dramatic backdrop.
  • Down there is the trickle of the Aqua Fria. It's flowing right to left.
  • Looking upstream toward King's Ranch.
  • A huge very greenish boulder.
  • Shortly we'll have to find a way to let a cyclist zip past us.
  • A mountain biker climbs up through the sand toward the trail. He's coming from the south.
  • The rider has to wait on a group of cyclists headed off the trail and onto the course of the Aqua Fria.
  • It's like a parade!
  • The last of the group finally let the lone mountain biker head up the trail.
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