Hiking to the Garden

Last week we hiked from a trailhead we had never been to before.  We took the Second Water Trail to Garden Valley.  The rocks were covered with green lichen.

We saw lots of chain fruit cholla cactus.

Here is a group from the Youth Conservation Corps improving the trail.  They were pulling rocks from one location and using them to line the trail in a place that was washed out.  That is very hard work.

There were views of the surrounding hills.

We crossed the dry First Water wash.  Someone had built two cairns to show the way.  This is one of them.

Although there was no water in First Water, debris showed damage from a previous flood.

I love saguaros and there were lots to see on the hike.

This is perhaps the tallest saguaros we have ever seen.  What it lacks in beauty, it makes up for with height.

It was a good hike and we will return to the area again.