Camp Verde, AZ
April 4, 2016
Our first hike in Prescott left us wanting more so our next hiking day took us to Watson Lake. We enjoyed a very pleasant day on the Peavine and Lakeshore trails. Parking is off Sundog Ranch Road and there is a $3 fee for parking. Peavine is a rails to trails project with great views of Watson Lake as well as a great place for birding.
What was originally built by the Santa Fe Railway in 1893, today is open for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
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| A pair of Northern Shovelers...It's elongated, spoon-like bill has comblike projections along the edges which filter out food from water. |
After a mile on Peavine, we turned left on Lakeshore Trail and headed toward Watson Lake. Watson Lake was created as a reservoir by the Chino Valley Irrigation project in 1916 when Granite Creek was damed. The City of Prescott purchased both Watson and Willow Lakes and surrounding areas in 1998. I sure am glad!
The Dells owe their distinctive forms to long-term weathering of natural cracks in granite. Their cracks originated during the cooling and stressing of a deeply buried molten mass. Geologist estimate that the granite here is about 1.4 billion years old.
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| A pair of Ring-necked ducks |
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| Cinnamon Teals... |
It was a great day of birding and hiking... two of my favorite things to do. Joe and I enjoyed both days we spent in Granite Dells very much. We hope to visit this area again...there are so many hikes on the map. I do believe you could hike there everyday for several months and never do the same hike twice. There are also lots of biking trails.
Until next time,
happy days and happy trails!
Another wonderful hiking and excellent photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks George. I enjoyed watching all the variety of ducks playing in the lake.
DeleteI just love that area! If you make it back over there this is a good time of year to check out the Cottonwood Spur trail over at Willow Lake. There is a cormorant rookery in the cottonwood grove. We hiked there in mid April and it was really interesting.
ReplyDeleteCotton Spur will definitely go on the list for next time Lisa...thank you! Today is clean up and pack up day. We head to Bluff for an overnighter and pull in to Moab Friday.
DeleteWe are quite enamoured with Prescott!
You seem to hunt down the great places to visit and take fabulous pictures ... every time.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeri...
DeleteIt sure is a spectacular place to hike:) We also had a beautiful day kayaking around the glass smooth lake.
ReplyDeleteThat is on our to do list for next visit. I have never kayaked!
DeleteRocks and water - wonderful! And turtles!! Great hike, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Jodee.
DeleteLooks like a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteIt is spectacular...we have never seen any other place like it.
DeleteI love Watson Lake. We never spend enough time there. I'm sure you're antsy to get Pearl on those trails around Moab.
ReplyDeleteWatson Lake is a gem Ingrid. We didn't spend enough time there either and hope to return.
DeleteYep, Pearl is ready! And so are we! I sure hope to get Steve and MonaLisa on Hells Revenge while we are there and some hiking with John and Pam.
"Prescut" ... I'll have to remember that. :)
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