Gabe Zimmerman Trail

Corona de Tucson

April 5, 2022

Gabe Zimmerman, the director of community outreach for U.S. Rep. Gabby Gifford, died January 8, 2011 in a shooting outside a Tucson supermarket at an event held for Gabby Gifford.  

As a Tucson native, he took full advantage of the many opportunities to play outside...hiking and biking were at the top of his list for favorites.  

I mentioned in the previous post, that the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) traverses through a special place near Tucson known as Davidson Canyon.  Gabe was instrumental in the the Arizona Trail obtaining its National Scenic Trail status in 2009.  We returned this morning to hike the section of trail on the ridge above Davidson Canyon.  With warm sunshine, blue skies, a light breeze, and camera in hand, we headed west towards the Santa Rita Mountains on a new to us trail.   

It wasn't long before we were walking along the ridge with views of Davidson Canyon below us with the Santa Ritas in the background.

The edge of the ridge is where the golden grass stops...its a pretty big drop to the canyon where the dark colored trees are.

It is a curvy trail that meanders up and down thru groves of ocotillo, groves of creosote bushes, and golden grass and prickly pear.  The constant is always the mountains.

Headed west toward the interstate...Santa Rita Mountains

Headed east towards the parking lot...the Rincon Mountains

Our destination for today was the underpass at I-10.  It's little over 1 1/2 miles from the parking lot where we began.

It would be way cool to walk under the interstate one day and explore the other side.  

The wildflowers along the ridge were dainty and colorful.  None of them were more than just a few inches tall.   

The first cacti bloom photo for 2022.

And the only wildlife sightings for the day...

Parking for the Gabe Zimmerman Davidson Canyon Trailhead is located at 16248 E Marsh Station Road in Vail, AZ.  The parking lot has room for 22 vehicles.  

The trail is used by hikers, bikers and horses.  Both times we have visited the area,  we have only seen a couple of people.  

This past Saturday morning we joined Randy and his daughter Stacie for the Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair.  It was fun walking 4th Avenue.  Some of the "crafts", which are mostly made by the vendors themselves, are quite stunning and unique.  Of course food venues are a big part of the fair and the yummy smells sure do make me hungry.  I was happy when it was lunchtime.  We enjoyed another delicious meal at Caruso's Italian Restaurant...a Tucson tradition since 1938.  

After lunch, Stacie and I were fitted for toe rings.  

So far so good.  

 

Sunday we needed a few things from Lowes.  Wild Birds Unlimited is close to the Lowes on Speedway.   I always enjoy going to Wild Birds and never leave empty handed.  We purchased two new hummingbird feeders with raised perches. and a feeder that hooks to the fence in the backyard that serves a buffet of seasonal fruit and peanut butter bites. 

  

We also added a second seed feeder.

and I love it when they come together. 

That about wraps up the week.  Life is good at the oasis !

Until next time, 

HAPPY TRAILS!

Davidson Canyon

Corona de Tucson

March 30, 2022

The photo below highlights a row of green tree tops.  Those are cottonwood trees growing in Davidson Canyon along Cienega Creek.  We are headed that way. 

Looking left (in the photo below) at the start of our hike, we could see a train trestle in the distance.   Once in the canyon, the trestle was our destination. 

Davidson Canyon is a beautiful canyon that flows from the Santa Rita Mountains under I-10 and connects to the Cienega Creek.  Cienega Creek is a perennial stream with riparian vegetation that creates crucial habitat for wildlife as well as amazing recreation for people.  I was surprised to learn...

Also, it is worth mentioning that the section of trail we were on today is part of the Arizona Scenic Trail.  Arizona Scenic Trail is designated a National Scenic Trail.  It begins at the border with Mexico and traverses 800 miles north to Utah.  The idea for the trail originated in 1985 and the trail was completed in 2011.  

The best part was spending the morning with our friend Randy.  The next best part is that the trailhead is only 13 miles from our home.  It could not have been a more gorgeous day...warm sunshine, light breeze, deep blue skies, lots of green and lots of shade.  And we were lucky enough to have had a rainy Tuesday (yesterday) and water flowing in the creek today.  

 

  We made several creek crossings...

and squeezed by boulders.

We stopped often...

admired the beauty...

and remembered to look up.

There are three train trestles that go over the canyon.  At one point they all three criss-cross.  This was our turning around spot.  

I couldn't capture the third trestle (it is on the left) in my photo.   

The concrete trestle named Cienega Bridge was built in 1921 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior.  It is referred to as a a three-hinged, open-spandrel concrete arch bridge and gives passage to the Southern Pacific Railroad.  

We stopped on the way home to see the bridge from the road. There is a small parking lot with the historic marker.  

It is spring (yippee!) and no spring post would be complete without wildflowers.  We saw a few today...

It was such a nice morning that I couldn't wait to share.   

Back at the oasis,  Joe and I passed our check-ups with the GP with flying colors.  Dover got her stitches out. And Tuesday was a glorious rainy day...I do love and appreciate rainy days in the desert.

Dr. Huang clips stitches from Dover's eyelid.  Dover is such a sweet girl! And Dr. Huang is awesome! 

No sunlight for the desert Rose on Tuesday.

The week is off to a nice start.  Hope your week is too.  

Until next time,

Clouds and the Santa Rita Mountains as we had home from the vet.

HAPPY TRAILS!