Monday March 27, 2018 Old Palm Canyon Kofa NWR Arizona
Old Palm Canyon hike
I moved camp a couple days ago to the Palm Canyon parking lot.
Signal Peak
This is the view of Palm Canyon. The highest peak there is Signal Peak where I’d hiked up the trail the day before to the very top of it from the other side.
This was the sunset that day from the Palm Canyon parking lot where I camped.
A hike to Old Palm Canyon
The next morning my plan was to hike from around the right side of the parking lot looking for what I saw on the map was Old Palm Canyon, about two miles to it from the parking lot. It was to be on the third wash from the parking lot so should be fairly east to find.
I started off through the Palm Canyon wash around 11 here going around the mountain. I figured the Old Palm Canyon trail would be the canyon of the third wash, only two more washes to go.
On rattle snakes
Patsy asked if I was concerned with rattle snakes. I come from an area with rattle snakes in California and grew up with them so to speak. I’m always watching out for them, but rarely see any in the desert. Over the years I’ve found that they don’t really want anything to do with us. But step on one and they will defend themselves just like you would if someone stepped on you. but they are not aggressive. So anyway, not much bother to me.
Following the old game trail
I continued around the hill on my left following an old game trail when I could find it.
It was fairly easy hiking, except for avoiding all the Cholla cactus which seemed to be most everywhere in this area.
There were some nice rocks to walk around looking back the way I’d come.
Old fire pits
I found several old fire pits that hadn’t been used in quite some time.
Old Palm Canyon
I think this is Old Palm Canyon as this is where the third wash came down from.
No palm trees in sight
I walked around the lower part of the wash, but had no plans to go up into the canyon. I did look for any palm trees up in the canyon from down below but I didn’t spot any of them.
It looked like a nice canyon to explore as it looked like you could hike up the wash, maybe some other time.
Headed on back
After a bit I started on back trying to follow the game trail when I could.
The trail went through this area as I worked my way back towards the parking lot.
Way worse than rattle snakes
The cholla cactus was most everywhere. There were lots of dead baby ones around all the live plants so I had to step carefully. Not too far to go to the parking lot here.
This was the final wash I hiked through as the parking lot is right up ahead. I did some rock hopping here as it’s faster going.
Visitors while I was gone
I made it back to the parking lot around 1. While I was gone Marty and Patti came by the van but didn’t find me so they continued on over to the Skull Rock area to have lunch.
After a short rest I headed on out the road back to Quartzsite.
And that was my day for a nice one.
