Catalina State Park

We are back in Saguaro Cactus Country. They are such magnificent plants.

After a stop at the post office, we had a short drive to Catalina State Park.  This is a very popular park and seemed very much so when we arrived.  Many families were enjoying the 75-degree weather on the trails or sitting in the shade listening to a country-folk group.

We will spend three nights here, as Janet has an eye treatment on Monday and needs to relax for the rest of that day.

We ate our lunch at a picnic table and took a two mile walk along the birding trail.  This easy trail is lovely right now.  At the lower part there were streams to be crossed, and we walked through barren mesquite with a carpet of emerald green beneath.

Our campsite is in the Ringtail loop.  This used to be called the overflow area, but now you can reserve the sites.  The sites are just $15 but have no electric or water and some do have picnic tables.  Because this is such a popular park, there is now a true overflow site for those who arrive with no reservation.

One of the nice things about the Ringtail loop is that you can just walk off into the desert and enjoy a solitary walk among the rocks and cacti. We did that one day, finally meeting up with the nature trail, and walking back to Ringtail on the horse trail.

-- Janet (text) and David (photos)