Catalina State Park

Thursday, November 28
Thanksgiving Day for our American friends! The campground is filled with folks here to celebrate the day.  The weather forecast had changed a bit and it looked like the rain wasn't going to start until later in the day. This meant I had a chance to go on a nice long walk. There are a number of hiking trails in the park and you sure can't beat the scenery. Just short of five miles later I made it back to the trailer.

Rain in the hills.

They have some huge Saguaro Cactus in the park.

I saw three Roadrunners on my hike......or maybe the same one three times. They tend to look the same! :-)

Not much water in the was today, but with rain forecast that could change.

I took the 'Birding Trail' loop first. It is about a mile long through various types of terrain.

He was fast and didn't hang around long. Not too sure what he was.

This pretty bird is a Pyrrhuloxia. Let me here you say that three times fast!

Another huge cactus. They only start to grow limbs at 50 - 75 years old. This guy must be 150 or better. Note the holes in his arms. Home to many birds.

Next was the Nature Trail another one mile or so through the desert. Not many trees in this area. 

So how did this rock split?

Lots of cactus on this hike.

Another Roadrunner.....or the same one??

Back at our site.

Later in the evening the rain started and overnight we really got hammered with some very strong winds and driving rain. The trailer really shook as strong gusts of wind hit the campground.


Friday, November 29
It was still raining in the morning. It finally stopped around noon so I went for a walk to survey the damage. Lots of tree branched down around the campground. I headed over to the trail heads to see how much water was coming down the wash. It was still raining/snowing up in the mountains and I would expect the wash will be running for a while.

Lots of water laying around. 

Snow in the mountains. Lots of low cloud hanging around.

The rain washed out some of the trail.

Lots of tree damage

The Parks folks hard at work cleaning up.

This is the wash we saw yesterday has a lot more water today. You couldn't cross it today.

Another one mile trek.

The site of some historic ruins. Just rock piles to the untrained eye.

A stone house remnants from the 1800's.

The snow has stopped.

Another nice sunset tonight. Notice the red streaks. Looks like the Arizona flag.

We had another great sunset tonight.


Saturday, November 30
Just a bit of shopping planned today, but the crowds were big and we really didn't need anything that bad so we got a few groceries and fuel and went home. Sunday we move up the road to Casa Grande.

A beautiful morning.

The Santa Catalina Mountains are so pretty. We could hang out here for a while.

.....and that was Our View From Here!