11/23/2015. Monday. I’m back and at it again! Oh, boy! I was really looking forward to joining the hiking group here at the park. I was a little worried that the scenery might not be as pretty as it was in Tucson since some of the mountains are not that close. I was not disappointed! It is just as scenic and our small group of hikers headed out to Lake Pleasant. This group hikes twice a week! Whew! Sure hope I can keep up. The leader is tall and has long legs, likes a faster pace, so he really moves! Everyone knows I love taking pictures of scenery so I am getting really good at taking pictures on the run!
Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a large outdoor recreation area straddling the Maricopa & Yavapai border northwest of Phoenix, and is a major recreation area for the Phoenix metropolitan area. The morning was a little chilly and warmed up quickly. There were only 7 of us. We left the park at 8:00 AM for about a 20 minute drive to the park. All the hikers I met were very nice.
The cornerstone of the park is the 10,000 acre lake, created by the Waddell Dam, the largest agricultural dam project in the world. The lake was filled by the Agua Fria River, capturing a large watershed throughout Yavapai County. Lake Pleasant is used as a major water sports recreation center. A number of boat docks and beach access make the lake a popular destination for water sports, plus there are a couple of campgrounds. There is a big resort out there as well, but we didn’t see any of it from where we were. Our trail took us around this end arm of the lake.
Break time! A nice hike to start getting into shape for some of the longer hikes ahead. This one was in and back out for a total of 4.5 miles. I don’t like hats (except my cowgirl hat) but that old nasty thing called A-G-E has given age spots a new host! I do worry about so much AZ sun, so I have resorted to a hat to protect my face and neck. I just tell everyone I am the trail guide and looking for a new safari to lead!
I like the hat and they are a necessity along with lots of water
ReplyDeleteI like the hat and they are a necessity along with lots of water
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