Superior - Boyce Thompson Arboretum
This weekend we took highway 60 east to Superior. As you enter town, Superior RV Park is on the south side of the highway. I had called ahead to save a spot, so we pulled in and setup our camper. Here is a picture from our camping spot looking to the north.
After lunch we headed back west of town a couple miles to Boyce Thompson Arboretum. We started by looking around the visitor center for a little bit and then headed out to walk on the 1.5 mile main trail. They were having a music festival this weekend and right outside the visitor center were two guys with one playing a harp and the other was using a bow and playing a saw. It made an interesting whining noise. We walked a little further down the trail and entered the hummingbird and butterfly gardens. Can you spot the hummingbird below?
We continued on the mail trail and came to some greenhouses where they were growing rare and endangered species of cactus. After that, we passed another group playing music before coming to the larger cactus gardens outside. A little further down the trail, we came upon some prickly pear cactus that were the size of trees.
From there, we hiked up the hill to the small lake. They had many signs here to help identify the different varieties of ducks that frequent the lake, but we only saw one duck on the far side of the water.
From the lake, we continued our climb up the hill before coming to a vista where you could see towards the east and also look at the mansion on the property. Then the trail begins a fairly steep decent down the hill into a small canyon where a nice stream flows through. At the bottom, the trail turns and begins heading back to the west. At one point, it is very narrow and clings to the side of the cliff above the stream. Marcia stopped and posed for a pictre here.
Soon after, we came to a bridge that leads to the high line trail on the south side of the stream. Marcia stopped to look around as I took pictures.
From the bridge, you can look back east and see where we just came from and also spot the mansion sitting on the top of the hill.
We continued on the main trail and came to the herb gardens before entering the flat area where massive eucalyptus trees are growing. There was another band playing music in this area.
We walked around the band and saw the signs telling us we had entered the Austrailian camp. They have a windmill, some corrals with an old truck, and a cabin where they shear sheep.
The main trail heads back into the hummingbird and butterfly gardens and back to the visitor's center from there.
We went back to the campground and relaxed for a couple hours. Wanting to do a little more exploring, we hopped in the Jeep and headed 30 miles east to Globe where we ate supper at Judy's Cook House. It's located on highway 60 at the junction of 188 that heads to Roosevelt Lake. We had a nice window seat facing west and watched the sunset as we ate supper.
After lunch we headed back west of town a couple miles to Boyce Thompson Arboretum. We started by looking around the visitor center for a little bit and then headed out to walk on the 1.5 mile main trail. They were having a music festival this weekend and right outside the visitor center were two guys with one playing a harp and the other was using a bow and playing a saw. It made an interesting whining noise. We walked a little further down the trail and entered the hummingbird and butterfly gardens. Can you spot the hummingbird below?
We continued on the mail trail and came to some greenhouses where they were growing rare and endangered species of cactus. After that, we passed another group playing music before coming to the larger cactus gardens outside. A little further down the trail, we came upon some prickly pear cactus that were the size of trees.
From there, we hiked up the hill to the small lake. They had many signs here to help identify the different varieties of ducks that frequent the lake, but we only saw one duck on the far side of the water.
From the lake, we continued our climb up the hill before coming to a vista where you could see towards the east and also look at the mansion on the property. Then the trail begins a fairly steep decent down the hill into a small canyon where a nice stream flows through. At the bottom, the trail turns and begins heading back to the west. At one point, it is very narrow and clings to the side of the cliff above the stream. Marcia stopped and posed for a pictre here.
Soon after, we came to a bridge that leads to the high line trail on the south side of the stream. Marcia stopped to look around as I took pictures.
From the bridge, you can look back east and see where we just came from and also spot the mansion sitting on the top of the hill.
We continued on the main trail and came to the herb gardens before entering the flat area where massive eucalyptus trees are growing. There was another band playing music in this area.
We walked around the band and saw the signs telling us we had entered the Austrailian camp. They have a windmill, some corrals with an old truck, and a cabin where they shear sheep.
The main trail heads back into the hummingbird and butterfly gardens and back to the visitor's center from there.
We went back to the campground and relaxed for a couple hours. Wanting to do a little more exploring, we hopped in the Jeep and headed 30 miles east to Globe where we ate supper at Judy's Cook House. It's located on highway 60 at the junction of 188 that heads to Roosevelt Lake. We had a nice window seat facing west and watched the sunset as we ate supper.
posted by Virgil | 11/12/2006
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