To continue our meandering closer to home, I set out to hike the popular Camelback Mountain. A year and a half ago, we set out to hike the less intense Cholla Trail with family, but ran out of time and and had to turn back before reaching the summit. This time, I would be hiking the more intense (and more crowded) Echo Canyon Trail.
ClimbCamelback.com describes Echo Canyon pretty succinctly: This trail is an intense and difficult anaerobic hike the entire 1.2
miles to the summit. It ascends 1,280 ft, from 1,424 ft above sea level
to 2,704 ft.
It was a warm spring day, and many folks were eager to take advantage of it. If you're looking to drive to the trail head, I suggest arriving early. Otherwise, be prepared to do some circles around the small parking lot, as it is usually full by mid-morning. Easier parking can be found on the Cholla Trail entrance.
This is definitely not a secluded or quiet hike, but it has beautiful views of the valley the whole way. The Echo Canyon Trail was recently renovated, and re-opened earlier this year. This video shows a few of the changes, and highlights a few of the views:
A few of my photos from the hike:
Saguaros were already in bloom!
Ridge views looking east on the steep trail up
Looking north from a false summit
Red sandstone of the desert valley
Panoramic views from the summit (1 of 4)
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
On the way down, we found a few critters who agreed to pose for a photo shoot.
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