Roosevelt State Park: Civil War Hill Trail et. al. (Blog Hike #1007)

Trails: Muscadine, Civil War Hill, and Rolling Hill Trails
Hike Location: Roosevelt State Park
Geographic Location: Morton, MS (32.32016, -89.67672)
Length: 3.2 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A rolling lollipop loop through pine forest.
Park Information: https://www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations/state-parks/roosevelt/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=957132
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming January 24, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: East of Jackson, take I-20 to SR 13 (exit 77).  Exit and go north on SR 13.  Drive SR 13 north 0.7 miles to the park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the small entrance fee at the gatehouse, and notice the signed start of the Muscadine Trail on the right just past the gatehouse.  Drive another 0.2 miles to the park's lodge, and park in the parking lot in front of the lodge.

The hike: Located in the piney woods just off I-20 between Jackson and Meridian, Roosevelt State Park protects 550 acres centered on 150-acre Shadow Lake.  The park was built in the late 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and it was one of Mississippi's original state parks.  The park is named after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; he established the CCC but has no known ties to this area.

            The park has a very developed feel considering its location in the middle of the pine woods.  Those developments include a 20-room motel-style lodge, a 109-site developed campground, 15 cabins, several picnic areas, fishing and boating on Shadow Lake, a swimming pool, some athletic fields, a disc golf course, and 6 hiking trails totaling 4.8 miles.  3 of the trails can be accessed from the park's main day-use area, and combining those 3 trails forms the 3.2 mile lollipop loop described here.

Start of Muscadine Trail

            There are several points where you could enter the trail system, but this hike starts where the Lakeview and Muscadine trails cross the park entrance road near the gatehouse.  To get there from the lodge parking lot, walk back out the park entrance road past the soccer field.  Just before the park's campground road exits right, turn left to begin the Muscadine Trail by walking through a wooden portal.

            Marked with red paint blazes, the wide single-track dirt Muscadine Trail heads north into the woods on a rolling course.  Pine trees dominate this forest, and many of these trees probably date to the CCC era.  0.5 miles into the hike, the park's Old Campground comes close on the left.

Hiking the Muscadine Trail

            Just past the campground, the orange-blazed Rolling Hill Trail exits right.  This intersection marks the start of the loop portion of this hike.  We will use the Rolling Hill Trail as our return route, so for now you want to continue straight on the red-blazed Muscadine Trail, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Start of Civil War Hill Trail

            In only a couple hundred more feet, you reach another trail intersection.  The Muscadine Trail continues straight to reach Shadow Lake and a park road, but this hike turns right to begin the Civil War Hill Trail, this park's longest trail.  Marked with blue paint blazes, the Civil War Hill Trail takes you on a rolling course through more nice pine forest.  The ranger at the park office told me this trail gets its name from a Civil War military unit that camped here, but I could not find any details.

Shadow Lake

            Near 0.7 miles into the hike, Shadow Lake comes into view through the trees to the left, but the trail never reaches the lake shore.  Instead, the trail curves right and starts going more up than down before dropping into the ravine that contains Line Creek.  I saw 3 deer in this part of the forest, and the pines make for an amazingly quiet and peaceful setting.

Climbing toward the high point

            After climbing out of Line Creek's ravine, you reach the highest elevation on this hike, which is only about 125 feet higher than the trailhead.  More up-and-down through more ravines and more pine forest brings you to an intersection with the Rolling Hill Trail at 2.4 miles.  The Civil War Trail ends here.  The park entrance road in sight to the left would give you a shorter route back to the trailhead, but this hike turns right to begin the Rolling Hill Trail.

End of Rolling Hill Trail

            Marked with gold/orange blazes, the Rolling Hill Trail goes more down than up as it passes through one final ravine.  At 2.7 miles, you reach the north end of the Rolling Hill Trail and close the loop.  Turn left to retrace your steps on the Muscadine Trail, then turn right on the park entrance road to return to the lodge parking lot and complete the hike.

Logoly State Park (Blog Hike #1006)

Trails: Crane's Fly, Magnesia Springs, and Spring Branch Trails
Hike Location: Logoly State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Magnolia, AR (33.34733, -93.18402)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A round-the-park loop passing a large pond and Magnesia Springs.
Park Information: https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/logoly-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=957058
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming February 28, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 82 and US 79 on the northeast side of Magnolia, take US 79 north 3.5 miles to CR 47 and turn right on CR 47.  Drive CR 47 east less than 1 mile to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, and park in the perpendicular parking lot in front of the playground and Visitor Center.

The hike: Consisting of 368 rolling acres in the coastal plains east of Texarkana, Logoly State Park (pronounced like LAW-go-lie) was the first environmental education state park in Arkansas.  The park gets its name from 3 families who used to own this land: the Longinos, the Goodes, and the Lyles.  Those families owned the land in 1940, when the Boy Scouts of America leased the land to create Camp Logoly.  The camp closed in 1967.  In 1974, the former camp was purchased by The Nature Conservancy and transferred to the State of Arkansas to create the park we visit today.

            True to its primitive camp history, the park has few amenities.  On point, Logoly State Park offers only a small group camping area, some picnic areas, a playground, and 3 fairly easy hiking trails.  The 3 trails offer quite different scenery, and this hike combines parts of all 3 trails to create a round-the-park journey.

Trailhead near Visitor Center

            From the main parking area, head east to walk past the playground to the Visitor Center, and stop in the Visitor Center to view the exhibits and pick up a trail map.  Next continue east to start the Crane's Fly Trail, which begins at a large colorful sign.  Named for a type of orchid, the Crane's Fly Trail descends slightly before it splits to form its loop around the park's pond.  Turn right to begin a counterclockwise journey around the pond.

View down park's pond

            At 0.25 miles, you reach a short boardwalk that gives nice views down the length of the pond.  The tall pine trees reflect nicely in the pond, making for a tranquil setting.  Next the trail meanders and undulates slightly as it explores the small streams that feed the pond.  Just past 0.5 miles, you reach a trail intersection.  The Spring Branch Trail exits right here, but you want to angle left to keep following the Crane's Fly Trail.

            After tracing the pond's east shore, you reach another trail intersection near the pond's dam.  The Crane's Fly Trail turns left here to cross the dam and quickly close its loop, and you could go that way if you wanted a short and easy hike.  To see more of the park's trails, turn right to begin the Magnesia Springs Trail.

Hiking the Magnesia Springs Trail

            0.8 miles into the hike, you reach this trail's namesake Magnesia Springs.  In the early 1900s these springs emitted a constant flow of clear water, and the concrete catchment you can stand in today would have been knee-deep with water.  Unfortunately, due to both natural and man-made reasons, water tables in this area have lowered; today the springs are more or less dry.  Take some time to imagine what this area might have been like when the springs were flowing.

Magnesia Springs catchment

            Past the springs, the Magnesia Springs Trail climbs gradually on a wide two-track path that looks like an old road.  At 0.9 miles, you reach the east end of the Magnesia Springs Trail where it intersects the Spring Branch Trail.  Turn left to begin the Spring Branch Trail, which is this park's longest trail.

Spring Branch

            The Spring Branch Trail follows the ridge at first, but soon it descends to pass under a high voltage power line and cross its namesake stream on a wooden footbridge.  Some big pine trees live here, and I did some nice wildlife viewing in this part of the park.  The trail curves left and starts heading back uphill.  Some unofficial trails also curve around this area, so you want to watch for the white paint blazes that mark the Spring Branch Trail.

View from observation and photo blind

            After passing back under the high voltage power line, you reach a wooden observation and photo blind.  The power line corridor should be a good place to spot birds and other wildlife, but nothing was visible on the late afternoon that I came here.  Continuing past the blind returns you to pavement at 1.8 miles, and a short road walk brings you back to the parking area to complete the hike.

Beavers Bend State Park: Lookout Mountain/Beaver Creek Short Loop (Blog Hike #1005)

Trails: Lookout Mountain and Trees Trails
Hike Location: Beavers Bend State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Broken Bow, OK (34.13275, -94.68111)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A loop hike featuring the highs of Lookout Mountain and beautiful scenery along Beaver Creek.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/beavers-bend-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956997
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 23, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From Broken Bow, take US 259 north 6.2 miles to SR 259A and turn right on SR 259A.  Drive SR 259A east 4.4 winding miles to the state park Forest Heritage Center on the right.  Park here.

The hike: When most people think of Oklahoma, they think of flat prairies where the wind blows sweeping down the plains.  Those people would be surprised by the scenery at Beavers Bend State Park, which is located in the western foothills of the Ouachita Mountains.  In this park, steep hills rise over 600 feet above their surrounding valleys, and it gives you the feel of a real mountain park, or at least the closest thing you will find to real mountains in Oklahoma.

            Beavers Bend State Park was built between 1935 and 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as one of Oklahoma's 7 original state parks.  The park is named after John T. Beavers, a Choctaw citizen who owned some of this land, and a near 360-degree bend in the park's Mountain Fork River known as Beavers Bend.  Beavers Bend State Park has become one of the most popular state parks in Oklahoma, and it features fantastic amenities including a lodge, several developed campgrounds, and swimming, boating, and fishing on Mountain Fork River and Broken Bow Lake.

            For hikers, the park offers nearly 17 miles of hiking trails ranging from the short 0.75 mile Pine Ridge Nature Trail to the steep and rugged 7 mile one-way Skyline Trail.  Splitting the difference between those two options is the 1.8 mile loop described here.  This loop gives you a taste of the rugged backcountry while also using this park's most scenic and popular trail.  Be warned that trails at this park are not well-marked and the park's trail map is not the most accurate, so add a degree of caution to any hike you choose at this park.

            Either before or after your hike, the Forest Heritage Center is worth a tour.  The Center's exhibit building is shaped like a donut, and walking the building clockwise takes you past numerous dioramas that display and demonstrate the history of forestry both here at Beavers Bend and elsewhere.  Taking a few minutes to walk the Center gives you good information and added appreciation for this area before it became a state park.

Trailhead at Forest Heritage Center

            The hike starts across the parking lot near the road; a small wooden sign that says "0.5 miles to David Boren Trail" marks the trailhead.  The David Boren Trail is a long-distance backpacking trail, the southern 12 miles of which pass through this park.  In fact, this initial segment of trail was built as an access trail for the David Boren Trail to take advantage of the large Forest Heritage Center parking lot.

Climbing on access trail

            The somewhat narrow single-track trail climbs on a moderate grade.  SR 259A, the road you drove in on, stays within a couple hundred feet to the right.  Although the forest is a nice mixture of oak and pines, the traffic noise makes this initial segment the worst part of this hike.

Secondary parking area

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the small SR 259A parking lot for the Lookout Mountain Trail.  The access trail ends here, and this hike turns sharply left to begin heading southeast on the Lookout Mountain Trail.  A sign correctly indicates that you are heading toward "South Park," but South Park is a more distant destination than this hike reaches.  After passing the top of a knob, you begin a moderate descent that will cause you to lose most of the 200 feet of elevation you just gained.

Hiking the Lookout Mountain Trail

            0.8 miles into the hike, you reach a trail intersection and a decision point.  The Lookout Mountain Trail turns right, as indicated by some red aluminum markers, and you could go that way if you wanted to substantially increase the distance and difficulty of this hike.  I wanted to keep my hike shorter and easier, so I continued straight to take a shorter route down to the Trees Trail, this park's most scenic and popular trail.

            After descending a steep and rocky area with a small creek downhill to your right, you reach the Trees Trail at 1.1 miles.  Angle right to begin heading counterclockwise around the Trees Trail.  Designed as an interpretive nature trail, the Trees Trail is considerably easier and more level than any trail you have hiked thus far.  Some excellent signs describe common flora and fauna in this forest.

Approaching Beaver Creek

            Soon you curve left to start heading downstream with Beaver Creek on your right, and now the real scenery show begins.  The creek's water is exceptionally clear, and the layered bedrock forms a large number of interesting ledges and small waterfalls.  Take your time on this trail and admire the scenery.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek

            At 1.6 miles and just before you reach a park road bridge, you reach a trail intersection with trails going straight, left, and sharply left.  The trail going straight leads to the park restaurant and nature center, and the trail going sharply left is the other arm of the Trees Trail.  Thus, you want to turn less sharply left to begin heading uphill.  A short uphill walk returns you to the Forest Heritage Center to complete the hike.

Lake Texoma State Park (Blog Hike #1004)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Lake Texoma State Park
Geographic Location: west of Durant, OK (33.98322, -96.62811)
Length: 1.7 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: An out-and-back along the shore of Lake Texoma.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/lake-texoma-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956922
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 4, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From Durant, take US 70 west 14.7 miles to the state park entrance, which is reached just after crossing an arm of Lake Texoma on a narrow bridge.  Turn left to enter the park, then immediately turn right to head for Ben's Campground.  Trailhead parking is at the south side of Ben's Campground; follow signs for "Hiking Trail."

The hike: With a surface area of 89,000 acres, Lake Texoma is the 12th largest reservoir built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.  The lake was formed in 1944 with the construction of the Dennison Dam on the Red River.  As its name implies, the lake straddles the Texas/Oklahoma state line, and more than 6 million visitors flock here each year for aquatic recreation.

            Consisting of 1882 acres, Lake Texoma State Park is the main recreation destination on the Oklahoma side of Lake Texoma.  The park used to be a great destination for fishing, swimming, and camping with some excellent trails, but these days the park seems rather neglected.  Several buildings lie vacant, many of the roads need resurfaced, and only 1 trail remains open to hikers.  That trail starts at Ben's Campground and ends in the middle of nowhere, and I chose to hike it mainly because it is the park's only real hiking option.

Ben's Campground trailhead

            At the south end of Ben's Campground, pick up the concrete trail that heads south with the lake on your left.  Signs tell you that this trail is this park's Heart Healthy Trail, and 0.2 miles of it are concrete and ADA-accessible.  At 0.1 miles, the single-track dirt hiking trail exits right.  The rest of the concrete trail leads to a nice view of Lake Texoma featuring Ben Campground's boat ramp, so you will want to hike the entire concrete trail either now or on your way back.

Lake Texoma view

            The dirt trail continues south, undulating slightly with the lake still on your left.  The forest goes back and forth between sunny, grassy savannahs and dense but stunted oak trees, so it is the typical scenery you would expect for the cross-timbers.  At 0.5 miles, you pass the south end of Lake Texoma's inlet and cross a creek on a nice wooden footbridge.

Crossing a creek

            Next comes the steepest climb on this hike, but the elevation gain is less than 100 vertical feet.  At 0.65 miles, I reached a point where the trail was blocked by orange tape.  Knowing the park boundary is nearby, I turned around here and retraced my steps to Ben's Campground.  Make sure you hike the rest of the concrete trail to the best lake view if you did not do so on your way out.

Quartz Mountain State Park: Sunrise and Twin Peaks Trails (Blog Hike #1003)

Trails: Sunrise and Twin Peaks Trails
Hike Location: Quartz Mountain State Park
Geographic Location: north of Altus, OK (34.90397, -99.30633)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A rocky loop to a high viewpoint followed by a flat, paved lakeside out-and-back.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/quartz-mountain-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956772
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 9, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: Both of these trails start at the Quartz Mountain State Park lodge.  To get there from Altus, take US 283 north 15.2 miles to SR 44 and angle right on SR 44.  Drive SR 44 east 1.7 miles to SR 44A and the state park entrance; turn left on SR 44A to enter the park.  Drive SR 44A north 1.5 miles, then angle right.  Drive the main park road another 1.9 miles to reach the main parking lot for the lodge.  The Sunrise Trail starts near the amphitheater; the Twin Peaks Trail starts near the parking lot entrance.

The hike: After driving through gently rolling grasslands for many miles, the jagged bare-rock peaks of the Wichita Mountains come as quite a surprise.  These granite-topped mountains have seismic origins: after the earth stopped pulling apart in a failed continental rift it squeezed back together, pushing the underground granite above ground.  One of the Wichita Mountains' western-most peaks is Quartz Mountain, a granite peak that rises to 2040 feet.

            Anchoring the southwest corner of Oklahoma's state park system, Quartz Mountain State Park protects 4540 acres around its namesake mountain and along Lake Altus.  The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935, and in 1937 it became one of Oklahoma's 7 original state parks.  The park's main amenity is its excellent lodge, which provides 118 guest rooms, some cabins, a restaurant, an amphitheater, and a gift shop.

            In addition to the lodge and the usual aquatic activities on Lake Altus, Quartz Mountain State Park offers several developed campgrounds, rock climbing, ATV trails, and 9 hiking trails.  Most of the park's hiking trails are less than 1 mile long, but 2 of them start at the lodge: the Sunrise Trail and the Twin Peaks Trail.  Even better, the steep and rocky Sunrise Trail contrasts nicely with the nearly flat and concrete Twin Peaks Trail.  Thus, hiking both of these trails gives you a representative sample of the short hikes Quartz Mountain State Park has to offer.  Such is the route described here.

Start of Sunrise Trail

            Start with the Sunrise Trail; its signed trailhead is located north of the lodge parking lot and west of the concrete path that leads to the amphitheater.  The Sunrise Trail starts as a two-track dirt path, but quickly it curves left and begins a short, steep, rocky climb up through the granite bedrock and boulders.  The trail is unmarked, but numbered posts are passed in increasing order.  Take your time on this climb, making sure each step is on solid footing before taking the next.  This rocky terrain is rattlesnake territory, but I did not see any of those creatures on my hike.

Steep, rocky hillside

            At 0.15 miles, you reach the top of the ridge and a trail intersection.  We will eventually go straight to continue the Sunrise Trail's main loop, but first turn left to hike the short spur trail out to this peak's 360-degree view.  Lake Altus lies about 200 feet below you to the north.  The park's lodge and Twin Peaks, a low but rocky double-peaked mountain, can be seen to the east.  Some higher bare-rock ridges can be seen to the south and west.  It was a steep and rocky climb to get to these views, so take some time to enjoy the rewards of your labor.

Twin Peaks

View west from Sunrise Trail

            Back on the main trail, the Sunrise Trail next begins an equally steep and rocky descent.  Again, watch your footing and take your time: more hiking injuries occur going downhill than coming uphill.  As you approach the bottom of the hill, the trail makes a sweeping curve to the right and begins treading along the base of the bare rock you climbed earlier.  Some stunted trees grow here, but the terrain is still pretty rocky and the going slow.

Completing the Sunrise Trail's loop

            At 0.4 miles, the Tom Creider Cave Trail, another short rocky trail that leads to a small cave, exits right.  Explore the cave if you wish, and in a few hundred feet return to the parking area to complete the Sunrise Trail.  To start the Twin Peaks Trail, walk across the lodge parking lot to the covered pedestrian bridge, and then walk across the pedestrian bridge.  This bridge crosses a shallow inlet of Lake Altus, and the bridge's covering acts as a partial bird blind.  I saw many birds including Canada geese, mallards, and chickadees on this trail.

Covered pedestrian bridge

            0.75 miles into the hike, you reach the concrete Twin Peaks Trail, which goes right and left.  Turn left to begin hiking outbound on the Twin Peaks Trail.  This section of the Twin Peaks Trail parallels the shore of Lake Altus, and fantastic lake views abound.

Twin Peaks Trail and Lake Altus

            At 1.1 miles, you reach the viewing platform at the end of the Twin Peaks Trail.  Soak in the lake views, then turn around and retrace your steps back to the lodge parking lot for a second time.  If you want to increase your distance, you can by-pass the covered pedestrian bridge and walk the entire Twin Peaks Trail, which goes around the marsh at the head of the lake's inlet.

Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park (Blog Hike #1002)

Trails: Upland, Overlook, and Resaca Trails
Hike Location: Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park
Geographic Location: west of Las Cruces, NM (32.24944, -106.82150)
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A double loop around seasonal wetlands along the Rio Grande.
Park Information: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/mesilla-valley-bosque-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956718
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming January 17, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: In Las Cruces, take I-10 to SR 28 (exit 140).  Exit and go south on SR 28.  Drive SR 28 south 0.9 miles to SR 359 and turn right on SR 359.  Drive SR 359 west 2 miles to the park entrance on the left, which is reached immediately after crossing the Rio Grande.  Turn left to enter the park and drive the gravel entrance road to the main parking lot at the Visitor Center.  Park here.

The hike: Established only in 2003, Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park is one of New Mexico's newest state parks.  The park protects 305 acres on the west bank of the Rio Grande.  The park's name comes from the nearby town of Mesilla and the fact that it protects a bosque, a Spanish word that translates to "riverside forest."

            Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park offers only day-use amenities, and its main attraction is its pair of short hiking trail loops: the Upland Trail and the Resaca Trail.  As their names imply, the Upland Trail forms a loop through the park's higher areas, while the Resaca Trail forms a loop right along the river.  Both loops start near the Visitor Center, so you could hike them independently.  Yet combining the trails forms a double loop that explores all the park has to offer; such is the hike described here.

Visitor Center trailhead

            Start by walking through the Visitor Center area and walking down the wide gravel entrance trail that serves both of this park's loops.  In a few hundred feet, you reach the levee that protects communities to the west from the Rio Grande's floodwaters.  Cross the levee, angle right, and cross the Picacho Drain, a narrow irrigation channel, to find the signed start of the Upland Trail.  Angle softly right to begin a counterclockwise journey around the Upland Trail.

Badland formations along Upland Trail

            All of this hike stays in very flat terrain, but some bare badland-like formations soon rise to the right.  These formations only rise about 50 feet, and they are easily eroded by rain and wind.  Some of that soil forms the trail's soft dirt surface.  This area is a great place to look for animal tracks and see what has been here before you.

Hiking the Upland Trail

            At 0.5 miles, the Upland Trail curves left to begin its return leg.  A bridge used to cross the Picacho Drain here, but it had been dismantled on my visit.  At 0.8 miles, you finish the Upland Trail.  Before heading over to the Resaca Trail, turn sharply right to hike the short Overlook Trail.  True to its name, this trail leads gradually uphill to an east-facing overlook that offers a great view across the Rio Grande valley to the stark Organ Mountains beyond.  A bench here encourages you to sit, rest, and enjoy the view near the midpoint of the hike.

View on Overlook Trail

            Retrace your steps down the Overlook Trail, then turn right to re-cross the Picacho Drain.  Next angle softly right to drop off the levee and begin heading clockwise around the Resaca Trail.  Whereas the Upland Trail explored the area near the badlands, the Resaca Trail explores the area right along the Rio Grande.

The dry Rio Grande

            At 1.3 miles, you reach the edge of the river, where the trail curves right to begin heading downstream along the river's west bank.  Depending on the season of your visit the Rio Grande may be dry: it only flows near Las Cruces during spring snowmelt and summer monsoons.  The river was a dry sand bed on my visit, but I still enjoyed the desert scenery.

Hiking the Resaca Trail

            Ignore a couple of short-cut trails that exit right, and at 1.8 miles make a sweeping right turn as the Picacho Drain merges with the Rio Grande.  Some scrubby riverside brush makes for good birding habitat, and I saw some larks, sparrows, mourning doves, quails, and owls on the gorgeous late February morning of my hike.  At 2.3 miles, you close the Resaca Trail's loop.  Turn left to re-cross the levee, then turn right to retrace your steps to the Visitor Center and complete the hike.

Oracle State Park: Granite Overlook Loop (Blog Hike #1001)

Trail: Granite Overlook Loop
Hike Location: Oracle State Park
Geographic Location: Oracle, AZ (32.60911, -110.73772)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A loop hike, sometimes steep and rocky, to fantastic desert views.
Park Information: https://azstateparks.com/oracle
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956639
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming date TBD)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of American Avenue and Mount Lemmon Highway in downtown Oracle, drive Mount Lemmon Highway east 1.1 miles to the state park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, then turn right to park in the first parking area, which is the parking area for the Oak Woodland Area.

The hike: Consisting of 3948 acres of classic desert land in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Oracle State Park traces its lineage to one Mr. Neal Kannally.  Kannally bought the land in 1902, and for the next 74 years he and his family would operate a cattle ranch here.  In 1933, he completed construction of the Kannally Ranch House, a 4-level adobe structure that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Ranch House is open for self-guided tours and contains almost 30 oil paintings from cowboy artist Lee Kannally.

            In 1976, Kannally's last surviving sibling donated the land to the Defenders of Wildlife to create a wildlife refuge, and 10 years later it became a state park.  The park was named after the nearby town, which in turn was named after a ship some early miners in this area had traveled on.  In 2014, the park was recognized by the International Dark Sky Association as a dark sky park.

            Today wildlife still takes center stage here, and most of the park has been left in its natural state.  The park's few amenities include a group campground, some picnic shelters, and over 32 miles of trails.  Most of the park's trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horses, but perhaps the park's best hiker-only trail is the Granite Overlook Loop described here.  This hike loops through a rocky area and climbs to the park's highest elevation, which offers fantastic views across the desert and to the nearby mountains.  Thus, this hike maximizes the scenery while requiring only a medium amount of effort.

Trailhead at Oak Woodland Area

            From the southwest corner of the parking area, pick up the signed Granite Overlook Loop as it begins a meandering course that heads more uphill than down.  Going this direction sends you on a counterclockwise journey around the loop.  Prickly pear cactus, mesquite, and scrub oak dominate the flora, but some grasses grow in the less rocky areas.  After rounding an initial knob, this hike's main destination comes into view ahead of and above you.

Looking up at the high point

            Just past 0.5 miles, you begin the steepest part of the climb.  A couple of rocky areas will need to be scrambled up, and this area is by far the hardest part of this hike.  About 500 feet later, you reach the flat summit area, which yields fantastic views.  Broad views across the San Pedro River valley open up to the northeast, and the snow-dusted Santa Catalina Mountains could be seen to the south on my visit.  Some benches near the summit encourage you to sit, rest, and take in the views.

View northeast over San Pedro River valley

View south to Santa Catalina Mountains

            The descent from the summit is more gradual and less rocky than the climb up, and the tough part could be avoided by doing this hike as a 2.4 mile out-and-back on just this section.  At 0.9 miles, the trail curves left to descend a bit more steeply and reach a trail shelter.  This shelter offers a broad desert view that is almost as good as the one at the summit.

Approaching a trail shelter

            At 1.35 and 1.45 miles respectively, the Windy Ridge Trail enters and then leaves from/to the right.  Unless you want to extend your hike by hiking to the Kannally Ranch House, which you can also drive to, turn left both times to remain on the Granite Overlook Loop.  Another 0.35 miles of fairly level walking on single-track dirt trail returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.