the wandering chick
...The Hawk's Nest Trail
The Sonoran Preserve, Phoenix

Miles and miles of trails can be found at the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve. One of a few that a group of gals from the Pleasant Harbor RV Resort took was the Hawk's Nest Trail that started at the Desert Vista Trailhead, one of three trailheads that comprise the preserve.

The highlight of this hike was the owl sitting on its nest in a Saguaro cactus. Iit was, at one time, a hawk's nest, but in recent years an owl family has taken over, and we were fortunate to see what appeared to be a parent owl there, nearly at eye level. Yes, it was day time, and yes, the owl appeared to be asleep, but it was still a thrill to see.. Not to say that the trail was pretty special for other reasons as well. Nice views and considerably easy. However, shade from any source was definitely lacking. If one is hiking in the warmer months, consider lots of water and probably a hat.

Other trails we linked up with on this approximately three-mile hike were the Desert Tortoise and the Dixie Mountain Loop.

hikers
Here's the group...
owl in nest
...and here's the owl, I presume a Great Horned Owl.
scenic view
scenic view
scenic view
scenic view
scenic view
hikers looking up at nest
hikers
hiker
saguaro
hikers having lunch
hikers having lunch
horned toad
There were few decent-sized rocks to sit on for a lunch break, and even less shade, but we still managed to have a few good bites to eat before we saw ...
...this guy, a Desert Horned Lizard. Often mistakenly referred to as a horned toad or the even more unbecoming "horny toad," they are not toads at all. Their main defense is simply their appearance, the thorns making them look dangerous and threatening to possible attackers. To humans, they have no defense, being docile and harmless.

 

Here are links to a couple other Phoenix Sonoran Preserve trails:

The Apache Wash Trailhead

The Badger Brawl Trail

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