Thursday, May 1, 2025 I-10 and homeward, Ozona

 Thursday, May 1

We are up early this morning and head towards I-10.  Beth calls Guadalupe Mountains National Park and confirms there are no sites except for a canyon 2 hours from the main campground - northwest.  Big Ben shows no campsites available in the Chisos Campground and we have lost interest in another 500+miles and more desert.  So, it is homeward bound.

It is  93 degrees at 4PM this afternoon, so Beth makes a reservation at America's Best Value in Ozona.  The reviews were pretty good, but it is a barely adequate. Very old, but clean and the shower is hot. We cobble together a dinner with sandwiches and snack stuff.  Ozona isn't very big and Greg has driven enough today - like 10 hours! 

380 miles to home tomorrow, where we find all is well.  We will have traveled 750 miles across  Texas.

Wed, April 30, 2025 Tonto National Monument, Globe and Owl Creek

 Wed. April 30

50 degrees this morning.  We are heading southeast today towards Roosevelt Lake - a 24-mile long blue-as-can-be reservoir.   

Back into saguaro cactus territory too and some are beginning to bloom.

Blooms atop the cactus.

  There are some people camping along the lake and several recreational areas.  We drive down to the water to explore and stop here and there.

Tonto National Monument is our next stop, near the lake with a nice visitors center and cactus garden.

 

The monument features another cliff dwelling, but this one you can enter.  A long climb to get there, but nicely paved path and switchbacks make it doable.

The bluffs around the Salt River were home to around 3,000 people by the year 1300 when this dwelling was built, but there is evidence of people living in this area several thousand years before that.  

Not a cactus, but mesquite in bloom. It is all over the southwest.

Lots of interesting cacti in the area and we see a few lizards and one skinny snake. The handout says beware of scorpions, spiders, snakes, aggressive bees and even gila monsters but the ranger says it is unusual to see them as most are nocturnal and avoid people.

We continue southwest and stop in the town of Globe for lunch at El Ranchito, a small but popular spot.  Greg has what they call a "burro", which we think is the same as a burrito, while Beth has a shredded beef dish with beans and rice.   The few booths and tables are all colorfully painted and a waiting line has formed by the time we leave.

We decide to head  to Owl Creek Campground, a part of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.  It is definitely off the beaten path, but the dirt road is in good condition.When we arrive, there is some construction equipment there and only one of the six or so campsites is occupied - we think by the workman and his family.  The new restroom door is sitting next to the building and things are pretty well covered with dust/sand.  Still the sites aren't bad, with shade shelters, picnic tables and beautiful new grills.  The workman promptly stops working and disappears.

The campground is very dry and dusty/sandy.  But just down the hill from us is a lush green valley where there is obviously water.  We figure the campground isn't down there because of probable flooding issues. The trail heading that way is complicated so we decide to drive down there in the morning.

Relaxing evening.  We can see some lights from a town called Clifton in the distance.  

Tuesday, April 29 Sedona, Tonto Natural Bridge, Tonto National Forest

 Tuesday, April 29

55 degrees this morning and when we step outside we see several hot air balloons floating over us. 

We drive some of the loops around Sedona, enjoying the beautiful red rocks. Beth wanted to see the Cathedral Area, so we go there and stop to walk the Old Post Trail, which has nice views of Cathedral Rocks.  It is a bit hazy this morning so pictures with any distance aren't great,  but we enjoy the walk, seeing only one other person and a few brave flowers which somehow manage to flourish.

We stop at a McDonalds for breakfast sandwiches around 10:00.  (Wow! $24+ for breakfast at McDonalds.)  Greg decides to try to access the beautiful hills behind the shopping area and we end up in a residential area with some lovely homes and terrific views!  

As we are stopped by a vacant field area, a whole herd of 8-10 javelina come trotting up Buckboard Road 

behind us, flow around our Trek and into the field. 

Greg thought this guy was laughing.

Next we head toward Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, which is a bit of a drive.  We are in a National Forest though, and this one actually has towering pine trees along with the juniper and others.  Through the little towns of Strawberry and Pine... Sue had mentioned this place as somewhere they'd enjoyed biking.  The actual Natural Bridge is a bit underwhelming, but the grounds and trails are nice and Greg finds a nice purplish rock for our yard. 

This is the natural travertine bridge.

Some interesting cliffs and caves.

A ranger here recommends Houston Mesa National Forest Campground near the town of Payson, so we head there for the rest of the day.  The sites are spacious and well maintained and we enjoy hanging out, reading and relaxing at site #74.

The sunset is amazing, shifting colors as it disappears.