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.