Travels to Death Valley - February 2014 - Stop over at Roosevelt Lake, AZ

Hiking the Arizona Trail

The Apache Trail & lakes below the dam.

Hiking the Arizona Trail. On the way to Death Valley we camp at Windy Hill on Roosevelt Lake and spend a day hiking the Arizona Trail that traverses the rugged mountains to the west. The trail crosses the bridge at Roosevelt Dam and begins a steep, rocky ascent through desert scrub and ranks of Saguaros on scree slopes of dark basalt. From a high ridge 1000 ft. above the basin the bright mirror of Roosevelt Lake, the Apache Trail and chain of lakes in the canyons below the dam come into view. The bridge and dam are small and distant in this great landscape.

Roosevelt Dam and bridge.

We leave the great works of modern men behind and merge into the silent and deceptive simplicity of the desert. Way up here high above the basin we find remnants of basalt pueblo walls built on ridges and hill tops. The Salado People not only built in the valley but came high into the mountains. They made catchments in the steep drainages and terrace farmed the slopes. Why up here so far above the valley. Were they afraid of enemies or so successful they needed more places to live? Or maybe they just wanted a home with a view.

There’s so much more for us to explore in future trips.

We’ll see you on down the road.
Jackie

The view from a pueblo ruin.