After returning from the Cayman Islands we want to do a short hike during the weekend but nothing too strenuous. We find an interesting area with a possible cave, Broadway cave, nearby and given that it seems to be only about 2 miles in it sounds reasonable so that is our choice – of course as usual the hike is both lengthier and more difficult than we expected but what can you do. Even parking appears to be impossible as the official parking lot is full but we discover street parking nearby and soon are on the trail.
The first part of the trail is a bit difficult to follow and it is quite rocky, and that doesn’t change as we get deeper into the National Forest. The vegetation however is quite nice with lots of cacti everywhere mostly chollas and saguaros.
With this much vegetation we can also see lots of birds, almost every saguaro holds a kestrel or woodpecker and the trees are full of birdsong and hummingbirds buzzing.
This stretch is quite flat and even though rocky we make good time. However we lose some time as we search for caches or trying to decide at intersections which trail is the best one. Interestingly there are a lot of vintage planes flying quite close to the surface, for certain below the top of the mountains.
At one of the caches we get the surprise of the trip and for certain the scare of the trip. As we uncover the cache we see a scorpion on it scuppering away. Nothing that unusual. But then as we uncover it more we discover a lot more scorpions, a minimum of five. This is quite unusual and we are not sure what to do so we eat lunch nearby and wait for them to leave on their own before finally getting the cache.
After the big scare it is time to continue through the beautiful landscape towards the Broadway Cave which now can be seen in the mountains if you squint long enough.
We already hiked quite a distance from the trailhead. Our two miles have come and gone and we didn’t even start our climb to the cave but we are commited to visiting it now. This is also because there are quite a few other people visiting but most seem to be returning, when will we get another chance to have a cave for ourselves near Phoenix? Over us we hear eagles cries and looking up we notice them flying in unison. They are either preparing for a fight or doing a mating dance, maybe both.
And then the trail becomes rockier and the cave gets closer and soon we start the climb. The trail here is more an informal trail and many people that we see returning have lost the trail and simply descend off trail.
Quite exhausted we reach the cave right as the last group leaves, the cave is ours only, at least for some time. We feel like the kings and queens of the world as it is shady here, there are great views, and the cave itself while not deep or anything is quite fun to explore.
In fact the cave looks like a dragons mouth from inside. You can imagine it coming to live and closing the mouth, luckily there is a gap in the teeth where we can escape!
Towards the back is throat as we jokingly call it, a mining tunnel actually that ends after a few meters. No bats inside either but it is too early in the season for them. And then it is time to descend especially as another group is coming up, but first we have to find the trail ourselves….
Somehow we are able to follow the trail to the main one in the valley and then it is an easy return back to the car. At this point in the day the parking lot is empty and our car is the only one on the side street. Now we have to decide if we go for dinner in the neighborhood or not and we decide….why not?
The restaurant we choose seems familiar when we arrive, we are sure we have been in the parking lot but we are not at all certain we have been inside. Was it closer previously, did we come just to get some info for a cache who knows, but today we will enter and eat for certain.
The food is typical American and quite good and full we are ready to return home and recuperate after the unexpectedly longer hike we did today. No complaints however as the cave was really cool and worth the trip!
