Highlights Map
If you see this after your page is loaded completely, leafletJS files are missing.
One of the fun things about living in Arizona is that there are quite a few active nature watching groups. There are multiple Audubon societies, there is a mushroom gathering group and there is also a Butterfly Association which leads multiple trips throughout the year. We haven’t been on one of these trips in a while so it is time to try one, and this is the first one of the year. There are quite a few people in multiple cars at the starting point and there is some waiting and carpooling involved but soon we are on way on the Apache Trail in a caravan of cars to look for butterflies. The first stop is nearby at the Weaver’s Needle overlook where we will try our luck.
The first ingredient of a good butterfly hunt is abundant, there are wildflowers everwhere. Unfortunately the other ingredients are missing, it is quite cold and it is very windy so while we see flowers the butterflies are conspicuously missing.
Still when on a butterfly trip there are many botany experts so at least we get to see many different flowers, some that we might not see at all otherwise as they are too small or only one specimen along the trail.
There were extensive rains with flooding in the past weeks and that is visible on the trail. There are puddles, the ground is still wet and the ocotillo are in bloom. And while we don’t see any butterflies we see a few birds including a ladder-backed woodpecker which is unusual in this habitat.
Next we drive for quite a distance, past the Canyon Lake towards the Mesquite Flats. This involves passing Tortilla Flat ghost town and crossing a creek that looks daunting but is less deep than it looks.
Mesquite Flats is a flat (obviously) area near a quite large creek with many wildflowers which makes it a good potential place for butterflies according to our guide.
There are also quite a few flowers, it is warmer now and there is less wind so the butterflies should be out….but they are nowhere to be found.
We notice that one of the people in our group let a cat out of a bag (an actual one not the saying) and it actually seems quite bewildered by being in the wild. It becomes even more shocked when an ATV decides to pass right through our group so it gets put back in the bag for safekeeping. In fact this area is quite popular for camping and day visits it seems as there are quite a few loud groups and tents nearby.
And then we find our first butterfly, it is a snout so a very common one but still at least we saw a butterfly. In fact there are more birds here than butterflies, we see our first cardinal for the year, thrashers and Black Phoebes as well as a few common sparrow.
Last stop on our butterfly tour is also the end of the Apache Trail road, for the foreseeable future. It is at an overlook, relatively high, which usually would lead to different butterflies but this time with the wind and the cold we have no luck seeing any.
However the views are quite scenic with wildflowers coloring the hills all around us and lichens giving color to all the surrounding rocks.
We really enjoy the many wildflowers around us, the colors are quite beautiful and very different, blue, red and orange/yellow being the most common ones.
One of the more special plants we have seen is the Gila County Lifeforever. it is quite a regional subspecies of the Panamint Lifeforever which is restricted to three completely separated areas in the US with the Superstition Mountains being one of them.
We take our leave from the butterfly group and because we are quite famished we return to Tortilla Flats to get something to eat. However it is quite a busy place with the restaurant quoting a 1:30h wait time, not something we are ready to do.
Luckily there is a kiosk where you can order food to go, sandwiches but what can you do if you are hungry? There is no seating available also so we sit on the sidewalk near the car to eat the food which is quite good actually.
We spend a bit more exploring the small town and watching the water crossing which is quite a popular activity. We also do a bit of window shopping but soon it is time to be on our way to our chosen hiking area.
We chose an area based on caches and luckily there is parking at the entrance with a network of roads deadending in all directions. We start in one direction but there is a homeless encampment in that direction so we choose another direction which is quite scenic and homeless free.
The road here is supposed to deadend on a ridge and there are two small side roads that we also plan to explore. We especially like the Mexican Poppies here, they are everywhere and in easily accesible patches.
While there are no homeless there are a few ATVs that use this trail. We actually avoid one by climbing high above the end of the road. As they turn around they don’t even glance up, we feel like panthers watching from a high perch.
In fact that location also allows us to see what is behind the ridge. It is quite a secretive installation, as the road to it says “No turnaround” to discourage people going in that direction. It is also quite extensive and we joke that it might as well be a secret alien research laboratoy hidden among the hills.
As we return we also see a non-traditional arch clinging to the mountain side, it is quite long but it is not really arch shaped yet.
One of the side roads takes us close to the lake, there are some great views and we like seeing the boats coasting on the water and the cool breeze from the lake. At this point it is actually quite hot outside so the breeze is welcome.
As we explore the third road and then return to the car we also see our first more rare butterfly of the day, an Arizona Powdered Skipper. It is quite funny that we see it after the tour ended but either way we are happy we saw even one special butterfly. And then it is time to return home after a long day out in nature watching the wildflowers and exploring the locations along Apache Trail.
