Mesquite Canyon Loop, White Tank Mountians Regional Park, Arizona

Distance: 7.7 mile loop (12.4 km)
Elevation: 1,545 - 2,900 feet (470 - 885 m)
Difficulty: Moderate
Time of Year: November - April

Located on the western edge of the sprawl of the Phoenix metropolitan area is a beautiful stretch of Sonoran Desert set aside by Maricopa County for the enjoyment of all. The White Tank Mountains Regional Park offers Phoenicians and visitors alike an opportunity to hike in an area with a true wilderness feel right outside of the ever expanding housing developments and strip malls of the western suburbs. The Mesquite Canyon Loop offers hikers a chance to go deep into the White Tank Mountains to see some year-round springs and green vegetation in the middle of this bone-dry area.

Our little junior ranger out on the trail on her 5th birthday

To get to the trailhead, head into Surprise, AZ using the Loop 303 from I-10 west of Phoenix or I-17 north of Phoenix. From Loop 303, look for the Olive Road exit and follow it west 5 miles to the entrance to White Tank Mountains Regional Park. The day fee for the park is about $6 or camping at $17/night. Once in, drive up the main road until Waterfall Canyon Road and turn left. Follow this to Ramada Way, turn left again and park at the trailhead parking lot. One warning, get there early if you want any solitude, because this is a very popular hike! There will be lots of people on the trail.

A view across the Phoenix Basin

The trail starts out across the bajada and then up into a small canyon. The trail will switchback a few times onto the slopes and then will cross the wash as it steepens. There are a number of fences to prevent people from cutting the switchbacks and there apparently used to be a trail going straight up the drainage that is now closed. The trail will climb steeply out of the drainage to the ridge top above. At the first saddle, there is a minor summit that you can climb to the top of for a panoramic view across the entire Phoenix Basin. You can easily see Downtown Phoenix, the football stadium in Glendale, and even the Four Peaks and Superstition Mountains way off in the distance if the pollution isn't too bad that day.

The trail then heads into Mesquite Canyon proper. Down below, you will see why this is called the White Tank Mountains, as where water gathers in the dry washes and pools, the rock is stained white. The trail will stay above the canyon floor on the sides of the ridge. But, there will be pools of water visible below with green algae stains and lusher patches of vegetation, including grassy flats. These are critical water sources for desert animals such as bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, and javelina.

Looking up Mesquite Canyon

The trail will drop into the wash in a flatter section with many large ironwoods and palo verde to provide shade. Here the loop breaks left and right. You can follow the Mesquite Canyon Trail straight or the Willow Canyon Trail to the right. If you go counter-clockwise, you will climb a ridge separating Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon. Then you will drop down and follow Willow canyon with additional pools and white tanks in the canyon bottom below.

The trail will then work its way along the canyon, contouring the sides, until it drops down and crosses the wash as it widens out. Shortly thereafter, you come to a trail junction with Ford Canyon Trail. Stay left and the trail will cross the wash again and then climb steeply up a series of switchbacks toward the ridgetop. Just short of the top, you will meet another trail junction. This is Mesquite Canyon Trail again.

Turn left and follow it as the climbs a bit further and crosses over the ridgetop at the back of the Mesquite Canyon. Then the trail descends quickly to the basin bottom and meets back up with the Willow Canyon junction you saw previously, making the loop complete. From here, just retrace your steps back to the trailhead. Whether you happen to live in the Valley, are coming down to warm up in winter from the Mogollon Rim, or are visiting for Spring Training, this is a great trail to experience the true Sonoran Desert just outside of the urban jungle to stretch your legs.

Anhinga - Gumbo Limbo Loop, Everglades National Park, Florida

Distance: 1.3 miles (2.0 km)
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 3 - 6 feet (1-2 m)
Time of Year: December - April

Double-crested cormorant hanging out on the railing

Florida is not exactly known for its hiking. The state is extremely flat and much of it is under water. Combine that with the summer heat and mosquitoes and it isn't the place people flock to hit the trail. But, there are some hidden gems where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy a jaunt through sawgrass prairies, cypress swamps, and pine forests. But, if you are more of a casual tourist looking for a short, easy hike that offers amazing views of wildlife and a taste of the Everglades, then the Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Loop are the place for you.

Florida Gar in the canal

If solitude is what you are looking for, then this isn't the place. It is one of the most popular tourists spots in the Everglades due to its short distance, ease of seeing wildlife, and the fact that it is the first stop on the main road after the visitor center. But, as with most places, if you get an early enough start, you can still have the place to yourself. If you arrive at 8am or so, most of the tourists will still be at their hotel in Homestead having breakfast. To get here, simply drive into Everglades National Park on the main road and at the first turnoff after the visitor center turn left. It is clearly labeled. Drive to the end of the road. There is a small visitor center/gift shop and restrooms at both trailheads.

Marsh at end of the boardwalk with anhinga drying its wings (left)

The Anhinga Trail is a 0.4 mile roundtrip that starts off following an old road bed, with a canal dug out to provide the limestone road bed material. These are known as "borrow pits" since they needed to borrow the land to pile up enough material to make a dry road in an otherwise flooded landscape. These borrow pits are a great place to look for alligators, Florida gar, and turtles. 

Alligator hanging out in the lily pads

During the dry season, when much of the water disappears from the surrounding sawgrass prairies, much of the wildlife will congregate here in the deeper waters of the pits. Thus, this area will have an extremely high concentration of animals.The trail follows the road bed and canal, with many birds just hanging out along the edges of it, then arrives at a boardwalk loop that will take you out into the marsh. 

Green-backed heron

The boardwalk enters a wetland dominated by willows, pond apples, and cattails. The pond apples are obvious as large fruit hanging from trees with large prop-roots. While edible, they are not really considered tasty. Although it is said the alligators like them. There will be a myriad of birds along the way including lots of double-crested cormorants, anhinga drying their wings, various egret and heron species, and alligators lazily cruising across the ponds. Bring your binoculars, telephoto lens, and bird ID book!

Gumbo Limbo is also known as the tourist tree or sunburn tree due to its red peeling bark

Upon completing the boardwalk loop and returning to the visitor center, loop for the 0.8 mile Gumbo Limbo Trail. This trail is an entirely different habitat, as it is a tropical hardwood hammock. Elevated a foot or two above the surrounding sawgrass prairies, the trees here can get their roots out of the water. Here the habitat is that of a dense forest, containing many tree species of tropical origin, such as its namesake the Gumbo Limbo tree, as well as, West Indian mahogany, poisonwood, royal palms, and many others.

A rare royal palm rises above the hardwood hammock

The trail offers a cornucopia of plant species to look at, a lot of different forest birds that are both of tropical/Caribbean origin and familiar northern migrants who are spending the winter in Florida. Along the way, there will be holes in the exposed limestone surface filled with water. These are called "solution holes" and they form when acids from the decaying leaves eat into the limestone. During the dry season, these become homes for young alligators, fish, and other animals seeking water.

Walking down the Gumbo Limbo Trail

Since mosquitoes prefer shady locations during the heat of the day, these hammocks are a refuge for them. Thus, during the dry season, if there are any mosquitoes anywhere, this is where you will find them. There were not too many of them in December and they didn't bother us too much as long as you kept moving. It was only when I stopped to take a picture of some bird or interesting plant that I would hear than infamous whine in my ear.

A tri-colored heron

If you make a visit to Everglades National Park, then the Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail are a must see along the way. The hike is not long, but Florida sure knows how to pack in a lot of beauty and wildlife into a small area. Visit in the dry season when the mosquitoes, heat, and humidity are at a minimum. But, realize that that is when everyone else is going. So, get an early start to beat the crowds and you will not be disappointed.