Gilbert Ray County [Pima] Park, AZ
Here's a view of a very singular landmark: Picacho Peak (elev: 3374'). This photo was taken from the corner of Picacho Highway and Shay Road. The Picacho Peak [Arizona] State Park handout/brochure notes that "the unique shape has been used as a landmark by travelers since prehistoric times; one of the first written records was in the 1700s by the [Juan Bautista DeAnza] Expedition as it passed through the area."
The mountains picture here are on the east side of I-10 and are called the Picacho Mountains. While the peak on the right in the shadows appears to be the highest, that's an optical delusion; the microwave antennas are on the highest peak in the sunlight.
I dry-camped just to the left of the road sign; however, I first walked down the road to read the white sign, fearing it might say "No Overnight Parking/Camping." Instead, it admonished "No Illegal Dumping." Perhaps because of the trash, I noticed more flies here than anywhere else so far in Arizona.
After spending nearly a day at Picacho Peak State Park, where I met a fellow from Tucson who was also in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and had been at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, six years after I was there (he's six years younger), and taking a shower in the best shower I've seen in 15 months of traveling at any state, county, or city park/campground, I headed for Tucson on I-10.
Here's a shot of Picacho Peak from the south -- as the semis whiz by at 75mph. Just north of here Picacho Pass at 1800' is easily missed; don't think there is any sign, but I was looking for a place to pull over and take the above photo.
When I arrived at the northern outskirts of Tucson, the first McDonalds I stopped at did not have WiFi; presumably it's one of their older outlets. I continued south until I hit Ajo Way and used the Mission Road Tucson Branch Library.
After two nights at Justin's Diamond-J RV Park on San Joaquin Road ($9/night to dry-camp) I ordered four new tires at a Walmart Supercenter and headed north from Ajo Way on Kinney Road toward Saguaro National Park; while examining the maps I notice a campground called Gilbert Ray -- a Pima County CG where limited hookups (electricity only) are $20.
Because I got behind a slow-moving horse-drawn bus/stage, I pulled over and took the photo above of Tucson Mountain.
A look to the SSW. Most of the vegetation you see has survived because of it main defense: spines or thorns. If there are no ways to eat the plants in spite of the spines, their successors will continue. The plants with "whimpy spines" disappeared through evolution, leaving plants that stick it to you if you get too close!
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Links
- Brief Wikipedia article on Picacho Peak State Park
- Wikipedia article on Tucson
- Gilbert Ray Campground website
- Cactus Lovers website
- CactiGuide.Com
Th 23 Feb Actual Route: Justin's D-J RV Park - Tucson - Gilbert Ray County Campground
F 24 Feb Actual Route: Gilbert Ray CG - Tucson - Green Valley - Tucson - San Joaquin Rd/Old Ajo Hwy Dry-Camp
Sa 25 Feb Actual Route: San Joaquin Rd/V Dry-Camp - Tucson - San Joaquin Rd/Old Ajo Hwy Dry-Camp
Su 26 Feb Actual Route: San Joaquin Rd/V Dry-Camp - Tucson - San Xavier Mission - San Joaquin Rd/Old Ajo Hwy Dry-Camp
M 27 Feb Route: San Joaquin Rd/Old Ajo Hwy Dry-Camp - Tucson - San Joaquin Rd/Old Ajo Hwy Dry-Camp
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Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
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