Hike to Hackberry Spring

Mon Mar 28
This morning we took a three-mile hike to Hackberry Spring. I was not at all excited about going but Dad insisted. It wasn't too bad after all. We took it at my pace and were hiking about three hours. Early on we scared a little rabbit in front of us and right after that a green snake with yellow stripes down it's sides slithered across the trail and it scared me good. Most of the trail was easy and scenic.

But a section up a narrow canyon along the stream bed had some rough going stretches.

The tiny stream flowing in First Water Creek along most of the hike provided different scenery than most prior hikes and was very refreshing.

The spring itself was tiny and flowed from a small "tank" at the base of a vertical canyon wall behind the trees and brush along the creek bed below.

The drive to the trail head was fairly close to home, just a short distance past the Lost Dutchman State Park where we have hiked before and where the Liljenquists and Gardners camped during their recent stay. Dad had his first encounter with cholla cactus pieces that had fallen to the ground while trying to get a picture of some pretty yellow flowers.

Fortunately they only stuck in his shoes but getting them and the spines they left out helped us realize how much pain they could cause in skin. I had learned to use a comb to remove the spines so that was what I suggested to Dad and it worked well. We finished the day soaking up a little sun at the pool followed by a swim.