North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area
North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area (and its associated South Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area) is a large and remote place southwest of Phoenix. This area is one of my favorites. The northern wilderness area has a very large valley, surrounded by the Maricopa Mountains. Several soft, sandy washes criss-cross the valley, and make for excellent sleeping. In the spring, this area is covered with flowers. There are even a few historical sites within the wilderness area (the most well known being the old Brittlebrush stage coach route).

Click on any picture to enlarge.


Many flowers can be seen in this picture, taken after the area got some rain.

These flowers I found growing on a mountain side. Very pretty.

This is a many headed barrel cactus, in full bloom.

Another many headed barrel cactus, growing right out of a rock!

This canyon begins half way up the side of a mountian. It is a pretty place.

This is a view of the valley, from one of the mountains on the south side.

This very pretty collection of desert fauna I found in a saddle, near the top of one of the mountains.

This is an ocotilla, in full bloom. This plant looks completely dead when there is no water.

This poor buck's time had come...

This is a little pin cushion cactus, in full bloom.

This is a smaller, hidden valley, seperated from the main valley by several mountains. It is quite remote. No trails back here!

Members of my family, in the park.

This is a tipped over wind mill, at an old cattle round up site within the wilderness area.

This is one of the cattle gates, at the same site.

An old cattle "watering hole".

This poem was written by an old cowboy, before he left this site. I have reason to believe that this was written in the early 1970s. The letters are beginning to fade now, but I think I have most of the text reconstructed. Here it is (there are misspellings. the question marks indicate that I am not sure):

He heard old voices
and he heard hoofs beat
Songs that were gay
  to time
of ?assuming? feet
bent back streightened
dim eyes grown brite
as they last rode on
   into the nite
as they top, out, that
   great devide
He wore with every scar
honer at eventide

The park contains a campsite. We camp there often. This is my son at the campsite.

Another view of the valley.

I am not sure why this picture is here...

The cattle fence at the above mentioned cattle site.

Another pincushion cactus, in full bloom.

Kids climbing the mountain.

On my hand is a stick bug. Neat.