Ridge View Trail, East Saguaro National Park

A couple of days after hiking to Hope Camp, we headed back to the Loma Alta trailhead and took the short hike along the Ridge View trail.

 

This time as it was a week day there were fewer people about and parking was much easier. 

 

The trail follows an old road bed along the side of a brushy wash as it climbs steadily up the ridge.

 

As the trail climbs higher more cactus varieties appear along with great views of Rincon Peak, the trail to Hope Camp

 and the Santa Rita Mountains.

This cactus was just off the trail, we think it’s some sort of barrel cactus, maybe a crested barrel cactus? we've never seen one quite like it before, interesting isn't it?

 

The road eventually peters out but the trail carries on a little further before ending among the saguaro and prickly pear near a deep wash, I’m not sure if you can follow the trail further up, but as we were wearing shorts, we weren't about to push through the prickly, spiky stuff to try and find out!

 

This would be a great hike to do in the late afternoon.

Have fun, we are!