We took off on Saturday morning headed for Roper State Park Park, but when we got there it was a dud for us. We don't want to be on top of other people to camp, or in a dusty desert with no shade. Did I mention the lake was a pile of rocks with water in it? Not for us! So, ....
We went to Mt. Graham instead. This was a 25 mile trip up a mountain with switchbacks...leave 50 minutes minnimum for this part of the trip! But, it was totally worth it! The campground is in a meadow that the army used to use for their soldiers to recover from the Indian wars! All spots are about 50 yds. from the parking lot, and look out on the meadow. We tried to hike, but there were big trees that were laying across the trail. It got down to about 32 degrees at night, but we had fun! The boys rated this a 7.5 for overall beauty. There was a creek that ran through the site. We played lots of cards. Overall, it was a good shake out camp to prepare us for a real backcountry trip! Absolutely beautiful!
Afterward, we stopped at Boyce-Thompson Arboretum. Wow! What a pretty place. This beats the Desert Botanical Gardens hand down! What makes it really special is the backdrop. The area is set in a canyon with vertical cliffs all around. It also has a high trail that takes you above the arboretum so you can look down on it...a unique and very interesting view. I thought of Indians walking along the trail years ago. Take sunscreen and water, and be sure to walk all the little side trails...they are some of the best parts of the walk!
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