Sabino Canyon, Tucson

Until Labor Day I had never been to Tucson, Arizona.
Located just 60 miles north of the U.S.- Mexico border, this is the true South West.

Mr. Cactus and I love to hike, and discover new places.
We decided to check out Sabino Canyon , which is rated one of the top hiking spots in Arizona.

Because the temperatures are still warm this time of year, we waited until early evening to head out on some easy trails.

The Sonoran desert is dotted with giant Saguaros, Prickly Pear Cactus, Ocotillo, jojoba bushes and teddy bear cholla.

With a name like Cactus Needle, I took a particular interest in the flowering cacti.

I loved the names of nearby sites.

Mount Lemmon in the distance and as a quilter, I kept a lookout for Thimble Peak.

Beep! Beep!

Did anyone watch The Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons as a child?

Yes, Roadrunners really do run very fast.

I felt fortunate to be able to catch this one with my camera.
As we walked along, we even saw a coyote dash across the trail and into the bush.

I was quite happy he didn't stay around long enough for me to take his picture.

Especially because the sun was beginning to set in the western sky.

I felt relatively safe until we saw this sign several miles from the visitors center.

I told Mr. Cactus it was time to head back.

(...hmm...I noticed it said to watch children and pets, but nothing about watching out for your wife!)

We were wondering what happened to many of the Saguaro's in the area.

This one almost looks as if it had been struck by lightning.
Sabino Canyon has a trail for every level of hiker. The paved roads are closed to private vehicles, but for a fee a shuttle service is provided.
We noticed a lot of families with young children, in contrast next to the extreme mountain bikers peddling up the mountain.

We'll be back.