Returning to Catalina & Lost Dutchman State Parks

We stayed in Tucson for the winter four years ago and loved the city, and Arizona in general, so we were looking forward to returning to the area. Arizona does not change time zones; so we were actually in Pacific Time, with the sun coming out around 5 a.m. and sunset around 7:30 p.m. It was cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon, with minimal humidity. It was wonderful going back to Catalina State Park, with its gorgeous mountain views and trails. Mike loved biking and birding around the park. We both enjoyed hiking, relaxing at the campsite, and watching the gorgeous evening skies. We saw the round-tailed squirrel for the first time at our campsite, and then frequently throughout the park. Apparently, they burrow in the ground and hibernate in the winter, which is why we had not seen them previously. They were so cute! My favorite part was having the opportunity to bike on the Tucson Loop again. I was able to get on the trail right from Catalina State Park and ride back to our old RV Park (60 miles) and my favorite ride to Marana, AZ (40+miles). The trails are just spectacular!

We stopped at the Apache Land Museum on the way to Lost Dutchman State Park, as we arrived early. It is an interesting place with historic buildings, an ore mill, model railroad, nature trails, and quirky exhibits. Our campsite had a direct view of the Superstition Mountains, which were just as beautiful as we remembered. We saw Gambel quail last time we visited the park, however, during this visit, they were everywhere! Such strange looking birds with their forward facing crest. Something we loved in both Catalina and Lost Dutchman State Parks, was seeing the Saguaro Cacti in bloom. They are so gorgeous! Mike even captured a Curve-Billed Thrasher, digging deep into a saguaro bloom to get a bug!

Next stop – Sedona!