A Hike to Apache Lake Overlook

The hiking club went to the Apache Lake Overlook today. Apache Lake is one of the four artificial reseviors in the Salt River Project. Instead of hiking on the road down to the lake see Apache Lake Road hike, this hike goes to the top of the mountain at the parking lot. 800' in 1 mile to see some awesome views of the valleys below.

The warmer temperatures are returning and the rattlesnakes are out an about. Thankfully more desert flowers have been spotted than rattlesnakes.

Enjoy Curt's photos.

 This photo has three different cacti in it. On the left is the 

staghorn cholla, next to it is the teddy bear cholla, behind it

is the ocotillo, the whip-like cactus.

 Hikers between the saguaros and the ocotillo.

 Looking at another mountain range.

That might be the White Mts. in the background. The hike

to the overlook was in the Tonto Mts. Hans will correct me

if I am wrong.

 Sometimes the hikers go to the arch on this trip.

Can you see it on the left side of the photo?

Curt has walked on top of the arch.

 There is also a cave on this hike. Sometimes they visit the

cave. Some of the group did today, but it was not the 

destination.

 Blooming hedgehog cactus along this trail.

The hedgehog is one of the first cactus to bloom each spring.

 A view of Apache Lake from the mesa.

"Apache Lake was formed by Horse Mesa Dam which was completed in 1927. 

The second largest of the four Salt River Project reservoirs (Theodore Roosevelt 

Lake is the largest), Apache Lake is located about 5 miles downstream from 

Theodore Roosevelt Lake and upstream from Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake."
 

 Not all of the snow has melted on Four Peaks.

 Another blooming hedgehog.

I did not realize their were so many different kinds of hedgehog cactus in AZ.

This is an Engelmann Hedgehog. It's flowers last about 5 days.

 A busy bee at work on a warm spring day.

The flowers close at night and reopen in the morning.

Some open Mexican poppies growing in the rocks.