Gilbert Ray Campground AZ
- Thread starter jackiemac
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
DonTom
Well-known member
A-52 is the longest space around me.
And almost everybody should NOT consider A-51, A-53, A55, these three are even shorter than my space, A-49.
A-52:
-Don- Gilbert Ray Camp, AZ
And almost everybody should NOT consider A-51, A-53, A55, these three are even shorter than my space, A-49.
A-52:
-Don- Gilbert Ray Camp, AZ
DonTom
Well-known member
A-52 is longer than either of those. A-56 is occupied so I didn't take a photo. Here is what A-33 looks like:
PancakeBill
Well-known member
You back in Tucson area? Now that weather is cooler, that place might fill up fast.
DonTom
Well-known member
Yeah, there are a lot of RVs here, a few left but even more came in today, in the off & on rain.
But tomorrow, no more rain and it will warm up a little after that according to here.
BTW, they say the busy season here starts on Nov 15. I will be gone four days before that.
-Don- Tucson, AZ
JudyJB
Well-known member
Thanks for checking that out. At least we know the curbed triangle divider is still there. I expect a small motorhome would be fine there, but I had a terrible time coming and going, and had to get help backing in because I don't like to damage my tires backing over curbs.
I love the desert museum and go there whenever I am in that area. My son took me there in summer in 1996 when he was living in a tent and working for the Forest Service doing vegetation surveys on Mt Lemon. It was so hot he refused to tell me the temperature! They have a little gift shop near the larger cafe, and they have some really nice shirts done by an artist. Not cheap, but desert scenes on front and back.
DonTom
Well-known member
DonTom
Well-known member
I asked the worker here today who was putting up the "reserved" signs at the camps. The policy has NOT changed but it is usually not a problem in the off-season (before Nov 15)after money is accepted for more than seven days. He just has to know, because he wouldn't know otherwise and he could think my space is available when it is still occupied. So it is a good thing I asked. He said there would be no problem with my staying the 11 days here now that he knows.
So if you want to stay here for more than seven days, simply do what I did--and before Nov. 15 when they will enforce it. Simply see if they accept your money. Before this time, they may or may not enforce it, you tell by if they accept your money. But also let them know here when you see one of the workers so they do not think your space will be available after the "seven-day, no exceptions" limit!
-Don- Gilbert Ray Camp--Tucson, AZ
DonTom
Well-known member
I spent most of today hiking. Almost from sunup to sundown, covering many miles in many areas.
First was a short hike on Gate's Pass, and here are some photos from that shorter hike:
And this is the inside of it:
Many cacti to view in the area:
Can see Old Tucson from there:
First was a short hike on Gate's Pass, and here are some photos from that shorter hike:
And this is the inside of it:
Many cacti to view in the area:
Can see Old Tucson from there:
DonTom
Well-known member
View of the Gilbert Ray Camp from the Brown Mountain Trail:
And some other photos from other hikes:
And some other photos from other hikes:
jymbee
Well-known member
That's some pretty awesome vegetation!
DonTom
Well-known member
Yeah, the Sonoran Desert is my favorite of them all. Perhaps the most scentic in the world. Caused by heavy warm summer rainfalls causing many types of vegetation to grow (for a desert).
US deserts have different names for where most of the vegetation changes. The Saguaro is ONLY found in the Sonoran Desert. That is much of AZ and a small section of CA. And where you see the most, means that is where they get the most warm summer rainfall. So here we know they get a lot of summer rain, the Saguaros tell us such.
Tucson gets most of its rain in July.
-Don- Tucson, AZ
DonTom
Well-known member
Today's hike was east on the Gilbert Ray Trail, then to the Cougar Trail, Ring Tail Trail, Gates Pass Trail, and several trails that had no names and other areas. Many hours & miles of hiking today.
The weather was perfect today for such hikes, low 70s. Tomorrow will be in the low 80s here in the Tucson area. This area is a hiker's paradise for those who enjoy desert hiking as much as I do. Trails everywhere in every direction.
I found this place out in the desert which I thought was rather strange as there is no pavement for quite a ways from here. I saw it in a distance from the Gate's Pass Trail so I hiked over to it. Looks like an abandoned motel but without ever having paved roads. Lots of Teddy Bear Cactus in the area, which I know not to get too close to.
Several little buildings like these, but way out in the desert, & looks like nobody has been here for years. I just wonder what it was.
BTW, on my entire hike after a quarter mile from here, I saw no other people at all.
With a lot of Teddy Bears guarding the area:
-Don- Tucson, AZ
The weather was perfect today for such hikes, low 70s. Tomorrow will be in the low 80s here in the Tucson area. This area is a hiker's paradise for those who enjoy desert hiking as much as I do. Trails everywhere in every direction.
I found this place out in the desert which I thought was rather strange as there is no pavement for quite a ways from here. I saw it in a distance from the Gate's Pass Trail so I hiked over to it. Looks like an abandoned motel but without ever having paved roads. Lots of Teddy Bear Cactus in the area, which I know not to get too close to.
Several little buildings like these, but way out in the desert, & looks like nobody has been here for years. I just wonder what it was.
BTW, on my entire hike after a quarter mile from here, I saw no other people at all.
With a lot of Teddy Bears guarding the area:
-Don- Tucson, AZ
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DonTom
Well-known member
And here are a few other photos of today's hike. 
The Prickly Pear Cactus grows very well out here and is quite large:
The Prickly Pear Cactus grows very well out here and is quite large:
jymbee
Well-known member
Beautiful country. But still waiting for pictures of any snakes you met along the way.
DonTom
Well-known member
So am I. I have not seen any snakes at all here.Beautiful country. But still waiting for pictures of any snakes you met along the way.
But I assume they would be commonly seen here in the springtime.
Most desert snakes are nocturnal and like darker nights with no moonlight. But it is not rare to see those same snakes on days like today if the temperature is like today's, but today is way too sunny for most. They are seen on warm overcast days more often. But occasionally a Sonoran gopher snake or whatever will sun itself, so there are many exceptions. It is possible to see nocturnal snakes in the desert any time of year and daytime when the conditions are right, even if not nighttime.
Also, many desert snakes mainly come out during or after summer rains. Especially the Sonoran Coral Snake.
I did see many lizards today, especially the Zebra-Tailed Lizard.
The best way to ID these lizards is when you see a lizard that is so fast, and never stops to let you take a look, but see many in the same area in places of very little vegetation, that is the Zebra-tailed lizard. They prefer areas with little vegetation because of their speed.
-Don- Tucson, AZ
Tulecreeper
Well-known member
Those chollas will tear you up. I've had several occasions where they 'jumped' on me when I walked by while quail hunting. Then you have to find a stick to pry it off you because you sure as heck can't touch it.
DonTom
Well-known member
Yeah, the way I do it works a lot better. I simply stay several feet away from them and then don't get myself in those types of situations. However, I got bit by a prickly pear right here in my A-49 camp spot! That was bad enough! I will no longer walk by the front right side of this motorhome at A-49, because that is where it bit me. Several places at once. That is bad enough, but the Teddy Bear would be a lot worse.
I leave here tomorrow for Gunsight Wash. It will be 79F there, it is now 81F here right here at the Gilbert Ray.
-Don- Tucson, AZ
JudyJB
Well-known member
A lot of gift shops in Arizona will sell you little, foldable pliers you can use to remove cactus spines. These are also handy if you are taking your dog for a walk in the desert. Don't want to have to carry a 60lb dog back to camp because it has walked on dead cactus.
Another good thing to carry with you, for when you mistakenly "pet" a teddy bear cactus, is a very small roll of duck tape. Stick a length on the spot on your hand or wherever you got in contact with the teddy bear, and then pull it off, and it will take most of those invisible little spines with it.
This one will fit in your pocket or on a keychain: Amazon.com
Another good thing to carry with you, for when you mistakenly "pet" a teddy bear cactus, is a very small roll of duck tape. Stick a length on the spot on your hand or wherever you got in contact with the teddy bear, and then pull it off, and it will take most of those invisible little spines with it.
This one will fit in your pocket or on a keychain: Amazon.com
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