Long Hike - Leader - Mike. This group started at Gould Mine Trail which meets Sandero Esperanza just past the Gould Mine. Sandero Esperanza meets Hugh Norris Trail further up the trail where, for this hike, turns right. The climb is fairly steep up toward the saddle before the climb to Wasson Peak. The views on the peak are well worth the climb. After lunch at Wasson peak, this group took the King Canyon Trail back to the dam, and down the King Canyon wash back to the Gould Mine Trailhead.
Medium Hike - Leader Nancy - This hike starts at Gould Mine Trailhead that leads to the Mine. The Gould Mine trail meets the Sandero Esperanza trail just before the mine. After visiting the mine, we backtrack on Sandero Esperanza, back past the dynamite storage to "Mam-A-Gah Picknick Area". Around this area is a stone house made by the CCC in the 1930s. We proceed to the dam and down King Canyon Wash for a short distance to see the Petroglyphs. We return to the dam and start up the wash to the Old King Canyon Trail which starts in a wash and comes out onto a trail following a ridge. This trail leads to the "Sweetwater Saddle" which is the junction of Sweetwater trail and King Canyon Trail as well as a good place for lunch. We return to the King Canyon Trailhead down the King Canyon Trail. There were very nice views of a fairly green desert for this time of year. We are lucky to see 4 deer in a group with 2 fawn on the Old King Canyon Trail, and another 4 deer when going down King Canyon Trail.
Data from Wasson Peak
Data from Gould Mine - Old King Canyon - Figure 8
More Pictures from Medium Group
Directions, distance and time to the trailhead:
From Florence Blvd, take I-10 south to exit 236. Turn right and then a quick right onto Marana Road. Drive one mile and turn left onto North Sanders Road, drive four miles. At the stop sign turn left onto Avra Valley Road. Drive one mile and turn right onto Sandero Road. Proceed 9 miles and turn left at the entrance to the park, onto Kinney Road. Drive 2.4 miles to the Red Hills Visitor Center for a pit stop. Coming out of the Visitor Center turn left onto Kinney Road and follow for 2.1 miles. There is a sharp left into the Trailhead parking lot, not paved. If you have passed the Desert Museum sign you have gone too far.
