A Culvert Operation at the Steps

Dear Blog!

On Monday, February 20, 2017, we moved from the SARA Park Rodeo Grounds in Lake Havasu to a dry camping area along AZ 95 just north of Parker, Arizona known as "The Steps." This area is owned by the Arizona Land Trust and can be used with an annual permit. Once you visit "The Steps" you will understand where it gets its name. There are a number of leveled out "steps" leading up the side of the hills. We have heard a number of stories about the history of this place. Some say the area was used during the construction of the Parker Dam as a work camp. Others say it was going to be a housing development that went bankrupt and the state took it over. We weren't able to corroborate either story. All we know is the area is a mecca for RVers, especially those with ATVs who like to ride up and down The Steps.

After getting settled, we met up with fellow Boomers, Ron and Dee Stuebing, and cooked dinner over a campfire. On Tuesday morning, we ventured out to explore our new camping area. We ran into another RVer who suggested we hike the wash down to the edge of Lake Havasu. It sounded like a great adventure, so we packed our packs, loaded the GPS with fresh batteries and slathered on the suntan lotion.

We had no trouble finding the wash. It was so large it needed five culverts to pass under AZ 95. Dave picked his favorite one and posed for scale.

Wait! Where did Dave go? It was so dark inside the culvert, you couldn't see him until he popped out the other side.

Some culverts get more use than others. Kathy posed by the "culvert less traveled":

We soon left the highway behind and the desert opened up before us. There is a big lake out there somewhere.

We followed the wash downhill. We could  have said downstream, but there was barely any moisture.

After passing through a small slot canyon, we came across one of our favorite desert plants. California dodder is a leafless, parasitic, viney plant with slender orange to yellowy stems which are each fastened to their host organism by means of a knobby root-like structure called a haustoria, which allows it to draw its nourishment from the host. It is really creepy, but very cool.

The shorelines of Lake Havasu are a transition zone from the higher Mojave Desert to the west, to the lower Sonoran Desert to the east.

Once we reached the lakeshore, we climbed up a ridge to see what we could see. We spotted several BLM campsites complete with picnic tables and port-a-potties. These campsites are usually accessed by boat, but we didn't have too much trouble hiking in. Right next to the campsites was a beautiful cove with clear blue-green water.

We decided to pick the campsite with a picnic table right next to the water.

It wasn't long before the boots came off!

We munched our lunch while dangling our toes in the water. Speedboats would zoom by, creating waves that washed small shells up on the beach. After we gathered a good number of shells, it was time to hit the trail again. On the way back, we noticed things we didn't see on the way down, like this really cool cave.

We did see the first palm tree on the way down, but when we explored the side canyon on the way back, we found there were actually three palm trees.

The hike was only four and half miles round trip, but we felt like we were transported to a totally different environment. The scenery was as beautiful as in many national parks.  We could easily spend another 2 or 3 weeks exploring the various washes, canyons, coves and caves in the area.  But we only have a few days and we already have some other ideas.

So ends another adventure. Stay thirsty my friends.