(cheery music) - [Ike] If you think all the pretty green trails and vistas are far north of Phoenix on Interstate 17, you'd better think again.

The iconic Saguaro Line Desert of Southern Arizona can remind you of the Old West.

Depending on the time of year, Arizona's Crayola box spills open when you begin to see massive Picacho Peak rising out of the earth like it was just planted there.

And just southeast of Picacho Peak there's the Catalina Mountains, another magical desert spectacle that looks like a classic painting of an American desert.

The animals and birds that inhabit those desert places still thrive even further south in Patagonia, where people set out to catch fish and glimpses of wildlife on trails that are lakeside.

Whether you're hiking on foot, pedaling on two wheels, or riding a beautiful pony, today, the desert comes alive to fill up your senses and make you long for the trails and waterways of Southern Arizona.

(logo whooshing) (cheery music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

(cheery music) Additional support provided by.

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They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

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- I'm Ike Easley, and today all roads lead to Southern Arizona.

We're hiking and biking in the gorgeous Catalina mountains, a rugged wilderness disguised as an urban park.

Plus a hidden lakeside paradise in Patagonia is bringing together hikers, birders, and boaters.

And later a stop along one of I10's most familiar exits for a closer look at Picacho Peak.

Are you ready?

Oh, you know I'm ready.

"Trail Mix'd" starts right now.

(pensive music) Look up the word desert on any search engine, and you'll likely see images of dry, brown, sandy wastelands.

But out-of-town visitors to Arizona find out quickly how wrong that is, especially when they're talking about Catalina State Park north of Tucson.

(mellow music) (music continues) - I'm originally from Seattle, but very much this was not my idea of desert when we first came down here so many years ago.

Yeah, so just really enjoy it.

- [Ike] Catalina State Park is a landscape wonder.

It's a desert, but it's one of the greenest ones you'll ever see.

Situated in the foothills of southern Arizona's Santa Catalina Mountains, the state park has more than 5,000 acres to explore.

And it's also one of the largest state parks in Arizona.

- I think what really separates us the most is when you get to the trailhead, or get into the park, you feel like even though there's an In-N-Out Burger and Walmart across the street, you feel like you're in wilderness and in the wild.

And so I think from our standpoint, that's what really stands out, that yes, we've kind of turned into more of a urban park, but once you get out on the trails you feel like you're out, and you can't tell, you just feel like you're out in nowhere.

And so that's one thing I really think is really neat about this park.

- Just if one wants to come here for solitude, hiking a trail or being with a group of friends riding through, or hiking with friends, or just coming for a picnic, or one of the events in the park, this is just a wonderful place to be.

- There are eight trails here at Catalina State Park.

Now they do vary in length and difficulty, but as you could see, all of them have amazing views.

(mellow music) As green as it is, don't be fooled into thinking the hiking and biking here are just walks in the park.

- You can start getting up into the little bit higher elevations, and it's similar to hiking anywhere in the backcountry where the trails are loose rock, sand.

You're walking in washes, you're climbing, you've gotta have water with you all the time.

Water on you.

- Don't even think of doing it without water.

- When people come into the park for the first time and like, hey, what should we do?

We always recommend the Canyon Loop Trail.

It's about a 2.3 mile loop.

It's a great introductory trail.

Take you maybe about an hour.

- [Ike] If you wanna see a little bit of everything here, this is the one to trek through.

- And you go through different habitats, so they have riparian habitat, which is like, you're gonna see cottonwood and sycamores and ash trees.

And then you're gonna have the typical Sonoran desert where you're gonna have Saguaros.

And then you're also gonna have grasslands, and kind of the mesquite bosque or mesquite forest.

And so it's a great introductory hike to the park in my opinion.

- [Ike] And though hiking is the most popular activity in the park, there are plenty of amazing biking trails here as well.

(energetic music) There are dirt trails that are smooth or rocky, or you can ride on the pavement.

But whichever way you decide to pedal there'll be views of regal saguaros in front of you and behind you, and grand Catalina Mountain vistas to ride towards.

Along the way, whether you're hiking or biking, you may also see horseback riders taking advantage of the trails and equestrian center at the park.

Riders can sample a wide variety of trails and riding experiences.

- We have our horses at a local ranch that's right in the Catalina.

It's right off it.

And we just walk out of the ranch and into this beautiful, beautiful state park.

The terrain here is whatever you want it to be.

It could be just really easy like this bridle path is very flat and easy and wide.

But then there's some trails that are pretty technical and steep and rocky.

So it just depends on your comfort level.

- [Ike] What's also amazing to see is all the wildlife that thrives here.

- This year we've had two nesting great horned owls that we're aware of, and then one nesting long-eared owl, which is a bigger deal.

The great horned owls, she started sitting on her nest maybe a month ago, and it was fun to watch.

And looks like there's two babies up there.

And so we're hoping the best.

And they're kind of, they get a little bit more brave as the days go on.

They'll stay on the nest and then they'll kind of move on the branches and then hopefully they'll both survive and fly away and come back and nest here themselves.

- [Ike] And even though it's just minutes away from downtown Tucson it still can feel like a fortress of solitude.

- Yeah, again, the thing that I like to hear the most from visitors when they come into the park, they'll tell me, they'll come into the office and say, hey look man, I was having a really stressful day, I was in the city.

But man, when I came into the park, drove down to the trailhead, started to hike up towards Romero pools around the Canyon Loop Trail.

It just kind of, you know, I just felt relaxed and was able to have opportunities for solitude and just reflect.

And I love hearing that because you know, we are so close to the city that people need this.

People need this escape, you know, to get out and really experience true opportunities of quietness, solitude, and just opportunities to reflect on life.

And so that's the biggest thing, I love to hear that from visitors is how this park, even though it's so close to the city, it just gives them an escape into wildlands and wilderness.

(mellow music) (playful music) - [Ike] Hidden away in the rolling hills of southeastern Arizona, the Patagonia Lake State Park is a treasure for boaters and anglers in search of peace and fish.

Assistant park manager Laura Mattox says it's a hidden gem and that not everybody realizes it's such an oasis.

- The weather is beautiful.

And you're right, everybody thinks we're so hot and we're not.

We're always about 10 degrees cooler than Tucson.

But it's a different kind of heat.

We fill up on the weekends.

But I don't know why people don't visit more in the summer.

June is kind of our slow month for us.

It trickles down.

- [Ike] Patagonia Lake State Park oversees the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, which preserves the riparian habitat and watershed there.

From the air it's a ribbon of green less than 20 miles north of the Mexican border.

Within the park and the natural area, there are dozens of trails where wildlife and hundreds of bird species thrive.

You won't leave the trail without having seen Javalina or birds or other little critters.

- The hiking is kind of different because in the higher elevations you're in like, the Sonora desert scene.

You're in the ocotillo, the smaller trees and everything.

And then when you drop down you're along the water's edge and everything changes, from the animals that are out there.

Up high you'll see a lot of road runners, you'll see a lot of raptors.

And then when you get down below you'll see a lot of the birds you see here.

You know, your cardinals, mountain lions.

I'm excited about the wild turkeys that are down there now.

And then everybody thought we had monkeys but they're actually our kudamundis that are all over out there.

So it's pretty exciting.

- [Ike] The pretty blue lake with the lovely picturesque bridge is still the big draw here, but the birding and hiking trails are gaining more and more notoriety.

- Sonoita Creek State Natural Area is the west side of Patagonia Lake State Park, we're two parks in one.

Sonoita Creek State Natural area is a unique place in its own.

We have 26 miles of hiking trails down there.

We have some great waterfalls.

It's just unique in its own way.

There's some amazing campsites out there.

You have to hike to those campsites.

It's really impressive out there.

I recommend you try it.

- [Ike] One would do well to take Lori's recommendations.

She knows the park like the back of her hand.

- My personal experience goes way back.

My father was one of the first LE, law enforcement park rangers in 1975 when the park opened.

So I was actually born and raised here.

So we've been here a while.

It is my home and I enjoy it.

- [Ike] Patagonia Lake was created by the damming of Sonoita Creek.

- The history of the park started in the late '60s.

The train used to run through the lake.

And when the train stopped, all the ranchers couldn't move their cattle.

So what they did is they built a smaller dam.

And what they were gonna do is sell off partials at the lake.

And that's why our bridge, a lot of people come for our bridge that's behind us, is so high.

It's a unique bridge.

It was for the sailboats.

And you could take your sailboat and you can roll up to your house, but it didn't work out for 'em.

So in '75 Arizona State Parks took it over and they raised the dam so that it could be a recreational park with motorboats.

- [Ike] Today anglers can catch bass, bluegill, catfish, and crappie.

And strictly for fishing purposes, the east half of the lake is designated a no wake area.

The Sonoita Creek Trail is a beautiful hike within the Patagonia Lake State Park that is a nearly three mile trek.

It's not only a mellow route to take, but it's also easy on the eyes, especially if you're longing for green lush landscapes.

Canopies of cottonwoods and mesquite line the trails, making for some shady trekking.

- So it's a really rewarding experience bringing youth out here 'cause I mean, we're so close to Tucson and these hiking trails are amazing.

And as it's starting to get warmer, it's really nice to be near the water and to experience all these beautiful birds and to take some wonderful shots while we're out here.

- [Ike] In addition to proper gear and plenty of water, binoculars would come in handy on this trail.

They will help you view the more than 315 bird species that inhabit the area.

- I'm really happy with the way that Patagonia Lake is maintained.

And so the hiking trails are beautiful here.

And we're about to go over here to the marina and experience some of the fun things that they have out here to do on the lake.

Patagonia is an amazing place to get out of the heat and to come out and enjoy nature.

And it's a great place to do photography as well.

(rhythmic music) (pensive music) - [Ike] Only about 116 miles separate Tucson from Phoenix along Interstate 10.

You know you're getting close to Tucson when you see that familiar massive landmark known as Picacho Peak.

Sticking up out of the Sonoran Desert more than 1500 feet into the air.

This is Picacho Peak State Park.

I always imagine that the views up there have to be the best views ever.

And I promised myself that someday I would hike this park.

Well someday is today.

Picacho Peak at Picacho Peak State Park is part of an enormous eroded volcanic flow.

- Yes, it is definitely not a volcano.

It is actually ancient lava flow.

The Picacho Mountains were once kind of underground in a sense about around 22 million years ago.

We're not sure the location of the vent or the volcano that created this lava flow, but we do know that about 10 million years ago there was some faults happening, and the lava flow arose from the ground and created kind of this split in the valley where now we have the Picacho mountain ranges and Picacho Peak.

We have some fun and diverse trails here.

We have easy, medium and hard I would say.

And each of them provides a unique experience.

If you want something a little shorter and educational, I would highly recommend the Nature Memorial or the Children's Cave trails.

If you want something a little bit more moderate, the Calloway is the way to go.

It even leads to an overlook with a beautiful view of the mountain.

If you want something a little harder and challenging, definitely conquer the peak, whether you want to go up Hunter or use the trail along the backside of the mountain, the Sunset Vista Trail.

It is an incredible accomplishment to hike to the top of the peak.

And I definitely recommend doing so.

The best time to come to the park is definitely gonna be early in the morning.

Our park gate opens up at 5:00 AM.

Our trails are open from sunrise to sunset.

I highly recommend hiking earlier in the morning just to beat the heat.

It's gonna be safer for you and you're gonna see a lot more wildlife in the park earlier in the morning 'cause it's gonna be a lot cooler for them.

And not to mention the beautiful sunrises we have here in Arizona.

- It's nice and easy that the kids could do.

So we went up to the Children's Cave up there and the kids were able to get to climb the caves.

And she's a climber, so she loves the rocks.

- It's a nice day out.

Again, it's terrain for everybody.

It's beautiful out right now.

Who doesn't wanna be in nature when we can be in Arizona for this period of time?

It's been really nice since we've gotten a lot of rain.

So it's really lush and green and it's just beautiful.

- [Ike] Park manager Kristin Brown says there are easy trails and really strenuous ones, but all have beautiful views and vistas.

- Our hunter trail is probably our main attraction.

It's a short but very strenuous hike.

You will have to traverse about a dozen sets of cables to get yourself up some rock scrambles.

People come from near and far to conquer the cables.

- Today we're gonna check out the Calloway Trail.

It's a moderate trail, about 0.8 miles.

Let's get those legs moving, y'all, come on!

The Calloway is generally considered a moderately challenging route.

It takes an average of 30 minutes to complete.

We'll see how I do.

It's definitely an intermediate hike.

Along the way you pass a small outdoor amphitheater, and there's also some loose rocky desert terrain and some wooden steps.

Ranger Kristin says water, even on cooler days, is extremely important to have.

Preparedness is key.

- That is one of our biggest problems here at the park.

And when you come through the line, we will ask do you have enough water?

You know, we will tell you you need to have the proper footwear.

You know, we'll recommend gloves if you're planning to hike the Hunter Trail and use the cables.

You just, you got to be prepared.

You cannot just hop off the plane in Phoenix and stop by here to stretch your legs.

One thing that we like to tell people, we always give you a park map, and you should keep that on you while you're hiking.

So if you do run into any trouble or run into anything, our phone number's on there and you can give us a call.

And of course always call 911 if you can't get ahold of anybody.

(pensive music) - The Calloway Trail ends at an overlook with amazingly beautiful views.

It's a very nice reward.

Once you reach the end of the trail you can sit back, relax, and just enjoy the views.

Picacho Peak is stunning all year round, but depending on what time of year it is you might be able to catch this famous peak in living technicolor.

That's coming up a little later.

The town of Patagonia is a green, luscious dot on the landscape that makes up southern Arizona.

But this place is a little gem for birders who come from across the country and the world even during the wintertime and search for those rare flying wonders that migrate and hang out here all year round.

Matt Brown is a birding expert who owns the Patagonia Birding and Butterfly Company.

Year round, he takes birders on hikes and walks all over Patagonia and southern Arizona to see over 140 bird species in our state.

Well, since today was my first day, this is my first day bird watching.

There was a lot going on.

Like, do you have any tips for first timers coming out here, bird watching for the very first time?

- Well, it can be kind of overwhelming.

There are a lot of different species out there.

Some of them are very similar.

And yeah, as a beginning birder, you sometimes wonder, how do I even start, figuring out, you know, where to find them in my bird book?

And that would probably be my first advice is to get a good field guide and just become familiar with it.

But just looking briefly at the bird, seeing what shape bill it has.

If it has a long, slim, curved bill that means it's in one family of birds, as opposed to a shorter, maybe a seed cracking kind of bill.

But it really just takes exposure.

The more you're out, the more you're looking around, the more you're seeing something, the more you'll become familiar with it.

And I think the main thing is not to become overwhelmed, not to just kind of give up because there are too many bird species to try to tell apart.

Take things at your own speed, enjoy yourself and you'll learn as you go, really.

- I mean, it's supposed to be fun at the end of the day, correct?

- It is.

It's all about having fun, being outdoors, being in beautiful places, just enjoying yourself.

So if you're a new birder, just do what feels right.

- [Ike] One of the cooler birds I've seen today stands out in a sea of winter grays and yellow.

Check out this bright red cardinal.

It's so cool to see one in the wild and not on the side of a football helmet.

Birding is big business here in Arizona, especially in southern Arizona.

People come from around the globe to see birds and wildlife, and contribute millions to the Arizona economy every year in tourism dollars.

Now, even when I'm out just on a random trail, I'm looking around me, suddenly aware and on the lookout to see how many different varieties of birds I can spot.

One of the things I could truly say after spending time strolling a birding trail with Matthew is that birding and hiking often go hand in hand.

(cheerful music) Every year in late February and March the cars begin to line up at the Picacho Peak State Park.

Everyone is there to see the show.

It's an eruption of colorful proportions.

We're talking about wildflower time in Arizona.

And the season goes as the rain goes.

And at Picacho Peak, the rains this year have been plentiful.

- The heavy rains were able to soak into the soil, awaken thousands of dormant seeds, which created magnificent color along the mountainside and the valley.

We had a very wide range of flowers.

We had the California poppies, the lupine, the fiddlenecks, the desert marigolds.

But even after some of the more fragile flowers started to pass because of the heat, we had blooms with the brittle bush, the palo verde, and the creosote.

Which is normal, we definitely do bloom, but not in the abundance that we did this year.

You can definitely see, even now, the golden color around the park.

That is the palo verde.

- [Ike] It's truly a gorgeous sight.

The lush green of Picacho Peak can be seen miles away.

And as you get closer, the golden orange of the mountain's Mexican poppies nearly glow in the sunlight.

Hundreds and hundreds of flower fans come to Picacho to take in all the lovely views of the mountain.

Every year trails need constant maintenance.

Ranger Kira is one of many on the park staff making sure trails are right.

- Some of the comments that I get about the Sonoran Desert is usually surprise.

I think people, when they hear the word desert, they think, oh, a barren wasteland.

It really is not.

The Sonoran Desert is actually a tropical desert and one of the most lush deserts in the world.

And you definitely see that once we have rain.

Sky Island is a term that we use in the Sonoran Desert describing the isolated mountain ranges we have.

As you can see, Picacho is an a uniquely shaped mountain, but around it is flat valley.

People seem surprised by that as well.

You have great vantage points to be able to see the outdoors around you.

I do have to say I love Picacho Peak.

I think any park ranger will probably tell you that they love their park.

It's hard not to be passionate about where we work 'cause we usually do love the outdoors.

Me personally, I've used these trails in this park for years, so being able to preserve the natural resources for this park so that others can enjoy it as well means a lot to me.

(upbeat music) - There are so many beautiful places to discover in Southern Arizona, so go out and explore it for yourself.

And always remember that travel is the best classroom.

Until next time.

- Oh, can I do that?

I've always wanted to do it.

Can I just say action?

- Can he do it?

Yeah!

(laughing) - Just lemme say it.

Catalina State Park, take one, action.

- Cut.

- Cut!

- And I'll cut.

- We're done.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

(upbeat music) Additional support provided by.

- [Sponsor] SRP is staying ahead of the valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects to deliver power that is reliable as it is sustainable.

- [Sponsor] Albertson's Safeway Pharmacies, and valley nonprofit Mission of Mercy are proud to support cancer awareness.

They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

More information at albertsons or safeway.com.

- [Sponsor] Whitfill Nursery, proud to support 8 Arizona PBS, a valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona-grown trees, citrus, and palms.

Complete custom design and installation.

And Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

Whitfillnursery.com.

- [Announcer] And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.