Sabino Canyon.....

Sabino Canyon is a wonderful place that is not very far from where my sister lives, so we go there every year. There is a low desert area with trails you can walk (where I saw the rattlers last year) , as well as trails up through the canyon for the hardier hiker. There is also a tram ride you can take on a paved road several miles up the canyon. I always see something interesting near the visitor's center while waiting for the tram ride. This little round-tailed ground squirrel was very cute, but was very wary of me watching him.

He wasn't about to get very far from that hole in the ground, which I assume is his home.

This is an idea of what the desert area looks like before you start up the canyon. Mike took this and the next 2-3 photos. We tend to be looking at different things, so I like to use his photos if he has something I like. He is a better photographer then I am :-)

A beautiful big saguaro cactus.

This should fall later in sequence, but if I move it you can't click on it and make it bigger. I love the water that runs through this canyon at this time of year. The first year we were there water was so heavy it was over the road in spots and we waded through it. In 2006 they had a huge washout of the road in several spots and you could not take the tram ride at all for two years while they rebuilt the road. I believe it just opened back up this year.

The sides of the canyon are covered with cacti and scrub.

The rock face with trees and cacti.

Looking up! I tend to look down mostly at the water areas, so I wanted to include a few shots looking upward!

There are huge rocks in the water areas that are very beautiful to look at.

This is the road fairly early before you really get in the canyon very far, I think.

Beautiful rock, beautiful setting! The tram ride will take you up several miles to a turn around and back down. Or you can get on and off as often as you want....all day if you choose....and get back on at any stop. We usually ride to the top and then choose a place to get off coming down and walk several stops depending on how my knee feels. We like the water areas :-)

The water may flow through rocks, or sand, or trees .....a constantly changing view.

This shows how the road snakes around and crosses over the water areas. In some places the water is almost at road level and very shallow. People wade around in it and in the sand.

You can see all the new concrete where they rebuild this area.

Looking away from the road up or down the waterways is beautiful in any direction.

Love the rocks! So white looking in places.

A sandy area with low bushy plants and grasses.

I think they forgot to dig out the picnic table :-)

I liked the grass tufts.
This doesn't begin to do justice to Sabino Canyon and I show no birds although we did see them flit through the trees here and there. I'm sure hiking in the canyon would find plenty of interesting things. If you want to see more of this canyon, Kathie at Sycamore Canyon has featured it many times and shows more of the wildlife.

I have one more Arizona post from Mt. Lemmon and maybe by that time my birds will realize that the lady that feeds them is back. The whole feeding area was picked cleaner than a whistle when I got home! Not a stray seed anywhere......I think a raccoon or possum might have helped.