This hike follows the Pass Mountain Trail clockwise around Pass Mountain. The trail starts in Usery Mountain Regional Park and heads north along the park's northeast boundary before entering the Tonto National Forest at the north end of Pass Mountain. This a view of the west side Pass Mountain near the start of my hike.
Closeup view of Pass Mountain and its stripe of volcanic ash. On close inspection you can see serveral hikers on the Wind Cave Trail which switchbacks up slopes to Wind Cave (off the right side of this image.)
You say you want to go to Phoenix? Well...just head that-a-way.
Teddy Bear Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii), Arizona Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii), Saguaro Cactus (Cereus giganteus), and Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) are abundant in this Sonoran Desert landscape.
A view of the desert as the trail makes its way toward the north end of Pass Mountain.
An Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) spreads its branches in front of a group of Saguaro Cactus (Cereus giganteus) at the boundry of Usery Park and Tonto National Forest with the slopes of Pass Mountain in the backgound.
An interesting pile of boulders.
Arizona Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii). You can see in this photo why this cactus is also sometimes called Fishhook Barrel Cactus. The large, sharply hooked spices are clearly visible.
A large Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) with unusually curved branches sillouetted against the sky.
Saguaro Cactus (Cereus giganteus) with strangely curving arms.
A view looking out towards Mesa. A few of these little buttes have names such as Thunder Mountain, Stone Mountain, and Ravens Roost.
The many colors of lichen: rust-orange, light green, yellow-orange, charcoal black.
A large Chain Fruit Cholla (Opuntia fulgida) loaded with fruit.
A closeup of the Chain Fruit Cholla (Opuntia fulgida) fruit chain. The chain forms as flowers (and hench new fruit) grow on the end of the previous year's fruit. After several years long chains of fruit are formed.
A desert hillside on the north end of Pass Mountain.
On the north side of Pass Mountain a wonderful view of Fountain Hills and the McDowell Mountains opens up.
Closeup of a granite rock.
Lichen on granite.
The dense spines of a barrel cactus. Don't touch!
Closeup of the spines on the pad of an Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmanni).
A closeup of the dense spines of the Teddy Bear Cholla (Opuntia bigelovii).
Desert hillside.
A view of Stewart Mountain comes into view as the trail reaches toward a ridge at its most northern point.
Lichen on granite.
An empty seed pod of the Desert Senna or Rattleweed (Cassia covesii) backlit by the sun.
From the ridge at the trail's northern most point a wide vista opens up with the Mazatzal Mountains in the background.
Off to the east are the Goldfield Mountains.
Goldfield Mountains with Four Peaks and the Mazatzal Mountains in the distance.
A view of Four Peaks rising above the Goldfield Mountains.
The colorful lichen adds a splash of color to the desert rocks.
A view of the Goldfield Mountains as the trail skirts around the north end of Pass Mountain.
Looking down on a boulder field.
A view of the north end of Pass Mountain.
An old majestic Saguaro overlooking the valley below.
If you look closely you can just make out the trail (and even a few hikers) about halfway down the slopes under the cliffs just left of center.
I came around a corner in the trail and a golden grassy area appeared. (Rare in this desert terrain.)
Goldfield Mountains.
Many different colors of granite.
Many different colors of granite.
A view of cliffs on the northeast side of Pass Mountain.
A view of cliffs on the northeast side of Pass Mountain.
The trail heads toward a saddle between Pass Mountain and the Goldfield Mountains.
A desert hillside.
The Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is an evergreen shrub sometimes referred to as Coffee-bush as the seeds have been used as a substitute for coffee.
Goldfield Mountains.
A view of the eastern face of Pass Mountain from the saddle.
A closeup view of the cliffs on the east side of Pass Mountain.
From the saddle a view of Apache Junction spreads out below. The trail heading to the southern end of Pass Mountain can be seen.
From the saddle the trail traverses a steep hillside for a short distance.
A view back up toward the saddle.
Again looking back up toward the saddle. Pass Mountain on the left and Goldfield Mountains on the right.
The Superstition Mountains rise above the saguaro studded desert floor.
A view of Cats Peak with the Superstition Mountains in the distance along the southern portion of the Pass Mountain Trail.
Almost completing the loop I'm now back on the western side of Pass Mountain.