Meet Donna (Maybe Don)
Sonoran Desert Tortoise
Cochie Canyon Trail-8/23/20
Hiked the Wild Burro to Upper Javelina to Wild Mustang to Cochie Springs Trail and back this morning (7.7 miles). I was hoping to see remnants of the Westridge Fire but only saw minor fire damage. The main fire area must have been beyond the point where I turned back. See trail map below.
However, after 21 years of desert/mountain hiking, I finally saw a Sonoran Desert Tortoise in the wild! See lead photo. The tortoise was very close to the Cochie Springs Trail about 1.5 miles out.
This was my first time on the Cochie Springs Trail and it is beautiful. As you hike along the south slope of Cochie Canyon, you have a great view of the backside of the Marana Crag and there is a boulder field with huge chunks of rock that have fallen off the Crag. If you leave early, this hike is well shaded until mid-morning. Here is a collage of photos taken this morning.