iHike AZ!

Here I made out a list of all the hikes I've done in AZ that I can remember... in the last year or two. Also put a list of reptiles and amphibians I've seen at each location with links so you can see them for yourselves.

White Tank Mountains
Didn't get a chance to go too far on the trail I took Ford Canyon trail was wonderful weather lots of annual flowers blooming and plenty of lizards to see. Went there to see a Great Basin Collard lizard and that's what I got. No complaints.

Species County:
Side Blotched Lizard, Great Basin Collard Lizard

Fossil Springs
Gorgeous hike! The creek at the end makes it even better water fall lush green.. Perfect. Went there mid march and found some snow still on the ground.

Species count.
Madrean Alligator Lizard, A frog I couldn't identify...

Hieroglyphic springs
has got to be one of my favorite hikes because I have done it at least 20 times. A great hike that is easy enough for not so experienced hikers and yet it has a exciting finish to it what helps it not get old. there are some large rocks with awesome petroglyphs, rock art, that native people left. The creek is running at some times if the year and I have even gone for a dip! It has a sort of pool that has a make shift wate slide. Pretty flat all the way although one does have to watch their step because of the fair amount of loose bolders and rocks.

species count:

Side Blotched Lizard, Tiger Whip Tail, Black-necked Garter Snake, Male/Female Eastern Collard Lizard, Canyon Tree Frog, Chuckwalla

Flat Iron
a very difficult long hike that can take all morning to finish. An excellent view of the whole valley from atop the superstition flat iron. One has to be careful hiking in the warmer months to bring PLENTY of WATER. I have had a couple close calls hiking this trail where heat exaustion began to set in before I made it to my car. The hike begins at the parking lot where you get on the siphon draw trailhead and fowllow the upland desert area to the edge of the superstitions. The boulders get bigger a d bigger until you get to a carved out river bed in sheer rock.
Side Blotched Lizard, Zebra Tail, Ornate Tree Lizard, Desert Spiney, Male/Female Eastern Collard Lizard and hatchling

South Mountain
A very flat dry rocky hike. Alot of rolling hills, hills more than a mountain but it's still worth hiking. I would avoid weekends it's quite the popular hiking spot whereas it's right close to both phoenix and Chandler. Quite surprising is the fact you can still see quite a bit of wildlife while you're there. the orange/red tailed chuckwalla is a unique find that you can find nowhere else, that I know of. Though it's not far from the city you can still stumble upon rattlesnakes, I did! A Tiger Rattle snake.
Red Tail Chuckwalla, Tiger Rattle Snake

Camel Back Mountain
So as you can see I don't have ANY herps for Camel Back Mountain! How can that be!? I don't know, but the 2-3 times I have been there I didn't see anything that I can remember. Weird. A pretty good hike I'd say, on the weekends, like South Mt., Camel Back gets quite the crowd of fitness enthusiasts and wanna be hikers and rock climbers. I've seen a good number of news reports during the summer about hikers getting stuck or hurt and having to get helicoptered out (I know not a word) on hiking trips are on Camel back. This is not a "walk in the park" it's actually a fairly difficult hike and has steep inclines large boulders to traverse through.
(No list of reptiles for I have not seen them yet)


San Tan Mountain
A nice find on my part... I live out in south gilbert and always wondered what the heck the "San Tan" Freeway was named after and what the mountainous range just south of me was. Did a bit of googling and turns out it's a mountain and it has hiking. It's a Maricopa county park that used to be a GM car proving ground it has a $6 park fee. Reminds me a lot of South Mt. but way less people. Looks like people like to ride bikes there too. Had a friend who bikes I told about it to and he liked it.
Chuckwalla,Eastern Collard Lizard, Sonoran Whip Snake

Picket Post
I love this hike, I hiked it at the begging of fall and it was a difficult hike and took several hours but I loved it. I really can't wait to try it out during the spring time. Best part about it is the fact I didn't see one person! I posted a blog about it.
Side blotched Lizard

Picacho Peak
Enjoyed this hike interesting how the trail curved around the mountain and you get to cross several rickety looking bridges that are bolted to solid rock! Great view once you get to the top. Again, I think this hike would rock in spring and summer.
Ornate Tree Lizard, Juvinial Chuckwalla

Peralta Trail
Great hike not too hard not too easy great view popular but not over populated. I've see a good number of lizards here too. I've done it half a dozen times.
Side Blotched Lizard, Chuckwalla, Desert Spiney, Greater Earless Lizard, Zebra Tail Lizard, Tiger Whip Tail, Gila Spotted Whiptail

Piestewa Peak
Fun little rock climb, not many critters but it was fun.
Chuckwalla

Chiricahuas Mountains
I went down with three biology teachers from MCC Red Mt. to collect herps for the schools live collection. Way cool mountains we hiked up to some rock slides where we found the protected Rock Rattlesnake. We actually camped there on the mountain side. The stars were AMAZING I've never seen them so bright and vivid. With no city lights to mess with there sheer awesomeness the altitude of the mountains was a perfect star gazers spot.
Aligator Lizard, Yarrows Spiney, Striped Plateau Lizard, Black Tailed Rattle Snake, Rock Rattle Snake, Twin Spotted Rattle Snake, Western Lyresnake, Great Plains Toad, Sonoran Desert Toad, Woodhouse's Toad, Couch's Spadefoot, Mexican Spadefoot

Huachuca Mountain
Drove down to Sierra Vista to do some herping down at Gray Hawk nature preserve I also took a drive up to the Huachuca Mt. Like the mountain a lot very windy roads. Almost sat on a sun bathing black tail rattler. Also went for a little walk in some grass meadow I don't recall the name of. Good place to hike a drive down there though.
Yarrow's Spiney, Black Tail Rattle Snake, Black-necked Garter Snake, Canyon Tree Frog

Pinnacle Peak
Very short hike... of course I didn't do the entire trail, but still was able to see a chuckwalla what I snagged an awesome picture of.
Chuckwalla

Boyce Thomson Arboretum
Out past Picket Post Mt. just before Superior AZ there it is! A neat little nature preserve that has a plant store with a nice selection of native and non-native desert plants. Also a little gift shop. Trails are all pretty much paved very easy hiking and also has a picnic area. I have a ton of memories as a kid taking field trips here and eating string cheese.

Ornate Tree Lizard, Tiger Whip Tail, Gila Spotted Whiptail