January 1 – January 4
We had a slow brunch that we both thoroughly enjoyed at the Black Bear Diner before heading to the airport. When I dropped Dan at the airport, the van felt different: quieter, wider, and suddenly all mine again. Two weeks of shared miles had created a rhythm, and stepping back into solo travel required a reset. Driving alone again felt unfamiliar at first, and it was more than covering the miles myself. It meant carrying the quiet questions that surface at dusk when choosing a place to sleep and then finally remembering that I could navigate uncertainty just fine.
Attempting to gain comfort behind the wheel again, I drove in circles trying to find my way out of the airport. Usually I plan while Dan drives, so I drove to the closest Planet Fitness to make a plan. I was going to workout and assess if Planet Fitness looked like a proper place to stay the night. There were no signs saying you couldn’t stay, but it did not seem like the nicest area. Lots of iOverlander reviews of stealth camping spots in the city mentioned homeless people and drugs. I decided to drive to the Planet Fitness in Mesa instead because it had better reviews and was on the way to other places I was considering going. After a quick workout and shower in Mesa, I decided to stop hesitating and be a big girl again. Pointing Revel Rose towards Tucson, we set out for Saguaro National Park. I stayed on Arizona State Trust Land outside of Marana that night. It was super easy; you can buy a yearly family permit for $20 online. It was not far off the highway, and very quiet. I stayed in the staging area where there was also a converted school bus but plenty of space. A big group gathered there in the morning, including a canine unit walking around for something. But no one bothered me and I felt safe.
Day 1 in Saguaro National Park
It was so peaceful in the staging area of the Trust Land, I slept in and got a late start at the Saguaro National Park visitor center. I was immediately in awe and in love with the landscape there. I had wanted to do a 10 mile hike out and back up the highest peak in the west side, Wasson Peak. However, I was starting to push whether or not I had enough daylight left and the parking was full at the trailhead. So I drove until I found parking and got out my gravel BikeFriday. It was a nice dirt road with some elevation and views. The loop was about 6 miles and I rode it twice, once continuously and once to stop for pictures.
My parking spot happened to be at the Signal Hill Trailhead so I decided to check that out too. The Signal Hill Trail is the premier, easy-to-access location for viewing ancient Hohokam petroglyphs. This short, well-maintained trail leads to a rocky hill covered in hundreds of petroglyphs, including stick figures and geometric shapes.
I noticed on iOverlander that there was some BLM land even closer to the south, so I decided to head there early so I could pick out camping in the daylight. I am glad I had light when picking a parking spot because there was glass everywhere. The camping was very exposed and close to other campers, many who looked like they lived there. It was also right along a highway. I ended up staying in the van the entire time because I do not like it when people notice I am traveling alone sometimes – and this was one of those times.
Day 2 in Saguaro National Park
I had to drive through the Tucson Mountain Park to get to the trailhead the next day. Both the park and dirt road to the trailhead had signs that they opened at dusk, so I waited for the sun to start rising before leaving the BLM land and was happy to get out of there early. And the morning views were absolutely breathtaking.
Even though I got up really early to park at the small parking lot, I actually parked at a different spot about half a mile from my trailhead. I parked at a picnic area near a restroom instead. I had plenty of time to add some distance to my hike this day and knew I would appreciate a restroom break to start and end the hike.
The trail started out pretty quiet, but as I got closer to the peak and junctions that came to the peak from different directions, there were quite a few people out bagging Wasson that day. There were a couple of groups at the top so I grabbed a quick picture and picked a rock on my way down to take a break and enjoy the views. I had a buddy join me on the rock. I felt a tickle on my ankle and look down to find a ladybug. Something both me and my sister-in-law find when we know our buddy is with us.
After I finish the hike I go to a Planet Fitness in Tucson on the way to the east side of the park. I make it in time to hit the visitor center there. I did not receive very informative recommendations. I was just handed a brochure and was told here are the trails. There was no camping in the park and I did not plan on more activity that night so I headed to a camp spot from iOverlander. I really enjoyed the spot which was very private but close to a road that was dead at night and right outside of Colossal Cave Mountain Park.
Day 3 Colossal Cave Mountain and Saguaro National Park
Since I was so close to the Colossal Cave Mountain Park, I decided to check it out first. I was not interested in touring the cave, but the Arizona Trail went through the park too. I started at the visitor center to use the restroom and get more information. They had a snack bar and I was able to get a breakfast sandwich and French fries, which was pretty good and unexpected. I got maps of the park from the visitor center and went to find the Arizona Trail crossing. I found it near a super cute picnic area. The trailhead was to an uninteresting wash. I do not know if it changed but I decided I would check out the trail from the Saguaro instead. I parked at the Quilter Trail which intersects with the AZT and really enjoyed the scenes on this section. I even did a little bit of jogging.
By the time I left the Tucson area, something had shifted. I had navigated questionable camps, full trailheads, early-morning gate openings, and changing plans without hesitation. I climbed Wasson Peak on my own timeline, rode desert roads until I was satisfied, and followed the Arizona Trail simply because it was there. The miles were quieter now, but they were no less full. I felt at home alone on the road again.