DWTH Day 12: Entering Sonoran Desert NM

Daily Miles: 18.0, Total Miles: 168.3

Once again last night, I was serenaded by hooting owls and yipping coyotes.

Shortly after leaving this morning, I left the powerline on a primitive road and entered the Sonoran Desert National Monument, established in 2001 and containing a whopping 486k acres. A few hours later I also entered the Table Top Wilderness, contained within the National Monument. Table Top Mountain is the highest peak in the area and the flat-topped summit of almost 4,400 ft is a prominent landmark.

After lunch and refilling water bottles at a wildlife guzzler (two nearly full troughs), I skirted around Table Top on a combination of closed/blocked roads and x-country along the northern border of the Tohono O’Odham reservation. Tempting, but on a warm afternoon I opted not to do a summit bid of Table Top.

I really couldn’t ask for better weather, clear with just enough breeze to cool down a bit, at least until late afternoon. I found a nice, secluded campsite off the Lava Flow Trail sandwiched between Table Top and Black Mountain.

I saw some desert creatures, lots of doves, some quail and a red-tailed hawk but no humans today.