Hiking in the muck

We are in monsoon season in Arizona.  We didn't really realize this because last summer (our first) there were no rains.

This year has made up for it.  Lots of hard rains.

We have been fortunate on our anniversary trip that the rains have come in the late afternoons and evenings.  Last night there was a lot of thunder.

For our hike today, we went up toward the rim, to catch some more of the Arizona Hiking Trail.

We parked the car and started out.  

(if you define "started out" as climbing 500 feet in the first mile).

 

 

But then we got to the top.  YAY!!!!

......except it was a muddy mess.  The trail had running water, there was mud everywhere, and sometimes we couldn't even go off trail to find a place to get through.   

 

So we slogged on up until we could see the vista.  It was really something:

The other interesting feature of today was the wildlife.  On our way out of "town" we saw a herd of elk, just meandering through the neighborhood.

We also saw an elk on our hike, plus a horny toad:

and a vulture which landed right next to us:

Boy were we a mess when we got home. We didn't hike far, because of the first mile's elevation gain and because it was so hard to hike through mud, but it was a nice hike nevertheless.  We will return and hike this trail another day when the ground is dry.  There is abundant wildlife and much beauty on this high plateau.