Sendero Esperanza Trail in Saguaro National Park - Arizona, United States

The Sendero Esperanza Trail can be accessed from the Golden Gate Rd via either Sandario or Picture Rocks Rd. It is in the Saguaro National Park. In my opinion it is the easiest assent to the ridge (and the Hugh Norris Trail) that would lead you on to Wasson Peak should you decide to do so. I had actually planned to go to Mt Lemmon for the first time this year at my favorite hiking spot of Butterfly trail. But it is an hour and a half drive to there and I woke up lazy. The Sendero Esperanza trail is very close to my house (under 10 miles). It was going to be a hot day but I thought if I got going I could beat the heat. Well, maybe if I wouldn't bring my camera. There were still quite a few wildflowers and cactus flowers to enjoy as well as lizards and a really interesting and colorful bug that I later googled to find out it was an Iron Cross Blister Beetle. It was 95 degrees when I got off the trail just before noon.

The trail starts of pretty sandy and with gentle incline that changes to steeper and more rocky.  I tried out my new Teva Terra F3 Hiking sandals and they held up fine.