Brown's Mountain, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy

Courtney: This was our first time to the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, and we chose the only trail that went to a summit. We wound our way around the back of the mountain, and then over the peak at the end. There were a number of other hikers and mountain bikers, but it didn't feel crowded; we were often alone. And everyone seemed to be in a friendly mood. We took a picture for a couple who was there with their dogs. The chollas are thriving on this trail, and there are also patches of dry grasses. Kai spotted a tarantula hawk wasp, an impressively huge insect with bright orange wings. Jonah noticed a half-mile loop near the trailhead that is billed as 'accessible' and might be a nice whole-group activity at some point!