Because we're too stupid to avoid the crowds we revisited Sabino Canyon Recreation Area on Saturday instead of waiting for a weekday. Instead of walking up Sabino Canyon, we took a side trail up Bear Canyon that was recommended to us by two University of Arizona Students we met in Ramsay Canyon last week. It leads to a popular swimming hole at the base of a series of falls.
We got up at 5 am to beat the heat and the crowds. By the time we reached the parking lot on the other side of Tucson it was 7 am, still cool, but the parking lot was filling up. (As Dorothea mentioned, it is the largest trailhead parking lot she's ever seen).
We managed to hike mostly on our own for the first half of the trail though the trail runners were already meeting us on their way back. It was mercifully shaded by the canyon most of the way, following and crossing the creek numerous times.
The hillsides were covered with blooming yellow brittle bush (though it doesn't show up all that well in photos).
When we got to the falls, it was busy with families and young people enjoying the very cold water. Only two of the oldsters joined in on the fun. Not me, I am a stickinthemud and did not want to get my clothes wet.
We headed out at 10 am to avoid the heat of the day, and met crowds of young people sweating up the trail. The heat was bearable until the last 1/2 hour, though it was getting tiresome standing in line to get across the stones placed in the streams. The last half hour walking down the paved road was excruciatingly hot, but we survived.
We all remarked on how well-behaved the young people were at the falls and on the trail and on the lack of alcohol present. This may have had something to do with the 2 hour uphill hike and the ranger stationed at the entrance.
Saw some great birds too,

Kestrel on Saguaro
And a special treat was these early Saguaro blossoms (they usually don't bloom till May).
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