Hiking Havasu…

Just to the south of the spring break setting of Lake Havasu, I find a place much more to my liking. Oh sure, there is still plenty of noise nearby, with a Motocross race track and a shooting range in the area. But if one is willing to wander a bit, it is possible to enjoy the gorgeous lake views without getting caught in the mayhem of the masses. Just two miles outside of town is “SARA,” a gem of a park.

SARA, or Special Activities Recreational Area, is an 1,100 acre area of land just a couple of miles south of town, right off Highway 95. Just across the highway, several RVs are boondocked. I wish I had chosen this option over the State Park, as the overflow lot is starting to overflow even more with the weekend crowds pouring in. But my water tank was empty and my waste tanks in the danger zone, so I had already prepaid my stay to avoid returning daily to the pay station.

The Crack in the Mountain

Entrance to the wash near the trail head, with Table Mountain in the background.

Entrance to the wash near the trail head, with Table Mountain in the background.

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There are several hiking trails in the area, but I want to do the two most popular, the first of which is “The Crack in the Mountain,” more affectionately referred to as “SARA’s Crack.” This five mile loop hike starts off through a wash filled with noisy pea gravel, then quickly narrows down to a beautiful little slot canyon. It’s a relatively gradual slope down to reach the slot, where one quickly encounters just one little obstacle…“The Slide.” (Those who have been down it know to insert snickering here.)

Looking down on "The Slide," around a 10 ft vertical drop

Looking down on “The Slide,” around a 10 ft vertical drop

Trying to decide, "Rope, or no rope?"

Trying to decide, “Rope, or no rope?”

Happy to have made it!

Happy to have made it!

The Slide is a ten foot drop down a vertical dry waterfall that one must negotiate, literally by the seat of one’s pants. A knotted rope has been placed in the pour-over to lower oneself down slowly, but in my opinion, it serves as a crutch of comfort more than it does an aid. I almost sacrificed a finger trying to save the seat of my favorite hiking shorts.

The recent rains have left a series of puddles in the slot.

The recent rains have left a series of puddles in the slot.

Following the Octogenarians through The Crack

Following the Octogenarians through The Crack

I follow a group of four octogenarians down through the slot. When we come to The Slide, I feel sure they will turn around. But nope. They each inch themselves hand over hand down the rope, cheering each other on like a field trip from the movie “Cocoon.” Inspiring, to say the least.
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The Crack, the Disneyland-like feature of the hike is over all too soon as the high canyon walls gradually slope back down to meet the wash. The yellow-blazed trail continues on to the edge of Lake Havasu, past Balanced Rock, to the BLM campsite in Balance Rock Cove, which consists of one covered picnic table and a port-a-John, a perfect place for a snack break with a stunning view of the lake.

Exiting the wash along the Yellow Trail to the edge of the lake.

Exiting the wash along the Yellow Trail to the edge of the lake.

Balance Rock Cove

Balance Rock Cove

Beautiful views of the lake, with Balance Rock Picnic Area on the small peninsula in the distance.

Beautiful views of the lake, with Balance Rock Picnic Area on the small peninsula in the distance.

Overlooking the wash, or Yellow Trail from the upper Blue Trail on the loop back to the trail head.

Overlooking the wash, or Yellow Trail from the upper Blue Trail on the loop back to the trail head.

I return back by climbing up the short Green Trail, which soon intercepts the Blue Trail. A nice, scenic ridge line hike, the Blue Trail stays up high over the wash back through SARA Park to make a very enjoyable five mile loop.

The Picnic Table

The second most popular of SARA’s hikes is “The Picnic Table,” also known as the Lizard Peak Trail. Although this hike is shorter at only four miles, it is considerably steeper, as one must climb several hundred feet in elevation to reach the top of Table Mountain. At the summit is the namesake for the trail, a lone picnic table with 360 degree views of SARA Park, Lake Havasu City, and the lake itself.

Overlooking Red Rocks Grotto on the way up Lizard Loop.

Overlooking Red Rocks Grotto on the way up Lizard Loop.

For a moment, I could imagine I am back in Southern Utah!

For a moment, I could imagine I am back in Southern Utah!

"The Ledges."  Note stair steps of loose rock in lower third of photo, left side...the only way up.

“The Ledges.” Note stair steps of loose rock in lower third of photo, left side…the only way up.

The Picnic Table was purportedly hauled up the mountain by hand by the “Leaping Lizard Tribe.” This group of hikers / explorers was founded in 1982 by Tim O’Connor, who established not only the trail itself, but built the rock lizard beneath the mountain, namesake of the trail.

Spur off the trail visits the rock lizard, built by the Leaping Lizard Tribe of hikers and explorers.

Spur off the trail visits the rock lizard, built by the Leaping Lizard Tribe of hikers and explorers.

Aerial view of the lizard.

Aerial view of the lizard.

If you look closely beneath the bright orange strip of rock in the right of the photo, you can still make out the lizard below. (Click to enlarge.)

If you look closely beneath the bright orange strip of rock in the right of the photo, you can still make out the lizard below. (Click to enlarge.)

I always prefer a loop trail over an “out and back,” so I read online that it is possible to make this hike into a loop. I see a landmark on the map titled “The Ledges,” but there is no description to tell me that this section is going to require standing on loose rock to reach a 10 foot vertical scramble, reaching hand over hand, using caution not to look down over the steep drop-off behind me. Being alone on the trail, I find this stretch to be more than a bit daunting.

The trail drops off steeply here.  Note loose rock surface beneath my feet.

The trail drops off steeply here. Note loose rock surface beneath my feet.

Finally, I reach the infamous "picnic table," hauled up to the top of Table Mountain by the Leaping Lizard Tribe.

Finally, I reach the infamous “picnic table,” hauled up to the top of Table Mountain by the Leaping Lizard Tribe.

My legs need a rest!

My legs need a rest!

From “the ledges” on up toward the saddle, the trail levels off just long enough for my knees to stop knocking, then begins a steep, rocky climb toward the summit. This section would not be nearly so unnerving were it not for the loose rock that makes up the trail. With every other step, my boots begin to slide backwards. My hiking pole becomes more of a hazard than a help, as the trail is often too vertical to see more than a few steps above me. I have quite a dose of adrenalin coursing through my veins once I finally catch sight of the picnic table. As I sit down to rest my shaky legs, a local informs me that most people go up the switchbacks as an “out and back” hike to avoid the steep section of the loop trail. Oh, well, that’s just boring. 😉

View from the top...

View from the top…

Heading back down the switchbacks to make the loop.

Heading back down the switchbacks to make the loop.

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The trail down the switchbacks is a pleasant way to descend the mountain, as it affords broad sweeping views of the lake as it narrows down to the Colorado River. I spot a few cacti in bloom on the way down. The weather is so perfect, I am not ready for the hike to end, so I extend my loop to connect further down with the Blue Trail, explore the spur leading to the Red Rock Grotto, then finish up along the Red Trail, running parallel to the gravely wash, all the way back to the trailhead.DSCN7944

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What a great escape are SARA’s fun hiking trails!

24 thoughts on “Hiking Havasu…

  1. That is a beautiful area all by itself but when the flowers are blooming it is even better! Barb and I went walked The Crack when we were there as well. Barb went down the slide without aid and twisted her ankle at the bottom (there was no rope at the time). As a matter of fact, she went to the doctor today to have it looked at and I am waiting for her to return.

    • Jim and Barb — I am so sorry to hear this! OUCH! I hope she got a good report that it is nothing major. I will be watching for an update..

  2. For me, it wasn’t the 10 foot vertical drop of the slide so much as it was the ankle breaking rocks in the landing zone. How about a little sand, Leaping Lizards Hiking Group 🙂
    Box Canyon

    • Excellent suggestion, BC Mark! Your comment makes me realize “Grasshoppah” should pay more attention to what is at the bottom of the leap before she leaps. 😉

    • John — I haven’t stopped humming that song, “See you…in September” since I waved goodbye at Willow Beach. 😉

  3. Love the slide but would be nice to have someone to catch me at the bottom. That rock lizard is even better than the rock snake at Anza-Borrego. Looks like a great hike, except for the ledges.

    • Gaelyn, I know we both enjoy a nice solo hike, but having someone along on both the slide and the ledges would have been comforting. The nice Octogenarians offered to take my photo, but I didn’t have the heart to ask them to catch me on my way down, afraid I would knock them over like bowling pins. haha!

  4. Loved this hike, the scenery was varied and beautiful. It is fun to look for the bits of danger you get into the text. Thanks again for the vicarious thrills.
    Loved the idea that people were allowed to do things such as the rock lizard and the picnic table.

    • Thanks, Allen — It sounds like these guys, the Leaping Lizards do some fun things indeed! It certainly gave the hikes more “personality.”

    • LuAnn — I just took it veeeeery slow over the loose rock. The motivation for going up, up, up, is knowing I did not have to come back down that way!

  5. Good low down shots of the cactus flowers. Getting low and having a good depth of field always gives a good perspective. Hiking in the sun with shorts on is a long way off for us and even then there’s no guarrantee. Although one of our bike club rides in shorts all year round…………but then he’s a mad Scotsman!!

    • Hi, Dave! Thanks for the nice photo comments. I did have to be careful with those, not to sit on a cactus while “getting low!” 😉 Hope you get some shorts weather soon, though I know it is a long shot even in summertime. You will be glad when we are all running from the triple digit temps in another month or two!

  6. We did both of those hikes!! Wasn’t that a cute slot in the Crack! Thank goodness the rope was there for us to use. I see there are a ton of rocks at the bottom of the slide. It was mainly just gravel for us.

    Hiking to the picnic table was so much fun. That straight up climb in the loose gravel was crazy!! Someone took the beautiful rock slices that were there for the eyes:( They were rectangular slices of a gorgeous rock. Check our blog for Lizard Peak to see them.

    There are several nice hikes to various coves around the lake. The Visitor Center has a booklet of the hikes available for $5.

    • Pam, I did look back at your blog, and what a heart break to see someone took the lizard’s eyes! Those were some beautiful rocks indeed!

      Thanks for the tip on the booklet of hikes. I hope to return there one day, and will look forward to some of the cove hikes.

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