Senator Wash & Reservoir Hike (Yuma, Arizona)

I can't deny, desert hiking is not my favorite. I much prefer the verdant hills of a mountain range in late spring, or the rugged trails along the coast. I like it cooler, wetter, and greener, and the desert doesn't give you much of any of those things. However, any hiking is better than no hiking in my book, so when an opportunity came up to hike along the Senator's Wash and Reservoir, Dan and I decided to go. We joined a group of hikers from Hidden Shores Village who go out every Tuesday. The hike started fairly early, around 9:30ish. I wouldn't have minded earlier; this is the desert, and temperatures begin to rise early on in the day. But this still being March, the heat was tolerable, and there was a brisk breeze that day, lessening the effects of the desert sun. We were lucky enough to skirt right along the reservoir for a good portion of the hike, adding some blue to the barren landscape, and there were a few ocotillo in bloom, another bright spot. Here are some pictures of our first desert hike this year.

Hidden Shores Village (Yuma, Arizona)

Hidden Shores Village is located near the Imperial Dam, along the Colorado River, and is a mixture of fixed vacation homes, rentals for weekenders, and spots for RV'ing snowbirds like us (ones who move to warmer climates in the winter). Yuma is set in the middle of a big dusty desert, and most people are surprised to learn that this area is particularly rich in agriculture. Yuma is actually the winter vegetable capital of the world and about 90 percent of all the leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. from November through March are grown in and around the Yuma area. Hidden Shores Village is nestled amongst these emerald patches of farmland, and has a little something for everyone: a 9-hole golf course walking distance from the RV Park, boat ramps, a 20,000 square foot club house, game rooms, library, workout room, heated outdoor swimming pool with jacuzzi, horse shoe pits, shuffle board, an on-site convenience store, and trails leading out into the desert for hiking, biking, and taking your off-road vehicles. Here are some pictures from our March 2014 stay at Hidden Shores Village.