Start: 22.3 (Gila Alternate)
Stop: Lower Scorpion Campground
Today’s Miles: 21.6
Total CDT miles: 191.9
Y’all!! Today has been my absolute favorite day on trail (so far). I had no good expectations for the Gila River, from everything I’ve seen so far. I thought it would be stagnant pools of water surrounded by rocks, and we’d be trudging through it. Boy was I wrong!
After we left camp, sometime around 7:30, it was less than 6 minutes before my feet were in cold river water. The river itself was wide, cool, easy flowing, mostly shallow, and gentle. It weaves along the floor of the canyon we’re in, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Trees and open meadows, deer and rabbits, and so many birds. This place is so full of life. Water brings life-water IS life.
Pebbles and I counted, we crossed the river 55 times before getting to Doc Campbell’s today! And yall, that water felt so good on our achy feet! It was cold in the morning, and as the day warmed up, the water took its time doing the same.
We stopped to eat lunch and swim a little just after noon. “Swim” is maybe the wrong word. I briefly soaked in the river, up to my neck, and then got out to dry off in the shade of a tree while I ate my lunch. Pebbles did the same. As incredible and refreshing as the water is, especially in the heat of the sun-it’s also still very cold.. my teeth were chattering!
As we were packing up from lunch, Special K came walking up. We saw her on her day 1 (only 8 days ago-she’s been booking it). We chatted while we finished putting our food away, and then walked the rest of the day together. We got to Doc Campbell’s around 4pm. There was a couple sitting at the store front, with the only car in the small gravel lot. We chatted with them while we waited for the store owner to come over. They’re usually closed at this time, but for hikers, if you get on their WiFi and call them, they’ll come over and open everything up! That is so incredibly kind.
They made each of us a pizza, and while they were cooking, Pebbles and I did our laundry. We ate in our rain gear, while the clothes washed. After eating, we did our 7 day resupply to pie town. Holy Jesus carrying that bag is going to be miserable for the first few days!
When the clothes were in the dryer, we went to shower. They have a wash room with two shower rooms and the open space between the rooms has left overs from other hikers and new packets of shampoos and soaps. Plus TOWELS!! God, I love a towel! I was able to find some Lemongrass scented shampoo and conditioner. Hopefully it will help with the bugs! (They aren’t really bad at all yet but still).
When we were all finished with our chores (our electronics had been charging this whole time, too), we got everything in our packs and left Doc’s around 6:45pm. The 3 of us walked 4.2 miles to the campground I’m currently laying in. It’s called Little Scorpion Campground, and is free on a first come first served basis. The three of us are cowboy camping in one spot. The stars are out of this world, literally. Ha.
Tomorrow we’ll see the cliff dwellings nearby which are a national monument. And then we’ll continue hiking on the Gila High Route, take a connector trail back to the Low Route, and continue north. Today was a great day.
Oh! And there has been so much wildlife between yesterday and today! Bunnies, squirrels with pointy ears, snakes, lizards, deer, elk, a fox, lynx, and a javenla! So flipping cool! And soooo many birds! I have a feeling I’m about 20 seconds from officially being a birder.
Anyway. Even the best days come to an end! Sweet dreams!!