Ray Spring Hill and Ray Spring – 6/3/2016

Looking towards the Mountains with American Flag Hill, Rice Peak and Apache Peak (left to right) visible. June 2016.
Looking towards the Santa Catalina Mountains from Ray Spring Hill with American Flag Hill, Rice Peak and Apache Peak (left to right) visible – trash in the foreground. June 2016.

Thru Oracle, onto Mount Lemmon Road, past Oracle State Park and the C.O.D. Ranch is a rough dirt road that leads to the top of Ray Spring Hill. ‘Hill’ is good description, it is neither particularly high nor steep – but it does have a nice view of the San Pedro River Valley and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Unfortunately the short drive from the highway has probably contributed to the state of the hill – moderately trashed: beer cans, liquor bottles, the odd shell casing, broken glass, a few last pieces of trash cleared out of the back of a truck. The trash takes some of the joy out of visiting this little hill – it needs some love…

Ray Spring Hill, Ray Spring Wash and Ray Spring south of the Kannally  Ranch in Oracle State Park and East of the C.O.D. Ranch on Mount Lemmon Road. June 2016.
Ray Spring Hill, Ray Spring Wash and Ray Spring south of the Kannally Ranch in Oracle State Park and East of the C.O.D. Ranch on Mount Lemmon Road. June 2016.

Ray Spring Wash is below the hill to the north – less used than the hill my short walk in the bottom of the wash is a much nicer experience – Fried Eggs, Cholla, Cottonwoods and small path of dry sand eventually lead to what I assume is Ray Spring – a dry but interesting landmark at the head of the wash. Be respectful of land ownership boundaries while exploring in this area – only a small part of Ray Spring Wash is on Forest Service land – private land, State Park Land and State Trust Land all claim parts of the wash…

Fried Egg in Ray Spring Wash near Ray Spring. June 2016.
Fried Egg in Ray Spring Wash near Ray Spring. June 2016.
Ray Spring. June 2016.
Ray Spring. June 2016.