Hiking at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Background

For two consecutive Saturdays in May 2025, May 10th and May 17th, to be exact, I went hiking at White Tank Mountain Regional Park near Surprise, AZ. On each occasion, I attempted to hike the 8.3-mile long Mesquite Canyon Trail. My intent is to combine both hikes into one post here on my blog.

The White Tank Mountains are a mountain range that form the natural western boundary of the Greater Phoenix, AZ Metropolitan Area. If you live in what is locally referred to as the West Valley, you can see the White Tank Mountains just about everywhere you go. The mountains are a prominent natural landmark. If you look to the west, or northwest, depending upon your position in the West Valley, you can easily see the White Tank Mountains. When the West Valley is referred to in local media, the term tends to group the following cities together:

1. Avondale
2. Buckeye
3. El Mirage
4. Glendale
5. Goodyear
6. Peoria
7. Sun City
8. Surprise
9. Tolleson

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation is the organization responsible for managing White Tank Mountains Regional Park. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation currently manages 12 parks that are largely scattered throughout the periphery of Maricopa County. Here is a comprehensive list of parks managed by Maricopa Parks and Recreation:

Parks Managed by Maricopa County Parks & Recreation

Name	Address	City	Area
Adobe Dam Regional Park	23280 N. 43rd Avenue	Glendale, AZ	1,526 Acres
Buckeye Hills Regional Park	26700 W. Buckeye Hills Drive	Buckeye, AZ	4,453 Acres
Cave Creek Regional Park	37019 N. Lava Lane	Cave Creek, AZ	2,922 Acres
Estrella Mountain Regional Park	14805 W. Vineyard Ave	Goodyear, AZ	19,840 Acres
Hassayampa River Preserve	49614 U.S. Hwy. 60 89	Wickenburg, AZ	Not Available
Lake Pleasant Regional Park	41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd	Morristown, AZ	23,362 Acres
McDowell Mountain Regional Park	16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr	Fountain Hills, AZ	21,099 Acres
San Tan Mountain Regional Park	6533 W. Phillips Road	Queen Creek, AZ	10,000 Acres
Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area	44000 N. Spur Cross Road	Cave Creek, AZ	2,154 Acres
Usery Mountain Regional Park	3939 N. Usery Pass Rd	Mesa, AZ	3,648 Acres
Vulture Mountains Regional Park	43801 N. Vulture Mine Rd	Wickenburg, AZ	Not Available
White Tank Mountain Regional Park	20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road	Waddell, AZ	30,000 Acres

White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located near Waddell, AZ, which is an unincorporated community roughly located south of Surprise, AZ and west of Glendale, AZ. White Tank Mountain Regional Park has a land area of approximately 30,000 acres. This makes the park the largest in the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation system. Here is how Maricopa County Parks and Recreation describe White Tank Mountain Regional Park:

The range, deeply serrated with ridges and canyons, rises sharply from its base to peak at over 4,000 feet. Infrequent heavy rains cause flash floodwaters to plunge through the canyons and pour onto the plain. These torrential flows, pouring down chutes and dropping off ledges, have scoured out a series of depressions, or tanks, in the white granite rock below, thus giving the mountains their name.

Here is a map that I created displaying the location of White Tank Mountain Regional park within the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation park system.

Maricopa County Regional Parks

Brief History

According to a short article from Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, there are 11 archaeological sites within the boundaries of White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The sites were occupied by the Hohokam Indians roughly between A.D. 500 to A.D. 1100. Due to the ruggedness of the terrain and the scarcity of water, the Hohokam Indians established seven villages within what is now White Tank Mountain Regional Park. The villages tended to be located inside large canyons that led out of the mountains. These villages varied in size from as small as one acre to as large as 75 acres. Archaeologists have also discovered the remains of a rock shelter on a steep cliff overlooking a white tank and several pottery sherd areas. In addition to pottery sherds, numerous petroglyphs have been discovered within the White Tank Mountains. Some of the petroglyphs have been dated as far back as 10,000 years. Several petroglyphs can be seen while hiking the Waterfall Canyon Trail. On a personal note, I have yet to hike the Waterfall Canyon Trail. It’s a short trail, about one mile long, that has a trail rating of Easiest. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation have an informative 5-page PDF document about the Waterfall Canyon Trail which can be downloaded and printed out prior to hiking the trail.

Petroglyph at White Tank Mountain Regional Park (Source: Maricopa County)

Getting to the White Tank Mountains

Since I am currently based in Sun City, getting to White Tank Mountain Regional Park is actually quite simple. From Sun City, I drove west on Bell Road for several miles. After driving over Highway 60/Grand Ave, I made a left turn on Litchfield Road and then headed south. After several miles on Litchfield Road, I made a right turn on Olive Ave and headed west. At the intersection of Litchfield Road and Olive Ave, look for the sign pointing toward the White Tank Library. When you see the sign, you know that you are on the correct road. Then, keep driving west. After passing under Highway 303, keep driving west toward the White Tank Mountains. Eventually, Olive Ave will change over to White Tank Mountain Road. You will then see the White Tank Library on your right and the main entrance to White Tank Mountain Regional Park on your left. The White Tank Library is free to visit. More about that later on in the post.

Alternatively, to get to White Tank Mountain Regional Park from Sun City, you could get on Highway 303 at El Mirage Road, for example, and drive south before taking the Peoria Ave exit. After driving west on Peoria Ave, make a left turn on Cotton Lane and head south toward Olive Ave. Once you reach Olive Ave, make a right turn and drive west toward the main entrance of the park.

Park Entry Fees

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation charges an entry fee of $7.00 to enter the park for the day. The website for Maricopa County Parks and Recreation also lists a $2.00 Hike/Bike/Equestrian fee. Maricopa County Parks and Recreation charges several different fees for overnight camping. For the complete list of fees, see the following list here.

Alternatively, you could pay $85 at the park entrance for an Annual Day-Use Entry Pass, which will get you into all of the parks managed by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation for the day. Honestly, I don't know why I just didn't fork over the $85 to get an Annual Day-Use Entry Pass, especially since I would go on to hike at Cave Creek Regional Park a couple of weeks later.

After I paid the $7.00 entry fee, I picked up the following park map from the friendly and helpful Maricopa County Parks and Recreation employee. Even though I was planning on using the AllTrails app for my hike, the paper map of White Tanks Mountain Regional Park was actually quite useful during my hike for when I just wanted a quick overview of the trail.

Park Map of White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Brief Facts About The Mesquite Canyon Trail

My original intention for both hikes at the White Tank Regional Mountain Park was to hike the so-called "Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop". Consisting of the entirety of both the Mesquite Canyon Trail and the Willow Canyon Trail as well as a short segment of the Ford Canyon Trail, the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop has a total length of approximately 8.1 miles. The Mesquite Canyon Trail itself has a one-way length of approx. five miles. The Willow Canyon Trail has a one-way length of approx. 1.6 miles. Lastly, the short segment of the much longer Ford Canyon Trail is approx. 0.7 miles in length.

I don't know what exactly came over me thinking that I could hike the 8.1 mile length of the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop as daily temperatures in Maricopa County started to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but I was willing to see how far I could go.

For trail ratings and difficulty, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation gives the Mesquite Canyon Trail a Difficult (black diamond) trail rating. The Willow Canyon Trail receives a Moderate-Difficult (clear diamond) trail rating. Lastly, the Ford Canyon Trail receives an Extremely Difficult (double black diamond) trail rating. However, I have doubts about the Extremely Difficult trail rating for the segment of the Ford Canyon Trail utilized by the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. Why? Well, according to the park map, the Ford Canyon Trail has a two-mile segment consisting of large rocks and narrow passageways near an abandoned dam that had been built in the White Tank Mountains.

Here is a handy table:

Trails That Make Up the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop

Trail Name	Length (Approx.)	Trail Rating
Mesquite Canyon Trail	5.0 Miles	Difficult
Ford Canyon Trail	0.7 Miles	Extremely Difficult
Willow Canyon Trail	1.6 Miles	Moderate - Difficult

Please note that the length for each trail is approximate and for one-way. If you used the distances given by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, the total lenght of the Mesquite Canyon Loop Trail is in the neighborhood of 7.3 miles total. In contrast, AllTrails.com states that the total distance for the Mesquite Trail Loop is at 8.3 miles. That's a difference of one mile. To get a more accurate measurement, I suppose you could use a GPS navigation device during your hike. During my first hike at White Tanks Mountain Regional Park, I used the AllTrails app to assist with land navigation. More about that later.

Hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail - First Hike

On the morning of Saturday, May 10, 2025, I woke up at around 4:30am. I quickly got dressed, brushed my teeth, and shaved. I then quickly gathered all of the things that I would need for hiking that morning at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, such as sunscreen, a scarf to protect my neck, an emergency flashlight, a pocketknife, things to eat while hiking, and my old pair of trekking poles, among other items. I also filled up my Gregory 3-liter hydration pack full of water. After a quick breakfast and a cup of coffee or two, I gathered my hiking boots and wide brimmed hat, I moved everything I needed for hiking to the trunk of my car. I quickly conducted a final inventory to make sure that I wasn't forgetting anything. It's never fun to realize that I forgot something important after arriving at the trailhead.

Ramadas at the Mesquite Canyon Trailhead. (Photo by me.) 

After starting my car, I did a quick check of the weather forecast on my cellphone. The predicted high for the day was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with clear, sunny skies. Since it was early May, the main topic of conversation in the Phoenix, AZ area was the arrival of summer and the inevitable high temperatures it brings. According to my watch, the time was now 6:00am. It was time to hit the road. "Time is not your friend," I muttered to myself and then started the car.

Like I mentioned previously, I took the easy way to get to White Tank Mountain Regional Park. In Sun City, AZ, I drove west along Bell Road. Since it was early Saturday morning, the streets were largely empty. Before I knew it, I arrived at the intersection of Bell Road and Litchfield Road. I then made a left turn and then headed south. The streets were still largely empty. Once I reached the intersection of Olive Ave and Litchfield Road, I made a right turn onto Olive Ave. The White Tank Mountains began to loom large in my field of view. After about 10 minutes, Olive Ave changed over to White Tank Mountain Road. For long stretches of time, I was the only car heading west. After passing by the White Tank Library, I arrived at the entrance gate to the park. I paid the $7 entry fee, got my free park map, and drove to the trailhead.

The parking lot at the Mesquite Canyon Trailhead. (Photo by me.)

Since this was my first time visiting White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I did have some difficulty in locating the parking area for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. After paying the entry fee, you drive north on White Tank Mountain Park Road. I missed making a left turn onto Waterfall Canyon Road to get to the parking lot. I ended up making a left-hand turn onto Ford Canyon Road. Fortunately for me, Ford Canyon Road changed over to Waterfall Canyon Road. I quickly saw the ramada (#7) that was located near the parking lot for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop.

As I turned into the parking lot, I quickly noticed that there were probably no more than half a dozen parked cars. There was even a bathroom near the parking lot. Looking at my watch, I noticed that the time was 6:45am. It was time to get ready to go hiking. As is common whenever I go hiking, I go through something of an elaborate ritual. I searched through my Gregory Nano 22 H20 Hydration Pack with a 3-liter capacity for my sunscreen. After applying sunscreen all over my face, ears, and neck, I took off my shoes and socks. I then put on my hiking socks before putting on and lacing up my Zamberlan 996 Vioz GTX Men’s Hiking Boots. Then, it was time to put on both sets of my Thuasne Rebel knee braces. I then opened up a 1.5-liter bottle of water and began to fill up the 3-liter reservoir in the Gregory hydration pack full of water. After that, I then slung my Gregory hydration pack over both shoulders. Then, I put on a pair of workgloves for my hands. After wrapping a scarf around my neck, I put on my wide-brimmed hat that I bought at REI. I then put a pocket knife in one of my cargo pockets. Just in case. I also brought along some food to eat inside my hydration pack. After taking out my old pair of trekking poles, I did one last search of the trunk of my car for anything else that I could possibly need.

Other items I either wore or carried inside my Gregory Nano 22 H20 Hydration Pack included:

• One Black Diamond Cosmo 350 Rechargeable Headlamp
• One Sol Emergency Blanket XL
• One Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .3 Medical Kit
• One Coghlans Featherweight Mirror
• One REI Sahara Sun Hat with Cape

Now, did I have to bring all of that stuff? It depends on your comfort level, really. However, I learned in the Army that it's difficult to anticipate when you might need something. It's better to pack an item and not use it than to need an item and not have it at all. Plus, several weeks prior to hiking at White Tank Mountains, I was caught after sunset on the hiking trail over at Deem Hills in northern Phoenix. Since I didn't anticipate being on hiking after sunset, I had completely forgotten to pack either my headlamp or a flashlight. I had to use my cellphone with its depleted battery to get back to my car. It wasn't very much fun. After all, a signaling mirror and an emergency blanket don't take up too much space.

All ready to hit the trail. (Photo by me.)

As I was getting ready, I noticed that two women had parked their car in a parking spot close to mine. They got out of the car, put on their gear, and walked over to the trailhead. After locking my car, I also headed over to the trailhead at the west end of the parking lot. The sun had already risen above the horizon in the east. It was going to be a hot day out on the hiking trail. In the west, the moon hung low over the White Tank Mountains in a deep blue sky. It was a really cool image. The visual was right out of Frank Herbert's Dune books.

After taking a look at the trail map for White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I activated the workout feature for hiking on my Samsung 7 watch. After waiting for the countdown to complete, it was time to start hiking. As it happened, the two women from the parking lot weren't too far ahead on the trail. As I began my hike, I made the decision to turn on the AllTrails app on my cellphone. I just wanted to see where I was as I hiked along the trail. Even though I had looked at the map for the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop over at the AllTrails website several times prior to the day of my hike, I was still a little apprehensive about the trail. I did my map reconnaissance of the hike, but I still didn't really know what to expect during the hike. Just as an aside, and I'm sure I have written about this here on my blog on previous occasions, the AllTrails app is a real battery drainer if you use the app during your hike. Plus, to me, using the AllTrails app is a big hassle if you want to take photos during your hike. I found out that if I wanted to take photos during my hike, I had to stop hiking, pause the AllTrails app, take a photo, and then unpause the AllTrails app in order to save battery life. Now, can you have the AllTrails app running in the background while you are taking photos? Absolutely. It's all a matter of personal preference, I suppose. Moreover, do you even need to use the AllTrails app? It depends on the trail and the terrain that you are hiking on. It also depends on your comfort level of always knowing where you are. More on that later.

The trailhead for the Mesquite Canyon Trail. (Photo by me.)

According to AllTrails.com, the Mesquite Trail Loop starts at an elevation of 1,544 feet with a 0% grade, or slope. At first, it's fairly easy hiking along the Mesquite Canyon Trail. It was easy to get lost in the deep blue sky with the moon overhead with the desert mountain terrain all around you. Even though it was only a couple of minutes past 7:00am, there were already a couple of early morning hikers returning back to the parking lot. At approximately the half-mile mark, the trail enters into a series of several fairly steep switchbacks in what appeared to be an unnamed canyon. The change in elevation was drastic. As I took a break prior making my way up a switchback in the trail, I took a look back at the parking lot and was quite surprised at how high I already was. Fortunately, the Mesquite Canyon Trail was clearly marked and in excellent condition. There were a few steps created out of rocks and a fence at a couple of places along the trail.

At approximately 1.1 miles along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I reached the top of the ridge with an elevation of 2,130 feet. It was quite a workout to get to this point on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. Looking back at my progress on the trail thus far, I was stunned by the desert beauty of the trail. I could see the trailhead and the parking lot far below me. As I continued to progress along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I saw the Mesquite Canyon itself on the north slope of the ridge. Mesquite Canyon ran down from the White Tank Mountains with a west-east orientation. I could even see the parking lots and picknick areas for the Ford Canyon Trail. The view was breathtaking. After taking a couple of photos of the area, I noticed that the two women hikers that I had seen in the parking lot earlier weren't too far ahead of me on the trail. The trail then curved along the side of the ridge and then headed west into the White Tank Mountains. On my left was the mountainside, and on my right was Mesquite Canyon itself. Down at the bottom of Mesquite Canyon appeared to be a dry creek bed. It looked like it had been a while since it had last rained at the White Tank Mountains. As I headed west along the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I could see the broadcast towers on the top of Barry Goldwater Peak. It was as if I could just reach out and touch the broadcast towers. As the trail was now relatively flat, I started making a rapid pace. I passed a fellow hiker who was on his way back to the trailhead. As he passed by, I noticed that he was wearing anti-snake bite gaiters on top of his hiking boots and socks. The gaiters went all the way up to his knees. In hindsight, that probably wasn't a good sign, but I didn't think anything about it as we acknowledged each other.

I think I'm going left. (Photo by me.)

Before I knew it, I was less than 50 feet away from the two women hikers. I could hear that they were talking to each other. They were just chatting up a storm as they hiked. I think one of the women was talking about remodeling her bathroom. Why I remember that, I don't know. However, when you do go hiking with another person or with a group of people, you end up talking about mundane subjects such as remodeling your bathroom.

After hiking 1.8 miles on the Mesquite Canyon Trail, I then reached a trail junction sign. I also encountered the two women hikers taking a water break near the trail junction sign. The two women wanted to know what they would see if they went left or right on the trail. I explained to them that they were on the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. If they decided to go to the left, they would continue along the Mesquite Canyon Trail for another couple of miles before the trail joined a portion of the Ford Canyon Trail before joining the Willow Canyon Trail. If they decided to go to the right, they would then be hiking on the Willow Canyon Trail before joining the Mesquite Canyon Trail. I said that it probably didn't matter which route they chose as they would eventually return back to the trail junction sign. However, there was a big difference between the Mesquite Canyon and Willow Canyon trails. After consulting the AllTrails app on my phone, I saw that the Mesquite Canyon Trail appeared to be relatively flat (for the most part). In contrast, the Willow Canyon Trail involved hiking up a mountainside. Since it was anticipated to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit by 10:00am, the two women decided to hike on the Mesquite Canyon Trail for a little bit longer before turning back. I made the decision to tag along with the two women.

As we left the trail junction sign area, I realized why I was seeing quite a few hikers already heading back toward the trailhead and the parking lot. To hike to the trail junction sign from the trailhead and back was almost a four-mile hike. For most people, that distance was probably a really good morning cardiovascular workout. It really wasn't too dissimilar from what I had seen people at, say, North Mountain or at Piestewa Peak do for a cardiovascular workout.

I couldn't tell if the two women were from out of town or if they were just like me, visiting White Tank Mountain Regional Park for the first time. In fact, the two women went right back to talking amongst themselves. I didn't mind. I was too busy trying to take in the landscape as we continued hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. After several minutes, one of the two women pointed out seeing a deer down in Mesquite Canyon. I stopped to take a look. I couldn't see anything. One thing I did notice, however, was the numerous holes along the trail to my left and right. Thinking about it now, that was more important to me. I did feel a bit more secure hiking with other people as we were the only people hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail at that time of day as far as the eye could see.

Officially starting the Mesquite Canyon Trail. (Photo by me.)

The Mesquite Canyon Trail made several zigzags and a couple of gentle curves as the trail slowly rose in elevation. The Mesquite Canyon area then suddenly opened up. The trail was near the flatter part of Mesquite Canyon. I could see a dried out creek or river bed with some bushes and desert scrub at the bottom of the canyon. Just past the creek bed, however, the mountainside dramatically rose in elevation. The broadcast towers on Barry Goldwater Peak appeared to be getting closer, yet they still seemed to be far away. The two women hikers were lost in their own private conversation. As for myself, I was overwhelmed by the desert landscape. I was looking here, there, and everywhere. Occasionally, I would open the AllTrails app on my cellphone and check on our location on the trail. I would also check the temperature on my watch. I noticed that the temperature was already in the mid-90s Fahrenheit at a little past 8:00am.

At what would be the 3-mile mark of the hike, we passed through a rock arch on our way to the source of the creek in Mesquite Canyon. Out of nowhere, the wind started to pick up. The wind was moving down the White Tank Mountains and into Mesquite Canyon. I had to tighten the strap to keep my hat on my head. The trail then turned into a horseshoe shape to go around a large rock formtion that was jutting out from the mountainside. We could see that the trail went far into Mesquite Canyon before ascending to the top of a ridge. I explained to the two women hikers that somewhere above the ridge was another trail junction sign. This time for the Ford Canyon Trail. With the wind increasing in speed and the temperature increasing, the two women hikers decided that they were going to turnaround and head back to the trailhead. I decided to hike a little further on the Mesquite Canyon Trail before deciding to turn back. Going any further on the Mesquite Trail would be a mystery to be solved for another time, I thought.

Hiker leaving the Mesquite Canyon Trail for the Waddell Trail. (Photo by me.)

As I rounded past the rock formation on the horseshoe, I noticed that the two women were already far off in the distance. I tried to catch up to them, but they were too far away. Plus, the wind kept trying to lift my hat off my head. I noticed that I was the only hiker in Mesquite Canyon. Suddenly, the wind died down. I decided to pick up the pace just a little bit. As I was attempting to keep my wide-brimmed hat on my head from the sudden gusts of thermal wind, a man running toward me suddenly appeared on the trail. He was wearing runner's shorts, socks, and running shoes. His head was bald. He held a water bottle in each hand as he was listening to music on his Bluetooth earphones. I heard music playing, but I couldn't distinguish what he was listening to. It was clear to me that he was experiencing runner's high, the euphoric state you reach when running. As a result, I moved to the high side of the trail to give the runner some clearance. The man nodded his head and kept on running past me. After going around a corner on the trail, I looked back and observed that the runner had already passed my turnaround point on the trail.

My first hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park. (Graphic by me.)

In addition to the sudden thermal gusts of wind, the temperature was starting to rapidly increase as I tried to pick up my pace on the trail. The landscape was a blur as I tried to maintain my focus on the trail. Out of the blue, I could see the trail junction sign clearly in the distance. When I reached the trail junction sign, I looked to my left and noticed two hikers coming down the Willow Canyon Trail toward the trail junction sign. It was a man and a child, probably a father and son out for a hike. Knowing that I had two miles to go to get back to the trailhead, I took a couple of sips of water and started hiking again. I then saw two women using trekking poles ahead of me on the Mesquite Canyon Trail also heading back to the trailhead. The two women were wearing Athleta/Lulu Lemon type athletic clothing with runner's caps. They were moving at a brisk pace on the trail. Before I knew it, I began my descent into the part of the Mesquite Canyon Trail that had all of the switchbacks. Since I was going downhill, the switchbacks weren't the problem they were when I was going uphill earlier in the morning. The two women with the trekking poles kept getting further and further ahead of me. All of a sudden, the knee brace on my right knee started sliding down my leg, making it more difficult to hike. I made several attempts to reposition my right knee brace without stopping on the trail. I was also drinking quite a bit of water. I noticed that there weren't too many people hiking on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. I could see the parking lot in the distance. The two women with trekking poles were now just distant dots far ahead of me. I finally reached the junction of the Mesquite Canyon Trail and the Waddell Trail. The trailhead and the parking lot were just ahead. Once I reached the parking lot, I could see that the two women with the trekking poles were finishing up loading their truck or SUV. There were fewer vehicles in the parking lot than when I had arrived at 7:00am. Once I got to my car, I stopped my Samsung watch to complete my hike. According to my watch, I had been on the trail over three and a half hours. It was close to 10:00am.

I opened the trunk to my car and took off my Gregory hydration pack. I took off my gloves and placed my trekking poles into the trunk. I then unlaced my hiking boots and took them off. Even though my Zamberlan hiking boots are quite comfortable (now that I am wearing the correct size for my feet), my feet breathed a sigh of relief as I put on my running shoes. After I loaded up all of my equipment into the trunk of my car, I sat into the driver's seat and turned on my car. I realized that I was suddenly really hungry. Despite including some snacks in my Gregory hydration pack, I didn't eat anything on my hike. I suddenly had an idea on what to do.

Hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail - Second Hike

After my initial hike at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, I made another attempt at hiking the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop just one week later on Saturday, May 17, 2025. On my second attempt, I was determined to see how far I could go before turning back on the Mesquite Canyon Trail. During the week prior to my return, I spent some extra time over at AllTrails.com studying the online topographical map and 3-D terrain view of the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop. However, I had to be somewhat realistic about how far I could go on the trail due to the predicted high temperature for the day. If I remember correctly, the predicted high temperature for the day had to be at least 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It was anticipated that the temperature would reach 105 degrees prior to 12:00pm.

Just as an aside, going out hiking in Maricopa County during the summer months, where temperatures can reach as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon, is a really BIG deal. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you start your hike as early in the morning as possible. Not all parks within Maricopa County open at the same time. Check times before you go. As I mentioned earlier in my post, White Tank Mountain Regional Park opens at 6:00am. During the summer months, it is a common item on the local news here in the Phoenix, AZ area to report how park rangers had to airlift hikers off of a trail due to a combination of sun exposure, heat exposure, and the lack of water. It always happens. Plus, since I tend to go hiking by myself, I have to be realistic as to what I can accomplish while hiking.

Thus, when the alarm on my cell phone woke me up at 4:00am on Saturday, May 17, 2025, I thought that I was prepared to get some serious hiking done. Unlike the previous week, I made sure to do as much pre-packing as possible the night before my hike in order to save time in the morning. I also took a shower the night before to save time. After drinking some coffee and eating a quick breakfast, I did a quick search around the house to make sure that I hadn't forgotten to pack an important item, such as my wide-brimmed hat or my spray-on bottle of sunscreen. Believe me, it definitely sucks to suddenly realize that you forgot to pack your wide-brimmed hat well AFTER you have left the house. It happens.

I think I was ready to start the car at around 5:15am. Already, I was behind the 8-ball. Like the previous week, Saturday morning traffice on Bell Avenue was almost non-existent as I headed west toward Surprise, AZ.

A Note About Barry Goldwater Peak

A Visit to the White Tank Library

Visiting Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers

Ideas for Future Hikes at White Tank Mountain

Final Thoughts about the Mesquite Canyon Trail Loop

Final Statistics for Both Hikes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park

UPDATE: There are quite a few things that I would like to add to my post about hiking the Mesquite Trail at White Tanks Preservation Park. In no particular order, here are some tasks for myself:

• I have a TON of photos that I took during both hikes. As a result, I will have to figure out what I am going to do with all of the photos that I took. Actually, I have an idea on how to put them into some kind of an order.
• I just downloaded a topographical map of the Mesquite Trail. I will need to go through and properly annotate the map.
• I also need to gather all of my statistics from the hike.

I just need to sit down with a pen and a two-page spread in my bullet journal and start brainstorming ideas for this post.

More to follow.

Cactus League Opening Day 2024...

Cactus League Opening Day 2024

My original intent for this post was to be about attending the Opening Day of the 2024 Cactus League season at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, AZ. The game was played between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, February 22, 2024.

I will have to spend some time on planning out this and all subsequent posts about the Cactus League games that I attended.

Meanwhile, you can read my previous post about the Cactus League at the following link. Think of that post as more of an introduction about the Cactus League.

All About the Peoria Sports Complex

Welcome to Spring Training 2025. (Photo by me.)

In my previous post about the Cactus League, I created a map depicting the locations of the various Cactus League stadiums to be found throughout Maricopa County, AZ. Actually, I'm quite proud of how both the map and table I created for that particular post turned out. Since I currently live in the Sun City-Peoria, AZ area, the closest Cactus League stadium to me is the Peoria Sports Complex.

Map of the Peoria Sports Complex

In no particular order, here is an info dump about the Peoria Sports Complex. (Note: I have wracked my brain over the past several weeks trying to come up with a way to structure and organize all of this information. I can't seem to figure out a way to do either. For now, it is what it is.)   

Welcome to Peoria Stadium. (Photo by me.)

As I mentioned in my previous post about the Cactus League in Arizona, the San Diego Padres of the National League and the Seattle Mariners of the American League are the two main joint tenants of the Peoria Sports Complex. Based upon my research, both teams have an agreement with the City of Peoria, AZ to use the Peoria Sports Complex for Spring Training games until the year 2034. As a result, if you a fan of either team or you live in the Sun City/Peoria/Glendale, AZ area, you can relax.

San Diego Padres Team Logo

Seattle Mariners Team Logo

The Peoria Sports Complex is the main venue for Spring Training games for Major League Baseball in Peoria, AZ. While the Padres and the Mariners share the use of the stadium for games, including playing each other, each team has their own separate administrative offices, training facilities, practice fields, and clubhouses at the Peoria Sports Complex. In fact, they even have their own separate parking lots for the public to use.

Padres and Mariners logos on road barriers. (Photo by me.)

In addition to the Padres and the Mariners, there are other tenants of the Peoria Sports Complex. They include the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. Previous tenants have included the Peoria Saguaros (Note: The Peoria Saguaros are now known as the Surprise Saguaros.), the Sun City Solar Fox (Note: The Sun City Solar Fox are now known as the Mesa Solar Fox), and professional soccer team Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship. When the Phoenix Rising were playing at the Peoria Sports Complex, they were known as Arizona United SC.

Peoria Javelinas Team Logo

Surprise Saguaros Team Logo

Arizona United SC Team Logo

Curiously, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japanese Professional Baseball used the Peoria Sports Complex for Spring Training during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, while Shohei Ohtani was still with the team.

Nippon-Ham Fighters Team Logo

Nippon-Ham Fighters participating in a practice game at Peoria Sports Complex.

With Cactus League baseball games typically ending in late March, the City of Peoria does hold other events throughout the year at the Peoria Sports Complex in addition to sporting events. For additional information, I would recommend visiting the website for the Peoria Sports Complex itself. 

Seattle Mariners banner. (Photo by me.)

San Diego Padres banner. (Photo by me.)

Architecture firm Populous Holdings, Inc. designed the Peoria Sports Complex. The facility was formally opened on February 26, 1994. The complex cost a total of $32 million to build. The construction cost of the stadium itself was $7.7 million. The stadium at the Peoria Sports Complex seats a total of 11,333 spectators.

Map of the Baseball Stadium at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Seating at Peoria Sports Complex

The Peoria Sports Complex seats a total 12,518 spectators. I am not too sure if that number refers to the total number of seats available as spectators are allowed to sit on the grass along the outfield fence. According to the Peoria Sports Complex website, sitting on the grass is considered its own seating area separate from the main seating area. Just be aware of this distinction should you decide to order tickets for a game online at either the website for the Peoria Sports Complex or the website for Major League Baseball. Once you order your ticket(s) online, you will have to download the MLS app onto your cellphone to access your ticket(s) on game day.

Here is a further breakdown for seating at the Peoria Sports Complex:

• Infield box seats: 1,420
• Outfield box seats: 1,454
• Upper box seats: 2,803
• Club seats: 252
• Bleachers: 1,728
• Accessible seating: 176
• Lawn seating: 3,000
• Standing Room Only: 500
• Practice fields: 100-seat and 250-seat bleachers

Looking out from behind home plate. (Photo by me.)

The view toward home plate from The Pavilion. (Photo by me.) 

Location, Location, Location

The Peoria Sports Complex is located at 16101 N 83rd Ave, Peoria, AZ 85382. The stadium is close to boundary line Peoria shares with nearby Glendale, AZ. The Peoria Sports Complex is located in what is known as P83, which stands for Peoria and 83rd Ave. P83 is designed to be an entertainment area. P83 consists of numerous national chain restaurants, a 14-screen movie theatre, and several mid-budget hotels. The P83 area bleeds over to the Arrowhead Towne Center shopping area in Glendale. The boundaries for Peoria and Glendale in the P83 are definitely murky. It really is one of those situations where you could be standing in, say, Glendale, cross the street, and then you would be in Peoria without even realizing it.  

Map of the Peoria Sports Complex Area and the P83 Entertainment District.

For parking your car at the stadium, there are two parking lots. The west parking lot (aka the Mariners Lot) is right along North 83rd Ave. The parking lot is roughly located between the intersections of Bell Road and North 83rd Ave in the north and Thunderbird Ave and North 83rd Ave in the south. The west parking lot (aka the Padres Lot) is located east of the stadium along West Paradise Lane. It's located just east of the intersection for North 83rd Ave and West Paradise Lane. Of the two parking lots, the Mariners Lot has more parking spaces than the Padres Lot. Additionally, there are three entrances for the Peoria Sports Complex available from the Mariners Lot. If you park your car at the Padres Lot, there is only one entrance into the stadium, which is located behind center field. The first time I went to a baseball game at Peoria Sports Complex, I didn't do my research before getting in the car, so I ended up parking over at the P83 entertainment district and walking across North 83rd Ave to get to the stadium. On subsequent visits to the Peoria Sports Complex, I have parked my car in either the Mariners Lot or the Padres Lot without too much trouble. Since the Padres Lot is the smaller parking lot of the two, parking can be a little tight depending on who is playing. 

Parking Lots at Peoria Sports Complex

Walking through the Mariners Lot to the main entrance. (Photo by me.)

At the main entrance to the Peoria Sports Complex. (Photo by me.)

Food and Drink

For food and drink during Cactus League baseball games, the City of Peoria has obviously put some effort into serving more than just your typical American food that has been standard culinary fare at baseball stadiums around the United States for decades. If typical baseball park food is what you crave, you can most certainly get hot dogs, hamburgers, salted or unsalted pretzels with cheese, popcorn, ice cream, and various kinds of candy. On the other hand, there are some intriguing options to try out. For example, you could try getting the Padres Dog, which is a variation of the Sonoran Hot Dog with ground up chorizo sausage, chopped Jalapeno pieces, cotija cheese, and salsa verde on a foot long hot dog. I managed to get my hands on a Padres Dog on my very first visit to the Peoria Sports Complex. I was impressed. Just know that the Padres Dog goes fast when it's available. If the Padres Dog isn't available, then you might want to ask the people working at the concession stand. However, if the Padres Dog isn't available, you can also try the Mariner Dog, which consists of cream cheese, bell peppers, and onions. However, like the Padres Dog, the Mariner Dog is a popular food item to get. I have eaten both hot dogs. Of the two, I prefer the Padres Dog. Hands down. If either the Padres Dog or the Mariners Dog aren't available (or you don't want to wait), then you can always get the plain foot long hot dog. While not as exciting as either the Padres Dog or the Mariners Dog, it's still really good. You can get the Padres Dog or the Mariners Dog at any of the concession stands as you pass through the three main entrances next to the Mariners Lot. 

The Padres Dog in all its glory. (Photo by me.)

Bratwurst from a seller near the center field entrance. (Photo by me.)

Unsalted pretzel with cheese. (Photo by me.)

Standing in the concession stand line with Mariners fans. (Photo by me.)

If you aren't in mood for typical baseball stadium food, well, guess what? You are in luck. The City of Peoria also invites a variety of local food vendors to sell all kinds of food not sold at the three big concession stands. I suppose you could say that these food vendors are the Peoria equivalent to street food. These food vendors are located at the following places around the stadium:

• There are food vendors in the area along the third base side just past the Team Store. 
• There are food vendors in the area near the children's play area known as The Cove along left field. 
• There are food vendors behind left field in an area known as The Pavilion near the scoreboard. The Pavilion is supposed to be an outdoor beer garden under a very large tent.
• There are food vendors near the entrance behind center field. In fact, the last time I was at Peoria Sports Complex there was a food vendor that served an awesome bratwurst that was worth the $15 I spent.  
• There are also food vendors along the first base side as you walk toward the seating area. 

As if all of those options weren't enough, there is even a restaurant with an outdoor patio along the third base side of the stadium. If you sit inside the restaurant, there are plenty of TVs showing the game. As for the food inside the restaurant, I cannot tell you if it is any good or not. However, the restaurant does look nice, and the patio does have a good view of the field. 

For prices, food can be expensive. If I remember correctly, the Padres Dog or the Mariners Dog will set you back $17, for example. I think that the rather large, salted pretzel with cheese was between $10 to $12. Just know that if you decide to eat at the stadium, you will end up spending some money. 

If you don't want to eat at the stadium, within the past year or so, three restaurants opened just beyond the entrance gate behind center field. Those restaurants are Blanco Cocina + Cantina (Mexican), Postino Peoria (Italian), and North Italia (Italian). I haven't eaten at any of the restaurants, but they sure do look nice from the outside. According to Google Maps, each restaurant costs between $20-$30 per person. The City of Peoria refers to this as area as Enclave at Arrowhead. Of course, you can always go to P83 across the street from the Peoria Sports Complex for something to eat. Most are national chain restaurants, such as P.F. Chang's, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que, Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant, Texas Roadhouse, and The Cheesecake Factory. 

Blanco Cocina + Cantina (Photo by me.)

Postino Peoria (Photo by me.)

North Italia (Photo by me.)

An Important Word About Beer

Now, for a very important matter: BEER. For beer connoisseurs like me, there is A LOT to like about the selection of beer available at the Peoria Sports Complex during Cactus League games. Yes, you can get beer from the big brewers, such as Michelob Ultra and Coors Light. However, if you like craft beer, then there is definitely A LOT to like. Some of the beers available during Cactus League games at the Peoria Sports Complex are from breweries local to Maricopa County, such as Hop Knot IPA, Kilt Lifter, and WOW Wheat by Four Peaks Brewing in Tempe, AZ. All three beers are excellent. The Hop Knot IPA and Kilt Lifter are personal favorites. Other beers available throughout the stadium that I remember include 805 by Firestone Walker Brewing, Kona Big Wave by Kona Brewing, and Dos Equis Lager Especial. There are several other beers available. As if that wasn't enough, there is the Samuel Adams beer garden, called Sammy's on Third Terrace, located on the upper deck along the third base side. The beer garden primarily serves the Samuel Adams' American Light beer. Then, there are two additional beer gardens in the left and right field areas in the outfield. The Pavilion is located behind left field near the scoreboard. It has a big tent, so you can't miss it. The staff at the Pavilion serves the beer available elsewhere throughout the stadium. Meanwhile, in the right field area, there is The Deck, another beer garden. The Deck is quite smaller than the Pavillion and doesn't have a tent. However, The Deck does provide shade. The Deck offered two beers from Pizza Port Brewing in San Diego, CA, California Honey Blonde Ale and Chronic Ale Amber Ale. While I don't remember if I ever tried the California Honey Blonde Ale, I could DEFINITELY say that the Chronic Ale Amber Ale is a GREAT beer. The Deck also served a couple of beers from Stone Brewing, a famous brewery from the Escondido, CA area. Depending on the beer that you buy, beer prices range anywhere from $13 to $18 per beer.  Beers at the Peoria Sports Complex tend to be large, 22-25 ounces per can, so you get your money's worth.

Pizza Port Brewing Company at The Deck. (Photo by me.)

Chronic Ale from Pizza Port Brewing. (Photo by me.)

Sammy's on Third after a game. (Photo by me.)

A 22oz can of Wow Wheat Beer from Four Peaks Brewing.

Shopping for Souvenirs

The Team Store is basically the souvenir shop for both the Mariners and the Padres. Its located just inside the main entrance if you park in the Mariners Lot along North 83rd Ave. Inside the Team Store, you can find all kinds of Spring Training souvenirs for both teams, such as baseball caps, replica jerseys, lanyards, polo shirts, key chains, toothbrushes, and a whole lot more. Depending on what you buy, prices can be expensive. This year, I bought a replica Padres hat and a Cactus League T-shirt. The price of the replica hat was close to $40, while the price for the Cactus League T-shirt had to be at least $50. I thought about getting either a Manny Machado or Fernando Tatis replica jersey. I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that the price for a replica jersey was over $100. I wanted to buy an official Padres Cactus League 2025 hat for $45. The hats looked great, a pale yellow with brown details. Unfortunately, my head was too big, despite trying on a 7 5/8 hat size. Just note that the Team Store can get rather crowded prior to the start of a game. I have seen long lines of people waiting to get into the Team Store. If you want to buy a souvenir but don't want to wait in line to get in, then you can buy souvenirs elsewhere around the stadium. In fact, there is another souvenir store near the center field entrance behind the scoreboard. The is also a much smaller souvenir stand just past the concession stands on the first base side of the stadium. 

Souvenir Padres hat and Cactus League shirt. (Photo by me.)

   

Padres Spring Training 2025 souvenir shirt. (Photo by me.)

Souvenir stand near center field entrance. (Photo by me.)

Limited edition San Diego Padres gear for St Patrick's Day. (Photo by me.)

Limited edition San Diego Padres baseball cap for Spring Training 2025. (Photo by me.)

Attendance Figures

Attendance figures for Cactus League games at the Peoria Sports Complex can be tricky to find on the internet. After an exhaustive search on the internet, I did manage to find some attendance figures.  According to the City of Peoria, for 2025, there were a total of 31 Cactus League games played at the Peoria Sports Complex, with one rainout. A grand total of 212,514 spectators watched both the Padres, and the Mariners play at the Peoria Sports Complex. Each game played by either the Padres or the Mariners had an average attendance of 6,855 spectators. According to the Cactus League's website, a grand total of 1.6 million fans attended Spring Training games throughout Maricopa County for 2025.  

Out of the 15 Major League Baseball teams that play Cactus League games in Maricopa County, which team attracts the most spectators? Well, I was surprised by the results. According to attendance statistics from 2024, the Chicago Cubs are the most popular Cactus League team with a total of 241,215 spectators. According to a statistic I found, the Chicago Cubs have had the highest attendance in the Cactus League for the past eleven years. Maricopa County's own Major League Baseball franchise, the Arizona Diamondbacks, had the second highest attendance with a total of 199,781 spectators.  In third place were the San Francisco Giants with a total of 130,868 spectators. Surprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers had the fourth highest attendance with 121,638 spectators. And where were the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres in terms of attendance? The Seattle Mariners were the seventh most popular team to watch in the Cactus League with a total 2024 attendance of 102,209 spectators. As for the San Diego Padres, they finished last with a total of 62,450 spectators. That statistic was a definite surprise. Why the San Diego Padres have the lowest attendance in the Cactus League is beyond me.       

A Quick Word about Populous

As mentioned above, Kansas City, MO-based architecture firm Populous Architects designed the Peoria Sports Complex. Going through their corporate webpage, you quickly realize that Populous Architects have carved out a niche in designing sports stadiums around the world. They have definitely set the standard in designing sports stadiums. Populous Architects have also designed some rather famous concert arenas, such as the Sphere in Las Vegas, NV.   

As a former Baltimore area resident for nearly six years, I did not know that Populous designed BOTH the critically acclaimed Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M and T Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens. Populous also designed the new Yankee Stadium in New York City, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., PETCO Park in San Diego, CA, and Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA, among various other completed sports stadiums. Recent projects of note designed by Populous include the ultra-modern Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London and the iconic Sphere performance venue in Las Vegas, NV.

Not only has Populous Architects designed other Cactus League stadiums in Maricopa County, they have also designed several notable buildings in the Phoenix, AZ area that aren't sports stadiums.

UPDATE #1: For whatever reason, I seem to have hit a bad case of writer's block for this post. I will have to re-read and decide on how to repair this post.

UPDATE #2: I am not happy with how this post is turning out. Too much stream-of-thought and not enough planning. There should be a bulleted list in the post. The section about the Populous architecture firm should include a table. Oh, well. It's back to the drawing board.

UPDATE #3: This morning, I sat down at my desk and brainstormed some ideas on how to redesign and restructure this post. I think I have found a way forward. Let's see how I can save this post.

Brainstorming on how to rewrite this post.

No Posts for March 2025...

No Posts for March 2025

I have been so busy with other things that I completely forgot to make any new posts to my blog for the month of March 2025.

Making new posts here on my blog is always at the back of my mind.

Plus, blogging is something that I really enjoy doing.

As I have discovered as I restarted blogging in the past year or so, to do the kind of in-depth blogging that I want to do here at Blogger, it would require an enormous amount of time and dedication.

Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Like I wrote earlier, I am quite busy. Probably too busy.

Here is a partial list of what I have been up to:

• I workout at a my local gym in Sun City, AZ several times per week.
• I try to go hiking at least once per week, usually on Saturday.
• I try riding my bike at least once per week. Unfortunately, I don't seem to ride my bike nearly enough.
• I was studying for Cisco's CCNA IT certification until I realized that my A+ IT certification from CompTIA expires on July 25th of this year. As a result, after completing chapter 8 in the first volume of the Official CCNA Study Guide, I had to start the online training for the A+ IT certification.
• I got bogged down on writing posts about at attending the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, AZ and attending Opening Day of the Cactus League in Peoria, AZ.
• Since I live in Sun City for the time being, there is all of the stuff that my mother wants me to do during the day.
• I also had a couple of doctor's appointments during the month of March in downtown Phoenix, AZ.
• I have also discovered that X is quite a time waster that I need to get under control.

Getting Rejected by Google Ad-Sense

Also, during the month of March, I submitted an application to Google Ad-Sense to have advertisements placed throughout posts on my blog in order to generate an income stream. Unfortunately, after waiting for a couple of weeks, I received a notice that my application for Google Ad-Sense had been declined. The reason? Apparently, my blog doesn't meet the content requirements as set by Google Ad-Sense. I guess I have too many photos on my blog and not enough written content. Something like that. Oh, well. It was worth a shot. However, I do see a time when I leave Blogger for a different blogging platform. I am not too sure when it will happen, but it eventually will. For now, I am writing for myself and whomever else may be interested in what I write about.

Making Sense of Google Photos

Then there is the issue of how my collection of photos over at Google Photos is a complete mess. I really do need to sit down and spend some time getting my collection of photos organized into collections and adding key words to each photo. I should also inspect each photo and see if I need to make any enhancements. It can be a lengthy process.

Future Posts

In my Bullet Journal, I have a collection of future blog posts that always seems to get longer and longer.

For example, my post about the Cactus Baseball League in Arizona just kept getting longer and longer. As a result, I have decided to just go ahead and break that post into several shorter posts. I have A LOT of photos that I took last year and this year.

Before I tackle any new topics, I am also trying to finish several incomplete posts here on my blog, such as hiking the Shaw Butte Trail at North Mountain Preserve a second time as well as some posts about my bike rack and almost being the victim of a pig butchering scam.

Plus, I am rewatching the third movie I saw at the Cine Core movie theatre in Seoul on DVD. I am currently planning to write a lengthy post about that movie and how it relates to the Korean War. It's going to take A LOT of work. However, I know that I can do it.

Then, there is that list of blogging topics in my Bullet Journal that I constantly keep adding to.

Lastly, I should go over the HTML reference over at W3 Schools and see if there are additional ways that I can make my blog more sexy. I have learned quite a bit about how to use HTML, but there always seems to be more that I could learn about.

It will take some time, but I will get there.