Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The trail continues through a mesquite bosque and, 0.5 mile from the previous
junction, reaches the signed turnoff to Montrose Pools. (You can take a brief side trip
south, to the right, to a bench overlooking the seasonal pools in a steep canyon be-
low. A rough trail switchbacks down to the pools.) The Romero Canyon Trail turns
left (east) and becomes much narrower as it climbs steps made with railroad ties to
prevent erosion. Soon after the Montrose Pools junction, a sign indicates that you are
entering Coronado National Forest.
OCOTILLO FLOWERS ON ROMERO CANYON TRAIL
This area has gorgeously varied high desert flora: In April and May, ocotillos
bloom reddish-orange, prickly pears boast yellow flowers, and hedgehog cacti present
lilac-colored bouquets. Agaves, yuccas, and saguaros wait to enter the display in late
May and June.
Eventually the trail flattens, and on your left you'll see some strange rocks that
look like large chunks of dirt with fist-sized rocks embedded in them. The trail con-
tours to the south for a few hundred yards and then climbs east again, through oc-
casional narrow rocky passages and past ocotillos. You'll eventually catch sight of
