SaddleBrooke Hikers explore Honey Bee Canyon

Karen Gray

On a cool but sunny morning, 13 SaddleBrooke hikers left for a desert hike in Honey Bee Canyon in Oro Valley off of Rancho Vistoso Road. The day warmed up quickly and it was a lovely morning to hike. We decided to do the north route to the end at the dam. Along the way we saw some good petroglyphs and some grinding holes, reminding us of the original desert dwellers in the area. We also saw an old water trough, which represented later, more recent inhabitants. We returned to the start and went about a tenth of a mile to another dam and a slot canyon. We also found an old metal tank that may have been a still from the days of prohibition, and this was an area where there were many illegal stills. The slot canyon requires some further investigation—a hike for another day.