VETERANS OASIS PARK TRAILS
Chandler
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| Bird of Paradise plants frame the San Tan Mountains |
Alas, another weekend of summer high country hiking was
thwarted by thunderstorms.
With my
Flagstaff plans put on hold and the weather forecast for Phoenix looking pretty
good for at least a few hours in the morning, I decided to head off to the
green trails of Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler today.
Anchored by an urban fishing lake
surrounded by picnic areas and playgrounds, the park also features a series of
wetlands created with five recharge basins that hold reclaimed water. A maze of
trails wind among the pools and a variety of vegetation zones---mesquite
bosques, hummingbird/butterfly habitats, chaparral and water-loving riparian
plant populations keep things interesting.
Two hilltop viewing areas provide good overviews of the site
and the swarms of waterfowl that nest in the shallow basins.
The lake circumference trail is paved
and barrier-free while the wetland trails are level dirt/gravel.
An unexpected delight on the trails
were the dozens of Black-tailed jackrabbits playing hide-and-seek with my camera.
I had a blast photographing them as well as myriad vociferous birds and a flock
of Turkey vultures soaring above the wetlands.
LENGTH: 4.5 miles of inter-connected trails
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 1270' -1311'
FACILITIES: restrooms, drinking fountains, horse watering station, dog poo bag posts
DOGS: must be on leash and kept out of the water
HOURS:
Park: 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily
Preserve: 6 a.m. to sunset daily
Environmental Education Center: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday and
Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday. Closed weekends and holidays.
FREE admission
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| Great Blue Heron (left) looks over a recharge basin |
GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, travel east on Loop 202 to exit 44 for Gilbert
Road. Go 3 miles south to Chandler Heights
Road, turn east (left) and continue 1 mile to just past Lindsay Road. The entrance is on the north (left) side of Chandler Heights Road.
4050 E. Chandler Heights Road, Chandler, AZ 85249,
INFO: City of Chandler, 480-782-2890
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/urban_lake_veterans_oasis.shtml
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