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MOON ROCK TRAIL & THE STAR IN ORION'S ARMPIT
Usery Mountain Regional Park
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| Moon Rock Trail |
Admit it--this trail's name got you wondering, right? So, is
the tread way littered with lunar debris? Sort of. According to park Interpretive Ranger Brennan Basler
"Ranger B", the trail's moniker derives from the fact that both moon
rocks and those that line this trail are igneous in origin. So, except for
stronger gravity, the foot feel here would be similar to what the Apollo
astronauts experienced.
Additionally, the park has much to offer geology and astronomy buffs. On
the terrestrial level, the park is situated in the complex volcanic landscape
of the Goldfield Mountains. The rugged terrain was created by fiery eruptions,
lava flows, churning magma cauldrons and waves of ash laid down
layer-cake-style over millions of years. This part of the earth is quieter
these days, and although the rock's rough-edges are being smoothed by the
elements and adorned by Sonoran Desert life, the area's natural history is
preserved in trailside cliffs and gullies.
Above the park, a nighttime canopy of stars and planets is
celebrated with an astronomy expert during stargazing events. The final
telescope-peeping night out of the season will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 which is the perfect time to view a waning moon, and the planet Jupiter
hovering above constellation Orion--the club and shield-wielding hunter. Orion dominates the winter sky and
includes one of the largest objects in the universe visible to the naked
eye---the star Betelgeuse (say: beetle juice) in its armpit. The variable red super
giant’s girth is about 1000 times that of our sun and if it were placed at the
center of our solar system, it would engulf Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and
maybe even Jupiter. But, get out there to see it soon--it's nearing the end of
its stellar lifecycle and will likely explode in super nova style in the next
few thousand years, which in geological time, is tantamount to a wink.
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| Blevens Trail |
LENGTH:
3.5-mile loop
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 1860’ – 1895’
FEE: $6 daily fee per vehicle
GETTING THERE: 3939 N. Usery Pass Road, Mesa AZ
SUGGESTED HIKE USING MOON ROCK TRAIL:
From the trailhead staging area, hike 0.5-mile west on Blevins
Trail (BL), connect to Moon Rock (MR) and continue 1.3 miles to Levee Trail
(LV). Follow LV 0.5 mile to Crismon Wash Trail (CR-W), turn north (left), hike
0.9 mile back to BL, turn right and go 0.3 mile back to the trailhead.
STAR GAZING EVENT: Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
Group Picnic Area D. Bring a lawn
chair and dress warmly. No registration required. No pets.
INFO: Usery Mountain Regional Park, 480-984-0032
