A long spine of stone arches up in easy angles from a rocky flat to a broad-topped boulder promising a faraway view.
It is an invitation.
I accept — and stride up the granite backbone for a look from the top.
The view is a pleasing tableau of cliffs, outcrops, big boulders and distant stone spires known as hoodoos.
It is my third such perch of the day in this wild garden of geologic exuberance at an altitude of about 6,800 feet in the Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson.
Here, east of the Catalina Highway between Mileposts 15 and 16, there is no maintained trail. But with care to walk mainly on exposed rock, it's possible to weave a route among the formations and pine trees without trampling vegetation.
Natural stone sculptures catch the eye — including one that looks something like a gigantic mushroom. On the opposite side of the highway, the hulking form of Lizard Rock suggests a ramble for another day.
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A word of caution: Roaming this and other areas of steep terrain requires good balance, sure footing and common sense. Stay well back from the edges of cliffs and watch where you step.
Get there: From Tucson, take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway. Follow the highway past the Hoodoo Vista Point at Milepost 15 and watch for a parking pullout on the left as you round a bend approaching Milepost 16.
For more hiking stories, go to go.azstarnet.com/trails.
