HIKE OF THE MONTH

the verde river Greenway

Sometimes it's good to go to the dark side A VERITABLE KINGDOM of leafy canopies, the Verde River Greenway, a shady 6-mile stretch of the Verde River, runs through central Arizona. In 1986, the State of Arizona appropriated $2 million “seed money” to begin purchase of the portion of the VRG between the Tuzigoot and Bridgeport bridges in Cottonwood. Managed and operated as a unit of Dead Horse Ranch State Park, this important jewel in Arizona's ecological crown is abundant with natural and cultural resources, including a rare Fremont cottonwood/ Goodding willow riparian gallery forest that helps on my shade-seeking mission. Near the day-use area parking lot, a text-filled trail marker tells me about the area and asks me to respect the fragile ecosystem I am about to enter. For the gift of green in a drought-ridden desert, it's the least I can do in return. From the signpost, I head north a few steps and turn west into a dry, rock-filled creek bed that looks like From the signpost, I head north a few steps and turn west into a dry, rock-filled creek bed that looks like a side-winding sandbox. I follow it until I see a smaller, shaded and foot-friendly trail to the south, running parallel with the river. Though a good portion of VRG's wildlife is listed as endangered, it's hard to tell from where I stand. I'm not the only life form here seeking amnesty from the sun's ultraviolet oppression. The Goodding willow forest, which seems more like a jungle without the humidity, is a biological bonanza. Symphonies of chirps, chats, whistles and perhaps even a “cuckoo” or two broadcast from the blankets of foliage. Small fish congregate in darkened eddies of the river, and I wonder if they could be spikedace, a threatened species known to inhabit these waters. Fallen leaves and tree bark rustle, concealing the culprits that scurry beneath them while the tall grass moves and shakes. As long as the shake doesn't rattle, I don't mind. Still, I proceed with caution. The far-reaching tree branches keep the temperature comfortable, but the coolest things by far in This wild kingdom are the bugs. From the shady shore, a large turquoise dragonfly darts to and fro across the water. His speed confounds that of my digital camera, but the hoary skimmer finally “froze” himself at my feet and begs me to capture the dazzling copper luster of his horizontal wingspan before lifting off again. In his wake, a mammoth purple and blue butterfly dances into view. I gasp at its velvet beauty and dare to think it's not from around here, but before I can collect photographic evidence of my perplexing, wing-flexing friend, it quietly vanishes upriver and into thin air.

After about two hours of following the path, I notice red-and-bleached desert bluffs starting to dominate the landscape to the south. I can complete the loop by taking the long way back through the park along Dead Horse Ranch Road in the company of the blazing sun, or go solo, back the way I came. The shady, dark side beckons, and I happily retreat into the shadows. AH