Arizona is known for its hot, desert climate; its red canyons; & its tall, saguaro cacti. When I think of Arizona, I think of old western movies – men in tall hats riding horseback through the desert. So, it was fitting that we ended our Arizona journey riding on the backs of horses ourselves, looking out at the sunset. 

Most of our day was relaxed & lazy. We went to visit my great uncle & aunt, & we spent a few hours in their living room reminiscing about days long past. As the afternoon began to draw to a close, we drove to Estrella Mountain Regional Park, where Corral West Adventures was tucked away.

Corral West Adventures is a nonprofit organization that rescues horses. They offer horse rides through the Sonoran Desert, & we chose to do their famous sunset ride. 

Our instructor was informative & friendly, & soon we were clip clopping over the rocks into the desert. It reminded me of those old western movies, where the cowboys ride off into the sunset. The setting sun bathed the desert in orange light. On every side, mountains grew up around us, & above our heads, the sky was painted in purple & pink stripes. From our slow, relaxed ride, we were able to observe sights of the desert we may have missed before: The saguaro filled with holes from owls who had made their homes inside, & a prickly tree whose leaves smelled like soap when you rubbed them between your fingers.

As the light faded & we returned our horses to their home, we said a final goodbye to Arizona. We would not be leaving for a few more days, but this time would be dedicated entirely to family whom we so rarely get to see.

I took one last look at the desert landscape, & despite my love for forested mountains & cooler weather, I felt a small twinge of sadness to be leaving so soon. The desert has an unexpected beauty of its own. In this place that seems inhospitable to all, life somehow still flourishes. At first glance, the landscape is brown with just a little muddy orange & red to accent, but when you take a closer look, you see colors you never imagined – bright blues, greens, pinks and oranges paint the trees, flowers & desert fruits. There is such beauty & mystery to this place, & so much more to explore. 

As the sun set, I bid the desert farewell, with a quiet promise that we would return again soon, hungry for more adventures.