Reaching the turning point of any journey is nearly always fulfilling- and last Friday’s arrival at the Falls was no exception.  Getting up and in there is ALL the fun.

There are three falls that are accessible to the casual hiker.  I imagine the rock climbers could manage to get permits to go down to the upper four cascades, but I was glad just to have a bear’s eye view to the top.

I spent about ten minutes examining the first cascade, and its pools- both the feeder and receiver.

Climbing up a short ledge to Cascade # 2, we find this:

Going up to Falls # 3 is a slight alley-oop, through a safe rock ledge, to the left of the creek flow.

There is a small beach here, at the hiker’s terminus.  I always count myself fortunate to find others at these sorts of places, so that I may take a photo of them as a couple or, as with the other day, a group of three.  I’m always glad to get a record of my own visit, in kind.

Looking backwards, I feel blessed by the power of water.  For me, a child of fire, that’s huge.

Going down the trail, back towards Sabino Visitor Center, I was  always reminded that it has been a work in progress to keep this sacred spot in the state that it was known to the ancient Sonorans.

The first people here made their marks, but no doubt found the passage to the top of the ridge as formidable as we do.

I got a nice warning from Mr. Sun that our time together in this breathtaking canyon was getting short.  The flashlight in my day pack wasn’t too fazed.

Besides, this is another place where I was being closely watched and guided.

These Seven Falls, in a dryer climate and lower in elevation than their Colorado counterparts, nonetheless inspire, comfort and reassure- just as much as the falls to the north.