Hiking the No-Name Trail

White Tank Mountains Regional Park, Arizona (March 13, 2025) I tossed and turned all night, and when I finally got out of bed, I doubted I had the energy for a hike. But after I found my resolve in a second cup of coffee, I headed to White Tank Mountains Regional Park.

I was glad I did!

I hiked a loop trail that defied easy naming. Why? Because its route was pieced together from segments of four distinct trails—South, Goat Camp, Bajada, and Mule Deer. While I had hiked Mule Deer Trail a few weeks back, the other trails were new to me. 

From start to finish, I trekked 4.8 miles in two hours 10 minutes—not a bad pace (for me), especially given how often I paused to take photos along the trail. The trail—broad and with minimal elevation gain—was composed of hard-packed dirt punctuated by rocks and an occasional small boulder. This rugged, natural path tested my footing and focus, and for this reason I’d rate the trail as “moderate.”

These five words have probably launched more adventures, solved more mysteries, and sparked more ideas than anything else.

~ Anonymous

I am, by nature, an inquisitive person. In fact, my favorite words are the Five Ws—who, what, why, when, and how. (Yes, I know...’how’ begins with ‘H.’) So it came as no surprise to me that I had many questions as I gazed at the rugged expanse. For example, I wondered: Why were these mountains named ‘White Tank.’ What tales would the name ‘Goat Camp Trail’ reveal? And how many years does it take for a mighty saguaro cactus to reach 40 feet tall?  

With cell phone in hand—and a strong connection to the internet—I quickly found answers to these questions and more:

• The White Tank Mountains, formed through tectonic activities, were named for the light-colored, almost white granite found in the area. The natural rock formations known as ‘tanks’—because they served as water reservoirs—were created through erosion over thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years.
• The area around Goat Camp Trail was once used by herders who grazed their goats in the White Tank Mountains. These herdsmen often camped where their goats roamed, and over time, the area became known as ‘Goat Camp.’ While the original tales have been lost to time, I could imagine stories of mischievous adventures, lessons on life in the desert, and spirited competitions.    
• A saguaro grows slowly at first—just 1-2 inches during its first 8-10 years, and thereafter about 1.5 inches per year under normal conditions. By 100 years of age, a saguaro stands 15-25 feet tall and will eventually reach its full height of up to 40 feet after 150-200 years. It’s fascinating to reflect on this gradual growth—I saw many saguaros that seemed to approach 40 feet in height—and mind-boggling to think about the topographical changes a single saguaro might witness over centuries in the ever-changing desert.

​I love hiking on desert trails for their unique blend of beauty and tranquility—vast, open landscapes dotted with towering cacti, Palo Verde trees, and other desert vegetation, set against a backdrop of rugged hills and jagged mountains. I was in 7th heaven as I hike the No-Name Trail.

As a side note, you won't find 'No-Name Trail' on any trail map, as it's a name I created for this story.

As I’ve hiked the trails in the White Tank Mountains Regional Park, I’ve come across something special: park benches, made of stone or hardened plastic, marked with a memorial plaque “to reflect a loved one’s spirit and the person’s relationship with nature.” 

As I hike, I like to pause at a few benches to read their inscriptions. Here was one I came across on Goat Camp Trail: 

Here sits Debbi
Debra Lynn Hayes: 1/26/1949 – 4/5/2017
Enjoy the view and my mountain

It was a beautiful, lasting legacy in a place of peace and reflection.

Until next time, my friends, happy trails to you!