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Scooby-Doo, Where are You? LbNA #72570

Owner:FamilyTreeShaker
Plant date:Dec 26, 2017
Location:
City:Sonoita
County:Pima
State:Arizona
Boxes:6
Found by: JoySong
Last found:Jan 24, 2024
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Jan 8, 2018
The last part of this hike is an uphill climb and moderate to strenuous in nature. Please be prepared to hike. Water, sunscreen, hat, pole, etc. Stay out of the washes and water crossings during monsoon. Don’t be the stupid hiker that makes it into the evening news! 

Directions to Kentucky Camp:
From Tucson, take I-10 east to Exit #281 (Highway 83 Sonoita/Patagonia). Travel south on Highway 83 for approximately 21 miles to the Gardner Canyon Road. Turn right on Gardner Canyon Road and continue a quarter-mile to Forest Service Road 163. Turn right on Forest Service Road 163 and continue approximately 5 miles to the junction of 163 and the entrance to Kentucky Camp. Stay to the left and continue to the parking lot and gate that marks the entrance to Kentucky Camp. There are signs to Kentucky Camp from Highway 83. After the turnoff from Highway 83, the road is a dirt road. It is suitable for regular cars but be prepared for them to get dusty!

Directions to the boxes:
The parking lot is outside the camp itself. Park here. You will have to go through the gate to walk down the driveway to the camp. Walk past the admin building on the left and follow the AZ trail signs out to the fence line. Immediately after going through the gate, sign-in at the registration station. They like to keep track.

Box #1: Daphne
Walk out on the AZ Trail roughly N/NW to where the trail crosses an old dirt road. From the trail marker on the far side of the road crossing, go about 50 steps and stop. There will be a prickly pear on the left in front of a black/pin oak tree. The box is tucked under a white rock on the E/SE side at the tree base just off the trail.

Box #2: Fred
Continue on the trail. Walk through an open meadow area that then transitions into short trees. After this meadow/tree area, drop down into and then up out of a small wash. Stop at the top. Sight at ~210* a large “burly” tree about 50 steps away. Walk over to the tree to find a fallen log with the opening facing you. The box is in the opening behind some rocks.

Box #3: Velma
Make your way back to the trail to continue. You will come to a gate with a very faded yellow U.S. Dept of Agriculture sign on it and an exposed cattle guard on the ground to the right. After going through gate, count 60 steps and stop. To the right is a tree with a hole about 3.5 to 4 feet above its base. Look in the hole behind some tree bark debris. Please make sure to put the box and debris back so that muggles won’t see it from the trail.

Box #4: Shaggy
Continue on the trail. Take note when the trail goes between a 6-7 trunked juniper on the left and an oak on the right. Both are very close to the trail. (Trail is very shady here and the trail will start to climb a bit after this spot.) Stop here. Count 100 uphill steps to a 3-trunked oak on the left with a large rock on its uphill side. Carefully make your way upslope to look under some smaller rocks hiding behind the large rock on the far side of the 3-trunked tree.

Box #5: Scooby
Continue on the trail. After a hairpin turn to the left, walk 50 steps up trail to an oak tree with a yucca in front of it (not to be confused with the very close oak tree with an agave in front) on the right (uphill) side of the trail. Make your way uphill to the back of the tree to find the box under a red rock and some plant debris.

Box #6: The Mystery Machine
Continue on the trail. Unfortunately, the trail is a bit rough in this section with the traffic from both hikers and horses. Shortly, the trail will top out on a ridge and flattens out a bit. Stop at a ½ alive, ½ dead juniper about 10 steps off the right side of the trail. The box is on the back side of the tree under two red rocks. Stamp into the logbook.

Take time to enjoy the view here. Have a snack. Drink some water. Take a second to practice some mindfulness. When you’re done, head back the 2.5 miles you hiked.

Please double bag and make sure to leave the boxes as you found them. Also, this is Arizona. Nothing in the wild out here is cuddly. Things will bite, stink, sting and poke you. Be aware and poke around with your hiking stick before reaching for the boxes! 


Hike length: 3-5 miles