The Arizona Sonoran desert is surprisingly beautiful. Eons of wind and rain sculpt the granite backbone of the Tucson Mountains into amazingly intricate forms.
My favorite is the Rock Angel of the Desert. Facing an outcropping opposite Cat Mountain, she stands silent, wings folded, head bowed, face obscured by its cloak.
Her form is ethereal. For half an hour during the afternoon the sun paints the rock face with shadows, and she appears.
As the sun inexorably moves on its way to evening, she disappears from view.
No named trail leads you to her, but the location between Cat Mountain and Cat Back is easily accessible, either from Tucson Estates II or from the east flank of the mountain which overlooks Tucson.
If you visit, do so in the early afternoon, and bring a camera. It's worth the hike.
Photos © Michael Jones 
