Week 5: Papago Park Hole-in-the-Rock

Papago Park has  rich Native American History. It was also used as a P.O.W. camp for German prisoners during World War II. Its area includes the Phoenix Zoo, the botanical gardens and our chosen destination The Hole-in-the-Rock.

The Hole-in-the-Rock is a natural geological rock formation in Papago Park. There is evidence that the Hohokam Indians settled near this natural monument thousands of years ago. Climbing to the top is easy for kids of all ages. Better, you can park right at the base. Every time we go there are always a couple of families and grandparents with their grand kids.

So the trick to this Phoenix, Az,  thing is to get out early or stay out late, and since with little kids staying out late means lots of crying, screaming and possible biting, we tend to choose the early option. My kids are worlds better in the morning. The trick is getting them up and out early enough to enjoy the cool weather (by cool I mean 90 degrees guys, don't get too excited).

As we all know with kids, having definite plans is a no no. Things have a tendency to implode just at the critical moment, so I always start out the week thinking, some morning this week we will make it to Papago Park, and then, I am the best mom in the world because we DO make it to Papago Park some morning during the week. If I planned it for a specific day and it didn't work out, then I would feel like a failure. We missed one day that seemed promising due to an unforeseen shoe disappearance,but we managed to make it to Papago Park not once but twice this week! Take that universe!

Chompy calls it climbing a mountain, and ever since she did it for the first time with her big cousin she's been dying to go back! So we finally went. These pictures are from two different days. The climb is perfect for young kids because it's not too long, and there's plenty for older kids to do as well. Plus it's like a secret passageway when you climb up the back way. Super Awesome.

Stinko went, too, but he was in the carrier so no pictures! He's super fast, too, so he stayed in the carrier, too. I'm not trying to have him fall off a mini mountain when he's not even one yet.