About this Hike: We've conquered another summit with a U.S. Forest Service fire lookout on top. This one was Mt. Union, just south of Prescott, AZ.
The hike up Mt. Union is not difficult. In fact, the 'trail' is actually a 4WD dirt road, and chances are you'll encounter ATVs and the like. There's no designated parking area. You drive in along one of two routes—Walker Rd. or Senator Highway, both of which eventually turn to packed dirt. From the limited information I found online, it seemed both routes were the same in length and reported road conditions. I can tell you this after going in one way and out the other—Senator Highway is in much better condition than Walker Rd. Of course we didn't really have the right vehicle for this drive, but the old Honda Accord managed to make it over the bumpy dirt with just a few creaks and groans of dissatisfaction.
One other thing that was NOT mentioned anywhere online during my research.... I had carefully printed maps of the spaghetti-like mess of U.S. Forest Service fire roads that entangle this part of Prescott National Forest. I never expected to have cell service and/or GPS out there. On top of Mt. Union are multiple communications towers, and my Verizon phone had five bars and LTE service nearly the entire time.
We encountered a friendly Forest Ranger on the drive in, and he suggested parking just past a cattle guard at the confluence of Senator Highway and Poland Junction Rd. (Route 261). In this area there were barricades, signs, and police line tape reminiscent of this summer's Goodwin Fire closure area. However, the Mt. Union lookout tower has since re-opened. The hike to the tower is an uphill, but not overly steep, 2.5 miles or so along Route 261. This hike will take you through beautiful AZ High Country forestland.
Speaking of the Goodwin Fire, from the lookout tower the fire scar is plainly visible. At nearly 8000 feet, the Prescott Valley, Sedona, and even the San Francisco Peaks are also visible on a clear day.
We've visited a number of lookout towers throughout AZ, and each one is a unique and memorable experience. The U.S. Forest Rangers that man these towers are often interesting characters. The gentleman at the Mt. Union tower certainly did not disappoint....
Finally, there are alternate ways to access Mt. Union beyond the Senator Highway / Walker Rd. access points. The Yankee Doodle trail will take you up and over Mt. Union, along with passing through the rest of the surrounding area. To do Yankee Doodle in it's entirety you may want to plan on backpacking and camping for a night.
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| Blue spruce |
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| Mt. Union's neighboring peak, Mt. Davis |
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