Abineau Bear Jaw Loop

Weather:  67º, sunny

About this Hike:  I read about this hike in Phoenix Magazine just a week before taking a trip to Sedona.  I looked it up and then saved this hike on my All Trails app.  

Sedona has been hot this week; almost too hot to hike by mid-day.  I was on the fence about making the drive up to Flagstaff, but am very glad I did.  A quick pit stop at Fry's in Flag for gas and I should have been on my way.  My phone's Google Maps GPS took me toward the east approach for this hike, and after about two miles driving down Historic Route 66 I knew something was wrong.  

I ended up using my truck's built-in GPS and putting in Arizona Nordic Center as the destination. I had to go back past Fry's.  The west approach for Abineau Bear Jaw is said to be much easier than the east approach, and the turn off for it just north of Nordic Center.  

After passing Nordic Center I came to the turn-off for Forest Road 151 a couple miles later.  Then the real fun began.  There are a few turns on dirt forest roads, although all of them are fairly well maintained and signed.  Interestingly, there are cabins and ranches along these roads. At the trailhead parking, I even had cell service.  

All Trails says this hike is 8.5 miles; the Forest Service says 6.8 on their trailhead map.  Since it's a loop you can do it in either direction.  The trail splits at the Kachina Peaks Wilderness sign a short hike down the path from the trailhead.  I went right on Abineau and hiked it counter-clockwise.  Doing so gets the toughest elevation gain over with first and means a more gradual descent.  

This hike takes you through beautiful, unspoiled old-growth forest.  Eventually you leave ponderosa and mixed conifer forest for purely spruce, fir, and high-elevation conifers.  This hike has about 1,800 feet of elevation gain, topping out at around 10,300 feet.  Once at the top, there are sweeping vistas of the Grand Canyon.  At around 10,000 feet, the aspens were beginning to change color.  

The descending hike is more gradual and goes along a trail that has a few names.  The official Forest Service signs call it Bear Jaw.  All Trails calls it Waterline (aptly named as it is an old road with a rusty old water pipe visible).  I also saw one map labeling it as Inner Basin Trail (the edge of the infamous Inner Basin / Lockett Meadow?).  Regardless, it's easy to follow the loop.  

Eventually the old road returns to trail at a junction.  Here the descent gets a little steeper, and you're surrounded by thick forest.  As you get closer to 8,000 feet, the scent of ponderosa pines lets you know the fauna zone is transitioning again.   

This was a hike that nearly didn't happen for multiple reasons.  I am so glad I made the effort to make it happen and I hope to explore more of the Kachina Peaks Wilderness in the future.