Rock Creek 42

Weather:  70°, sunny

About this Hike:  Rock Creek Trail 42 sounded intriguing. This hike thru the Mazatzals was supposed to take you by a waterfall before the trail ends at Mazatzal Divide Trail. 

I drove to the trailhead via forest roads accessed from Rye just off AZ-87. In theory you could follow this same FR-414 down from Payson. While I'm sure it's a beautiful drive, I prefer to limit my time off the pavement. 

The drive in was OK, save for the two final creek crossings which featured large boulders and were  uncomfortable. My Tacoma made it thru unscathed. 

A well-marked 'TH42' sign indicates the start of Rock Creek Trail. Initially the hike follows the creek, and I honestly think this is some of the best part of the hike. The sycamores lining the creekbed were in full orange array of fall color, and the few cottonwoods were just beginning to turn yellow. The creekbed is a rainbow of boulders grey, grey-blue, and red-purple. 

The 2,000+ feet of elevation gain comes at you quickly and steeply on this well-maintained trail. As I reached the red-purple Mazatzal quartzite ridges, that began to change. Manzanita overgrowth began to pose more of a challenge. While the trail was still visible and the bushwhacking not impassable, it was annoying. Sometimes I was sidestepping manzanita while trying to avoid impalement by the spiky yuccas near the trail. 

I reached the rock formations and came to a perfect rock bench in the shade. There were beautiful views down to Highway 87, the Mogollon Rim, and the eastern Mazatzals. Beyond this, the trail had a sheer drop off. As in, get your ankle caught in some overgrowth and you very well may fall to your death. I have an extreme fear of heights and seeing this ledge caused me a panic attack. I opted to sit on the rock bench, eat lunch, and contemplate my next move. I was sick of bushwhacking, and honestly the map indicated the trail was going to be more of the same the rest of the way to the waterfall—steep, sheer drops, and likely overgrown. 

As I've found myself doing more and more lately, I made the tough decision to turn back, not having reached my goal at the waterfall. By the way, the waterfall was sure to be dry, but I still wanted to see those cool rock formations that water spills over when the creeks are flowing. 

The hike down was uneventful, although I was very cautious considering the steepness of the trail. The Mazatzals have a lot to offer in terms of rock formations and cool high-desert-to-forest scenery. There are better options than Rock Creek 42 in my opinion...