Marshall Lake to Walnut Canyon

Weather:  70º, sunny, windy

About this Hike:  A couple months ago we did a quick day hike in Walnut Canyon. While a pretty area, Walnut Canyon isn't exactly new territory to me anymore. However, I did notice a segment of Arizona Trail intersects Walnut Canyon with a sign reading 'Marshall Lake 4.7 miles.' 

Since we've been exploring segments of the AZT all along Lake Mary Road this summer and fall, I wanted to come back and explore this Marshall-Lake-to-Walnut-Canyon segment. Today was the perfect day weather-wise, so I loaded up the truck and drove up to Flagstaff. 

I parked at Marshall Lake which has a good size parking area for the AZT trailhead. The so-called lake is a big grassy meadow right now. Last week's rain obviously didn't do much for it, but I'm sure it's beautiful when full of water. Perhaps after a wet winter I'll need to return to this area... The area is very popular for dispersed camping, and as usual, I found myself wishing I had small RV or camper van. 

The scenery along the trail looked like pretty much all the other hikes I've done near Lake Mary Road: stands of ponderosa, grasslands, meadows, and the occasional cattle tank. I saw just two other hikers and a few bicyclists. Otherwise, I had the trail to myself. Unfortunately many segments of forest are being actively logged in this area. Large dozer-line roads bisect the landscape while ponderosa logs are piled 20 feet or more high, their mulched branches littering the ground. 

The best scenery by far was the final 1.5 miles before descending into and joining Walnut Canyon. The forest turns more lush. Firs intersperse with the ponderosas. The views open up looking into the canyon, into Flagstaff, and toward the San Francisco Peaks. 

In the canyon and near the junction with the main trail there is a neat sandstone formation. It has a pale pink hue and the typical sandstone striations. There is a little rock overhang that some may want to call a cave. A quick climb up a side trail leads to a mini rock arch / window. 

While not a jaw-dropping hike, this was a fun ~10 mile round trip Saturday afternoon hike.