Drew Canyon and 9350 Campground Trails

Weather:  57º, sun

About this Hike:  To wrap up a holiday week filled with great hikes, I decided to check out Drew Canyon Trail up on the rim. I spotted Drew a few weeks ago on a hike along the Highline Trail. Drew intersects with Highline at a prominent horse gate. 

The map indicated that Drew could be accessed from the top of the rim via the 9350 campground. This assessment was correct. With just a few campers on top of the rim today, parking was easy. I chose to park in campsite #15 since Drew trail literally bisects it. 

Down and back up Drew was just under two miles. It was a little steep going down, but not too bad. Nothing like Turkey Springs a little further west on the rim. 

I popped back up at the 9350 campground with the intention to explore more of the trails in area. There are miles and miles of loop trails including Aspen, Carr Lake, and General Crook. I ended up spending the afternoon exploring a combination of all of the above. 

The trails and junctions are all very well marked with tree blazes and signage. I used one connector trail called Boulder Hop, and that one became hard to follow. Eventually I gave up and just continued off trail toward Aspen Trail knowing it was ahead somewhere, per my hiking GPS. 

The other trails take you through typical, but beautiful, Mogollon Rim country. There are grassy meadows, thick ponderosas, and occasional blue spruces and Douglas firs. There are dry creek beds punctuated with pale rust-colored boulders. There may even be a water feature in a wetter season around Carr Lake. 

Carr Lake is where I reached an overlook point. On the drive up this morning smoke from the Horton Fire was not even visible. Fire reports indicate the fire is mostly low intensity and under control. I did see a few wildland fire crews just before Woods Canyon Lake. 

However, the winds seemed to shift this afternoon. The smoke plume became very visible near Carr Lake overlook. I could also smell the smoke and see the haze amongst the pine trees. I opted to turn back. Heading inland away from the edge of the rim meant clearer air and no smoke. I should also mention that I was careful to respect current fire closure boundaries. 

I've wanted to explore both Drew Canyon and the network of trails around 9350 campground for some time now. While the area should have about five feet of snow over it, I'll take advantage of our warmer-than-average December weather while it lasts. 

O'Leary Peak

Weather:  55º, sun

About this Hike:  I've wanted to check out O'Leary Peak near Flagstaff for a while now. Seems like every time I start planning it, something ends up railroading my plans. 

Today was a completely spur-of-the-moment trip. My truck needed dealer service, so I decided to take it to the Toyota dealer in Flagstaff. I learned this morning that I could rent a Toyota from the dealer while my truck was in for service (I remember a time when service loaners were complimentary!). I took my truck in early, rented a Corolla, and then drove up to O'Leary Peak Trailhead. 

In late December I would expect Flagstaff and its higher elevations to be buried in snow. But this year it is in the 50s and sunny. Even the San Francisco Peaks had but small patches of snow on them. While not good for Arizona's water supply and fire risk, I opted to take advantage of the unseasonable temps. 

O'Leary Peak Trailhead is right before the Sunset Crater National Monument. The trail to the peak is a road that rangers use to access the fire lookout at the summit. It's a decent road composed of colorful volcanic cinders. It only gets rutted and steep at the very end. That said, don't plan on driving it. Far as I know, the gate stays closed and is only opened when a ranger passes through enroute to the tower. 

I've read this is a boring hike due to it following a road. I would have to beg to differ. The hike starts out with amazing views of an old lava flow. If you don't feel like paying for Sunset Crater entrance, this is a great way to enjoy some similar scenery for free. The ancient lava is contrasted by ponderosa pine and aspens. About two miles up lookout for an old mine shaft. I wish I would've taken some time to poke my head in, but those old shafts always make me nervous. They seem like ready-made mountain lion dens.

Ascending the road, the views into the geological features that make up Sunset Crater become more apparent. Ancient volcanic mountains with crater-like depressions in the middle become ever more visible. The San Francisco Peaks are visible to the southwest, while Grand Canyon may be visible to the northwest. 

There is a large fire lookout at the summit along with some nice rocks for seating areas. The shutters were rolled down on the tower, but the staircase was open. I opted not to climb it. I have extreme fear of heights, and as neat of an experience as going up those towers is, the see-thru metal grate stairs freak me out. 

I signed the log book and enjoyed the views from the summit for a bit to get rested up. I had conquered five miles and 2K feet of elevation gain to summit O'Leary is just over an hour. I was paying by the hour on that rental car and so time was of the essence. 

The trip down took about the same amount of time. I found it a lot less punishing on my feet than the typical rough, rocky trail descent can be. Chalk it up to that relatively smooth cinder/gravel road. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this hike and was so happy to finally check this one off the list. 

Mazatzal Divide via City Creek and Pole Hollow

Weather:  71º, sun

About this Hike:  Just about a year ago I noted the City Creek Trailhead when exploring the ruins at Doll Baby Trailhead. I was intrigued and planned to come back.

A high in the 70s around Christmas is too warm for Phoenix. It's even worse when you're reaching these kind of temperatures in the high country. Regardless, warmer temps meant today was a good today to visit City Creek and hike up this section of Mazatzal Divide. 

I read some reports of the trail being overgrown. However, the trail was in pretty good shape, likely having received recent maintenance. 

It's the usual Mazatzal scrub and grassland with some juniper and the occasional pinon pine thrown in. There are some cool swirly red rock formations within the first couple miles. The climb is never overly steep, but rather steady. 

At 4.2 miles the overgrowth began to get worse. Still not impassable by any means, just the annoying mix of manzanita and live oak encroachment. I had wanted to get to the Red Hills junction as my goal for today. However, I was bored of this hike. I got my binoculars out and studied the summit of North Peak, some other distant ridges, and the plume of smoke from Horton Fire. 

I opted to turn back. Many times the return hike seems to go by quicker. Not this one. I was ready to be done with this. Besides boredom, I noted the Pole Hollow Canyon trailhead on the drive in. I wanted to check this out as well.

The Pole Hole trailhead along Doll Baby Ranch Road can only accommodate one vehicle. Luckily I was the only one there today. I hiked in for maybe a mile. I observed some interesting pale cliff faces and thickets of young Arizona cypress trees. There were also some cattle grazing along the creek and their 'cow pies' were everywhere. Interestingly, Pole Hollow is not mapped on All Trails, but it is mapped on Google Maps. The trail runs about three miles down to the Mineral Creek Trailhead.

If I'm looking for an easy close to home hike in the near future, I may consider doing the full length of Pole Hollow as an out and back. My plan is to start at Mineral Creek so as to avoid the rutted section of Doll Baby and to ensure enough parking. 

Mazatzal Divide Via Mount Peeley

Weather:  61º, sun

About this Hike:  It's been nearly three years since I last visited Mount Peeley. A 55 mile drive from where I lived in the valley at the time, surely it would be closer now that Payson is home.

Technically it is, but there's still a 30 mile drive south on AZ-87 before the turnoff at Sycamore Creek Road. Then there's the ~1 hour drive up the winding dirt road to the Peeley trailhead. 

This time I opted not to summit Peeley. Instead, I wanted to explore more of Mazatzal Divide trail. Last time, I was intrigued by the forest and sweeping views. My return visit did not disappoint. Much of the Mazatzal Wilderness is known for overgrown trails and fire damage. This area of Mazatzal Divide is still in great shape and has beautiful stands of ponderosa pine and fir mixed in with juniper. 

The total hike was 9 miles, which translates into 4.5 miles along the Mazatzal Divide, since this was done as an out and back. There were views into Horseshoe Reservoir, views up to the Mogollon Rim, and views of Weaver's Needle in the Superstitions. I concluded that summiting Peeley is hardly necessary if all you're after is the views. That said, summiting Peeley just to say you did it is a worthwhile endeavor unto itself.

The funny thing is that according to my blog post from 2022, I went about the same distance along Mazatzal Divide, although much of it looked new to me. I would love to explore a little deeper in the Mazatzals, although I know the other trail conditions are often not good. Mazatzal Divide is part of the Arizona Trail, so it gets frequent maintenance.

I'll probably have to take up backpacking if I want to get further into the Mazatzal Wilderness. The deepest trails aren't easily reached via trailheads. But let's face it:  I'm more of a day-hiker than a backpacker.

Fossil Creek via Bob Bear

Weather:  45º, clouds, sun, wind

About this Hike:  Usually I'm a planner when it comes to hikes. However, this one was decided upon last-minute over breakfast this morning. 

We originally talked about driving toward Camp Verde and checking out West Clear Creek. The longer drive, colder temperatures, and numerous water crossings didn't appeal to us. 

That's when Fossil Creek via Bob Bear Trail popped into my mind. I've wanted to do this hike for a while now. Being that Bob Bear is closer to Payson, and it's the off-season when permits aren't required, this seemed like the perfect hike for today.

We arrived at Bob Bear Trailhead in late morning. It was full, save for a few parking spots in an overflow area. I was immediately struck by the beauty of this canyon. The red rocks look like they belong in Sedona. As we made our way down toward Fossil Creek I noted more and more fall color. 

Warning signs at the trailhead state this trail doesn't lead to the waterfall. I'm not sure what waterfall this is referencing as the trail mostly certainly leads to Fossil Spring and then joins Flume Trail. There are actually a few waterfalls to enjoy. 

Finally I got to see up close the crystal-clear turquoise water and hanging gardens that Fossil Creek is known for. 

There is one large waterfall. It mostly drains into a pool below, but part of it drains into a round hole. A placard on the rocks warns to 'Keep out of the toilet bowl.' There was also a cave in one of the pools. Despite the cold temperatures that kept my hands in gloves most of this hike, part of me really wanted to go for a swim. Some people were swimming—cold water and air temperatures be damned! 

It was slightly warmer at the canyon bottom. I'd estimate in the low 50's. Our hike back up was uneventful and went by quickly. We enjoyed the changing light on the cliff faces. By the time we reached the parking lot at the top of the canyon it was windy and very cold. I quickly felt frostbite setting into my hands; my gloves being of little help. 

I know this is a popular summer swimming spot. So popular that permits are required in the warmer months. But hiking Fossil Creek in the off-season has it's own unique beauty—especially when there's fall color. 

Bob Bear left me wanting to explore all the other Fossil Creek trails on the Camp Verde side... 

West Webber Come-Back

Weather:  55º, sunny

About this Hike:  On July 13 I visited West Webber Trail. It was hot that day, but I noted the large stands of maples along Webber Creek. I made a plan to return in the fall to see some color in those maples.

September came along, and with it the West Fire. I watched the fire maps nervously as the fire perimeter inched ever closer to West Webber Trail. Eventually it got into the canyon. 

Now that the fire is extinguished and at least some of the closure order is lifted (East Webber remains closed), I decided to return to West Webber to see what is left. There was one trail report posted on All Trails that indicated the forest in this area is largely intact. 

This proved to be true. Most of the fire that went through Webber was likely low intensity. Most old growth evergreens seem to have survived. That said, there are occasional stands of pine where the roots must have gotten scorched. The canopy is unburned, but still the tree has died. This is also true for many of the aforementioned maples. Some are still alive, some are still green, but many have died with just a little bit of scorching at the base of their trunks. Some of them were beginning to change color, albeit the fall color is much more pale and muted compared to the color show in See Canyon. 

All through the canyon some trail maintenance is going to be needed. There's a lot of deadfall. As those scorched trees fell over, they often tore huge holes in the ground. The burned sections of black soil are often soft and easy to sink into. You definitely want to use some caution right now on this trail. 

The smell of fire and ash hangs heavy in the air, in stark contrast to the usually pleasant fragrance of a conifer forest. A winter of rain and snow will likely help to wash the ash away, while a little trail maintenance will fix the deadfall issues. 

The fire damage seems most noticeable near the top of the rim where West Webber Trail is a series of extremely steep switchbacks. Here the ground is very black, although it improves by the time you reach the top of the escarpment. 

I'm glad I was able to come back here this fall. Watching the West Fire from Payson, I had my doubts this ecosystem would survive at all. And in a short amount of time this area should heal itself and continue to be a beautiful Rim Country hike. 

Workman Creek

Weather:  78º, sunny

About this Hike:  Thanks to an Instagram ad, I was inspired to check out Workman Creek in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness. Both Salome and Sierra Ancha wilderness areas have piqued my interest, as they are a part of Tonto National Forest I've yet to explore. So many times from Roosevelt Lake I've gazed up into the Salome Wilderness, but I had yet to visit this area.

I left Payson early and opted to drive through Young to pick up AZ-288, also known as Desert to Tall Pines Scenic Byway. Despite being a state highway, I always thought 288 was dirt. Portions of it are dirt, but more of it is paved than I realized. Watch the pavement just south of Young. It's full of crater-sized potholes. The prudent driver won't speed in here lest they bend a rim, blow a tire, etc. 

The Workman Creek Recreation Area begins where FR-487 turns off from 288. There is a developed youth camp back in a mile or so. However, 487 is not a great road. It's narrow and rocky. It gets steeper and eventually becomes a shelf road with make-shift barriers on only the steepest sections. A narrow, rickety bridge traverses a fissure in the canyon. A sign advertises it's weight limit at eight tons. Needless to say, this one frayed my nerves a bit, even with a 4x4 high clearance truck.

The drive initially parallels Workman Creek. The canyon is full of bigtooth maples. As I drove further up, the fall colors became more and more vibrant. Since this was a fall color outing, my plan was to explore the creek area more on the way back down. There's also supposed to be a waterfall that I wanted to check out. 

I reached the parking area at Abby's Way Trailhead. Sufficiently tired of the road, I opted to park here, have a picnic lunch, and then set out to hike Abby's Way. A reasonably short hike leads to the summit of Aztec Peak. Even from the trailhead the Aztec Peak fire lookout is visible. The trail started out well enough. Signage looked to be fairly new. Large cairins led the way, although the trail didn't come close to aligning with the All Trails map. 

I didn't get far. The trail vanished. I went in every direction. A pile of rocks indicated it had been a cairin at one time, and so I used this as a guide. It was to no avail. I'll never understand how you can go from blazed trail and fresh footprints to nothing in a single step. 

I was wandering thru a meadow of dried grasses with a few stands of ponderosa nearby. I gave up and returned to the trailhead. 

My next plan was to explore Rim Trail 139. I opted to walk about a half mile along the road to the trailhead. Rim Trail started off OK, but quickly became overgrown. The foliage and views weren't so different from what you can find in the Mazatzals—an arid landscape of dried grasses, catclaw, and gamble oak. I turned back again.

As I walked the road, I noticed it changed. Gone were rocky sections and pot holes. It was hard-pack dirt. I grabbed the truck and decided to drive the ~two miles up to the base of Aztec Peak. I parked at the base and hiked up the road. There was a lot of traffic coming and going, and my truck was all but in the way, precariously parked to the side of the road at the base of the mountain. 

I enjoyed the sweeping panoramic views at the top of Aztec. I made note of where Abby's Way trail reaches the top of the mountain. And then I turned back. 

My next step was Moody Point Trailhead. The Forest Service has constructed a newer cabin near this trailhead. A lone Jeep in the parking area made me think Moody's was worth checking out. The trail itself recently got some maintenance and was in the best shape of all the trails I hiked today. It was still sorely misaligned with the All Trails map. A fire scorched this area decades ago. I read this could have something to do with trails having been realigned afterward. 

In fact, the ecosystem along Moody became boring. Long gone were the old-growth pines. A few charred stumps are all that remain. Gamble oak, grasses, and ferns have taken over this ecosystem, and for some time, too. The gamble oak are pretty tall and create a thick canopy. While oak can be pretty in fall, many times they just turn brown. All the ferns are brown and dead, as are the grasses. And so despite the good trail condition, I opted to turn back after a short hike. There was nothing scenic here, and eventually Moody would run into Rim Trail (assuming the map was somewhat correct). In theory you could do these as a loop using a segment of FR-487 to close the loop.

At this point, I was done attempting to find a good day hike in the Workman Creek area. I opted to head down the mountain. As is often the case, the road didn't seem nearly as precarious and the drive down was uneventful. 

The best overlooks near the bridge might accommodate two or three vehicles on the side of the road. It was busy, and there was nowhere to stop; I had to keep working my way down the narrow shelf road. The fall color views were best enjoyed in the moment looking out the window.

I stopped at a few of the larger parking areas near the bottom of the mountain. These used to be camp grounds, although signs advise they are now day-use only. Uranium mining contamination is the culprit for this change in the rules. 

Somehow I missed the waterfall. I doubt it would have mattered though. It didn't look that impressive in pictures, and with the creek at a trickle I doubt there was much to see. 

Feeling somewhat defeated, I returned to 288 and opted to go south. The highway is mostly paved in this direction, except for one dirt section that's in excellent shape. I completed this scenic drive and returned to Payson via AZ-188. I won't be in a hurry to return to this area. It's a lot of driving for little reward. I'll stick to Arizona Rim Country.