Deer Creek 45

Weather:  66º, sun and clouds

About this Hike:  It's hard to believe that just over three years ago we came up and explored the South Fork trail of Deer Creek. I did not write a blog entry about that hike. 

However, back in late 2021 I noted that in addition to South Fork there are two other trails at Deer Creek Trailhead. All of them parallel each other through canyons that eventually reach the forest road near Mount Peeley—an area of the Mazatzals I've explored a couple of times.

Deer Creek trail starts off in desert ranch land. There are cow pies, cattle fence, and cattle gates everywhere. The trail parallels its namesake creek which forms a desert riparian area. At just under three  miles in is the gravesite of David Cowan. From what I've read he was an interesting explorer that settled in the Tonto Basin area of Arizona. 

We hiked along the creek and were surprised to see that it was flowing in some places, only to disappear underground again in other spots. I guess the little bit of rain and snow Arizona received earlier in the week was enough to refresh our dry creek beds. 

At about four miles in we reached the Mazatzal Wilderness boundary sign. From there on the trail conditions began to degrade. It became harder to follow. Haphazard cairns often pointed us down dead ends. We bushwhacked on a little further and I busted out my trimmers and pruned back some live oak. We were able to get down to the creek bed again and enjoyed the peaceful sound of its gentle flow. 

We opted to turn back at just over four miles. Constantly losing the trail and bushwhacking is just not my idea of a great hike. In theory you can follow this trail all the way up to the Mount Peeley parking area. I imagine this makes for a long, steep, overgrown, and rough hike. 

Regardless, now that Payson is home I'm glad to have explored this trail right in my own backyard. 

Coon Creek Ruins

Weather:  66º, sun and clouds

About this Hike:  The Native ruin sites in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness have been on my All Trails list for some time. Today I decided to pull the trigger on actually visiting the Coon Creek site. 

Parking off of FR 203 was a bit of a challenge. We located a big campsite that made for a safe parking spot. With a good map, we were easily able to modify the original hiking route, as this parking spot was past the FR 38 trailhead. This hike isn't really on trails, but rather on Jeep roads. The Jeep roads are narrow and very rocky and aren't the most pleasant hiking surface on the feet. One can drive an OHV back here and shave considerable time off the hike. 

As rust-colored cliffs came into view, the Jeep trail eventually gave out to a faint footpath. People have made all sorts of side trails, and staying on the correct one can be a challenge. A good hiking GPS is helpful here. 

Near the creek bottom the trail traverses a sandy flat with a number of scrubby trees. Cow pies are everywhere and stepping in them is pretty much inevitable. Perhaps due to this year's abysmal winter precipitation we saw no cows on this hike. Coon Creek was bone dry. 

The actual hike up the cliffside was a bit of a scramble, but not too bad. Vegetation provided plenty of handholds for the steeper sections. The reward was getting to see estimated 700 year old Salado cliff dwellings. Most of the pueblos are still surprisingly intact. The adobe walls and juniper log ceiling beams are a fascinating look back at historical architecture. 

Of course people carved their names into the those juniper beams. And the one pueblo has soot covering a lot of the interior, making me think someone lit a campfire in there at some point. 

The trail up the cliffside is very obvious. It's marked by a green gate and half a barbed wire fence. It appears this project isn't complete yet, as spools of fresh barbed wire lay on the ground. I wonder if this area is going to be closed off soon to prevent more social-media idiots from damaging the ruins? 

If that's the case, I'm glad to have (respectfully) enjoyed this piece of the Arizona's Native history. 

Wilson Mountain

Weather:  60º, sun and clouds

About this Hike:  My last recorded hike on Wilson Mountain in Sedona was in 2012. It's possible that I did it one other time in the last 12 years and just didn't record it here on this blog.

Regardless, today I decided to visit Wilson again, with the goal of reaching the Sedona Overlook and Canyon Overlook, both at the top of the mountain. Wilson is really more of a high mesa, with the top being flat and offering a few additional miles of hiking to each of the overlook points. 

Back in 2012 I probably hiked without a trekking pole, much less All Trails or any type of hiking GPS. I thought reaching the 'false summit' at the Wilson First Bench was an achievement. In fact the trail to the top goes on for a quite a few more miles beyond the bench. 

Both overlooks were stunning, with views into Oak Creek Canyon to the north and the City of Sedona to the south. The edge is a sheer drop, and I was not willing to get close to it. 

Besides the views at the top, the best part of this hike is actually near the beginning from the north trailhead at Encinoso Picnic Area. The hike goes through a red rock canyon full of maples and old-growth firs, spruces, and ponderosas. Once it climbs out of the canyon, it quickly becomes more exposed with scrub vegetation. 

The top of Wilson has suffered fire damage. Most the pines are gone, with grassland and gamble oak having taken over, between all the charred logs. There are a couple stands of surviving ponderosas near the overlook points; enjoy them while you can. 

Visiting Wilson as a more knowledgeable, more experienced, and better equipped hiker was a fun and rewarding experience. I'm not sure I will be back anytime soon, but I could always check out the Wilson trail on the south side of the mountain. This trail begins at the Midgley Bridge parking area.  

The hike down was steep and rocky--sure made me glad for that trekking pole. This was a challenging hike. Today's route was about 11 miles and 2,500 feet of elevation gain. 

Telephone Trail 72

Weather:  47º, sun, wind

About this Hike:  Many years ago on a hike at West Fork in Sedona I noted the Telephone Trail #72. I guess it slipped out of memory, that is until I spotted the little sign on the side of 89A during a drive up Oak Creek Canyon this week. 

It was chilly, but otherwise a good day for a steep hike. This one gains about 1,000 feet, all over the course of about one mile. The trail is in excellent shape and easy to follow. 

Initially it parallels the trail's namesake: an old utility line. I imagine this is no longer in service, as sections of the wire now lie on the ground right next to the footpath. 

About halfway up there's an interesting formation. Rock arch 'windows' dot a wall of pale sandstone. This is a nice spot to stop for a break. 

The final push to the summit involves hiking on a narrow 'backbone' and then into dense forest. From there, the trail gets extremely steep. The summit is worth the effort though. While still forested, the trees do thin a bit at the summit. There are phenomenal views of the mountains forming Oak Creek Canyon and also the San Francisco Peaks to the north. The beginning of West Fork is also very visible. There is a sheer drop off, if you're willing to get near the edge. 

The hike down is treacherous. I took my time, often using the traction offered by pine needles and fallen logs next to the trail. This was opposed to keeping my feet on the loose gravel and dirt path. At one point I crouched and did a controlled slide down. 

This hike packs a lot into about two miles round trip, both in effort and reward. It definitely felt like more than just two miles. 

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.