North Peak 24

Weather:  57°, mostly sunny

About this Hike:  With 2,800+ feet of elevation gain, a hike up North Peak Trail sounded like the perfect end to a four-day Thanksgiving weekend filled with feasting. 

The trailhead is on FR 414-A, which is a turn off from FR-414. I'm glad I studied the map carefully and was aware of this. The parking area is just a "lollipop" road, but I had it all to myself. 

The trail starts in a riparian area along Mineral Creek. Had I visited a week or two earlier, I would've been treated to some nice fall color among the sycamores, cottonwoods, and (what I assume to be) sumac. A few colored leaves were still hanging on, but the peak color has certainly passed for this year.

Most of the 2,800 feet of elevation gain come at you fast. The climb is steep. Remember that what goes up has to come down... But as you ascend the views keep getting better. Look up for some cool Mazatzal quartzite formations and look down for views into the canyon made up by the lower reaches of the trail's namesake North Peak. 

As I climbed higher the views just got better and better. Today was a rare clear day in Arizona. The snow-capped Humphrey's Peak up near Flagstaff eventually came into view. 

While the hike is seldom completely flat, the brutal elevation gain eventually settles down into more of a "roller coaster." There's climbs up hills and then drops into ravines. This is the best part of the hike, in my opinion.  The scenery is typical of the Mazatzals with wrinkly green mountains in the distance, stunning rock formations, and distant canyons. One thing lacking on this hike is old-growth forest. I  believe much of it may have burned around 20 years ago. Some areas are showing signs of recovery, but the massive old ponderosas are sparse. Enjoy the few brief stands of them that remain. 

I didn't quite finish North Peak Trail. It ends at Mazatzal Divide Trail, and I opted to turn back with just about a mile to go. The air was getting chilly and I knew the hike down was going to be treacherous. 

The typical Mazatzal ecosystem and the stunning views are what make this hike worth it. Whether or not I'll be back is TBD. Now that Payson is home, there are still so many other trails around here I look forward to exploring. 

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...

Halloweekend Tradition Lives On

Weather:  81°, sunny, hot

About this Hike:  Haunted Canyon has been a Halloween-time tradition for a fourth year in a row now. My pattern is to alternate each year between the lower trailhead and the upper trailhead. This meant that 2023 was the year to visit from the steeper, tougher upper trailhead. My last visit here was in 2021.

I can't say much has changed in two years. The drive up is a little sketchy but not unbearable by any means. In past years I've done this in October. I opted to try it a little later this year to enjoy the brilliant yellow fall color of the sycamores that line creekbeds in this ecosystem. 

There is a segment of this trail that was full of overgrowth and bushwhacking. Despite getting some maintenance this spring, the bushes are growing back. While not impassable by any means, the bushwhack is annoying. I brought my clippers and did some trimming to try and make it a little less annoying. 

I saw plenty of friendly deer—some a little too friendly. Are other hikers feeding them? I also saw plenty of bear evidence, but thankfully no bears. 

The creeks are bone dry this year, although the several spring heads along this hike were dripping. Otherwise I had the parking area, the trail, and the canyon to myself. I never saw another vehicle or hiker on this exceptionally warm fall day.