Babe Haught Trail

Weather:  67º, mostly cloudy, humid, light showers

About this Hike:  Over the past few weeks I've developed a renewed interest in the Mogollon Rim. I guess I should, considering it's right in my backyard. 

After exploring along Promontory Butte last weekend, I took note of the Babe Haught Trail. Access to this one is easy if you start below the rim. The trailhead parking is along paved FR-289 right at the entrance to the Tonto Fish Hatchery. If you access the trail from the 300 road on the rim, it's a much longer drive—almost all the way to Knoll Lake. 

Rim Country has seen multiple inches of rain in the last week. Friday alone brought two inches to my backyard rain gauge in Payson, and I would imagine the rim got even more. This in part drove my decision to choose a trail with paved-road access. I did not think today was a good day for dirt roads. 

In fact, I wasn't sure today was a good day to go hiking period. The rain chances were still fairly high this morning. The skies were full of grey and white billowy clouds that occasionally broke to let the sun shine through. Even though the rain had let up, I thought the trails may be muddy. 

With brilliant sunshine illuminating Payson by mid morning I couldn't help myself. I opted to give the Babe Haught hike a try. This ended up being one of those rare times where I rolled the dice and won. 

Despite all the rain, the Babe Haught Trail wasn't muddy at all. The ground was a little soft, but this only aided in traction on the steeper sections. And speaking of steepness, compared to the trails I did last weekend—Promontory and Horton Spring—Babe Haught has a more gradual climb up the rim. It's not as vertical as the two aforementioned trails. The trail is mostly exposed and traverses through thick manzanita punctuated by burned juniper stumps. It also goes through a vein of the rim made of red sandstone that I like to call 'Sedona.' 

Upon cresting the rim, I was greeted by a distant elk bugle and enjoyed just over a mile of flat hiking through forest. I imagine somewhere in the distant past this area burned. The ponderosas are younger, albeit not tiny by any means. They're also clustered closely together with their sharp lower branches all intertwined like a forest of razor blades. This reminded me a little of the lodgepole pine growth seen in Yellowstone. 

Babe Haught reaches the 300 road and then crosses over it, indicated by signage. This is where the scenery really became enjoyable. While not quite to the level of my Barbershop Canyon hike a few weekends ago, this part of Babe Haught is full of old-growth firs, occasional spruces, and plenty of ponderosas. The trail began to follow a ravine eventually dropping down. In this little canyon a bull elk was bugling loudly. Gratefully I only heard him but never saw him. I'd rather not encounter bull elks, especially during the fall rut. 

I followed the trail along the creek which was surprisingly dry save for a few pools of standing water. With all the flash flooding we've seen this week in Globe and Phoenix this week, one must wonder where all the water is going on the rim...

The goal of this hike was to reach the southeast fork of Knoll Lake. Speaking of missing water, Knoll Lake is so low that I was able to hike over the sandy creek bed that probably is the lake bottom when the lake is full to capacity.  I'm not sure why this wasn't a muddy mess. Eventually the lake came into view. The water is the lowest I've ever seen it, and more of the namesake knoll in the middle is jutting out. I also spied people on the exposed, rocky shoreline. They were all bundled up in hoodies and jackets as a cool wind was blowing off the lake. 

Knoll Lake was my turnaround point. I pondered how getting to Knoll Lake for kayaking is a long, arduous drive on dirt roads, and yet I can hike it from the bottom of the rim in just under four miles. Up until this time I had enjoyed dry weather. This changed as I left the lake. A few spotty rains gave me a shower, although it was always light and short-lived. Thankfully there was no thunder or lightning. 

As I reached the edge of the rim and was beginning my descent back to Hatchery Trailhead, I watched rain curtains move in from the not-so-distant mountains. When these reached the edge of the rim they formed something of a mist, and the rain was never more than sprinkles. 

I arrived back home in Payson grateful for being able to squeeze in this hike on a day when I wasn't sure conditions would cooperate. In fact, I made it home just in time. As I changed out of my hiking clothes it began to thunder and lightning, all accompanied by an epic downpour. 

Promontory Highline Horton Loop

Weather:  70º, sun and clouds, humid

About this Hike:   Promontory Butte on the rim has captured my interest as of late. This area suffered fire damage during the Horton Fire last December, but finally reopened a couple months ago. 

Promontory Butte is accessed from Rim Road 300 via FR-76. I drove down 76 and then turned onto 76B. The map indicated that Promontory Trail was located down 76B. I anticipated this road may not be drivable, but in fact it was a decent road. Narrow for sure, but not wash boarded or rutted. With the area having received a good dose of rain Thursday night going into Friday, I anticipated (correctly) there would be some standing water. About halfway down the 76B road I encountered a big mud puddle and noticed a good parking area off to the side. Fearful of getting stuck in mud, I opted to park the truck and hike to the trailhead, no more than 7-10 minutes away. At the trailhead was a huge class A motorhome and a family campout. Guess that mud puddle wasn't a big deal after all... 

There is an overlook at the Promontory Trailhead. I set down my hiking pole on a rock and planned to take in the view. The rock began rattling at me. Carefully, I grabbed my hiking pole and opted to just start heading down Promontory Trail.

Going down Promontory was not particularly enjoyable. The Horton Fire wasn't super high intensity, and most trees are still intact. Unfortunately many of them have died regardless. It was a slow, steep grind down Promontory, although the trail itself is in good shape and easy to follow. The moist, but not muddy, ground helped with traction, although I still got down on all fours a few times to mitigate fall risk.

Eventually I reached the junction with Highline Trail. The signpost is still there, but the sign is gone. An orange piece of ribbon with black polka dots adorned the tree,  a relic from the Mogollon Monster 100 two weeks ago (see my Barbershop Canyon blog). 

I anticipated making up some time on Highline since it is a great trail and used for mountain biking. I did make good time. Such good time that when I checked my All Trails map it showed I had missed some sort of turn off for Horton Spring Trail. The plan was to use Horton to hike back up the rim. Panicked, I doubled back close to a mile. The supposed trail junction was nowhere to be found. I recalled reading that Highline was re-routed in places a few years ago. With relatively close proximity to Christopher Creek, I was able to get cell service. Google Maps indicated I was on the new Highline trail. Meaning I had doubled back in vain, and now had to re-hike this segment of the trail.

I continued on with All Trails showing me wandering somewhere in the wilderness, albeit roughly parallel to Highline Trail. All Trails map needs to be updated to the new Highline routing. Eventually Highline did intersect Horton at the namesake Horton Spring. This was one of the few pretty areas of the hike with lush foliage and the flowing spring. Most of this section of Highline was fire damaged. 

The climb up Horton was short and very steep. It got to me more than I expected, and I took frequent rest breaks. I honestly think the bad energy in the dead forest along Highline had something to do with it. Eventually back up on the rim, I stopped in a shaded area with some nice flat boulders and had lunch. I didn't feel great, likely needing some electrolytes. 

The final push to close the loop was about four miles along the 300 road, but using General Crook Trail as much as possible to circumvent the road. General Crook proved hard to find and follow. I ended up getting myself lost in the woods. I told myself not to panic as I observed orange slashes on many of the trees and some crushed beer cans littering the forest floor. Obviously I wasn't too far from civilization. I found a dozer line, likely a fire containment feature from last December. I followed this to an un-mapped road which took me back to 300. I gave up on the General, opting to follow 300. Despite what All Trails shows, I believe General Crook simply is the 300 road, at least in this section. 

I did find a great shortcut that worked for me cutting from 300 road back down to the 76 road. I was more sore and tired than I should have been after ~1,800 feet elevation gain and 11 miles. 

The highlight of today's trip ended up not being the hike. I bet this area was beautiful just a year ago, but last December's unfortunate fire changed that. No, the highlight was after getting back to the truck I drove the remaining couple miles of 76 out to Promontory Butte Lookout. The nearly 360 degree views of Central Arizona were breathtaking. I could see Payson in the distance and even found my neighborhood through my binoculars. Maybe with a telescope I could find my street or even my house? 

There were quite a few people dispersed camping at the overlook. And that got me thinking... I would love to camp here and enjoy the overlook in early morning light. Today's late-afternoon light cast harsh shadows and obscured some of the views.

While I don't plan on hiking the Promontory-Highline-Horton loop again anytime soon, I might just need to bring a tent and come back to the overlook....

Arizona Trail - Turkey Mountain

Weather:  73º, sun

About this Hike:   Today we visited another segment of the Arizona Trail up in the area near Happy Jack. This summer we've been exploring various segments of the Arizona Trail, usually accessed off Lake Mary Road between Payson, Happy Jack, and Flagstaff. 

Today the plan was to visit a place called Turkey Mountain. I didn't expect much from this so-called "mountain," but was also curious why it merits a sign pointing it out from Lake Mary Road. 

I mapped the drive in via Forest Road 93, which is the signed turn-off from Lake Mary to Turkey Mountain. All of the dirt forest roads in this area have been excellent graded gravel. With this being a lower-numbered road (usually more accessible to vehicles per the USFS road numbering guidelines), I expected more of the same. And at first it was... Unfortunately, a few miles in smooth, graded gravel gave way to a narrower, rockier road. It quickly became rutted and with steep stair-step ledges. My Tacoma probably could have handled it. However, I was still three miles from where I intended to join Arizona Trail and start the hike. I didn't have the energy for a drive like this today. 

After studying the map, I opted to return to Lake Mary Road and turn at Forest Road 211 in Happy Jack. This proved to be a good choice. We parked the truck at FR-211 and a short ATV road thru Jack's Canyon. I could have continued up FR-211 and turned onto FR-82, but we short-cutted a big corner by doing it this way, plus I was sick of driving at this point, my legs eager to hit the trail. 

The short hike thru Jack's Canyon was enjoyable as it followed a dry, winding creek bed with some neat rock formations. The ponderosa forest in much of Jack's Canyon seems to have suffered some recent fire damage. Not enough to torch the crowns of the trees, but enough that the younger, smaller ponderosas are all dead now. I dubbed it "Arizona's Black Forest." 

The next segment of the hike involved a walk along FR-82. This was another excellent dirt and gravel road. In retrospect, I wish I would have mapped the FR-211 to FR-82 route and had just done this in the first place, but then I never expected FR-93 to be so bad. 

We walked FR-82 and arrived at a gated trailhead for Arizona Trail. There were a few cars parked there. I really wished at this point we had just driven up...

Regardless, this provded to be an enjoyable segment of Arizona Trail. It was nothing like the 'rainforest' we experienced on the heart of the rim last weekend. Instead of towering spruces, firs, and rocks coatted in moss, this part of the rim is all ponderosa, juniper, and an occasional oak with a grassland floor. Just the same, the grasses have all greened up nicely with the recent rain, although the numerous cattle tanks and creeks in this area were still dry as a bone. 

We eventually reached FR-93 and used that to hike back to Turkey Mountain. A white Toyota Tundra was parked out there, testament to the fact my Tacoma could've done that road. 

The hike along 93 was unpleasant. It was exposed, rough, and rocky. The landscape changed to short, fat junipers and grassland that looked more like high-desert savannah. However, the pines came back into view as we approached Turkey Mountain. With a prominence of about 300 feet, this little knoll was otherwise nothing impressive. Still I wonder, why does it merit a sign from Lake Mary Road pointing it out? Surely there's something special about it? 

We returned the way we came. It was late in the day and the light had changed, giving the forest that unique late-day glow. The hike back was a bit of a slog as were getting sore and tired. We ended up doing about 15 miles round trip which was far more than I had planned for. It was good to experience another segment of the Arizona  Trail today. 

Barbershop Trail

Weather:  70º, showers early, then mostly cloudy

About this Hike:  It's been over three years since I've visited this segment of Cabin Loop. I decided it was time to revisit. 

The original plan was to park at Buck Springs Cabins just off FR-137 and hike Barbershop up to U-Bar and visit the remains of Dane Spring Cabin. We did park at Buck Springs, and we had the entire meadow to ourselves. I found myself wishing we had brought the tents and camping gear...

As we hiked along Barbershop, it became quickly apparent that we wanted to stay on Barbershop. I've already seen Dane Spring Cabin in the past, although my hiking partner had not. 

Regardless, remaining on Barbershop was a good choice. The trail goes from thick forest of towering spruces to grassy meadows to dips into ravines and then back up again. Being as Barbershop was new territory for both of us, I felt seeing the entirety of the trail was far superior to seeing the few remaining logs of Dane Spring Cabin.

When we first started out from Buck Springs, the sun gave way to clouds. Rain showers began when we were in the ravine carved by Sand Creek. We were prepared with rain jackets, and the shower ended up being brief. It made the lush vegetation and mosses around Sand Creek have a certain quality that I named "Arizona Rainforest." 

As we crested out of Sand Creek at FR-321, we came upon a huge gathering of cars, people, and RVs. Turns out the Mogollon Monster 100-mile race was happening on this same Saturday. The gathering on 321 was an aid station. 

While we enjoyed a lot of solitude on this hike, eventually the race runners began to share the trail with us. On the narrower sections of the path we would step aside and give them space, assuming they were trying to make time to the next aid station checkpoint. While Barbershop is a well-marked and well-maintained trail, the orange flags placed along it as race-course markers were helpful too. 

I guess it would technically be a lie to say we completed all of Barbershop. We opted to turn around at FR-139. A short spur of Barbershop continues on, ending at Houston Brothers Trail.

The return hike went by faster than the outbound. When we reached the FR-321 aid station there was loud music, an announcer, and frequent siren blasts. All of this in the middle of the forest was powered by large generators and copious amounts of propane. 

As we made our way down Sand Creek ravine and back to Buck Springs, we could still hear the occasional siren blast. With Mogollon Monster being a 100-miler, I wonder if the noise was to continue all through the night. Maybe camping at Buck Springs wouldn't have been so great after all... 

Regardless, this was a perfect hike on a perfect-weather Saturday. While the 300 road is rough and unpleasant in spots, it makes me wonder why we don't visit the Rim more often; it's right in our backyard now that Payson is home. 

Pole Knoll

Weather:  79º, overcast

About this Hike:  Visiting Pole Knoll has been on the long list since at least 2018. Back then I had the intelligent idea that this could be a fun wintertime snowshoeing trip. Back in 2018 I still lived in Phoenix...

Today Payson is home and the White Mountains should be a lot more accessible. After all, Payson is just the halfway point between Phoenix and White Mountains, so now I'm already halfway there, right?  Wrong. Driving to the White Mountains is still about a three-hour, arduous affair. I shudder to think what it would be like in winter when there's enough snow to go snowshoeing. 

On Memorial Weekend this year we headed to Mt. Baldy and got turned around in Heber-Overgaard due to a crash on 260. This past weekend, the exact same thing happened. In the exact same spot. It even looked like it was the same cop turning traffic around. Talk about déjà vu. At least I was well-versed in the detour through Snowflake this time around. All in all, it took close to four hours to get to the White Mountains...from Payson. 

I spent the evening at Rainbow Campground on Big Lake and then visited Pole Knoll the following morning. It's not snowshoeing weather, but I was still glad to finally visit this site. 

The weather looked ominous with low, moody clouds and plenty of humidity. Despite high rain chances, I never experienced a drop nor a rumble of thunder. 

I hiked many of the interior trails of Pole Knoll, although there are so many that one would be hard pressed to experience them all in a day. After a while they all look the same—thick conifer forest and thicker aspen forest. That's not a bad thing... The trails are well signed and trees are adorned with blue diamond markers. I'm told these are international snowshoeing markers, hence 'Pole' in the name. Some of the trails appear to be old roads. At least one is still an active road, as I learned when a Jeep came up behind me.

I took the Summit Trail to the top of the namesake knoll and then followed Viewpoint Trail. Thick forest gave way to a nice vantage gazing down into Sunrise Lake and the lodge. The slopes and Mt. Baldy were not so far away in the distance.  

I descended from Summit and picked up Pole Knoll Loop. This trail is supposed to go around the base of the knoll. On the side facing FR-112 the well-marked trail and all the blue diamonds suddenly disappeared. So did thick forest, and it was now rocky grassland with cow pies everywhere. This area made me extremely nervous. I wandered off trail on the side of the knoll while looking down at FR-112 a few hundred yards below. In fact what I was supposed to do was follow 112; the forest road becomes the trail for a short time. 

Eventually I saw a parked truck and knew I was at the other Pole Knoll Trailhead that is accessed via FR-112. I gave up on the loop trail. It was confusing to follow and ugly scenery. I followed a trail from the 112 trailhead back into the thick, beautiful forest. 

Satisfied, I weaved my way on interior trails back to the main parking area. With several picnic ramadas, this made a nice lunch spot after my hike. As I ate, I pondered how accessible Pole Knoll is in the winter. Assuming ADOT clears 260, there is still a driveway to get back to the Pole Knoll parking lot. I doubt this gets much plowing...

Regardless of the season, after all these years I'm glad to finally check Pole Knoll off the bucket list. 

Chevelon Canyon via Telephone Ridge

Weather:  75º, sun and clouds 

About this Hike:  This one ended up being better than expected. I think this past February's hike to a Chevelon Canyon overlook inspired me to research more access points to this unique rim canyon. 

The rim has gotten some much needed rain this week, and that lended to some muddy spots on the forest roads driving in. Tired of the mud, and having failed to put traction boards in my off-road recovery kit, I opted to stop where FR-180 junctions with FR-119. It's about two miles down FR-119 to the official Telephone Trailhead. For what it's worth, 119 is narrow, rocky, and has huge ruts. The ruts were full of muddy standing water, although these have clearly been problem spots for years. Previous drivers have made new paths that go around the damaged sections of 119. 

The two-mile walk being a nice warm-up, we reached the official start of Telephone Trail. I was pleasantly surprised to find the steep descent into the canyon to be on a well-maintained, easy-to-follow footpath. We took our time ensuring good footing on the steeper sections. In short time the trail leveled out a bit. Tall pines and oaks offered some shade. We reached the meadows at the bottom of Chevelon Canyon. The namesake Chevelon Creek was flowing strong in the bottom of the canyon. 

While the official trail ends soon as you reach the canyon floor, footpaths can be identified following the creek. Chevelon is a popular route for backpackers, as the number of fire rings will attest to. We went upstream a ways, marveling at the rock formations and lush forest that define this canyon. 

The hike back up went rather easily, although two more road miles awaited us back to where I had parked the truck. At the trailhead there was now parked a Chevy Trailblazer...on street tires. I'm not sure how that car got through those muddy spots on the 119 road. I may have a 4x4 truck, but I'm a big wimp when it comes to treacherous forest roads. 

Regardless, this hike afforded spectacular Chevelon Canyon views and a nice glimpse into the interior of Chevelon's ecosystem. 

Lone Star Geyser

Weather:  72º, sun and clouds 

About this Hike: On the way to Fairy Falls I noticed the Lone Star Trailhead. I was intrigued. Further research showed an easy hike of a few miles would lead to an active geyser. I was sold. 

The hike follows a road, much of which is paved. Despite not feeling completely like a nature trail through the woods, the road does follow the Firehole River which is absolutely beautiful.

A quick side trail jaunt revealed a basin with two small geysers. One was steaming while another one filled with crystal-clear gray water frequently spurted up small eruptions. 

I continued on, looking forward to seeing the Lone Star Geyser. Soon the chalky white geyser basin came into view. In the middle was Lone Star. The geyser is a tall cone with mineral deposits coating the sides. It looks like a giant candle, especially as little wisps of steam would frequently go up out of it. 

While nothing like Old Faithful, there is an impromptu waiting area complete with signage to stay out of the geyser basin. A logbook allows visitors to track Lone Star's frequent eruptions. 

I hung around the basin area for a while anxiously hoping to witness an eruption. The geyser would boil loudly and steam would escape. Eventually a few splashes jumped up. It was a big tease, until about 30 minutes in to my wait.

At that point Lone Star began erupting, spewing hot water into the air and all down its sides. After watching these eruptions for about 30 minutes, I decided it was time to hike back. Part of me wanted to stay around longer--FOMO I guess, but for how long can one watch spewing hot water? 

Lone Star was an unplanned stop, but one that I am very glad to have enjoyed.

Fairy Falls

Weather:  70º, sun and clouds

About this Hike:  Yesterday's rain brought some welcome cooler temps today. The higher humidity resulted in obscured views of the geothermal features. No worries though, as I wasn't about to elbow through tourists on the boardwalk around Grand Prismatic. Instead, I was planning a hike to Fairy Falls.

This is a very easy hike over flat trail and with virtually no elevation gain (unless you do the side trail to the Grand Prismatic lookout).  The relative ease, plus the fact Fairy Falls shares it's parking area with Grand Prismatic, results in a very busy trail. 

Regardless, I managed to find a few minutes of respite from the crowds. The trail winds through dense forest, eventually arriving at the namesake waterfall.

Fairy Falls is tall and narrow--a wispy, white cascade. It spills into a shallow pool at the base. There's plenty of shade and seating at the base pool, and it made a nice lunch spot. 

I wish I would have understood the All Trails map better, as it looks like hiking a little further past the falls leads to a thermal feature called Imperial Geyser. Maybe I'll check this out next time.

On the way back I took time to observe the back side of the drainage field around Grand Prismatic. The light was just so that through my polarized lenses I could see the colors of the prismatic spring reflected in the steam cloud. I was happy to enjoy this view and avoid the chaos on the boardwalk. 

Yellowstone Natural Bridge

Weather:  78º, stormy 

About this Hike:  Natural Bridge was one of the hikes on the original itinerary. Since this is a relatively short and straightforward hike, I stopped here while making my way down to Grant Village. 

The skies were getting cloudy when I began the hike, but the clouds were a welcome respite from the high-altitude heat. 

The hike follows an old road eventually reaching the namesake natural bridge. It is a neat feature of the park with a well-defined rock arch and a little stream trickling underneath. 

The trail goes up to the top of the bridge and you can even walk in the middle of the arch. I'm honestly surprised the park service allows this, but then I guess the bridge is fairly strong. 

I wrapped up on top of the bridge as the first rumbles of thunder began to be heard. By the time I was into the short hike back to the parking lot, it was a full on downpour. Despite lots of thunder, I never saw any lightning. The wind got much worse as I approached the parking lot. I finished just in time. Not surprising, I got caught in a small traffic jam due to a lodgepole pine that had blown down and was blocking half the main road. 

Beaver Ponds

Weather:  76º, sun 

About this Hike: Yesterday I took some time to explore the Mammoth Hot Springs at Yellowstone.  At the hot springs I noticed the Beaver Ponds Trailhead. 

Beaver Ponds ended up being a fantastic hike. As the name implies, it takes you into the woods beyond the hot springs and to several ponds. One of them had a distinct beaver dam, while another hiker told me she saw a beaver. I waited around the beaver dam for a while, but nobody poked his head up. 

I was nervous about wildlife, having read some previous reviews of this trail. However, I started mid morning and was accompanied by a good number of other hikers. Being as this is a loop, hikers were coming from both directions. 

A beaver sighting would have been nice, but in the end I saw no wildlife. Regardless, the scenery and views were spectacular. 

Undine Falls

Weather:  80º, clouds and sprinkles

About this Hike:  After the unpleasant heat at Hellroaring, a little rain shower was a welcome relief. I visited both Wraith Falls and Undine Falls, but Undine was the more noteworthy. The trail actually begins at Lava Creek Picnic Area. I mistakenly parked first at the Undine Falls Overlook. 

The trail goes through sagebrush meadow and eventually a short side trail leads to an overlook at the top of the falls. The All Trails map continues on past this point, so I decided to see where it would lead.

Eventually the falls come into view again, but this time a lot more distant. On the hike back I noted that Wraith Falls was visible in the distance. 

Hellroaring Creek

Weather:  88º, sun and clouds

About this Hike:  After Monument, I headed to the north end of Yellowstone. Hellroaring was one of the original hikes on my itinerary. I noted this one last fall during a family trip to Yellowstone where we drove through Lamar Valley.

This hike ended in a hell-roarin' disappointment. One mile down a steep embankment, the trail reaches the Yellowstone River. A sturdy steel suspension bridge traverses the chasm. The railings are high, but they are see-thru metal mesh. It's as safe a crossing as you'll ever find. But I couldn't do it. I have severe fear of heights, and seeing down on both sides triggered a panic attack when I attempted the crossing. Sadly, my fear of heights is a hinderance to the outdoor activities I love so much... 

I intended to go one more mile to see the namesake Hellroaring Creek, but it never happened. The hike back up from the bridge was very hot and unpleasant. This wasn't one of my favorites in Yellowstone. 

Monument Geyser

Weather:  86º, sun 

About this Hike:  Monument Geyser Trailhead caught my eye while driving into the park yesterday. After my first day in Yellowstone I did some research. Monument would be my inaugural Day 2 hike. 

The hike initially parallels the Gibbon River then goes through thick lodgepole pine forest. While elevation gain is less than 1,000 feet, it comes at you fast. The climb up to the geyser basin is steep and was challenging in the high-altitude summer heat.

The reward at the end of this trail consists of a chalky geyser basin and some steaming thermal features. There's a small drainage channel from a hot spring, and the water was still sizzling. I carefully used the rocks placed over it to step accross.

Based on the dry drainage channels, I would say Monument Geyser does erupt, but I am unsure of when and how often. It was quiet when I visited. 

Ice Lake and Little Gibbon Falls

 Weather:  86º, sun 

About this Hike:  Ice Lake to Little Gibbon Falls is a loop hike. It goes back into thick lodgepole pine forest and then the namesake lake comes into view. Views are seldom very sweeping, as the lake is surrounded by thick forest. 

It was on this hike that I first began to feel very vulnerable to bears and other potentially hostile wildlife. It didn't help that shortly after starting I dropped my bear spray somewhere on the trail. Thankfully I was able to backtrack and find it. Besides being risky to not carry bear spray in Yellowstone, this one was a rental, so not returning would have cost. 

Having made it around the lake, I did two stream crossings and then reached Little Gibbon Falls. The falls were pretty, and it was in this area that I had my first encounter with another hiking group. I had been completely alone up until then.

After the falls the trail ends at the main road. I didn't realize when I planned this that a little bit of a road hike was necessary to close the loop. Regardless this was a good first 'back country' hike in Yellowstone.

Mt. Washburn via Dunraven

Weather:  77º, sun 

About this Hike:   This was my first hike in Yellowstone National Park. The plan was to climb Mt. Washburn to the fire lookout on top. 

The hike was along an old road which appeared to be decommissioned. I wondered how the park rangers  get up to the top to staff the tower. It turns out a newer road comes up the back side of the mountain. People were also hiking up the active service road.

The trail I took wound through wildflower-filled meadows and mountainous forest. Eventually it gave way to more tundra-like landscape. 

The fire lookout at the top was more substantive than just a simple cabin supported by four tall legs. This tower is set in concrete with multiple levels. The ground floor contained a visitor center with signs to read, a telescope, and restrooms. There are communications antenna and monitoring devices all over the tower. I had full cell service at the top. 

Gneiss Creek

Weather:  77º, sun 

About this Hike:  This hike kicked off the next four days in Yellowstone National Park. Originally I wanted to do either Fawn Pass or Bighorn Pass from trailheads on US 191 north of West Yellowstone. 

Being as I arrived in West Yellowstone late this afternoon, Gneiss Creek was a similar, but closer alternative. Just like the original two trails, Gneiss eventually traverses across the Yellowstone park boundary. I was also surprised at how late the sun sets here. It was settled; Gneiss would be an after-dinner kickoff hike.

The wildflowers in the meadows along Gneiss were stunning. I followed the trail down to the first creek crossing. I was getting uneasy, as it was getting near dusk and that's when bear and other wildlife often become active. 

I never saw any wildlife, but the mosquitos were awful down by the creek. I didn't stay long.

Returning to the trailhead, I made up my mind that I was no longer interested in Bighorn or Fawn Passes. These trails looked long, rugged, and with potential to encounter hostile wildlife. I decided I wanted to maximize my time in the national park starting tomorrow.  

Widforss Post-Sublime

Weather:  80º, sun 

About this Hike:  On my previous two North Rim trips I attempted Widforss Trail. From being short on time to a small brush fire, something always upended the hike. Until today, completing this just-over nine mile hike has evaded me. 

After the rattling drive from Point Sublime, I figured a hike was a good way to decompress. It's also convenient that the awful road known as Point Sublime Trail ends at the Widforss Trailhead. 

Widforss is one of the North Rim's more popular and developed trails. It takes you through thick forest while opening up occasionally for viewpoints into the Grand Canyon. 

The trail's end is at Widforss Point, denoted by a sign. This is another spectacular canyon overlook with views in all directions. While the Colorado River is not visible at Widforss (at least I couldn't find it), I thought this viewpoint to be an acceptable consolation prize if one were to not willing to attempt getting to Point Sublime. While observing through my binoculars, I saw some buildings on the opposite rim. I'm guessing this is the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. 

The Point Sublime drive and then the Widforss hike was a lot to cram into one day. But the North Rim is a long drive from my home in central Arizona, and so I wanted to make the most of my short time there. I am glad to finally check Widforss off my hiking bucket list. 

Point Sublime

Weather:  75º, sun 

About this Drive:  Normally this blog is about hikes. However, the scenic drive out to Point Sublime at the Grand Canyon North Rim has been on my bucket list.

I've done a lot of research on this drive. In the Grand Canyon National Park, a sign at the beginning of Point Sublime road offers a dire warning with words such as: unmaintained, hazardous, self-rescue, and blown down trees. 

I also learned there is another route to Point Sublime using forest roads on the Kaibab National Forest. This alternate route is a little longer, but said to be more scenic and better maintained. There's also supposed to be an historic fire lookout tower and cabin along the way. 

I opted to camp at DeMotte Campground which is right next door to where my journey would begin on FR-22. I had built a detailed map because this drive involves a lot of turns. Most roads on Kaibab Forest are pretty well signed. 

Starting early in the morning, the initial road was graded gravel and easy driving. I found a small electrical box (there's some utility infrastructure out there) and stopped to air down on the driveway to it. I knew the road was likely to deteriorate the further in I got. 

The road did narrow and got a little rougher, but nothing too unmanageable. Sawed-up trees on the roadside reminded me of the warning about trees falling. I did have a chainsaw and a handsaw in my off-road recovery kit, but I hoped not to need to use either of them. In fact I never did, testament to the wisdom of doing this drive pre-monsoon.

I never found the fire lookout or cabin. I assumed there would be a sign or some kind of marker.  Their mapped locations aren't the easiest to figure out either. 

Eventually I reached the gate marking the national park boundary. Beyond that was a junction. Here I made a mistake and went the wrong way. I probably was four miles down Swamp Ridge Road before I realized my error. I was not happy.

Agitated by the lost time, I turned around. Now going the correct way, I was on course to join Point Sublime Trail. At this point the road began to deteriorate significantly. The road became more rutted. While I had to back up and reevaluate my line once, I managed to navigate the ruts. 

The road was a little nerve wracking, but really not too bad. I arrived at the Point Sublime Campground. There were two unoccupied campsites each with a picnic table. Surprisingly there was also a restroom complete with solar-powered composting toilet. Inside, the restroom was clean and fully stocked. I was glad because the drive had wracked my nerves enough...well never mind. I was both grateful for and surprised by the fact there's a restroom in such a remote location. It makes me wonder, how was equipment brought out there to dig the pit and construct that restroom, and who maintains it?

Having parked at the campground, I hoofed it to the actual Point Sublime overlook. With nearly 360-degree canyon views, it is quite breathtaking. The Colorado River is even visible far below. 

After lunch and plenty of photos, I departed Point Sublime. Ominous as the park road sounded, I've read reviews of people doing the drive in an old VW camper van and a Ford Escape. How bad could it be? Surely my 4x4 Tacoma could handle this...

My 4x4 Tacoma performed just like it was engineered to. That said, it handled the road well. Its driver (yours truly) on the other hand did not handle it so well. The road has a lot of scary ruts and rocky sections. The hills are always the worst with ruts and other obstacles. In the final few miles the road opens up into scenic meadows, yet even these have ruts and sandy sections. 

The ruts really got to me because of the angles the truck would get on. It feels like I'm about to tip. I also know Tacomas can get on some gnarly angles, as Toyota loves to demonstrate at their overland events. I was probably over-reacting a bit. I don't off-road for the fun of it like many people do. I off-road for the beautiful destinations one can reach only by driving off the paved path.

Regardless, I survived Point Sublime Trail. The last couple miles aren't so bad as this segment seems to get a little maintenance. 

After driving both approaches to Point Sublime I can hands-down vouch for the Kaibab Forest route being the better choice. Regardless, drivers will have to navigate at least a few miles of the awful, rutted Point Sublime Trail. 

Another reason I picked this route? It ends at the Widforss Trailhead in the national park...

West Clear Creek

Weather:  81º, sun 

About this Hike:  The hike down to West Clear Creek sounded intriguing and the photos of this canyon looked absolutely stunning. 

I researched several trail options including Tramway, but ultimately settled on The Point trail from the West Clear Creek trailhead. This one looked to have the easiest access. 

The forest roads in were bumpy but not too bad. The parking area was pretty full when I arrived in late morning. 

The hike down was easy to follow but very steep. There was definitely some scrambling involved. 

Descending into the canyon, I took my time to appreciate up close the striated rock formations that West Clear Creek is known for. 

Coming off a very dry winter, I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of water level. I wondered if it would be possible to hike along a dry portion of the creek bed. I was wrong on this. There was plenty of water flow in the creek. Plan B was in my hiking pack and included river sandals. I zipped off the pant legs on my convertible hiking pants and put on my sandals. 

I hiked through the creek, never going out further than above my knees in water. I reached a beautiful grotto-like area with towering cliffs, blue-green water, and hanging gardens. At this point I opted to turn around and hike upriver. This proved to be less enchanting. There were beautiful views of striated cliffs and old growth forest. However, there were more big boulders to navigate around. And while I was being extremely careful, the rocks in the creek were often very slippery. I had a few close calls and then finally a few (minor) injuries. I had enough.

Upon reaching the West Clear Creek trail, I sat on a rock to bandage my wounds, dry off, and change my footwear. The steep hike up was the only strenuous part of today's adventure.

West Clear Creek is really pretty, and I know many hikers love hiking, wading, and floating their way through the canyon. But the thing with Arizona waterways is they seldom are easily passable. They quickly go from an easy creekside hike to overgrown with prickly plants, littered with huge boulders, and covered in slick rocks. A treacherous hike like this often makes me reconsider... I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon to do any other West Clear Creek trails.

Mount Baldy Crossover 96

Weather:  71º, sun 

About this Hike:  Over the past two years I've completed both East Baldy and West Baldy trails. If I was brave and did the entire 16 mile loop in a day, I would have had to use the Crossover trail. 

We didn't feel like a hike with too much elevation gain. I thought checking out Crossover would be perfect—get some of the Mount Baldy experience without the tough switchbacks and climbs. 

We parked at East Baldy lot with the intention of possibly going up East Baldy to the rock formations, depending on how much time Crossover would take. 

Crossover ended up being better than expected. There was some minor elevation gain. Much of it goes through thick White Mountain forest of spruces, firs, ponderosas, and aspens. Occasionally it opens up into big, grassy meadows. There were a couple of water crossings, with the final one being West Fork of the the Little Colorado at the West Baldy junction. While the most significant stream crossing, it was still very easy, especially when utilizing the log bridges placed by previous hikers.

We opted to follow the West Fork for what ended up being about 2.5 miles up West Baldy. My hiking partner was starting to get ideas about trying to close the loop. We were only about one-third of the way through the 16 mile loop, and a friendly hiker advised us that the tree blowdowns at the summit were severe. She said it could add a couple hours onto the hike with all the trail finding, tree ducking, etc. We opted to return the way we came. Since we did an extra 2.5 miles on the west side, we ended up not going up to the rocks on the east side. 

My takeaway from today is that Crossover is a worthwhile trail unto itself. The scenery was better than expected, and despite no major elevation gain, this was still a great day hike in the White Mountains.

 

Reavis Ranch Return

Weather:  64º, sun early, clouds afternoon, a few sprinkles 

Time: 3 Hours to Reavis Ranch; 4 Hours Back; 7 Hours Total

About this Hike:  It has been just about four years to the day since I last visited Reavis Ranch.  Today's hike was sort of planned last minute. I've been thinking about going back to the ranch for some time now. The weather today looked absolutely perfect.

Same as in 2021, I started my hike at the Campaign Creek Trailhead near Reavis Mountain School. I was sad to see the junipers and other tall trees that offered a little shade in the parking area are now just stumps and mulch covering the ground. I have no idea why the FS did this. I had the parking lot to myself today, unlike in 2021 when  there were at least a few other cars. 

I started out on Campaign Creek Trail heading for Reavis Gap. It was about 20 degrees cooler than when I did this four years ago, yet it was still warm on the steep uphill sections climbing the gap. 

I marveled at how much healthy forest still remains in an area that was impacted by Woodbury Fire nearly six years ago. When I crested the gap on Two Bar Ridge, I kicked my phone off airplane mode. With a clear sightline toward Four Peaks and Tonto Basin below, my phone actually had service—two bars to be exact. 

Once I reached the ranch, I must admit it was a little underwhelming. The old artifacts are interesting to study and observe. It's amazing that the stamping marks are still intact on a lot of the steel equipment. Unlike four years ago, I didn't see any blossoms yet on the apple trees.  I ate lunch and probably spent no more than thirty minutes at the ranch.

In part, this was due to stormy clouds looming in the distance over the Salome and Sierra Ancha Wilderness areas. While the forecast wasn't calling for rain, I know that conditions can change quickly in the mountains. I was nervous about being caught in a thunderstorm and having to descend on the steep portions with them now being soaked and even more slippery. 

Thankfully aside from a few minor sprinkles the rain never reached the Superstitions. Unlike four years ago when I foolishly did the loop via Fire Line and Campaign Creek Trails, this time I did the hike as an out-and-back on Reavis Gap. This shaved off about two miles, making it "only" a 15-mile round trip hike. Reavis Gap is also well maintained. Fire Line and Campaign Creek Trails are faint and easy to lose. My understanding is that as manzanita and cat claw take over the Woodbury burn scar, those trails aren't getting any better... 

As I was wrapping up, I made one mistake similar to what I had done four years ago. Somehow I ended up at a gate leading into the Reavis Mountain School. This time I didn't open the gate and walk in. Instead, I had to climb up a steep ravine and force my way back onto the main trail. 

The school looked like class was in session today. I saw tents in the meadow and people working the gardens. 

This was definitely a tough day hike for a relatively minor reward. I suppose the real reward was enjoying all the rugged and beautiful scenery the Superstitions have to offer. 

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.