Weather: 78ยบ, clouds, thunder, light rain
About this Hike: Today's hike explored part of Passage 30 of the Arizona Trail. I admit I didn't have high expectations. I thought it would rocky savannah punctuated by some ponderosa pines and gamble oak. I was very wrong in all the right ways...
The hike started at a site I'm very familiar with—the trailhead parking lot just outside Dairy Springs Campground. We've used this parking lot numerous times to climb Mormon Mountain. After a hike to the back of the campground, we reached the trailhead and then the junction shortly afterward. Instead of the usual climb up, we turned right to follow the AZT.
Initially it wasn't the most scenic. The ponderosas are suffering either seasonal needle drop or pine beetle damage; I can't be certain. All I know is there's a lot of orange in a forest that looks like its already been heavily cleared. A few blue spruces punctuate the landscape and provide a reminder that some healthy trees remain. As the hike wraps around the base of Mormon Mountain, the timber scenery doesn't get better. It looks like there's been a lot of pine beetle kill on the flanks of the mountain.
Bad news out of the way, the forest does eventually improve. Healthy stands of ponderosa pine return, with a random spruce or fir in the conifer mix. The hike transitions between grassy meadows and denser stands of ponderosa. There are occasional viewpoints into the grasslands and meadows around the Mormon Lake Volcanic Field.
Another interesting facet of Passage 30 is that it is a 'Rails-to-Trails' project of sorts. Much of the trail follows old railroad bed, and the USFS has placed a sign explaining this in more detail. Large walls of volcanic rock and decades old rotted railroad ties provide further evidence of a bygone train track.
Our turnaround point was approximately six miles in at a wildflower filled meadow with view of the San Francisco Peaks. We were not far from the Pinegrove Campground, making for an easy waypoint should we decide to continue Passage 30 one day.
The weather today was pleasant with thunder and light rain at the start of our hike. Once this blew past the sun came out briefly, but then clouds returned. The light rain and clouds made for cooler, pleasant hiking conditions.
Today's hike ended up being way better than I expected. I'm now planning a return hike in the near future to continue Passage 30 from the Horse Lake Trailhead.
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