Kinder Crossing and Blue Ridge

Weather:  72º, humid, clouds, occasional light rain

About this Hike:  I went up to the rim today planning to explore the short, but interesting, hike at Kinder Crossing. I figured afterward I'd hang around along FR-95 and see what other interesting sights there are. 

I parked the truck at the road for Kinder Crossing (95T) where it intersects FR-95. I didn't want to drive far down this rough, muddy road, opting to hike in instead. I reached the rim of East Clear Creek Canyon and took in the panoramic viewpoints. The sky was growing darker and I heard distant thunder. I second guessed if I should return to the truck, but stubbornly hiked down the switchbacks into the canyon anyway. 

A family was in front of me, and I eventually caught up to them. By the looks of their gear, they were headed down to East Clear Creek to go swimming. With recent monsoon rains, I imagine East Clear Creek would be a great swimming spot. The family was none to happy to see me, frequently watching over their shoulders while they stopped to take pictures and just generally block the trail. 

I took some photos of the striking cliffs and rock formations all reflected by the waters of East Clear Creek. The family continued blocking forward progress on the trail, and the skies kept getting louder. I decided I'd seen what I came to see today, and I turned back.

The approximately 1.5 mile hike back to the truck flew by. I hoofed it out quickly, nervous of the greenish-blue tint to the storm clouds. I hoped the family in the canyon would be OK. 

 I reached the truck before the first rain drops began to fall. While FR-95 is as good of a USFS road as you'll ever get, I decided to return to pavement. I drove down to the Moqui Campground turn off and parked at a trailhead for the Arizona Trail (AZT). 

Reading a book and eating lunch, I waited out the storm. Once it seemed to have past, dropping only a little rain, I ventured out on a new-to-me segment of the AZT. From Moqui to the parking area on FR-751 (Blue Ridge Reservoir), I have not explored that segment of the AZT. In fact, I wrote it off as likely being boring. I ended up being very wrong about this. 

This part of the Blue Ridge AZT segment wanders through grassy meadows, green from all the monsoon rain, and healthy ponderosa pine forest (nice to see since most pines along AZ-87 have either burned or succumbed to beetles). The trail passes by Moqui Campground and then goes straight through Blue Ridge Campground, exiting the camping area right next to the host site. 

The trail climbed a volcanic rock formation, opening up into a wide vista. The San Francisco Peaks were visible, as was a body of water. Too shallow to be Blue Ridge Reservoir, I believe what I saw was Long Lake, or one of the other small lakes in that area. 

As I got closer to where the AZT intersects FR-751, I began to hear dogs and people. I know this to be a popular area for dispersed camping. Having hiked south on the AZT from the FR-751 trailhead previously, I opted to turn around. The skies were getting ornery again, and I didn't think there was anything more to see. 

While I dodged a couple thunderstorms, it made for a rain-cooled and pleasant atmosphere on today's hikes. While Payson was getting slammed with storms and hail, it was a surprisingly nice day in the northern part of Rim Country. 

Walnut and Two Ravens Loop

Weather:  75º, mostly cloudy

About this Hike:  The plan today was to explore some trails down near Haigler Creek. Unfortunately, a crash—and subsequent road closure—on 260 threw a wrench in those plans. Rather than waste nearly $5/gallon fuel, we decided to pivot and head north toward Pine.

I explored Walnut Trail a few weeks ago. At that time, I stuck to the part of Walnut that runs in tandem with the Arizona Trail. However, I was curious what the path would look like if I continued north on Walnut. I was also intrigued by a brand new trail called Two Ravens. 

While Two Ravens is so new it doesn't appear on most maps yet, I was able to determine that northern Walnut could be looped by starting at Hardscrabble Road and using Two Ravens as a connector. This also allowed for a hike to Oak Spring. 

In fact, the northern part of Walnut is some of the best this trail system has to offer. It follows a dry creek through a riparian canyon. Tall ponderosas provide some shade, while gamble oak and bigtooth maple had me already planning a return hike in the fall. Eventually we reached Oak Spring. From there, we used the Arizona Trail to climb out of the canyon and junction with Two Ravens. 

Two Ravens is a nice, groomed path. I noticed two other new trails called Bradshaw and Waterfall—both of which junction with Two Ravens. Since you're right up against the land boundaries with the town of Pine, I doubt these trails go very far. They still may be worth investigating. 

This 4.6 mile loop ended back at Hardscrabble road. It definitely wasn't what I planned for this weekend, but it was better than just turning around and going home. 

Arizona Trail Passage 25 - Walnut Trail 251

Weather:  67º, mostly cloudy, windy

About this Hike:  I needed some nature time this Sunday afternoon. I decided to check out a hike I've bookmarked near Pine. The plan was to hike along Arizona Trail (AZT) Passage 25 down to an area called Oak Spring. 

Rather than park at the 'official' trailhead for this hike at the Pine Trailhead, I opted to utilize a dirt road on the west side of 87 so I could avoid having to cross 87 from the trailhead. This also would put me closer to the segment of AZT that I intended to hike. Overall this was a good strategy, although the road was a little rutted and bumpy. 

Despite being close to Pine neighborhoods, this hike felt more remote. As I left rooftops and ranches behind, it began to feel a lot more remote. I crossed a small, trickling creek and then several other dry ones. That canyon that contains Oak Spring came into view. It is an impressive canyon, easily accessed by the well-maintained AZT. While this is part of the AZT, a junction sign indicated the official trail name to be Walnut Trail (#251). 

The canyon area is a lush riparian environment. Ponderosa pines again come into view, having faded for a bit on the more desert portion of this hike between here and the trailhead. The first creek in the canyon was dry. Bigtooth maples have just put on their spring leaves...something I made a mental note of for this fall. A little further into the Oak Spring canyon revealed a sign and side trail to its namesake. The spring was tricking and the spring box was full. I also checked out a grassy meadow directly up the bank from the spring. 

Having reached this area in about an hour, I decided to hike on a little further. I climbed out of Oak Spring and hiked the AZT along the top of what seemed to be a mesa. There were good views to the south of Houston Mesa, Granite Dells, and the Mazatzals. The environment up here was rocky and high desert grassland, yet the juniper, gamble oak, and occasional pinion pine were surprisingly thick. 

Seeing another riparian-looking area with ponderosa pines ahead, I opted to press on a little further. At this point the trail became what was clearly an old two-track road. A utility line bisected the trail overhead. I hiked through the riparian area, climbed again, and opted to make this my turnaround point. This was 4.5 miles, making for a nine-mile Sunday afternoon out-and-back today. 

Sunflower Mine and Cornucopia

Weather:  79º, sunny

About this Hike:  I thoroughly enjoyed my hike a few weeks ago at Saddle Mountain along Passage 22 of the Arizona Trail (AZT). So much so, that I began plotting a continuation hike just as soon as I got home. 

Originally I considered driving FR-25 to Mormon Flat TH and continuing along Passage 22 from there. Instead, I created a route that involved parking at the FR-25 / 25A junction, hiking the road 3.5 miles, and then doing a loop of similar length using Thicket Trail and Cornucopia Trail, which is part of the AZT. I would skip a couple miles of Passage 22, but I'm not sure there's much to see beyond Saddle Mountain. 

I find it amazing that anyone can drive in on FR-25A. Even with a lifted Jeep or ATV, there are some insane rock walls and obstacles. Surprisingly, about a mile in I crossed a bridge. The guardrails and signage didn't look that old. I read this bridge was rebuilt in the 1990s.

I imagine 25A was a much better road sometime in decades past. This road leads to the abandoned Sunflower Mine, which I stopped to visit. An old tumbler pipe and some concrete foundations are all that remain, although I read structures and artifacts were still on the site as recent as 2012, just prior to that year's Sunflower Fire. 

Beyond the mine, the hike went into lush riparian sycamore and cottonwoods that flank Sycamore Creek. There were rocks all shades of the rainbow, especially blue-green and red cinnabar-studded stones. Unfortunately this part of the hike was not enjoyable. The gnats were the worst I've ever experienced. I was rushing through this area hoping that hotter, more exposed terrain would offer some relief from the bugs. 

There was short-lived relief from the gnats at the junction for Thicket Trail which I opted to follow first and clockwise, closing the loop via Cornucopia Trail. I expected Thicket would live up to its name, and it did. Thicket isn't so much a trail as it is just a narrow drainage. It got more overgrown and the gnats came back. I was not enjoying it at all, and it had a creepy vibe. I turned back.

Upon reaching the junction, I was getting tired, but opted to go up Cornucopia. Since this is part of the AZT, it gets much better maintenance. Mount Peeley loomed not so far ahead. Old growth firs and ponderosa pine came into view. The bugs weren't as bad. I intended to only go a short ways on Cornucopia. Thirty minutes later I was at the junction with Thicket. Only there was no Thicket Trail there, just a sign and lots of overgrowth. Skipping the Thicket portion of what would have been a lollipop loop was the right choice. I'm not one for bushwhacking. 

Mount Peeley parking area was 1.5 miles according to the junction sign. The hot, exposed manzanita-covered switchbacks did not appeal to me. Plus, I've been up to Mount Peeley a couple times in the past, so this wouldn't be any new scenery. I made this my turnaround point with five miles back to the FR-25 / 25A junction. 

The hike out went fast as I fought my way thru flocks of gnats, failing to enjoy the riparian scenery that I otherwise love. Despite some challenges, this was an enjoyable Mazatzals hike. 

Saddle Mountain: Passage 22 of Arizona Trail

Weather:  79º, sunny

About this Hike:  Still coming off the high from last week's enjoyable hike near Buckhorn Mountain, a thought hit me:  "What kind of hiking is there near Sunflower? Doesn't the AZT run down that way?"

A little research and planning later, and I had a hike in mind for this unseasonably warm weekend. Honestly, I probably could have gone up on the Mogollon Rim and been comfortable this weekend. Instead, I headed to lower elevation, knowing that the clock is fast running out for hiking weather down there.

All week I debated whether I should access Saddle Mountain - Passage 22 of the AZT from the Cross F Ranch Trailhead (McFarland TH on Google Maps) or the Mormon Grove Trailhead.  The point of contention was that Mormon Grove spits you out right at the namesake Saddle Mountain.  It also requires some dirt road driving.  Cross F has paved-road access but requires about five miles and 2,000 feet of elevation gain to reach Saddle Mountain. I was uncertain if this five mile hike was going to be interesting or just traverse exposed high-desert grassland. 

I ultimately chose the easier access afforded by Cross F trailhead. The trail here is called Little Saddle Mountain.  Being part of the AZT, it is very well maintained.

Little Saddle ended up being a great choice. While I definitely felt the elevation gain, it was never overly steep nor treacherous.  The entire hike featured some colorful geology. Rocks of every hue—blue, grey, quartz, red, purple, etc. cover the landscape. 

And when I wasn't in rocky spots, I was traversing riparian areas. Some of the creeks had a little water in them, while others were dry. There were sycamore trees and granddaddy pinion pines. Unfortunately, being late winter / early spring, there were a ton of gnats in the riparian areas. 

A much nicer thing that spring brings out: desert wildflowers. These were all shades of orange, red, yellow, and purple. There was one particularly showy strawberry hedgehog cactus. The hillsides were covered in fragrant shrubs sporting tiny white flowers. I called these honeysuckle, although AI tells me they are cliffrose. One of the riparian areas even had a few golden columbines growing in it. I was shocked to see these at ~3,800 feet. They usually grow in the forests on the Mogollon Rim. 

After studying the topographical map of this hike, I wasn't certain what kind of views I would enjoy. I figured more than likely hills an shrubbery would hide most views. That said, I was aware that Bartlett Lake and the lower Verde River were just a few miles west as the crow flies.  

Upon cresting a ridge, the Verde River canyon came into view, although the water wasn't visible. The McDowell Mountains came into view, confirming that the rooftops I could see were in fact North Scottsdale. The Sierra Estrellas were even visible, poking up through the smog soup that is the Phoenix Valley. 

I pressed on to the namesake Saddle Mountain. Along the way I enjoyed views of a mountain that had pale white cliffs banded with a deep-red vein below it. It was even deeper red than the rocks of Sedona.

Eventually Saddle Mountain came into view. It is certainly a tall peak, although there really wasn't much else to see. The better views, in my opinion, were of the hills directly east. Views of Mount Ord and green rolling hills topped with fiery red-orange rock peaks. 

A chalky rock formation at Saddle Mountain was my turnaround point, this marking just over five miles from the start. There was a side trail with an AZT sign posted that indicated the side trail was not part of the main path. I decided to venture down this. Tall trees quickly came into view, indicating water was nearby. This short jaunt led to a flat, grassy meadow. I'd love to know more on the story surrounding this spot...

The weather had changed a bit since when I started. Gone was the hot, intense sun. A welcome cool breeze and some clouds had rolled in. The light was completely different on the way back down. I noticed Red Mountain, Superstition Mountain and Weaver's Needle down below along with some buildings in Mesa. Poking up through the smog was the unmistakable shape of Mt. Lemmon and the Catalinas all the way down in Tucson. 

Ultimately, I am glad I chose to do this route today. I did pass the junction for the Mormon Grove Trailhead.  I think I will come back and utilize that trailhead to hike further north on Passage 22. Eventually it reaches Mount Peeley, an area I am already quite familiar with exploring. 

Donahue Trail

Weather:  76º, sunny

About this Hike:  I didn't have lofty expectations for Donahue Trail. While it is a climb up to Milk Ranch Point on the Mogollon Rim, I also know this area is burned pretty badly from the Sept. 2024 West Fire. 

However, today was a half day of work, and with unseasonably beautiful temperatures, I knew I had to get out and do something. I think the last time I visited the Pine Trailhead we were still wearing masks and social distancing. 

From Pine TH the Arizona Trail, Highline, Pine Canyon, and a shorter jaunt called Pine View Trail all converge. In many places the trails run together. Despite well-signed junctions, it can make taking a precise route confusing. In fact, I made a wrong turn on Pine View, deviating from the AZT / Highline route I had planned. No worry though, Pine View looped around and hooked back onto the correct path. 

I reached a crossing at Pine Creek, which was flowing fairly strong—testament to the fact that just one week ago the area experienced measurable snowfall. And speaking of that precipitation, shortly after the creek crossing the trail began to get annoyingly muddy. My personal annoyance aside, I'm glad the area is still retaining moisture. 

Once I reached the junction with Donahue the mud let up. Donahue was more rocky, but it was a good trail. It was never too steep, and always in good condition. It does pass through some burn scar, although the vegetation in this area is mostly juniper and chaparral, with the occasional pinon pine mixed in. 

I reached the out cropping of Milk Ranch Point and found a shady juniper to take a break under. It had been a hot, exposed climb up. I enjoyed the views of the town of Pine, Bear Canyon, and Payson / Granite Dells to the south. 

The hike down Donahue wasn't too bad, taking about 20 minutes until I reached the junction at AZT / Highline. This time I followed the correct route back, not getting tangled up on Pine View. This afforded me two additional crossings of Pine Creek. At another junction Highline and AZT split, although the junction sign indicates they both return you to the Pine TH parking area. I opted for the AZT fork since this was on the GPS track. I watched the slightly longer Highline segment run parallel to the south and then go into a stand of ponderosa pines. Despite being slightly longer, I kind of wish I had picked the Highline track. Regardless, I finished the hike a few minutes earlier than anticipated. 

Happy Jack Passage 28 of Arizona Trail

Weather:  68º, sunny

About this Hike:  Just over a month ago I explored a segment of the Arizona Trail (AZT) with the goal of seeing Turkey Mountain.  That hike enlightened me to about four more miles of AZT from AZ-87 to the trailhead parking area up along FR-82. 

With clear skies, and this being the first weekend in a while that I'm not dodging rain clouds, I decided today was the day to explore this part of Passage 28 of the AZT. 

I parked just off of 87 after driving through an unlocked cattle gate. The trail starts off in scorched ponderosa pine forest. Unfortunately, this defines the first mile or so of the hike. Many of the blackened trees don't appear to be completely dead. While about two-thirds of the lower needles are brown/orange, the crowns of the trees are still green. I wonder if they'll recover? Even more unfortunate, I believe this was controlled burns set by the USFS. I'll never understand how killing nearly all the trees in an area supports a healthy forest...

Eventually the condition of the forest did improve, although one never needed to look far to find fire-damaged ponderosas. The trail opens up at an overlook above Jack's Canyon and then descends into the canyon. The creeks still have a good amount of water in them from last week's torrential rain, but the few creek crossings were nearly dry and always easy to navigate. 

In the canyon and along the creek was the best part of this hike in my opinion. The shrubbery in the canyon is exhibiting its full display of fall color, and this made for some pretty reflections off the standing pools of water in the creek bed.

After about four easy miles of hiking I reached FR-82, which was my goal for the day. I had previously explored the AZT beyond this point. I briefly considered walking up 82 a ways, turning left at FR-93D and looping back on that. It looks like 93D follows a drainage, and I thought it might be an interesting approximately two mile extension to the hike. I kinda wish I had done it. Likely the extension would be more grassland and ponderosa forest...not that that's a bad thing. Regardless, I opted to make FR-82 my turnaround point. 

At the Hay Meadow Tank not so far from where I started there was a herd of cattle drinking the muddy water. Along with a herd of deer and a tarantula, this completed today's wildlife sightings. 

I continue to enjoy exploring segments of the AZT between Happy Jack and Flagstaff. 

Foggy Fall Mormon Mountain Hike

Weather:  60º, heavy cloud cover, humid

About this Hike:  Just about every weekend for the past month has brought rain. Arizona is receiving a lot of tropical moisture off the Pacific this year in a deluge that reminds me of the falls in 2018 and 2019. Despite the rain, I have found breaks in the downpours long enough to get out and go hiking every weekend. 

In recent past weekends I've noted that despite the rain most creeks and arroyos are dry. This finally changed. With nearly three inches of fresh rain in my backyard gauge this morning, creeks I've never seen flow before were chocolate-milk torrents today. But with radar indicating a break in the rain for most of Saturday, we couldn't keep our boots off the trail.

We opted to drive up to Mormon Mountain between Rim Country and Flagstaff. Not only would the cloudy, damp conditions create unique scenery, but we anticipated some fall color in the aspen stands at the top of the mountain. 

Ours was the only vehicle parked at the Mormon Trailhead parking area at the Dairy Springs Campground. A few brave tent campers were setup in the campground. The peak of Mormon Mountain was hidden by thick, gray clouds. 

The Mormon Mountain trail climbs 1,200 feet, yet it's never very steep. The climb is gradual and without narrow switchbacks and steep inclines. The trail is excellent and receives regular maintenance. I've done this climb once before, but it seems I failed to appreciate the thick, old-growth forest this hike traverses. 

Making it more magical was the damp conditions that are so rare for Arizona. As we climbed higher toward the summit at 8,400 feet we began to get into fog. The fog was like smoke, often swirling around us, but never so thick as to impede visibility. The old-growth trees were covered in pale-green moss. The unique gray light, the fog, and the lichens made this feel like an enchanted—if not slightly creepy—forest. 

The aspen fall color was hit or miss. Some were still green while others were starting to show a few yellow leaves. At the summit was where we found some peak fall color in the aspens. We ate lunch near the communications towers on top and then began the trek down. While we had cell service at the summit we checked the weather. It appeared a thunderstorm may be blowing in, although this never materialized—thankfully. In fact, we experienced no rain the entire afternoon, although the low, gray clouds indicated the heavens could unleash at any moment. 

As we hiked down, we appreciated the warming temperatures compared with the chilly, windy summit. Eventually we got out of the gray clouds that were hugging the top of the mountain. There was even some occasional sunshine breaking through the clouds. We paused at the viewpoint over Mormon Lake. Despite the rain, it's still dry as can be, although now there were a few puddles in the middle. I don't think Flagstaff and the Mormon Lake area received quite as much rain as we did in Payson. 

Today we could have chose to play it safe and stayed home. The weather didn't look promising. But I'm glad we got out. Not only did the weather cooperate, but we got to hike in some conditions that probably come around only once in many months. Today was a beautiful fall hike in an area we've been exploring so often as of late—the stretch between Rim Country and Flagstaff. 

Marshall Lake to Walnut Canyon

Weather:  70º, sunny, windy

About this Hike:  A couple months ago we did a quick day hike in Walnut Canyon. While a pretty area, Walnut Canyon isn't exactly new territory to me anymore. However, I did notice a segment of Arizona Trail intersects Walnut Canyon with a sign reading 'Marshall Lake 4.7 miles.' 

Since we've been exploring segments of the AZT all along Lake Mary Road this summer and fall, I wanted to come back and explore this Marshall-Lake-to-Walnut-Canyon segment. Today was the perfect day weather-wise, so I loaded up the truck and drove up to Flagstaff. 

I parked at Marshall Lake which has a good size parking area for the AZT trailhead. The so-called lake is a big grassy meadow right now. Last week's rain obviously didn't do much for it, but I'm sure it's beautiful when full of water. Perhaps after a wet winter I'll need to return to this area... The area is very popular for dispersed camping, and as usual, I found myself wishing I had small RV or camper van. 

The scenery along the trail looked like pretty much all the other hikes I've done near Lake Mary Road: stands of ponderosa, grasslands, meadows, and the occasional cattle tank. I saw just two other hikers and a few bicyclists. Otherwise, I had the trail to myself. Unfortunately many segments of forest are being actively logged in this area. Large dozer-line roads bisect the landscape while ponderosa logs are piled 20 feet or more high, their mulched branches littering the ground. 

The best scenery by far was the final 1.5 miles before descending into and joining Walnut Canyon. The forest turns more lush. Firs intersperse with the ponderosas. The views open up looking into the canyon, into Flagstaff, and toward the San Francisco Peaks. 

In the canyon and near the junction with the main trail there is a neat sandstone formation. It has a pale pink hue and the typical sandstone striations. There is a little rock overhang that some may want to call a cave. A quick climb up a side trail leads to a mini rock arch / window. 

While not a jaw-dropping hike, this was a fun ~10 mile round trip Saturday afternoon hike. 

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. 

Battleground Ridge & Battling a Thunderstorm

Weather:  83°; clouds and sun

About this Hike:  Visiting Battleground Ridge on the Mogollon Rim has been on my bucket list a while. This monument can be driven to via Rim Road (FR-300) and FR-123. However, hiking to it from the Rock Crossing area of the Arizona Trail is also a very doable 11.5 - 12 mile day hike. 

I parked at the Arizona Trail parking area on the side of FR-751. This road leads to Rock Crossing Campground and eventually down to Blue Ridge Reservoir. 

This segment of Arizona Trail begins in forest that is rocky grassland. One area of minor fire damage led to stepping over some downed trees, but it was nothing too challenging. Eventually this hike begins steeply descending into Clear Creek Canyon.  

The trail reaches the fine, rocky bed of Clear Creek, which it traverses at well-marked crossings. Clear Creek is completely dry in this area right now, and you're a little way upriver from where the waters of Blue Ridge Reservoir officially start.

The climb out of Clear Creek is equally steep. In fact, the vast majority of elevation change during this hike occurs climbing up and down the sides of Clear Creek Canyon. Despite the tough elevation change, it's worth taking your time to look around. On the north side of Clear Creek are some cool rock formations and volcanic remnants. On the south side you'll enjoy some of the most varied conifer forest this hike offers. 

Once up and over the creek, the trail becomes an old road. It's also fairly level. I studied the possibility of a shortcut around an area called Battleground Tank. All Trails map even indicates a trail in this area. In reality, there's no trail. In fact, looking at the topographic map indicated I'd have to traverse at least one, if not two, ravines. These were likely steep and in thick forest. I opted to stick to the sure thing and follow the trail.

The old road doubling as Arizona Trail intersects FR-123, which has utility lines running parallel to it. Those lines eventually run up to a Blue Ridge Reservoir pumping station. At FR-123-E there's a signed junction. The pumping station is to the right and Battleground Ridge is to the left, each about two miles from the where the road forks. 

I followed the road up to Battleground Ridge. I was surprised to see some people had setup camp up there. I paused at the monument and read the placards on both sides. I also hiked around the area a little bit, as I know from the map that you're on a ridge that overlooks the lake. For the most part all I found were near-vertical drop offs that would eventually lead down to the lake. The forest and foliage were far too thick to see through. However, I did find one vantage point where I could see the lake. I even saw a kayak go paddling by on the water far below. 

My return was the via the way I came in. It was now almost noon and thunderstorms were beginning to build in. My return hike involved a lot of hustling and pushing myself to go faster, constantly outrunning the dark, thundering clouds that seemed to be chasing me. I guess my strategy worked...I was back to the truck just as the rain started coming down. 

I drove down the rim and into Strawberry for a much-deserved after-hike treat at Pie Bar. 

Cabin Loop Fred Haught - Take Two

Weather:  60º and sunny

About this Hike:  Last year I wrote about a bust of a hike attempting to explore the Fred Haught portion of Cabin Loop Trail.  This year we finally made it back for a do-over.

I should first clarify that in my post last year I mistakenly said we parked at the monument for Battle of Big Dry Wash.  In fact we parked at the Fred Haught trailhead, which is just passed the turn-off from FR300 (Rim Road) for Battleground Ridge.  The actual monument is about eight more miles up FR123. (Sidenote, I want to go back and explore FR123 more.)

Regardless, this time we had proper hiking GPS and followed the correct trail.  Fred Haught and the Arizona Trail run together for a few miles in this area.  I had hoped for some fall color, but this section of the forest is mostly conifer.  The only fall color we found was a small stand of aspens, but it was reflecting beautifully off the water in the creek that parallels Fred Haught Trail.  

About four miles in we reached a sign that pointed to the Fred Haught Cabin.  The sign is unclear, appearing to read either '5 miles' or '.5 miles.'  It ended up being the later.  About a half-mile through a meadow brings you to the remains of the Fred Haught Cabin.  

Next on the Cabin Loop is Pinchot Cabin. We hiked hard and fast, but reached a sign advising two more miles to the cabin.  Based on the time of day, we made a judgment call and turned around.  THAT Brewing Company in Pine was calling our name for dinner and drinks. 

What I did learn from this hike is that you don't have to hike the entire 24-mile Cabin Loop in order to see many of these cabins.  In fact, Pinchot Cabin has road access via FR139 / 139A.

Seems every time I visit the Rim, all I do is learn of more areas I want to explore. Guess I'll need to head back to Cabin Loop area again sometime soon.