Grand Canyon North Rim—North Kaibab & Widforss Trails

Weather:  75°, mostly sunny

About this hike:  Eight years ago I hiked the Grand Canyon South Rim to the river and back in a day.  I did this via Bright Angel Trail.

Since that visit to the canyon so many years ago, I've dreamed of going back.  I even booked a trip back in fall of 2017, but it fell through last minute.  

With an America the Beautiful Pass that expires on May 31, I thought now was the perfect time to return to Grand Canyon.  

Instead of the crowded South Rim, I opted to explore the less-busy North Rim.  The drive is longer, and I even opted to rent a fuel-efficient car.  With no off-roading planned, this seemed the better choice.  The car paid for itself in fuel savings. 

Unlike my South Rim adventure eight years ago, I had no plans of reaching the Colorado River and back in a day; it's simply too far from the North Rim.  

I hiked down North Kaibab Trail, only planning to reach a milestone called as Cypress Point.  I was cognizant of the fact that what goes down must come back up. North Kaibab starts as descending switchbacks.  Mule poop is everywhere and it smells like a farm—gross.  To make matters worse, the trail is soft pack like fine sand.  This means mule poop dust—doubly gross.

The first waypoint was at the watering pit and restrooms.  Some shorter mule tours stop here and then go back up, meaning the droppings on the trail become less bothersome past this point.  The trail surface also transitions to hard pack, meaning less dust.

After availing myself of the facilities, I continued my descent.  Immediately the trail went through a neat red sandstone tunnel.  The Redwall Bridge comes into view in the canyon far below.  It's about another mile to reach the actual bridge.

Redwall Bridge was the next waypoint.  This footbridge crosses Roaring Springs Canyon.  As the name implies, the red cliff walls are breathtaking.  If you have a healthy fear of heights like I do, the next part may also take your breath away.  North Kaibab Trail becomes a shelf trail.  One wrong step and you'd fall to a likely death.  

The final waypoint was Cypress Overlook.  My nerves were already a little frazzled from the aforementioned shelf trail.  As I rounded the corner toward Cypress, a wicked wind blew up out of the canyon, smacking me in the face with dust and gravel.  This wind didn't relent.  I backed away from the edge of the trail, fearing a blast of wind could knock me off balance and ultimately off the trail.  I didn't make Cypress Overlook.  Likely but a few hundred yards short, I turned back to begin the 2,500 foot climb back to North Kaibab Trailhead. 

North Kaibab begins in dense conifer forest.  You get to watch the climate zone transitions in real time as you descend into the canyon.  Conifer gives way to cypress and other high-desert flora.  The rocks transition from pale white to red rock.  I love the dense forest around the North Rim when compared to the high-desert pinon and junipers around the South Rim.  

Since I reached the trailhead by about 3:30pm, I opted to do one more quick hike.  I explored a couple miles of Widforss Trail.  This trail hugs the canyon rim but through dense forest which occasionally opens up into sweeping vistas of the canyon.  To be honest, I liked Widforss better and wished I had time to explore more of it.  The peaceful, dense forest without all the Rim-to-Rim warriors, mules, mule poop, etc. was a welcome respite after North Kaibab.  

 

Pine Canyon

Weather:  82º, dry, sunny

About this Hike:  First let me say that I didn't come into this hike with high expectations. The lower end of this trail begins at a large trailhead in the town of Pine. I've hiked Highline Trail and likely portions of Pine Canyon trail from this very trailhead in the past.  It's hot, dry, exposed, and definitely not the best scenery Rim Country has to offer.  However, there is an upper end to Pine Canyon.

The unmarked upper trailhead for Pine Canyon Trail 26 is a quick turn off AZ-87 heading north from Pine/Strawberry and just passed the AZ-260 west junction.  We used a map and carefully watched for the turn off.  There is a rollaway cattle gate that you have to open and then close after you drive your vehicle through.  Once back near the trailhead, there's parking for a few cars and a couple numbered OHV roads branch off as well.

Once parked the trailhead was easy to find, as large signs denote it.  The trail began in thick ponderosa forest and then quickly descended into the canyon via switchbacks.  The scenery here is incredible.  Pine Canyon is more majestic than I ever imagined--a little bit of Grand Canyon and maybe a bit of Oak Creek Canyon too.  The forest is thick and heavy, but the trail is well blazed and marked.  

The switchbacks eventually level out and the trail traverses beautiful forest.  It also parallels Pine Creek which was flowing strong in mid-May, but not too strong for a couple creek crossings.  There are a lot of interesting, well-signed side trails to check out including Tiny Cave and Darling Rocks.  The tiny cave is exactly what it sounds like, but we didn't get too close since it's in the creek bottom and there was poison ivy and poison oak in the vicinity. 

The main trail is denoted by red metal blazes nailed to trees.  However, many trees had orange spray paint marks on them.  The spray paint was very fresh and also detracted from the otherwise wonderful forest smell.  As I loudly made a comment about, "How many gallons of orange paint is out here? Are they putting a fresh coat on the whole forest?" I rounded a corner and ran into a forest service contractor with two gallons of orange tree striping paint in his hands.  Foot in mouth moment.

He was a friendly gentleman with an even friendlier black lab.  He explained that the striping project is in preparation for forest thinning.  Overgrown forests are full of fuel, and I would hate to lose Pine Canyon to a fire. However, I also hate the thought of them sawing down all those trees with the orange stripes.  There are a lot of orange-striped trees out there right now.  

We reached an interesting bridge that the placard said was built in 2016.  The bridge crosses Pine Creek and from there the trail continues another six miles into the town of Pine.  At this point we also reached Camp Lo Mia which is an LDS church camp for women.  The fenced property had No Trespassing warning signs all over, and we decided this was a good turn around point.  In fact, when you've reached the camp you're closer to civilization than you realize.  From highway 260 the road that runs up to the camp branches out into residential neighborhoods full of cabins.  

We turned back and explored the Darling Rocks side trail on the way back up.  The trail eventually became a little overgrown and poison ivy was present.  The Darling Rocks is a large rockslide pile.  A sign denotes this, and there's also a well-worn memorial placard posted as well.  While the side trail is considered an out-and-back, it was considerably lengthy and there was the aforementioned poison ivy.  My All Trails hiking GPS app showed an off-trail jaunt would return us to the main trail.  This proved tricky because I followed the orange-marked trees at first, thinking the forest service contractor had likely come from the main trail.  I had to study the GPS map on my phone carefully in order to stay on course.  I also tested the ground before every step with my hiking pole.  The ground was very soft in spots, almost like you would step and full into a booby-trapped pit.  

A steep climb up a short embankment, and Trail 26 was back in sight.  We left the forest behind and headed back up the switchbacks.  The rocks of Pine Canyon was illuminated completely different now in the late afternoon sun.  

I am so glad to have discovered this.  I've probably passed this trailhead countless times heading to Rim Road (FR-300) or Blue Ridge Reservoir.  Pine Canyon definitely outdid my expectations.  

Aspen Creek Do-Over

Weather:  79º, dry, sunny, windy

About this Hike:  Last August I tried exploring Mt. Francis via Aspen Creek Trailhead.  The only reason I was hiking in August was thanks to an active monsoon, the temperature was tolerable.  Unfortunately, that active monsoon blew in a huge storm not so long after I began my hike.  It ended with me scrambling to get back to the trailhead.  I tried waiting it out, but the storm was unrelenting.  I finally gave up and headed to one of the many breweries in Prescott. 

So today was a do-over.  The weather was perfect and it's not monsoon season yet.  In fact, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but there was a strong breeze which made for pleasant natural air conditioning.  While not an intense hike with any major elevation gain, it was still warm in the sun.  

I hiked up and around Mt. Francis wandering down many of the side trails and often following old roads.  It's a good idea to have a GPS and maps.  I use the All Trails Pro app on my phone.  The network of trails and side trails extensive and confusing in here.  If you forget to download your map ahead of time, you'll likely have service as several major cell phone towers are on top of Mt. Francis. 

After exploring Francis it was too early to head out.  I opted to hike up Cold Spring Trail 393 for a ways, eventually veering onto a side trail.  All of this takes you through beautiful ponderosa pine forest.  I saw plenty of deer and a massive Sonoran gopher snake sunning itself on the trail.  On the way back down, I found a freshly severed deer leg on the trail, meaning there's mountain lions in the vicinity.  I'm guessing the lion wouldn't be too interested in me, having just eaten a deer for lunch.  

There are miles and miles of trails to explore in this part of Prescott.  In my opinion, this is the better part of Prescott with dense ponderosa forest.  I look forward to escaping the heat of Phoenix and coming back here soon. 

Paradise Lost (and Found) + Bull Basin

Weather: 71º, sunny

About this Hike:  In October of last year I did my semi-traditional Haunted Canyon hike.  Last year I tried the upper trailhead which is accessible past the old iron one-lane bridge and up FR-287A.  

As I studied the map in preparation for that hike, I noted that there are a number of other trails in the area.  Two more miles up FR-287A (for a total of just six miles from the bridge), there is another abandoned ranch and plenty of trails at the Miles Ranch Trailhead.  

The weather was perfect today, and probably won't be like this too much longer.  I decided to drive up to Miles Ranch and explore.  I plotted out a 10 mile loop hike starting on West Pinto Trail 212 until the junction with Bull Basin 270.  At this point I would follow Bull Basin down to Haunted Canyon 203, do a brief jaunt on 203, and then return to Miles Ranch via Paradise Trail 271 plus a brief half-mile on FR-287A.  

My map work in All Trails was beautiful.  I didn't see any traffic or other hikers until I reached the Miles Ranch Trailhead.  The meadow near the old ranch was surprisingly busy with tents and vehicles, this due to a Boy Scouts campout.  The scout troop was lining up to go on a hike, and I am glad they went a different way than me—I know from experience being stuck behind a hiking scout troop is a tedious affair.

My hike began on West Pinto 212.  An freshly fallen oak tree blocked the path.  It took a lot of careful maneuvering, but I got around it unscathed.  It was but a foreshadow of what was to come.

The first two miles of Bull Basin 270 were quite beautiful.  The trail meanders along a creek, and then begins to climb with dramatic, but not super steep, switchbacks.  Beautiful wildflowers were everywhere.  Shrub overgrowth on the trail was getting annoying.  Much of it was live oak which is a bit prickly, but won't tear you up like cat claw will.  Annoying, but manageable.  Until about 2.5 miles in when it wasn't manageable anymore.  I don't know if a machete would've gotten me through the thicket that was now the trail.  

Some people insist bushwhacking is part of the fun.  I think it's a good way to get cut up and lose an eye.  I decided to turn back and return to West Pinto 212.  I explored West Pinto which follows the creekbed of Pinto Creek.  The stream was flowing a bit and there were some dramatic cliffs and rockslides.  The lush forest gave way to burn damage along West Pinto.  Again, I opted to turn back and return to the Miles Ranch Trailhead. 

I took a few minutes to explore the old horse stables and other infrastructure at the ranch.  Despite the name Miles Ranch Trailhead given by the Forest Service, this ranch was called Kennedy Ranch.  Judging from some of the artifacts and the condition of the stable building, I don't think it's been abandoned all that long.  I'm hoping to learn more of the history of this place...

I departed Miles Ranch and drove about a half mile back down 287A where there are two pullouts that will fit a few cars.  This is the trailhead for Paradise Trail 271.  Paradise started out along thickly forested creekbeds, one of which still had some water flowing.  I didn't get too close, because I saw poison ivy all around the creek.  There was also what appeared to be an abandoned pink tent in one of the clearings.  Creepy.  

About two miles in and over 1,000 feet elevation gain, Paradise was lost.  Overgrowth again became impassable and at this point it was late in the afternoon and I was tired.  I opted to turn back the way I came. 

While I didn't accomplish the original loop I had set out to do, I can't say I was completely surprised.  The few bits of information I was able to find on this trail network warned overgrowth is a big problem in this less-visited area of the Superstitions.  In fact, the series of out-and-back hikes that I did was my Plan B if things didn't work out.  I was still able to explore all the trails I wanted to see.  And the forest in this area is so unique.  Made up of mostly Arizona cypress, there is also the occasional pinon pine, along with plenty of live oak and manzanita.  A rare saguaro cactus still makes an appearance, seeming to defying the top of the mighty saguaro's range.  

I'm sharing a screenshot of my map. You can see the original loop route which would have taken me south and around Government Hill.  The colored lines indicate the actual out-and-back hikes that I was able to accomplish:

Mount Peeley

Weather: 73º, sunny; became mostly cloudy in the afternoon

About this Hike:  Since learning of the Mt. Peeley Trailhead late last year I've been intrigued by this hike.  It has been on my mind all winter, and today was the perfect day to pull the trigger on it.

Beeline Highway (AZ-87) can be a parking lot on weekends as folks escape the heat of the Valley.  It must not be high season yet, as this March weekend it was not busy at all.  At the turnoff for Mt. Ord, instead of going right, I turned left.  This paved road is listed as FR-626, FR-627, and Sycamore Canyon Road.  Whatever you prefer to call it, FR-201 intersects about a mile later and then the pavement disappears.  

FR-201 is narrow and steep in places with some blind corners. It's mostly hard-packed dirt.  Thankfully I didn't have too many meet ups with oncoming vehicles.   There are wider portions and pull offs, but there are a lot of narrow, shelf portions as well.  The road offers good sightlines so you can watch for evidence of oncoming traffic, clouds of dust, etc.  About 10 miles of this fun, and I was at the Mt. Peeley Trailhead. 

I followed the Mazatzal Divide trail until reaching the spur to the Mt. Peeley summit.  There is a large cairn marking the spur trail, but beyond that it can be hard to follow.  Hiking GPS is a must.  I used a pre-mapped route from All Trails App.  There are other cairns marking the path to the summit, but it appears many people have done this a few different ways.  There isn't always a clearly blazed trail in front of you, and I ended up off trail quite a few times.  I was always able to recalibrate, and after about 30 minutes I reached the summit.  

Peeley summit has some wonderful views.  You clearly see the defined edge of the Mogollon Rim to the north.  Superstition and Weavers Needle poke up to the southeast out of the smog cloud of the Phoenix Valley.  Of course Four Peaks is ever visible, and there was even snow on its northern flanks.  Horseshoe Reservoir is visible to the west along with the 'golf ball' weather station on Humboldt Peak.  You'll likely have cell reception thanks to the clear sightlines of towers atop Mt. Ord directly to the east.

There's an ammo box with a logbook at the Peeley summit.  I meant to bring a pen and forgot; thankfully pencils were provided in the ammo box.  I was able to sign the logbook and have lunch at the Peeley summit.  While large vegetation is sparse, there is crumbly Sedona-esque red rock all around.  I noted very soft, loose soil on the hike up, so erosion is a real possibility in this ecosystem.  There is also a surveying stamp to look for; it dates back to 1924.  

The trip down from Peeley summit was easier than going up.  I don't know if I just had a better visual of the trail or what, but I didn't get off trail quite as much as I did on the ascent.  I rejoined Mazatzal Divide / AZ Trail for about 2.5 more miles.  The forest in this area is still relatively healthy and it's interesting to note the transitions from ponderosa pine and other cold-weather evergreens to juniper and pinyon pine and then back again.  Mazatzal Peak is always looking over you in the distance, and there's views of lush forest below deep in Deer Creek Canyon.  I met two friendly ladies who were backpacking their way along the Arizona Trail, having started at the Mexico border.  Otherwise I didn't see a lot of people or wildlife on this beautiful and well-maintained trail.

Even though I did this as an out-and-back, the light was quite different on the return trip.  There were still patches of snow in places, and I noted a trickling creek that I completely blew past on the ascent.  Sometimes the return hike feels like a completely different place...

There's a lot to explore in the Mazatzal Wilderness.  I've only just begun experiencing this part of our beautiful state. 

Horsethief Basin Lookout Loop

 Weather:  60°, sunny, clear

About this Hike:  Originally I mapped this hike following old OHV roads in Horsethief Basin.  My intention was to see the Native ruins at East Fort and South Fort.  Last minute I added on a side trip to the Horsethief Lookout Tower.  

February is low season for otherwise popular Horsethief Basin.  With unseasonably warm and dry weather, it seemed like the perfect time to visit.  The campgrounds and developed sites are closed for the season, so this meant a lot less traffic. In fact, I pretty much had Horsethief Basin to myself on a beautiful Saturday.

My first stop was at the lookout tower.  While unmanned for the season, a posted sign said it was OK to climb the tower.  I tried, but didn't get far.  Those see-thru metal grate steps are just too much for my fear of heights.  Regardless, the views at the lookout site are magnificent.  You can see Lake Pleasant, Glendale, and mountains in the Phoenix Valley.  You can see Superstition Mountain and Weaver's Needle.  Four Peaks and the Matazals are prominently visible.  Humphey's Peak poked up like a snow-capped glacier to the north.  And if you really looked close toward the southeast, you could see the top of the Santa Catalinas down in Tucson.  This was by far the most comprehensive view around Arizona I've ever experienced at one site.  The only landmark not visible up here was Sedona's red rocks. 

Both of the fort sites ended up being a bust.  Both areas have suffered heavy fire damage, especially East Fort.  The trail became impossible to follow, and it was not mapped correctly on my All  Trails GPS.  I was getting caught up in burned branches and other obstacles.  The fire was bad enough that soil was burned black.  It was a similar situation at the South Fort.  

Regardless, this was a good day to experience another unique and beautiful part of our state.  And while seeing the Hohokam ruins at the fort sites would have been cool, I doubt there would have been any additional views to take in.  From the fire lookout, I feel like I saw all that there was to see.  

Tortilla Trail FR-213 to Tortilla Ranch

Weather:  65°, partly cloudy, breezy

About this Hike:  Many reviews of this hike describe it as being a boring walk through the desert.  Today we were looking for a Superstitions hike that wasn't overly strenuous, nor had too much elevation gain.

The Tortilla Trail was a perfect option.  The trailhead is about a mile from where the pavement ends on AZ-88, Apache Trail.  The hiking path follows FR-213.  The rocky ledges at the start of this road require some serious high clearance and other off-road accessories in order to climb over.  I wouldn't even think of taking my Tacoma over it.  However, through the course of this hike we did encounter a Chevy truck that was surprisingly unmodified and a heavily modified Subaru Forester.  While infrequent during our visit, vehicle traffic is something to keep in mind if you opt to hike on this route. 

The views of the Superstition Mountains and Four Peaks were breathtaking, as were the views down into Tortilla Canyon.  Tortilla Creek was flowing steadily.

Upon reaching the old Tortilla Ranch, we marveled at the good condition of the infrastructure and historic artifacts.  I am hoping to research the history of this place some more.    

We continued past the ranch a ways and explored the beginnings of JF Trail and Peter's Trail.  There are some interesting artifacts right after you junction with Peter's Trail.  These include an old cistern, and a windmill that has fallen over.  Sadly, many of these artifacts are riddled with bullet holes.  

Past the cistern the trail descends into the creek, and the views of the Tortilla Canyon walls are spectacular.  Sycamore trees line the creekbed.  With the creek flowing, and muddy evidence of a recent flash flood in the area, we weren't able to go far.  This became our turnaround point. 

Upon arrival back at the Tortilla Trailhead parking area, we opted to drive one more mile up the Apache Trail to watch sunset at the Fish Creek Overlook.  This is as far as you can go on Apache Trail, and a large gate bars vehicles from going beyond the overlook site.  Apache Trail was damaged severely in a post-fire mud slide a few years ago and has yet to reopen.