[gary_g]

hello all... I recently moved here from the east coast and planned on doing a weekend backpack trip for labor day. It's going to be a few of us so I wasn't looking for anything too challenging, so my plan was to take highline trail 31 near the hatchery, then take that back to horton springs to camp. Or should I do the horton creek trail 285? I just didn't want anything too boring, just a small hike in and a nice place to camp... how's the water on those two trails, I'm assuming it's filter-able? Anything I should know about backpacking out here?

[Tough_Boots]

Horton Spring is always flowing and definitely filter-able. If you want solitude, don't take the Horton Creek trail. It's one of the busiest in the area. I would do either the Highline like you said or take the Derrick up to the spring. Also, check out Babe Haught to Knoll Lake. You can park along 300 and take a pretty pleasant small hike and camp around the lake.

[gary_g]

Horton Spring is always flowing and definitely filter-able. If you want solitude, don't take the Horton Creek trail. It's one of the busiest in the area. I would do either the Highline like you said or take the Derrick up to the spring. Also, check out Babe Haught to Knoll Lake. You can park along 300 and take a pretty pleasant small hike and camp around the lake.

Awesome, thanks for the info. I saw both Babe Haught and the Horton Springs trail, but wasn't sure if I could park overnight on 300 - I'm assuming that's cool?

[Tough_Boots]

Just past where Babe Haught crosses 300, there's another forest road that I saw a car parked down this past weekend. I assumed it belonged to the folks we met on the trail that were doing an overnight over to Horton spring. I don't see why there would be a problem with parking there. We hiked along some of the old forest roads in that area and there's plenty of evidence of hunters camping all over the place up there. Maybe someone else will chime in with some different info. Also Knoll Lake has a small campground on the northwest side but the east side where you enter from Babe Haught definitely has some spots where people have camped before, and the Forest Service sites reads like these are up for grabs.

[gary_g]

Awesome thanks for the info. I had no idea Babe Haught took you over FR300 to Knoll Lake, the map I had made it look like it ended at the road. Thanks for the info, I'll definitely check that one out next time too.

[joe bartels]

There's no restrictions along forest roads in the Tonto Forest. At large camping is permitted, meaning you can pull over and camp almost anywhere unless otherwise signed. Best practice is to camp away from water sources unless it's overly abundant.

[BobP]

@ggeisbert
The trail does end at the road...but it becomes a new trail also called Babe Haught but with a different trail # because its in a different jurisdiction.

East Coast people rock...unless your from Boston

[big_load]

One thing to avoid if you can is staying too close to FR300 on a weekend. ATVs and dirt bikes go zipping around until the wee hours. They ran all the way up to the game fence behind General Springs Cabin around 2:00 am when we were camped there.

[gary_g]

Ahhh thanks for the heads up. I think I'm going to stick with Highline trail and just camp somewhere within the vicinity of horton springs. And no, not from boston, DC here

[BobP]

Depending on how many miles you want to do...you can also park at the 260 TH then head down thru See Canyon cross Christopher then over to Horton(13 miles each way). This is also another section of the Highline trail.

[gary_g]

Depending on how many miles you want to do...you can also park at the 260 TH then head down thru See Canyon cross Christopher then over to Horton(13 miles each way). This is also another section of the Highline trail.

That's a really good idea actually. I'll talk to the people I'm with and see what distances they're up for and see what happens. Whichever way I go I definitely want to end up at Horton Springs - I was checking out the pics and it looks amazing. Are there any fire restrictions that you know of? I checked on the Tonto National Forest web page and it looks like there aren't (any more), but I figured I'd ask around to be sure...

[paulhubbard]

Horton Springs is indeed WAY cool! Even if it's a little crowded on the trail up from Tonto Campground I would say it's worth it. An alternative route could be to go down from the rim (but then you have to get back UP) as long as you're prepared for a pretty steep ascent and some trail finding "challenges", its a great hike. Plus, there's tons of camping on the top of rim with no fire restrictions.
http://www.hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=11620

[desertlavender]

I'm taking a group of beginning backpackers along the Derrick Trail/Horton Creek loop in October. We have hiked the Horton Creek Trail but not Derrick. Any suggestions for places to camp along Derrick before we reach the springs? Also, I noticed the parking lot is often full. If so, can we park overnight on the road?

[hikeaz]

I'm taking a group of beginning backpackers along the Derrick Trail/Horton Creek loop in October. We have hiked the Horton Creek Trail but not Derrick. Any suggestions for places to camp along Derrick before we reach the springs? Also, I noticed the parking lot is often full. If so, can we park overnight on the road?

It appears that you may be hiking the loop counter-clockwise? The camping along the Derrick is pretty grim as a fire and subsequent erosion have damaged a lot of the area - it is possible though. Once up on the Highline the situation improves some, but are few-and-far-between, especially if your group is large. Just going from memory, there is some decent space near the Highline/Derrick intersection. And, if you prefer open-air sleeping like I do, there are some nice promotory outcroppings on which to camp, but are likely unsuitable for tents. These are every-so-often just west of the Highline. http://hikearizona.com/dex2/igallery/image_page.php?id=4558

I have left my vehicle in the Horton Trail pkg. lot over 3 days time with no issues.

[DBmooner]

i was wondering if the creeks between horton springs and washington park are flowwing and if the water was drinkabel going to do a 3 day trip from 260 th to washington park and would like to carry as littel water as possibel

[Tough_Boots]

last summer, I attempted a dayhike heading east from Washington Park. If I remember correctly, I did come across flowing water in a couple spots. I only went about 3 miles or so and turned around. Also, if you weren't already aware, the stretch east of Washington Park definitely demands some route finding skills. Quite a bit of that area is fire damaged and with no recognizable trail.

[nonot]

When I did this a year or two ago, Dude Creek was running, but Dry Dude creek was dry. The trail got really bad at dry dude creek. No promises.

About 2 weeks ago there was quite a bit of water between 260 and horton springs. Besides horton springs and see canyon there were a few other trickles along the way.