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Sentinel Crest by HAZ_Hikebot 
The Crest Trails north end is along the Barfoot Park Road and continues southward to Chiricahua Peak, Sentinel Peak, and Monte Vista Peak. This trail is 14.2 miles long and divided into three sections, each traversing a ridge or crest. From Chiricahua Peak, there are three main ridges; to the north, a ridge running to Buena Vista Peak, to the southwest, a ridge running to Monte Vista Peak, and to the southeast, a ridge running to Sentinel Peak. Each of the ridges divides the trail into three sections and two side trails. THREE MAIN ⅄ LEG SECTIONS Crest Trail #270 - Barfoot Park Rd to Jct Sdl 6.2 miles: on the north side of Chiricahua Peak Crest Trail #270B - Jct Sdl to Monte Vista Pk 3 miles: Along the west side of Chiricahua Peak Crest Trail #270C - Jct Sdl to Sentinel Peak 5 miles: Along the east side of Chiricahua Peak TWO SHORT OPTIONS Crest Trail #270A - Jct Sdl to Aspen Sdl 0.9 miles: Jct Saddle > Chiricahua Pk > Aspen Sdl on the SE side of Chiricahua Pk Crest Trail #270D - Chiricahua Bypass 1.2 miles: Aspen Sdl to Chiricahua Sdl along the south side of Chiricahua Pk Access to the Crest Trail at various points can be done from Rustler Park to the north, Turkey Creek to the west, Cave Creek to the east, and Rucker Canyon to the South. Only the Rustler Park access is direct; the rest require 5 to 10-mile connecter trails with 3 to 4000 feet of elevation change. These Trails are all at around 9000 feet through heavily wooded areas, and some areas burned pretty severely over the last 20 years. The forest is in different stages of recovery. Weather can change suddenly at this elevation, and if on the trail, be prepared for whatever it can throw at you; there is no quick exit from this trail. CREST TRAIL #270C – JCT SDL TO SENTINEL PEAK --- OLD DATA --- The Crest Trail is actually a system of trails, spurs and side loops that sits like an inverted letter "Y" on the central ridge of the Chiricahuas. To make the job of describing this trail network a bit more manageable, the FS has broken it up into three parts. This page is for the trail from the northern boundary of the Chiricahua Wilderness to the foot of the upside down Y's southwestern leg on Monte Vista Peak. About 2.5 miles from the Wilderness boundary, the trail reaches Junction Saddle. This southeast fork of the Crest Trail #270 goes to Sentinel Peak. Between the Wilderness boundary and Monte Vista Peak, the Crest Trail offers access to a land of diverse forests, wildflower clad meadows, soaring overlooks and some of the highest summits in the mountain range. Particular features accessible along this section of the Crest include Flys Peak, Anita Park, Chiricahua Peak and the unmatched views of Monte Vista Peak. Centella Point, Winn Falls, Anita Spring and Booger Spring are accessible via spurs or connecting trails. Another aspect of this trail is its pleasant character. Much of it wanders along a wide and easy to follow trail, cushioned with pine needles and shaded by tall trees. The gradient is moderate, and grassy parks and distant vistas appear with pleasing frequency. Even the wildlife seems cooperative. It's a good place to see Coues white-tailed deer, a variety of songbirds and the retreating shadow of a shy black bear. Numerous side trails provide plenty of opportunity for added adventure. Check out the Triplogs. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community.
One-Way Notice This hike is listed as One-Way. When hiking several trails on a single "hike", log it with a generic name that describes the hike. Then link the trails traveled, check out the example. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
