Jackson Butte - Sevenmile Mountains, AZ

Overview
Jackson Butte (elevation of 6,106 feet and prominence of 1,066 feet) is just off of Highway 60 in Gila County, about 20 miles north of Globe. It is in the Tonto National Forest and is part of the Sevenmile Mountains range.


Hike
From the parking area, Jackson Butte is clearly visible to the west, a little over a mile away. The objective is to first reach a plateau that is on the north side of Jackson Butte, and then make the climb up to the summit on the north slopes of the butte.From the parking area, it is probably best to go south (that is to your left when looking at Jackson Butte from the parking area) for 1,000 feet or so in order to avoid a thicket of cat's claw not far from where you park. Then take a farm road to your right toward Jackson Tank, climb under a barbed-wire fence near the tank, and then head west up toward Jackson Butte. There is some scattered vegetation along the way, but almost all of it can be avoided. After about a mile you will reach a plateau that is about 300 vertical feet below the summit. From there just head toward the summit and make a steep climb up. There are a few outcroppings in the way, but you can skirt around them without much trouble. There is some vegetation to deal with -- mostly shrub live oak and some juniper trees -- but you can work around these for the most part. There is some loose rock in places, so exercise care on these sections.

Once at the summit enjoy the views and check out the interesting ruins that are up there.

Descend the same way that you came up. While descending you will be able to see the airstrip where you parked, so you'll know where you need to go. It is not essential to precisely follow any certain route; just pick the way that looks best to you. If you use the guide author's GPS track, his descent route was better than his ascent.

Warning
There is a fairly steep grade on some portions of the hike, so exercise caution on these sections, especially on the descent. There is some loose rock in places, so be careful where you place your feet. There is a bit of class 2 hiking just below the summit, but there is nothing worse.

2022-01-31 DixieFlyer