Guide | ♦ | 27 Triplogs | 0 Topics |
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The trail immediately crosses the West Fork of the Little Colorado River, so roll up your pants and prepare to get your feet wet because there is no bridge here. Once across, the trail goes almost straight up toward Amberon Point, rising nearly 600 feet in elevation in just under an eighth of a mile. Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir trees are thick on either side of the trail here. The chattering of squirrels should inspire you through the climb. Once at Amberon Point, catch your breath and consider that the most difficult part of the trail is behind you. The trial continues on a more reasonable grade toward Marble Spring, offering a glimpse of the Greer Basin. Near Marble Spring, the trail skirts and passes through an area that was logged in 1988 The trail soon leaves the forested area and cuts across broad meadows, detouring around ciénegas, or marshy areas. Waterfowl can be found in these wet spots through the summer and early fall. Frogs sing away the summer as garter snakes hunt in the tall grass. Elk is a familiar sight, cooling themselves in the ciénegas in the warm summer afternoons. The trail continues through open country, bordered by tall trees, and East Fork Trail Image Map #2 eventually follows an old railroad grade near Colter Reservoir. These railroad beds are standard throughout the Springerville and Alpine Ranger Districts. They are the remains of the Maverick line of the Apache Railway system, which hauled lumber to the mill in McNary after World War II. Posts set in the ground with a hiker symbol help delineate the trail's course through the meadows. Notes:
Check out the Official Route and Triplogs. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community.
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