Humphries Camping

[Randy]

Campsites near Humphries:

Take Highway 180 past the Snow Bowl/Trailhead Road turnoff. About a mile and a half or so past the turn is a sign for FS 151 'Hart Prairie'. FS 151 goes north about 10-12 miles or so and rejoins Highway 180. Along this road (which is dirt but passable for sedan) there are numerous side turnoffs which dead end in nice camping areas. BTW, this is a great drive in the fall to view aspen leaves. There is a fair amount of traffic on FS151, due to a Nature Conservancy facility along the road, and also a number of residences scattered on small private holdings. Don't let that dissuade you, there are enough beautiful campsites in this mostly forested area to hide a dozen boy scout troops. The Prairie is about mid way on this drive. The best sites are before the mid prairie or just past Fern Mountain, which is signed but self evident. Due to the traffic it is best to get back a ways off 151.

Just before the north end of 151, there is a junction with another road, FS 4-something, which goes east along the north side of the Peaks to Highway 89 near Wupatki NM. This is also a passable Road, making for a nice loop drive around the peaks.

The 'Inner Basin' Lockett Meadow area is even nicer. This dead end road climbs from Highway 89 to the caldera of the peaks, at about 9,000 ft. This road is a steep climb, a bit rocky, and I'm not sure a passenger sedan would be happy here. My 2WD Nissan truck does fine. This location is a bit longer drive than FS 151 and not nearly as convenient to a Summit hike. from the Snow Bowl TH. From Locket, one is not tempted to dash out for ice or supplies as conveniently as from Hart Prairie.

None of these locations has water, or toilet facilities. Fires will most likely be banned unless we get a deluge before then....-Randy

[SpiderLegs]

I camped at Freidlen two years ago. Perfect for a Subaru or truck camping. Don't know if I'd want to squeeze an RV in there. A great spot to camp for hitting the trail bright and early.

[DixieFlyer]

@SpiderLegs
According to the Coconino NF website, Freidlein Prairie Road is closed: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino ... rdb5339811

However, elsewhere on the Coconino NF website it says that dispersed camping is open on Freidlein Prairie Road...This seems confusing unless you are supposed to backpack in and camp

[SpiderLegs]

@DixieFlyer - It's finally dawning on me trying to figure out any of the FS updates and websites is a full time job. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing half the time.

[azlaurie]

we slept in the parking lot. is that not legal?

[louie]

@azlaurie That was my thinking. When I say camp I mean like Walmart style. Pull in and sleep. The allow overnight parking for backpackers so was thinking I’ll give it a try and see if someone tells me to leave. Man! So flipn’ tough to stay on top of what is open and what is closed, fire restrictions, etc. And even when I make phone calls or emails I get different answers...

[louie]

@chumley Right! Nothing like bumping a ten year old thread.. I was looking at that Wing Mountain area FR222, but I am hoping to camp in the aspens and it doesn’t look like there are aspens along FR222. Thanks for the info!!!

[azlaurie]

@louie
this is why I have a Jeep Cherokee. My mobile home. Go and sleep wherever I want to. Yep.

[louie]

So just some follow up from our hike over the weekend. Freidlein Prairie Rd is open. The first site #1 is perfect for an RV my size (25ft), but of course it was taken. Slept first night in the Humphreys Trailhead parking lot, but it's loud so didn't get the sleep quality I needed to make the summit. Found a nice site along Hart Prairie Rd less then a mile from the highway the second night. I wish fire restrictions were not in force as forest service had done a lot of wood gathering and this site was well equipped for a bonfire. Enjoy!!!

[chumley]

Slept first night in the Humphreys Trailhead parking lot

Just in case others read this later,

Overnight Parking
Per USFS regulation, overnight parking is permitted for guests seeking to hike and camp in the wilderness (outside the ski area boundaries). Guests must park in parking lots below the ski area’s entry gate. No overnight camping is permitted in the parking lots.

[Jim]

Snowbowl has opened up new large parking lots in an area below the old Humphrey Trailhead Parking. I parked in a lower one Saturday for my hike. It adds some AEG, but.....

So, unless SB closes them off, one could park there overnight in an RV or SUV and stealth camp, even if unlawful. I'm not recommending this, but 12 years ago I either knew someone who did this, or read about it. Basically, come late and make no noise. How will a Ranger even know? A parked vehicle is one thing, a full camp set up is different. How do they determine someone parked while backpacking vs a person who is sleeping in an RV or SUV?

If you're just desperate to start at an absurd time like 4 AM, is it really going to matter if you pull in on the DL after dark and sleep?

[chumley]

is it really going to matter

Like most things, no, It will not matter if you do it. But when you encourage others to do it by posting publicly that it's possible or there are no consequences, the impact of that decision results in more and more people doing it until it becomes a problem. People sleeping in their cars pee in the parking lot, they eat meals and generate more trash, etc. that the parking lot isn't equipped to handle. Blah blah blah. You understand this. I don't know why I'm trying to explain it to you.

[louie]

There are bathrooms and trash cans at the parking lot. There are no signs posted that say no sleeping in vehicles. For a place that doesn’t allow overnight sleeping it was crowded and people were coming and going all night due to it’s popularity. That noise and traffic is why I would never sleep in the parking lot again. I couldn’t get any sleep.

[azdesertfather]

Anyone know the Abineau-Bear Jaw area well? Looking for a nice, quiet spot for the Mrs. and I to camp in the area as we go up to hike to celebrate her birthday. Private, legal spots preferred

Thanks in advance!

[azbackpackr]

@azdesertfather
There should be plenty of car camping sites along there. Be smart, and enter the area via 180, NOT 89. Much easier drive. (You can always drive out the other way.) I did check for the camping closure boundary, but looks like you'd be well away from that. I doubt if there are many campers up there right now. It's too cold for most people now. Below freezing every night, chilly, windy days.

[chumley]

@azdesertfather
As azbackpackr said, this area is NOT part of the flagstaff area permanent camping ban (I'm attaching that map here for others to reference in the future).

I recommend checking the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) whenever you wish to camp on land managed by the national forest. I'm attaching a cropped image of the area in question here, but you may download the entire map for free here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino ... rdb5356224
Motor vehicle travel is only permitted on the roads on this map. The roads that have the orange highlight allow motorized camping up to 300-feet from the road. Other roads limit motor travel to the immediate roadside.

The ultimate answer to your question depends on exactly when you plan to go. Because the road to Lockett Meadow is still closed to motor vehicles as a result of damage from Pipeline Fire erosion, ABJ has been a very popular alternate and was much more crowded last season than previously. Weekends are significantly busier than weekdays, though even that isn't much relief this time of year.

It's autumn, and there are a number of active hunts. Definitely check with the Arizona Game and Fish Dept for the current season in the area you will be. Despite the possibility of hearing rifle shots (archery is quieter!), it is not uncommon for hunting parties to occupy all the best campsites for the duration of their hunt. Those who have a tag rarely care if it's a weekday or not.

The road to the trailhead is marked as no camping, and the FS attempts to dismantle and block the sites that people make/use anyway. FR 418 east of ABJ tends to be very rocky, though there are a handful of easily accessible roadside campsites along the way. West of ABJ has fewer options as you run into private property quickly. Much of FR 418 is sloped as it traverses the lower contours of the peaks, limiting the flatter camping options until you get out into the private property squares on the west side of the peaks and into Hart Prairie. There are options out there to be found, but I wouldn't put a pin on any one of them and expect to find it unoccupied.

[azbackpackr]

The Haz description has both sets of directions to get to the trailhead. I don't know anyone from Flagstaff who would go there by way of 89, unless they were wanting to access a particular area along the way. But I got stuck doing that once with another hiker (from the Valley) and I will never go that way again. I'm surprised it's even an option on the hike description.

Anyway your answer was better than mine, @chumley

I hadn't thought of hunting season. I haven't been out there in a long time.

I noticed you fixed the title spelling. So did I. I wish the moderator would fix the spelling.

[azdesertfather]

Thanks for the latest guidance here!!