Segment 34 - Aspen Corner to the AZT

[garyc57]

My son and my sister will be hiking SOBO from the South Rim in mid-October. Originally, the plan was for them to camp just south of the Snowbowl parking lot, and I would bring needed supplies down to them for the night. But, I really wasn't looking forward to that mile walk down carrying food, water, snacks, and my sister's tent and sleeping bag. Then back up to sleep in the driver's seat of the Armada, then back down the next morning to bring more food, water and snacks, then schlepping the tent and sleeping bag back up the hill to the Armada.

Then I saw the Aspen Corner parking lot, and realized it's only a quarter of a mile from there to the AZT.

My questions: how is the trail/hike from the Aspen Corner parking lot to the AZT? Given it will be mid-October on a Friday afternoon, what will the parking be like? Mad house with all the "leaf peepers"? Or, empty?

Thanks for any advice,
Gary

[chumley]

The hike from Aspen Corner down to the AZT is well-traveled and generally considered easy. However, I wouldn't recommend this as a spot to camp. As you suspect, this area will be overrun with leaf-peeping tourists. Weekdays, weekends, and all daylight hours. Note that you are not permitted to camp on or adjacent to Snowbowl Road (will they bother you just sleeping in your vehicle? I can't say for sure).

If the mileages work for their hike, I think you'd have much better luck near one of the dirt roads that cross the trail north of the peaks. You wouldn't have to carry their gear more than a few feet. FR418 near the White Horse Hills is about 7 trail miles north of your planned campspot. Another 3 miles north starts a 3 mile stretch of trail east of Kendrick Park that parallels FR514, which again, would provide drive-up access for camping.

Another option is to park near Bismarck Lake and camp there (~3 miles from Aspen Corner). It's about a mile to the AZT, but if it were me, I would set up camp by the vehicle and make the hikers come to me, rather than the other way around! Of course, car-camping spots in this area can be tough to come by on an autumn weekend too, not just for leaf peepers, but also hunters, depending on what hunt is open at the time.

Due to the proximity to the city of Flagstaff, there's no camping permitted anywhere south of Aspen Corner until the AZT gets south of Flagstaff.