Backpacking around Flagstaff

[PosterOfAGirl]

I've been backpacking a few times as a teenager, in New Mexico, and loved it. I wanted to start hiking again and was thinking about planning a trip with some friends up in the Coconino National Forest. I was thinking about keeping it easy-moderate and around 10miles one-way. We want to hike in, camp for two nights, and then hike out. Any suggestions?

[joebartels]

TrailDEX says Click to View
Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim & Loy Canyon Trail look most promising

[PosterOfAGirl]

Thank you I'll look into that one!

[hippiepunkpirate]

Yeah, anything up in the Coconino meeting your criteria is going to be canyon type stuff. Anything involving Fossil Creek and West Clear Creek are good bets, albeit lacking solitude for the most part.

[PosterOfAGirl]

So the part that I was really interested in, is the Peaks District. Would that be too difficult of hikes? Because although I haven't been in a while I'm fairly confident in my abilities, although I'm obviously not looking for a difficult hike, but I also don't want to just stroll along. I would like a bit of a challenge. I've never planned a trip on my own though, so I'm just not sure how things work. My dad was always the one doing it for me. You can just camp anywhere along a trail right? That's my biggest concern right now, is finding a place to camp. Any suggestions on books or websites for learning how to plan a backpacking trip? Thanks for the suggestions BTW!

[hippiepunkpirate]

The Waterline is probably the best option of the Peaks as far as not being too difficult but with some distance to cover. The thing is, the Waterline is not a very interesting trail...at least compared to anywhere else on the Peaks. It's mostly dense forest, with the only real views being on the back side when you hit Abineau Canyon and whatnot, but it is a nice, very gradual ascent.

The Weatherford is probably the most popular way to pack on the Peaks. It offers the distance, about 20 miles round-trip, but you gain more than 4,000 feet of elevation. That's a bit with a large pack strapped on your back. Also to note, camping is not permitted between Doyle Saddle and Fremont Saddle, so you either half to camp 6 miles in or before, or after you break about 8.

The Humphrey's Trail is an option, but its also a push. Plus it's pretty short (4.5 miles to the summit, but you camp 1.5 miles below that). On busy summer weekends, you might rather not camp along the Humphrey's Trail anyway, I've heard of campers having problems with theft during the day.

Using in the Inner Basin as a starting point would give you a gradual climb, but it's illegal to camp in the Inner Basin, so you have to make it up to Fremont Saddle on the Weatherford to camp.

Abineau/Bearjaw might be another option, although short and steep...you'd probably be better off doing the Waterline up to this area.

[chumley]

Find your way to the Coconino National Forest website, and select the Recreational Activities link on the left side, and then click on the Peaks Ranger district from the map. There's descriptions of hikes there, as well as some guidelines. In general, you can usually camp anywhere along a trail, however there are some restrictions on the Peaks that are not typical of other places in Arizona. For instance, there is no camping allowed at all in the Inner Basin. And as of last check, the actual campground at the Inner Basin trailhead was even closed to camping due to danger from lots of dead trees. Otherwise, there is a restriction to camping at the higher elevations (above the treeline) of the peaks as well.

I personally think that the Kachina Trail is a fantastic hike, but its not particularly long. You may want to combine that and then hike some part of the Weatherford Trail as well. The Abineau and Bear Jaw trails on the north side of the peaks may also provide an opportunity for you, especially if you link them with the Inner Basin or Waterline Trail. (The Waterline is really just a dirt road closed to all but official maintenance vehicles).

The problem with backpacking in the Peaks district is that the trails generally go straight up, and subsequently aren't that long, and tend to be more daytrip oriented.

Check out the HAZ map though and read the descriptions. There's fun to be had up there!
--
Edit: Sorry, Hippiepunkpirate beat me to a lot of this same info by two minutes...

[PosterOfAGirl]

Aww thanks for all the info! I really appreciate it
I had found the Coconino National Forest website and had checked out the hikes, and saw that most of them were day trips as well. That's why I figured i'd join this site and see if anyone had some ideas. It looks as though the Peaks District might not be the best option. The Mogollon Rim that was suggested earlier was something I was looking into. The Arizona Trail (Blue Ridge Segment) looked to be intersting. Is that a good hike for somewhat beginners? Thank you again, I love these quick informative replies!

[PosterOfAGirl]

I'm going to look into the Kachina Trail as well! Thank you for all the hyperlinks and everything! You guys know these mountains pretty darn well. I've never hiked in Arizona before but just recently drove through Flagstaff and was in love! It's so beautiful up there! I've only hiked the Gila Mountains in Southern New Mexico and the Jemez Mountains in Central NM. I'm really interested in seeing the Arizona landscape! It's so unique and beautiful!

[JoelHazelton]

Kachina-Weatherford-Humphries summit loop. That's a sweet, yet strenuous loop!

Or... Humphries Summit- Weatherford- Inner Basin- Waterline- Kachina Loop? EPIC! There's a grand tour of the peaks.

[Jim]

Just remember, due to our volcanic terrain, surface water is in short supply and generally unreliable for backpacking. The Rim region is better since there are a number of streams which run perpendicular to the Rim and any trails that you would use to cross the area.

[hippiepunkpirate]

Just remember, due to our volcanic terrain, surface water is in short supply and generally unreliable for backpacking. The Rim region is better since there are a number of streams which run perpendicular to the Rim and any trails that you would use to cross the area.

Agreed, the springs that really run well on the Peaks are in the Inner Basin, so they're a pain to get to if you're on Weatherford or Waterline. If you do an out and back you could always cache some water though.

[PosterOfAGirl]

Thank you! That's great advice, I wouldn't have really thought about it all that much. Good thing I joined one of these forums, haha! Well the Mogollon Rim looks to be a bit more promising....does anyone have any experience with the Arizona Trail (Blue Ridge Segment)? We were thinking about going July-August, but I see that it's monsoon season then. Would late August or September be a good time to go?

[Jim]

Personally, I'd do the General Crook trail, or something that parallels it, since you'll have some stellar views and access to water. The AZ trail is a through trail that will be in a lot of dense forest, but won't have the views of the Crook or other similar trails.
After mid-September the monsoon is ending and its quite possibly one of the finest times of year in the state and on the RIm.

[PosterOfAGirl]

Alrighty, I'll look at the General Crook Trail. I think I had looked at it, and it was really short...maybe I'm mistaken though. Oh the finest time of the year sounds like a fantastic time to go, to me ;)

[Jim]

The whole trail is quite long, only the GPS section on HAZ is short. You might want to check the forest service descriptions for more details of the total length.

[PosterOfAGirl]

I will do that, thank you!

[Grasshopper]

Here is a better solution for you than the F/S website and it is already detailed on HAZ (with detailed maps/GPS Routes/triplogs) for the ultimate Mogollon Rim backpack trip this coming summer season: Cabin Loop Trails-Mogollon Rim http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=797

I normally go here at least twice each summer to vehicle tent camp and day hike these excellent Cabin Loop Trails which offer: unlimited backpacking campsites, elevation 7000'+, ponderosa forests, elk, deer, wildflowers, numerous & scenic perennial creeks, and springs, and much history too.

In my opinion, the General Crook Trail is the less attractive and interesting trail to hike of the five(5) Cabin Loop Trail choices due to it closely following a very active forest road (Rim Road-FR300) and also being somewhat difficult to navigate in some sections due to lack of maintenance and hiking interest/activity. The other four Cabin Loop Trail choices offer excellent hiking, vehicle/tent/trailer camping, and backpacking camp options with privacy .
Note: Your guys will ideally need something other than a passenger car to access this area.

[big_load]

The Cabin Loop is fun. I didn't have any problem getting to the General Springs cabin in a rental car, although I had to take it slow on FR300 and park 150 yds from the TH.

[PosterOfAGirl]

Yeah I was trying to figure out a way to make the Cabin Loop work, thanks for that link, it is really helpful! Those maps are just what I was looking for! We would be taking a small Tacoma Pickup, so I'm hoping that will be alright.