trail help!

[Gecko]

Has anyone ever hiked the Castle Creek / Twin Peaks loop in the Castle Creek Wilderness. It is a 12 mile loop out of Horsethief Basin. I am looking for a backpack with someone that isn't in the best of hiking shape for the 22nd and 23rd of April. Is this a hard trail? Will there be any creeks flowing? Does anyone else have any good places to go that won't kill my friend from the Illinois flatlands? Thanks for your time.

[sidhayes]

I have done this loup several times from the bottom. Better bring a machete to clear the trail from cat-claw!

[Gecko]

Overgrown huh? From the bottom? Starting from one of the roads from the north? Will Castle Creek have water?

I am also thinking about doing a hike from Deer Creek Trailhead to Powers Garden. I have never been here either so any info would be great. Does Rattlesnake Creek have water this time of year? Thanks for your time.

[Lizard]

According to Erik Molvar's Hiking Arizona's Cactus Country, Mud Spring, about 2.1 miles from Deer Creek TH on the Tortilla Trail, is reliable. There is also a reliable spring just south of the Powers Garden cabin in Rattlesnake Canyon. Upper Sycamore Spring, 4.5 miles from the trailhead, may be dry. Please take this all with a grain of salt, though. I have not actually hiked this trail; the info is just from the book. I've found most of Molvar's information to be accurate FWIW.

Lizard

[desert dweller]

I have never been up the Deer Creek Trail. But, I do know that it is the more popular trail for horse packers.

High Creek Canyon Trail further to the south is the main route I have used. It gains altitude fast. The view into upper Rattlesnake Canyon and upper Redfield Canyon is breath taking. There has always been water at Holdout Spring. Though this drought may have changed all of that.

[sidhayes]

I dont think there will be water and one bottom access point is near Bumblebee. It is rougher country than any many wilderness areas of the state. Route finding is necessary.