HikeArizona.COM

OK, another teacher asked a question today that took some time to answer.

"What are your top 5 hikes in the state?"

Thought it might provide some interesting posts from HAZ members...

So what's your top five hikes (and if you'd like...why...in a few words)...

I haven't been in Az long but here are my five:

Buckskin/Paria loop
Az strip- Round Valley Draw and hackberry in utah
Snake Gulch ( not much of a hike but great pictographs)
Upper Paria canyon-utah- little known and used compared to lower but beautiful and worth it
Last Chance Canyon Kaparowits Plateau- you'll be the only one there- go in fall for cottonwoods and water---

joe bartels wrote:#1 Upper Woods Canyon - most unique untraveled terrain, took me a week to calm down afterwards
#2 Superstiton Ridgeline - most unique desert terrain
#3 Devils Canyon - Emrald Jewels of Desert!

many others but none as special as the above
190+ hikes rated on my profile, you can view the rest of the "Outstanding" hikes there

Okay I best update this after seven years (I'm sticking with Arizona)
#1 Four Peaks Mother Lode Dos Veces
#2 Upper Woods Canyon
#3 Old Bright Angel Route Loop
#4 Humphries via Inner Basin
#5 Salt Trail Canyon to LCR Gorge
#6 Reavis Gap, Fireline & Campaign Cr Loop
#7 Malapais Mountain - Superstitions
#8 Hutch's Pool via East Fork Sabino Canyon
#9 Devils Canyon
#10 Grant Creek Trail #305
Though I'm pretty happy on Squaw or South Mountain ;)

#1 Nothing compares
#2 I just love it
#3 Autumn to awesome in the real Grand Canyon
#4 The views from the long switchback on Weatherford is unmatched anywhere IMO
#5 It's like a Flatiron on crack
#6 Diversity is the spice of life
#7 Desert to the extreme
#8 During snowmelt it'll blow your mind
#9 Beautiful Arizona Jewel
#10 Probably just a personal experience

1. Anything in the Pinals
2. Aspen Draw in the Catalinas
3. Stoney Mountain (had to have something in-town, and it's right behind my mom's house)
4. Did I mention anything in the Pinals?
5. Pima Canyon in the Catalinas

Not in any particular order, because that would be impossible for me to choose!

1. Chiricahua National Monument - Echo Canyon TH to the Visitor Center: Arizona's Hidden Jewel
2. Deer Creek/Tapeats Loop Grand Canyon: Waterfalls, slot canyons and rivers, oh my!
3. The Arizona Trail through the Rincon Mts: Sky Islands and solitude...
4. Pima Canyon/Finger Rock Loop: Saguaros to Pines without ever seeing the same thing twice
5. Humphreys: Because it's elusive for me - the phantom mountain I must always climb

1. Battleship Mountain w/ Upper LaBarge Box Side trip (perfect when water is flowing)
2. Humphrey's via Inner Basin
3. Cibecue Creek
4. Ash Creek trail #307 (to the falls and back)
5. Six Shooter/Icehouse Loop

#1Tonto tr. GC
#2 Powers Garden
#3 Rough Canyon loop (so fun!)
#4 Mazatzal Divide
#5 W. Pinto tr. (horrible experience)

these trips arent all rated for scenery, spiritual discovery, or popularity, the w. pinto for instance almost killed me, i could have easily gone hypothermic and needed medical help -or worse - so because it taught me something (buy a quality hardshell) and humbled my thick skulled arse, it make the cut.

1)South Bass to Elves Chasm. because of the destination.
2)MLDV. Because of the challenge.
3)Malapais. The views
4)Salt trail to LCR. What Joe said...plus Big Canyon was awesome.
5) Humphreys via Inner Basin. Best way to get to the AZ highpoint.

joe bartels wrote:Okay I best update this after seven years (I'm sticking with Arizona)
#1 Four Peaks Mother Lode Dos Veces
#2 Upper Woods Canyon
#3 Old Bright Angel Route Loop
#4 Humphries via Inner Basin
#5 Salt Trail Canyon to LCR Gorge
#6 Reavis Gap, Fireline & Campaign Cr Loop
#7 Malapais Mountain - Superstitions
#8 Hutch's Pool via East Fork Sabino Canyon
#9 Devils Canyon
#10 Grant Creek Trail #305
Though I'm pretty happy on Squaw or South Mountain ;)

#1 Nothing compares
#2 I just love it
#3 Autumn to awesome in the real Grand Canyon
#4 The views from the long switchback on Weatherford is unmatched anywhere IMO
#5 It's like a Flatiron on crack
#6 Diversity is the spice of life
#7 Desert to the extreme
#8 During snowmelt it'll blow your mind
#9 Beautiful Arizona Jewel
#10 Probably just a personal experience

What happened to West Fork of Oak Creek: "#1 Hike in Arizona!"
Not that I think it is...

1) 18-20 mile dayhike Havasu Canyon from Havasu falls to the Colorado River and back
2) 75 mile backpack in Grand Canyon Tanner-LCR-Grandview, including Cave of the Domes
3) 44 mile backpack through Paria Canyon - Buckskin Gulch to Lee's Ferry
4) 45 mile backpack across the Superstitions (Trans-Supes Hike)
5) 12 hr day trip technical canyoneering through Misery Canyon including Parunuweap to Labyrinth Falls and out.

I guess I like my trips long and secluded

Hard to chose. In no particular order, I'll say anything in the Painted Desert, the Escalante (yes, I know its not in Az.), Keet Seel (for the destination), Plateau Point (such a classic view). My 5th choice? Something unknown and new, I'd say.

hippiepunkpirate wrote:What happened to West Fork of Oak Creek: "#1 Hike in Arizona!"

I read that somewhere. Probably more so for families or once a year hikers.

Here's the Top 10 viewed hikes on HAZ
1 0.611 % Flatiron (that's a HUGE lead)
2 0.489 % Fossil Springs Trail
3 0.416 % Humphreys Summit Trail
4 0.393 % Peralta to Fremont Saddle
5 0.371 % Havasu Canyon Trail
6 0.348 % West Fork of Oak Creek
7 0.346 % Brown's Peak
8 0.332 % Camelback Summit via Echo Canyon TH
9 0.331 % Horton Creek Trail
10 0.307 % Piestewa Peak Summit Trail

joe bartels wrote:I read that somewhere.

Headline for the HAZ hike description? ;)

What I was saying is I wrote it because "at the time" I read it somewhere.

joe bartels wrote:What I was saying is I wrote it because "at the time" I read it somewhere

Ah. I always just assumed it was your opinion. Well, I read somewhere that it's the "Most popular trail in the Coconino National Forest". I think it definitely rates a 5 on the HAZ scale for scenery, but the crowds are annoying. Within a two mile radius of West Fork, I prefer Cookstove, Harding Springs, Telephone and Thomas Point. I never see anybody on those trails!

wow...this is serious bizness

no order for me

1. Weatherford
2. The Cleaver
3. Santa Rita Crest
4. Blue Jay Ridge Loop
5. East Fork to Hutch's Pool
6. Ash Creek & Basset Peak
7. Mt. Ajo
8. Superstition Ridgeline - Joe's Way
9. Icehouse/Sixshooter Loop - In the fall
10. Silver Peak

1. No explanation needed
2. A pure body thrashing, I'm going to die out here and nobody will ever know, free for all..whee!
3. Short and so freaking sweet..on top of the world. Served best with a monsoon crashing in on your a_s. Right Jeff?
4. Flowers and ferns in a Preston wonderland
5. Exactly what Joe said...exactly
6. No explanation needed. Plus I met Joe and Preston on this hike, among several other HAZ legends.
7. Perhaps the Sonoran desert at it's finest
8. The views just never stop
9. In the fall, at the right time? Oh mama!
10. A sentimental favorite. Take fraley along and watch him cry like a baby.

nickfraley wrote:1. Weatherford

I just realized that I have only seen about half of the Weatherford Trail (the first 3 miles from Schultz tank and the last 2 miles before it ends at the Humphrey's trail). There is a serious void I need to fill next summer! Seriously though, the Weatherford is the BEST trail on the Peaks, hands down. I'd post a list but the vast majority of my hiking has taken place in the Flag/Sedona area. Hmmmm, perhaps in a couple more years I'll have my own "Best in AZ List"

no way HPP. get that list on here man! i wanna know your favorites as they stand.

nickfraley wrote:no way HPP. get that list on here man! i wanna know your favorites as they stand.

Alright, since it's you asking, Nick, here goes nothing. Let me repeat for the general public: my hiking area thus far has been rather limited!

1. Inner Basin Main Cirque
2. Weatherford Trail
3. Capitol Butte Southwest Ridge
4. Humphrey's via Inner Basin
5. Kane Gulch to Junction with Grand Gulch
6. Wilson Mountain North
7. Abineau/Bear Jaw Loop
8. Bear Mountain
9. Skeleton Point
10. Snowslide Spring via Inner Basin

1. The ultimate alpine experience the Peak's have to offer!
2. The Lazy Z switchback flat out rocks...but don't forget the Aspen Tunnel!
3. A great scramble with world class views the entire route (sorry Jim...the South Face is fun too!)
4. It's a magical journey, and a challenging one at that.
5. Being limited, I had to throw this one in even though it's Utah. It was a very special hike.
6. The views from Wilson's two viewpoints are simply stunning, and the North route is the way to go!
7. Where else in Arizona can you see substantial avalanche destruction? The aspen grove at the top of Bear Jaw is unbelievable.
8. Being awe-struck at least 10 times on this hike is perfectly normal, if not expected.
9. My only recent Grand Canyon hike, it had to be on here!
10. A gorgeous mountain brook at 11,000 feet. Need I say more?

There it is. Pretty much the "HPP Guide to Sedona and the Peaks with a couple random other things for good measure".

nickfraley wrote:wow...this is serious bizness

no order for me

1. Weatherford
2. The Cleaver
3. Santa Rita Crest
4. Blue Jay Ridge Loop
5. East Fork to Hutch's Pool
6. Ash Creek & Basset Peak
7. Mt. Ajo
8. Superstition Ridgeline - Joe's Way
9. Icehouse/Sixshooter Loop - In the fall
10. Silver Peak

1. No explanation needed
2. A pure body thrashing, I'm going to die out here and nobody will ever know, free for all..whee!
3. Short and so freaking sweet..on top of the world. Served best with a monsoon crashing in on your a_s. Right Jeff?
4. Flowers and ferns in a Preston wonderland
5. Exactly what Joe said...exactly
6. No explanation needed. Plus I met Joe and Preston on this hike, among several other HAZ legends.
7. Perhaps the Sonoran desert at it's finest
8. The views just never stop
9. In the fall, at the right time? Oh mama!
10. A sentimental favorite. Take fraley along and watch him cry like a baby.

Oh yea, #3 has to be near the top of the list!! I also concur with #5 and would add Esperero to the Window to the list since it cruises by a lot of fun things on it's way to a great destination and beats your back-end the entire way!

Jeff MacE wrote:would add Esperero to the Window to the list since it cruises by a lot of fun things on it's way to a great destination and beats your back-end the entire way!

really if you take into account the trails all connecting the Pusch Ridge ridgeline, from Esperero Saddle to Pima Saddle this would actually be my favorite stretch of trail in Arizona.