HikeArizona.COM

Just me and my wife. We've never gone together. I wanna do north to get away from the heat

@codyiscool

no clue on your experience, how much per day or number of days
easy for experienced, moderate for beginner https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=531

Lava River Cave Tube Northwest of Flagstaff. Camp nearby, explore the Tube late that night after everyone else is out and day hike or backpack the next day to one of the many other sites nearby.
https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=524

If you haven't already seen it, there's some good reading at the top of the backpacking forum:
https://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9778

For an easy over night backpacking trip Fossil creek is good , you can hike up the trail and take a dip in the many pools .

sajor75 wrote:easy over night backpacking trip Fossil creek is good

It's illegal to camp at Fossil Creek.

You need a permit just to access the area in the summer (DAY-USE ONLY).
In the winter there is no permit required, and camping is permitted upstream of the dam and downstream of the bridge only.

Read all about it here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconin ... ecid=75356

chumley wrote:You need a permit just to access the area in the summer (DAY-USE ONLY).

Very minor correction: a permit is necessary to park a vehicle. From everything they have online, if you hike in from far afield (like, say on a very long AZT alternate that bypasses the Highline and the Mogollon plateau which may be happening next spring if I am lucky enough to be unemployed then), you should be okay. But, yeah, the parking permit is a de facto access permit because pretty much everyone who visits is driving.

codyiscool wrote:Just me and my wife. We've never gone together. I wanna do north to get away from the heat

You say you've never gone together, but has she ever gone backpacking at all?? If she's a beginner I guess I'd start with going to Knoll Lake -- either from the Fish Hatchery Trailhead if you are in good shape, or from some point on FR 300 if you need a less challenging first hike. (The area is Mogollon Rim country, east of Payson. There's a campground on one side of Knoll Lake, but good campsites on the south side of the lake for people who hike in, as well.)
https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=815 (From Fish Hatchery TH)
https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1764 (From FR300)

@chumley
You are right lol, i dont know how that one slipped, mid or end of october its fair game to camp and much better as its less crowded.

getting away from the heat requires that you go UP, which direction you drive according to the compass has no bearing on this .
so, go UP to mt. lemmon. wilderness of rocks trail is a good area. water in the creek about 3.5 miles in. and a good campspot or two can be had. although, there will be ppl there over labor day(s) - but only a fraction (like 1/100th) of those you'll find "up north".

@joebartels
@joebartels I used to hike a lot. I've done the Grand Canyon. I'm looking for something for one night. Or two. We just got back from horton springs. It was perfect!

I second the Knoll lake idea, totally beautiful and lovely camp sites. I hiked it from the hatchery as a day hike recently, but for backpacking, I would do it from the Rim road (FR300,) only 2 miles to the lake on Babe Haught trail. It's a lot of vertical from the hatchery.