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The dropping weather this week reminded me that I really wanted to get into the eastern Mazatals before it drops a bunch more and do some exploring as I haven't hit that up yet. I have the opportunity to take a few overnight/2 night trips in the next couple of weeks and would prefer to take my hammock. I know it's been burned in the past and not sure what the forest health is like now. Good idea or bad? My first overnight will be on Friday just to Chilson or Horse Camp seep so any info on those spots specifically would be appreciated, too.

@xsproutx plenty of hammock spots in the Mazzies near the water sources, especially for those two spots. Horse Camp Seep has a lovely stand of pines that are perfection for hammocks. Chilson has some healthy junipers that you could tinker with. The Park, Red Hills seep area, and Bear Spring also have fantastic stands of pines.

@jacobemerick
Awesome, thanks. I saw some pictures that made it look promising but always nice to have it confirmed. Got the hammock at the beginning of the year and love it so trying to put off having to use my tent for another month when it's prime low desert season.

The Mazatzals are huge. For just your next trip, there are scattered remaining pine trees at the top saddle of the Barnhardt trail, a cluster of pines near Horse Camp seep, and some small scraggy trees near Chilson camp, all junipers if I recall. There are also some pine trees on Y-bar below the saddle (to the east) from what I remember, but it has been many years. There is nothing tree wise between Y bar and Chilson that I can recall, though to be fair anything has probably had 10 years to grow larger since I visited. Near Horse camp the trees are fairly close, but elsewhere there are probably slim pickings and you may want to bring some extra rope.

@nonot
Thanks for the info and it definitely has a lot of room for exploring. I've held off so far because the logistics are just a bit more difficult and it's harder to put together 2-3 day loops there that don't repeat a lot of the same trail due to where the more accessible trailheads are/how the trails intersect. Seems like prime territory for longer trips, though, and definitely are still some options for shorter ones. Based on triplogs I've seen, I'm going to guess it's a we bit on the wild/"wheres the trail" side of the house after this summers rains so that should make things fun.

I’m heading out there tomorrow through Sunday with a tent and a hammock just in case

@decepticonjon

I'm headed out today but just bringing the hammock and hoping for the best. If you see a dude in a blue shirt with the robot from 'lost in space' tatted on his calf, feel free to say hi!

Reporting back for future hammockers: Chilson camp has a lot of very mature/large trees spaced at good hang distances and could easily get 10+ hammocks in the various camps in the area. Similarly, horse camp has plenty of options. Between these areas, there are a couple of things that could work in a pinch but because the main camp areas are so large, I don't think you'd ever have to worry about there only being one good hammock spot in those areas and it being taken by another person/group. Lots of options in those two areas at least