HikeArizona.COM

I'm new to hiking and backpacking but I'm looking for an overnight backpacking trip within a couple hours of Phoenix. Ideally, I'd like to hike about 6-10 miles, camp, and then hike back out the next day. Is there anything like this? I know in Minnesota we have shuttle services that drop you off 20-30 miles from your car and you can hike back to it. That would be perfect but I'm not too picky right now. Thanks.

you've come to the right spot.. right now might I suggest a creekside stroll, since its not really too hot yet (for Phoenicians, that is) and several swimming spots can be had since the creeks welcome a nice respite from the valley, but offer hikeable conditions in the 3500-5000' range. Try a nice intro hike to see this great and variable state such as the Wet Beaver Creek area, the West Clear Creek area, and several mountain ranges that can be viewed by clicking on the State Map on the home page. Just stay out of the Superstitions, you'll die! (well, maybe)
Right now the best place to hike 6-10 miles is the Sierra Ancha mountain range. It offers solitude, beauty, and best of all, views. Its soon gonna be a hip place to hang out, so get out there while you still can!

Thanks for the info. The Wet Beaver Creek looks a bit more difficult than what I'm looking for right now. I am looking for something a bit more moderate so we can test out some new gear. Thanks.

Yea, the Wet Beaver Creek Canyon loop is more of a canyoneering route that you can get away w/o a rope. Try the Bell trail if you want an easier trip into the Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness.

I've been looking over the trails and seems that the Bell Trail will have a lot of other hikers on it. I'm looking for something a bit more isolated. Would the Woodchute Trail 102 be any good? Thanks for all the help.

the cabin loop trails above the rim near strawberry are pretty nice this time of year, can be as long or short as you wanna make it, look up houston bros, fred haught, or pinchot cabin, they are all easy trails not much elevation gain or trail finding

Krause86 wrote:. . . seems that the Bell Trail will have a lot of other hikers on it. I'm looking for something a bit more isolated. Would the Woodchute Trail 102 be any good?

This is a nice area with potential. I dayhiked it out and back but considered making a loop over to Rick's Tank and back in through Martin Canyon. Look at the topo attached to the GPS route. Just west of Humboldt cut across on Fain Road to bypass Prescott and save a lot of driving time.

I hiked it the Saturday before Mother's day and other than our group, there were only two other people on the Woodchute trail.

At the start of the Woodchute Trail you have the Potato Patch Campground. http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott/recrea ... atch.shtml
There were about half a dozen people at the campground.

The tanks are livestock tanks. Woodchute Tank had water but I did not get close enough to see the quality. It should be filterable. Rick's Tank and Martin Canyon Tank should be similar but I did not check them out.

Crocodile Ryan wrote:the cabin loop trails above the rim near strawberry are pretty nice this time of year, can be as long or short as you wanna make it, look up houston bros, fred haught, or pinchot cabin, they are all easy trails not much elevation gain or trail finding

hikeaz wrote:

Crocodile Ryan wrote:the cabin loop trails above the rim near strawberry are pretty nice this time of year, can be as long or short as you wanna make it, look up houston bros, fred haught, or pinchot cabin, they are all easy trails not much elevation gain or trail finding

This would be my first choice. I hiked the U Bar trail in this area in early June as a pre-hike for an AZ Outdoor Travel Club group hike coming up on June 25. Pinchot Spring and Dane Spring were flowing nicely. Some trail finding on the U Bar, you really have to look for some of the tree blazes. I'm glad we had GPS coordinates. I'll post a GPS route for the U Bar trail when we hike it on 6/25. Lots of elk. More elevation gain than I expected, in & out of a couple of canyons, but all in all not bad.

Two dozen Univ of Montana Ornithologists were camping at Buck Springs for a research project in the area. Don't know if they are still in the area. Other than that group, we did not see anybody else.

The AZ Trail follows the Fred Haught trail for a spell.

Great area for dispersed camping.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recrea ... ping.shtml

Also several developed campgrounds in the area - Kehl Springs, Blue Ridge Reservoir, etc.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recrea ... llon.shtml

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recrea ... camp.shtml

yeah, the upper end of Dane canyon and Barbershop canyon are terrific. I hiked this loop (21 miles) in June 04. Never saw another person... it was nice. Pay attention at the forest road crossings where the trail seems to dissapear!

How about Hells Gate. Lots of water and isolation. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=301

AK wrote:How about Hells Gate. Lots of water and isolation. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=301

I haven't been there in the summer. But I would worry that it could get a little warm. Great place if the temps are right.

Is there any play somewhat close to Phoenix that will be open to backpacking this weekend? I'd like go get to somewhere with cooler temps for one night.

Try one of the trails in the Pinal Mountains outside of Globe. The top of the mountains is around 7600 ft in elevation. It's much cooler there. I don't know what you consider "somewhat close to Phoenix", but the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, northeast of Roosevelt Lake is a good bet for cooler temps as well.

I was at Big Lake in the White Mountains this past weekend for a little fishing and mountain biking. When the storms rolled through, the temps dipped into the 60's. Nice!

Matt Hoffman wrote:Pinal Mountains outside of Globe

I think they're closed too
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/fire/maps ... /globe.jpg

I'm not to familiar with the trails in AZ so I'm having a hard time. Would Pine Canyon Loop be anything worth trying?

Coconino is closed now as is upper Tonto. The Pine Canyon Loop is probably not an option this weekend.

Krause86 wrote:I'm not to familiar with the trails in AZ so I'm having a hard time. Would Pine Canyon Loop be anything worth trying?

It's closed
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/fire/maps ... losure.jpg

otherwise worthy!

Maybe I should just ask what IS open. I would like to get out this weekend for sure. If anyone knows any specific trails, please post. Thanks for all your help.

This is as close to Phoenix as you're going to get to backpack in somewhat cooler weather
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?I ... =&SUB_ID=3