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This one sounds like a nice long day hike or overnight back pack that isnt too far from the valley. The TH is right off the 87 just before the junction with the 188. Might head up there this month if its a good trail. Anyone hiked it before? SHould I try it or are there better trails in the area?

if water is a concern you may opt for the Y-Bar (shake tree) trail, and camp at Y-Bar basin where there is a good spring fed stream. Read all about it. I dont know how the DC trail held up to the Willow Fire, but Barnhardt is toasted.
Y-Bar seems to be fairly unscathed. Its nice in that regard.

From what I understand, Deer Creek trail is in bad shape and really hard to follow. But I've never been there; I heard this 2nd hand.

Hoffmaster wrote:From what I understand, Deer Creek trail is in bad shape and really hard to follow. But I've never been there; I heard this 2nd hand.

I've hiked the top mile of the Deer Creek Trail in the last couple years. I'm gonna say that any portion of trail in the canyon bottom will be non-existant. I'm guessing this hike will be a tough one, with lots of obliterated trail, and debris in the canyon bottom (typical post-Willow Fire Mazatzal hiking, in other words). Mazatzal Divide from Mt. Peeley north is not too bad (not sure about water, though).

I hiked the south fork last summer and nearly did myself in. The trail was pretty spotty and I spent a lot of the time bushwhacking and climbing rocks and steep hills. I lost the Gold Ridge trail no more than 100 yards from where it began but was able to pick it back up after climbing to the top of a hill. It was pretty solid after that.
Unless you mean the north fork...
I hiked that earlier in '06 and it was also pretty eroded after the fire. There are a few gashes running down the hill that you might have difficulty climbing with an overnight pack. There were still a lot of burned trees still standing but that may have changed by now...

You'd better be leaving the trailhead damned near about sunrise this time of year. You probably won't be able to carry enough water to make it work, and you'll be exceptionally lucky to find water along the way. You could wait until the monsoon gets going (hopefully), but then you'll encounter another whole set of problems. I did Horton Creek today up below the Mogollon Rim, and it was WARM. I'm sure the trails in the Mazatzals are about the same. If you want to see that part of the Mazatzals you should consider (if you have a 4-wheel drive, that is) taking the Sycamore Creek turnoff, and then taking the road up to Mount Peeley area. There are a lot of trails in that area, and the upper part of Deer Creek is easily accessible from the road. However, we tried the Davey Gowan Trail in early May, and it is a mess. The trail basically disappears 400 yards from the trailhead. I suspect all of the trails in that area are in the same condition.
-Jim