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Has anyone experienced theft and/or vandalism of their vehicle after leaving it parked at the trail head? This is becoming a very common event at some of the trails close to urban areas and I wonder if it has happened to someone at Grand Canyon. (I hope the answer is NO.) Some of the GC trail heads are accessible at night with the 'overnight' parking clearly designated (Grandview comes to mind).

Last summer, I returned late to the BCO parking lot after a Clear Creek hike. My tire was flat----I had to unload my truck and made a ruckus getting the tire on-and-off. I was fully visible under the overhead parking lot lights and it dawned on me that I could just as easily be stealing a tire instead of replacing a flat. I was not challenged by anyone---Park Service or other hikers.

I've never heard of theft in the GC area. I've never had a problem myself, but I do try to avoid areas with a history of problems.

The following was posted on another Arizona hiking forum just the other day:

Just sort of a heads up for all you hikers. I was the victim of trailhead vandalism and theft on Saturday. Just went out for a quick maintenance/fitness hike near Usery. I parked at one of the Levee Trail Gates off McKellips. There is an actual pull in right there, with room for about 3-4 vehicles. I have a little route I do out there from time to time when I don't have the whole day to hike, so I was only gone about 2.5 hours. Came back to a busted rear window and a missing backpack. The backpack had nothing of value in it (well at least to anyone else but me) just gym clothes and my running shoes and a few personal items. MCSO told me it is frequent in that area. This is my first experience with this happening. Just want you all to be aware that the thiefs are out there and to hike WITH your ids, money, cards, etc. I always do that, thank goodness. My backpack was in view behind my drivers seat, but I kind of forgot I even left it there, so just a reminder to check what is visible before you take off.
Seems that staying close to town makes it easier for the scumbags, I shoulda been way out in the middle of nowhere where I feel safe.
No sympathy, please....just letting you all know to look out for yourself.

The remote trailheads are reported to have theft problems, I hear that the South Bass TH is the worst.

Theives are not only urban animals, our great society has produced them in all regions and cultures!

South Bass? I hiked it in Oct of 2007. No problems, but there were a couple of ATVers that came by--it is a well-known spot to stop and look at the Canyon view. Also, there is the issue of crossing the Havasupai rez to get to the TH, so there are going to be people who know you are back in there. When we went, there was no one at the Havasupai guard post, either coming or going. There is a way to get around that, but we didn't try to find it.

Leave things in plain sight you want stolen. My sister lived in L.A. for years, got burgled a few times. One time her husband had left a camera sitting out which was broken. It got stolen. After that they either hid or removed from the house valuable items, and left broken TVs and cameras in plain sight!

My buddys Hummer was left on blocks at fossil springs TH! We still give give him hell about it, cause he knew he coulnt afford it when he bought it!

I have always heard that Wet Beaver is the worst trailhead in AZ.

There have been a rash of break-ins at the Golder Ranch trailhead for the fifty-year trail this year... granted most that use that entrance are mountain bikers.. but thievery seems to know no bounds when it comes to TH parking.. in fact, it's almost the perfect place for it.

I hike Usery and parked at that McKellips Road area last month and noticed alot of broken glass there. I think I'll be paying the $6 insurance policy for parking inside the park for anymore hikes I do there from now on.

dysfunction wrote:There have been a rash of break-ins at the Golder Ranch trailhead for the fifty-year trail this year... granted most that use that entrance are mountain bikers.. but thievery seems to know no bounds when it comes to TH parking.. in fact, it's almost the perfect place for it.

I was one of those people affected at Golder Ranch- they took my Ipod (which was not visible in the car) and my husband's coat. Pumpkin-holes!

Oh man, that sucks.. Pumpkin-holes indeed!

There's a lot of it in the west part of Saguaro NP and Tucson Mountain Park down here...

Jeff MacE wrote:There's a lot of it in the west part of Saguaro NP and Tucson Mountain Park down here...

Yeah, the Speedway TH is one that I would never, ever park at.

In response to Jeff MacE:
I wouldn't leave my car at the Speedway TH at Sag E either.

edit: overnight at least.. I'll leave it for a dayhike.

Montezumawell had "interesting" suggestions in their first post in this thread viewtopic.php?t=1746
(for anyone interested, when I talked with John last Nov he said they are volunteering for the FS in Idaho now)

joe bartels wrote:for anyone interested, when I talked with John last Nov he said they are volunteering for the FS in Idaho now

Thanks for the update. I miss hearing from them.

azbackpackr wrote:I have always heard that Wet Beaver is the worst trailhead in AZ.

I was pretty nervous about parking there last week...thankfully I had no problems.

Jeff MacE wrote:There's a lot of it in the west part of Saguaro NP and Tucson Mountain Park down here...

yep...i had a rock thrown through my window at the trailhead off Picture Rocks road in Sag West last year.

This is starting to make me wonder how safe it's going to be to leave a vehicle for a couple of days when I do the Skeleton Cave trip at the end of the month... I never leave anything of value but I'm mostly concerned with coming back and finding out someone used the darned thing for target practice. They'd actually do me a favor if they just stole it!

PLC92084 wrote:They'd actually do me a favor if they just stole it!

Considering that on this website that you can post under Hiking Events.

Trip dates, trail head locations, routes, names and a user name clue to a picture of your HAZ ride, are we just asking for the above?
:whistle: