HikeArizona.COM

Well I've finally managed to get back out for some backpacking this coming weekend. I was browsing through the site and Barbershop Trail #91 looked promising:

http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=427

I'm looking more closely at it and the west end doesn't appear to have much in the way of parking (presumably due to this just linking up to various other loop trails?)

The east end doesn't seem any more promising on the parking topic now that I zoom in a bit on the sat imagery.

So I'm wondering if I should be looking to tie into anything else to solve the parking issue, or if the marked ends are actually suitable already?

I wouldn't mind adding some distance to the trip since 5 miles each way is on the shorter end of my range for certain.

My only real requirement is a nice area to camp away from roads/people, and some sort of water source near the camping end. Any advice or ideas would be hugely appreciated =)

If you start on via the Houston Bros. trail where the west end hits, you can find parking on 300. If you start on the east end, you can park at the cabin.

Wherever Barbershop crosses a numbered forest road, there is a large, reflective brown, metal sign indicating "Barbershop Trail". (See http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=18902). Most of the crossings also have room for 3-4 cars to park, and even the ones that don't you can always park within 30-feet of the road anyway. Parking a car next to the road at a trailhead or road junction will not be a problem for you.

On the west end, there is a definite parking area where it crosses FR139, on the east side of the road. On the east end, parking at Buck Springs Cabin, or along FR321 work just fine. There may be a large research camp set up at the cabin, but they often leave right about this time, so they might be gone by now too.

There are numerous great camp spots along Barbershop, and if you want to add some extra mileage, along Houston Brothers too. With the recent rains, you should not have any trouble finding water. The most reliable sources are at Barbershop Spring on the west and Coyote Spring on the east. But there are also many great draws/meadows along the way that are ideal for camping (and spotting elk).

Fantastic info. Thanks! Now to make time move faster so I can get to the weekend quicker. It's been ages since I've backpacked it seems, and even a while since I've even gotten outside with the summer heat being upon us, scheduling, etc. This is a MUCH needed micro-vacation from life =)

*hoping for some good rain*