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I am taking the local scout troop to hike Mt. Humphrey's on Saturday. I am looking for recommendations of a base camp for the night before. In searching the forum I only really saw a recommendation for being near the Lava Tube's. Are there other potential area's? Also from what I can glean it looks like we should bring all the water we should need during the hike - and that there aren't reliable water sources on the trail? Can you please confirm/deny?

Thanks,
Rick

Rick I have taken many Scout Troops to the Tube and up Mt. Humphrey's Trail the following morning although it was many years ago.

Yes, camp next to the parking area for the Lava River Tube Friday evening. Set up camp first and then tour the Tube after all the late afternoon and evening visitors have left the Tube. Everyone should have a flashlight or two and the brighter the better. Remind the Scouts to relieve themselves before entering the Tube and not to take food with them.

At the end of the Tube have the Scouts turn off all their lights and then while sitting in the dark, light one candle and have each boy light his candle from another. Have something appropriate prepared to share in relationship to the lighting of the candles. Do not leave the candles in the Tube but after blowing them out, collect them and take them back out with you. Please leave no candle wax in the Tube.

I do not know if the Forest Service has built restrooms near the Tube. Maybe someone reading this can answer up with what the current conditions are where people camp nearby.

Take a couple of plastic trash bags with you in case someone else has left trash in the Tube.

Have fun and be safe.... :thanx:

Hello Rick

Carry all the water you need for Humphreys, there is no water on route.

I do not believe there were restrooms at the lava tube, however there is one at the south TH of Kendrik, there is camping in that area, though nothing right at the TH.

Does the official GPS track/route document an actual trail or is it just cairns or only just a virtual trail based on the GPS track/route?

Are you talking about Humphreys Peak Trail? A wide, overused, crowded trail (especially in summer). Sometimes you will see several hundred people. Not fun.

azbackpackr, thank you for your reply!

Yes, I'm talking about [ gps route ].

azbackpackr describes the "trail" as "wide, overused, [and ]crowded"--is this confirmation that there is an actual trail of sorts that can be found if not ant-ing on up?

I'm looking at Nightstalker's photoset [ photoset ] and it looks like there are some rudimentary markers and some worn ground, but the satellite view doesn't show signs of a trail. I see that there are signs saying the hiking off-trail is a no-no. Is it easy to really accidentally go off-trail?

Are coordinates available for the "Lava River Tube" camping area mentioned above?

Given Nightstalker's 12th photo geocoded to (35.333942 -111.68338), is it correct to infer that camping is allowed (off-trail, of course) along the way up (and down, if needed)?

Thank you!

Humphreys Peak Trail is one of the most popular in the state, in summer. You should be able to find it all over the internet. Sometimes called Mount Humphreys, sometimes (incorrectly) given an apostrophe.

I haven't been to Lava Tube but just about every NAU student has. It's popular with Boy Scouts, students, regular hikers, tourists, etc. Having lived in the area I often hear about big groups of friends going there.

The trail is easier to see than any of the trails in the McDowells which you are familiar with. Above tree line the trail isn't as well defined but still easy to follow.

The GPS route you linked is a very good trail, though when it gets above the treeline it gets a little narrower. The trail is generally crowded in the summer months, at least as far as the saddle, with perhaps a third of the traffic going all the way to the peak.

There are many campsites in the area around the Lava Tube, just drive around on the unpaved roads in the area until you see something you like.

I didn't see anything conducive to backpack-type camping last time I hiked Humphries Peak Trail, the terrain is pretty steep and you might be hard pressed to find a location suitable for camping. If you are looking to Backpack camp and Summit Humphries on the same trip, I think there are areas along the inner basin trail suitable for camping, but some parts of that trail have restrictions due to being part of Flagstaff's water supply. Unfortunately I do not remember which parts have camping prohibited so you'd have to look it up on the NPS website. I believe most will camp near where it meets the Weatherford trail.

@nonotI seem to recall restrictions against camping up in the tundra areas, too. I am pretty sure you're not allowed to camp on top of the peak although I have met people hiking down who said they had done just that. Good training for the Sierras. Backpackers tend to use the Weatherford Trail, I think.

@azbackpackr
no camping allowed above 11,400-- but there really aren't good options on the summit trail for camping anyways.

@Tough_Boots
Thanks for the clarification.

Completely unrelated to prior discussions for this thread:

Humphrey Summit Trail polls as the #1 "in season" hike for June, but this year there is a surprising amount of snow up there. Looks impressive for June 1, in the images I have seen.