Dude Creek to horton springs - How to find trail

[sajor75]

This will be my 3rd time hiking the highline trail and will complete it , just recently made it to dude creek going east, after about .5 mile the weeds are so long and thick you cant make out the trail, looks like there was a biking event recently as there was some tags on trees but even with that it was hard to make out the trail so i turned around and called it a hike, i know i can use scoute route other than that what tips do you suggest for bush-waking thru this mess lol. Thanks.

[chumley]

Following a GPS track via Route Scout or other GPS can be of great assistance.

Even an overgrown trail still has a worn tread where people, bikes, and horses have traveled for decades. It's not usually that tough to find if you pay close attention and look for it.

Instinct helps too. If there was no trail, look ahead and determine the most logical place the trail would go, or where you would build a trail if it was up to you. It usually goes there.

Good luck on finishing the trail.

Don't forget to watch out for snakes, poison ivy, elk, javelina, and bikers, and wear orange in case there are hunters in the area!

[joebartels]

Never hike alone.
At least one member of your group should fully understand orienteering.
Read the map or check your gps regularly.
Visualize the terrain ahead based on the maps topographical contour lines.
Know your pace on various terrain to calculate your location based on known landmarks.
Never wander when you’re lost. Smart hikers keep track of the terrain traversed to return to safety.
Unskilled hikers with dead batteries ( electronics or personal energy ) are at a higher risk of becoming dead.

Be on the lookout for cairns. Not typical but there are chevrons in the rim country due to all the boyscout activity.

Solicit the services of a hiking guide.
Study the art of dowsing rods.

The Rim is a very distinctive landmark for the length of the Highline Trail. Map and compass should work like a charm.

In some areas of high grass you can feel the trail below with your feet.

[Sredfield]

There is frequent flagging (brightly colored plastic strips) hanging along the Highline east of Washington Park to Perley Creek. Volunteers for Outdoor AZ is actively (but rained out today) laying out and clearing new alignments for portions of the trail to go around or lessen the intensity of steep inclines. Construction will begin in several weeks.

For navigation now, one should ignore the flagging.

[JasonCleghorn]

Study the art of dowsing rods.

[nonot]

The trail from Dude Creek to Dry Dude Creek is in reasonable shape. When you get close the dry Dude creek the trail disappears into the grass and there are lots of animal trails in the area. The trail stays level, in terms of elevation through the tall grass until it enters the Dry Dude Creek itself under some burned trees. After that, I've no idea as it was too far gone a few years back. Maybe that part is better now.

It might be easier to do it in the other direction (east to west).

[mazatzal]

Follow Joe's advice: no problems with the trail to Bonita / Perley creeks, October 2013.

[chumley]

Apparently it's relatively easy if you just day hike the whole thing. Solves the problem of where to camp and carrying all that extra gear.

read about it here

[sajor75]

Apparently it's relatively easy if you just day hike the whole thing. Solves the problem of where to camp and carrying all that extra gear.

read about it here

Im trying to do a hike from Washington Park to Horton Springs and back (dont have ride) doubt i can hike that in a day and if i can i really dont want to put that much stress on my body lol.

Anyone know where the trail starts to be visible again and how many miles from the burned area, im going solo so i need all the tips i can get, im going to download the orignal higline trail from hikearizona and uploaded it to scout , is this reliable?. THx

[Tough_Boots]

I looked back on my triplogs for this section. I tried it first in 2011 but apparently wasn't feeling well and turned back when the trail turned to crap. Then I went back in April 2015 and noted that trail maintenance had been done and that it was easy to follow. After just only over a year, I would guess that the only thing making this difficult to follow is the tall grass. If I were you I would load the track from HAZ and use that as a guide. Be comfortable moving cross country through the grassy area and don't worry about every step being on trail-- just make sure you're hitting the drainages at the right spots and picking up the trail where you can at the crossings. Also note my observations on the overuse of ribbons in this area:

There's lots of ribbons everywhere which is a little confusing. The first ones are red with black dots-- you can trust those. Then the yellow "Mogollon 100" ones take over-- you can trust those. Then you get a slew of red ones with writing and some blue ones-- don't follow those. There are also a couple beer cans in trees and a leopard print bag-- all of those are trustworthy as well

[sajor75]

I looked back on my triplogs for this section. I tried it first in 2011 but apparently wasn't feeling well and turned back when the trail turned to crap. Then I went back in April 2015 and noted that trail maintenance had been done and that it was easy to follow. After just only over a year, I would guess that the only thing making this difficult to follow is the tall grass. If I were you I would load the track from HAZ and use that as a guide. Be comfortable moving cross country through the grassy area and don't worry about every step being on trail-- just make sure you're hitting the drainages at the right spots and picking up the trail where you can at the crossings. Also note my observations on the overuse of ribbons in this area:

There's lots of ribbons everywhere which is a little confusing. The first ones are red with black dots-- you can trust those. Then the yellow "Mogollon 100" ones take over-- you can trust those. Then you get a slew of red ones with writing and some blue ones-- don't follow those. There are also a couple beer cans in trees and a leopard print bag-- all of those are trustworthy as well

Where you going east to west or west to East , I was going east to west and yes the grass was tall and the trail was not too visible plus there was what looked like animal trails which added more confusion, is there a good camping spot with water source a good 10 miles from Washington park going east.

[Tough_Boots]

I was going east to west

I'm confused-- your original post says you were traveling east. Washington Park to Horton is traveling west to east. I did WP to Myrtle as an out and back so I did it both directions.

is there a good camping spot with water source a good 10 miles from Washington park going east.

Maybe Ellison Creek about 9 miles in? I believe @ljcygnet said she's in Ellison Creek Estates. She may be able to look out her window and tell you if its holding water right now.

[sajor75]

I was going east to west

I'm confused-- your original post says you were traveling east. Washington Park to Horton is traveling west to east. I did WP to Myrtle as an out and back so I did it both directions.

is there a good camping spot with water source a good 10 miles from Washington park going east.

Maybe Ellison Creek about 9 miles in? I believe @ljcygnet said she's in Ellison Creek Estates. She may be able to look out her window and tell you if its holding water right now.

Yea, your right , I got my words mixed up, I went from West to east.

[lesliedow]

Sajor, Check out my trip report. I just completed TH260 to Washington Park.
I have water reports as a part of it (at least I think is there...still learning how to navigate this board!).
https://hikearizona.com/gps=34207

Be sure to bring a GPS, the trail is not in great shape in that middle section. Lots of washed out areas and exposed rebar. Last week Ellison Creek was dry. There is water in an unmarked small creek (barely a trickle, but I was able to get water there) about 1/2 mile east on the trail from Ellison. And about 1.5 miles further east is another unmarked stream that is coming out from under a metal fence off private lands.