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| Hiking | 5.80 Miles |
1,526 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.80 Miles | 7 Hrs 23 Mns | | 0.99 mph |
| 1,526 ft AEG | 1 Hour 32 Mns Break | 16 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | "Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen" inspired me to make this trek. Feeling perhaps a bit cocky after dayhiking the Grand Canyon last week I neglected to hit the trail until 10 AM. Unfortunately, after crossing Sycamore Creek and making the turn onto Packard trail, the route goes UP,up,up for just under two miles before mellowing out on Packard Mesa. The sun and heat made this feel much more arduous than it needed to be. Fortunately, the views of Sycamore Creeks brilliant erosion from Black mountain and the layers of red stained rocks foreshadowing the monuments in Sycamore Canyon make even a tough time feel good. I enjoyed glimpsing the San Francisco Peaks as the trail topped out on Packard Mesa. Here the cairns begin in earnest and the trail seems to break into three unwound braids that all follow the same course but in parallel lines. The walk across the mesa is wide and open with just a few junipers and some dwarf mesquite here and there. As you approach Sycamore Tank a red mountain appears up trail that marks the approximate location of the gated boundary for Sycamore Canyon wilderness. After some confusing signage, Packard trail heads through the corral style opening at Sycamore tank, hugs left, and exits through a similar corral style opening though the barbed wire enclosing Sycamore tank. From here, the trail is again somewhat faint but keeping an eye out for cairns or generally walking towards the red rock mountains will lead one to Sycamore Canyon. Since I was here for the ruins, I turned at the wilderness gate and headed right for that rise. The ruins in this area are extremely impressive in terms of how they're built into the cliff and how intact they are. Should you happen to visit this area be sure to limit your impact as much as possible for future visitors.
I retraced my path back to the parking area under the welcomed shade of monsoon thunderstorms. Although I could see the rain falling in several places distant on the horizon, I remained (luckily) dry. Coming back around Sycamore Creek I had the fortune of finding a big patch of wild brook mint which I happen to collect and dry for tea though on this occasion I left it for a future visit. |
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