Mazatzal Divide to The Park Photoset • BiFrost • 2017-02-11 • HikeArizona.COM

Mazatzal Divide to The Park, AZ

	2017-02-11
	14 by BiFrost

Mazatzal Divide to The Park

Payson, AZ

Mazatzal Divide to The Park

Payson, AZ

Hiking	19.13 Miles	4,506 AEG

Hiking	19.13 Miles	10 Hrs 18 Mns	1.94 mph
	4,506 ft AEG	26 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Mazatzal Divide Trail #23

North Peak Trail #24

Partners

partners

slowandsteady

This loop had been on our to do list for a while. With all the snow we had to wait for some to melt but the time seemed right to give it a try. Chance of rain but nothing significant and as it turned out not a drop fell on the whole hike. We started from City Creek TH and headed up Mazatzal Divide Trail to the Arizona Trail junction. First time on this part of the Divide trail and it’s in really great shape so we got spoiled making our way up towards The Park. Took short break at AZT junction and then headed for the Park where we saw a few patches of snow but nothing significant.
Once at the Park we headed for Petes Pond initially down Wet Bottom Creek but had to bail on the drainage because it was running too fast but really cool to see all that water. Had lunch at Petes Pond which was also running strong and tons of water everywhere. After lunch we took a more direct route back to the Park avoiding the drainage back to the North Peak Trail junction. The North Peak Trail was as advertised overgrown and difficult to follow in the first 2 miles and most patches of snow we saw all day. Once the trail starts the big drop down to Mineral Creek TH it’s easy to follow but very steep.
At Mineral Creek TH we headed down Pole Hollow Canyon on an old road track route that @toddak had done previously. Aside from a few sections where the road disappears most of the way we were able to follow the road two track and make decent time back to City Creek TH just at dark.

	City Creek	Heavy flow	Heavy flow
	heavy snow runoff from North Peak

	Pete's Pond	76-100% full	76-100% full
	completely full and the drainage had heavy flow

Pole Hollow Canyon

Light flow

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