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| Hiking | 10.33 Miles |
1,835 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.33 Miles | 4 Hrs 29 Mns | | 2.30 mph |
| 1,835 ft AEG | | | | |
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[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | I hiked the loop clockwise.
I saw two deer near the FR 48 corral, three javelina above Cottonwood Spring, and zero snakes — which is a rarity as the Spur Cross area is riddled with rattlers. 
There’s been a fair amount of recent trail maintenance on Cottonwood Trail #247: Grass trimmed, palo verde cut back, tread scrapped, diversions around eroded sections, and even several switchbacked reroutes (one a quarter mile of new trail).
I’ve spotted at least four crested saguaro in the Spur Cross area, including two today. The first crested saguaro I saw today was 4.7 miles into the hike, while crossing a wash just below the counterweighted gate. I’ve been by that spot twice and never noticed it before. (The price I pay for keeping my eyes down, looking for snakes.)
Cottonwood Spring had puddles, and maybe a slight trickle. It was as shady as ever, and the hanging coffee can was still there. That thing might predate Arizona’s statehood. 
I was going to take a break in the Cottonwood Spring oasis, but forgot because I was so into shooting my hiking video 📽: [ youtube video ] .
After relaxing at Cottonwood Spring, my recommendation is that you head back the way you came: Trail #247A is rocky, and overgrown with brush. It’s obvious no maintenance has been done on it in years. When Trail #247A hit the private property fence, it disappeared. I don't remember that happening in 2012: [ photoset ] . Not feeling like heading 6.5 miles back the way I came, I began bushwhacking along the fence line, heading down into washes, then up over ridges.
Just over the first ridge, I discovered my second crested saguaro of the day. 
After a mile of bushwhacking, I connected back up with what I believed to be Trail #247A. Subsequent sat view analysis shows the trail I got on heads northeast, to connect with Cottonwood Trail #247 near Rock Tank Spring, not east towards Trail #247A at the “do not enter” signs.
Etc, etc, back to the trailhead. |
| _____________________
| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
