South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop Photoset • DixieFlyer • 2020-03-30 • HikeArizona.COM

South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop, AZ

	2020-03-30
	30 by DixieFlyer

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South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop

Payson, AZ

South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop

Payson, AZ

Hiking	13.90 Miles	3,688 AEG

Hiking	13.90 Miles	6 Hrs 46 Mns	2.32 mph
	3,688 ft AEG	47 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Gold Ridge Trail #47

Camp Grasshopper - Mazatzal Main C/Site

South Fork Trail #46

Deer Creek Trail #45

Partners

none

no partners

I did this hike 5 days ago and liked it so much that I decided to do it again. Last time I did the hike solo, but this time I met 3 friends at the TH. Normally we would have carpooled to the TH, but in this era of social distancing, we each drove to the TH.

The hike was similar to last week: the climb up on the Gold Ridge Trail was a tough one; break time at Camp Grasshopper was a winner; and the descent on the South Fork Trail was a lot of fun.

There was still a good bit of water running in the South Fork of Deer Creek, but it seemed to me to be a bit less than last week. Wildflowers on the lower portion of the South Fork Trail are amAZing right now!

We saw one person on the Gold Ridge Trail, and he was doing trail maintenance. On the South Fork Trail we met 2 people about 1.5 miles from the TH. Other than that, we had the trails to ourselves!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Marigold Indian Paintbrush Manzanita Owl Clover Prickly Pear Spreading Fleabane Stemless Primrose Thistle

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cag Shot Cairn Campsite HAZ - Selfie Intrepid Back Shot Throwing a Wendy

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Four Peaks Mount Ord Pigeon Spring South Fork Deer Creek

Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Wildflowers were moderate on the Gold Ridge Trail; were close to non-existent on the upper portion of the South Fork Trail; but were substantial if not extreme on the lower portion of the South Fork Trail. The owl clover, stemless primrose, fleabane, and desert marigold were definite winners!

South Fork Deer Creek

Medium flow

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