South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop Photoset • DixieFlyer • 2021-04-03 • HikeArizona.COM

South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop, AZ

	2021-04-03
	14 by DixieFlyer

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South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop

Payson, AZ

South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop

Payson, AZ

Hiking	13.50 Miles	3,406 AEG

Hiking	13.50 Miles	6 Hrs 26 Mns	2.58 mph
	3,406 ft AEG	1 Hour 12 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Deer Creek Trail #45

Gold Ridge Trail #47

Camp Grasshopper - Mazatzal Main C/Site

South Fork Trail #46

Partners

none

no partners

I enjoy this hike in late winter or early spring, so I decided to do it today. The hike was not as enjoyable as normal due to high temperatures, lower than normal water flow in the south fork of deer creek, and almost no wildflowers.

On the plus side, the South Fork Trail was in pretty good shape, and was much easier to follow than on my prior hikes on the trail.

I went up the Gold Ridge Trail, stopped at Camp Grasshopper for a break, and then came on the South Fork Trail.

This hike is a good workout, and I enjoyed the hike even though the conditions weren't as good as normal.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Brittlebush Common Mullein Coulter's Lupine Desert/Mojave ceanothus

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Green Blister Beetle

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Campsite Holiday Spirit

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Fountain Lake Fountain Park Mazatzal Peak Pigeon Spring South Fork Deer Creek

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
There were a few wildflowers here and there, but there was nothing to get excited about.

	Pigeon Spring	Dry	Dry
	The spring wasn't dry but it may as well have been: There was some stagnant water in it that was totally unsuitable for human consumption.

	South Fork Deer Creek	Medium flow	Medium flow
	The creek was much drier than normal, but there was decent water flow in some places.

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