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| Willow Creek to Horse with No Name, AZ | |
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| | Willow Creek to Horse with No Name, AZ | | | |
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Willow Creek to Horse with No Name, AZ
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| Hiking | 10.74 Miles |
1,947 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.74 Miles | 6 Hrs 5 Mns | | 2.05 mph |
| 1,947 ft AEG | 51 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Earlier this week we started out from the Willow Canyon Trailhead at milepost 204 on highway 88. Heading north to the wash we turned left and picked up the Little Chance Canyon Loop for approximately 2 miles. This a beautiful stretch of trail with lots of golden volcanic tuff formations.
Look for the lovely section of eroded tuff shown in the picture with text attached, at which point you keep to the left and go up the wash until you find another trail. This trail follows a wash for a while and opens on to clearing where you turn right and head up towards the saddle as shown in another picture with text.
The trail up to the saddle is very well maintained and at the saddle you have a lovely view of the valley and golden dome in the distance. Go down the small ravine at the left of saddle and follow this trail until you reach the jeep trail in the Cottonwood Wash. Turn left into the wash and follow it for about 0.6 of a mile where you go up out of the wash to right and pick up the Horse with No Name trail that winds up the side of the mountain. The trail is a bit rocky here but well-marked and leads some beautiful tuff formations near the top. The overlook is fantastic! I have a attached a pano showing the lovely view from 4 Peaks on the left over to Flat Iron in the Superstition Mountains on the right.
The walk down the back side of mountain is very picturesque. Much of the trail crosses the tuff making for comfortable walking on the descent. We stopped for lunch in the shade near the wash where some old buckets were set up for sitting comfort. If you have some extra time cross the wash to the north and pick up a short loop that provides some great views of Golden Dome.
There is a fantastic stand of saguaros along the loop leading back east. The trail is crossed by several washes so you need to keep an eye for cairns to keep on the trails and avoid the rocky steps in the main wash. When you reach the Cottonwood Wash turn to the right and follow the wash south until you reach for the turn off leading back up the saddle you came in on.
We were pretty tired by the time we completed this lasso loop but it was well worth. |
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