Saddle Mountain Trail to Squaw Flat Photoset • 00blackout • 2023-04-23 • HikeArizona.COM

Saddle Mountain Trail to Squaw Flat, AZ

	2023-04-23
	33 by 00blackout

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Saddle Mountain Trail to Squaw Flat

Phoenix, AZ

Saddle Mountain Trail to Squaw Flat

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking	11.00 Miles	1,464 AEG

Hiking	11.00 Miles
	1,464 ft AEG	5 Hrs 37 Mns Break

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Was trying to find a good area to hike in Sunday that wasn't going to be too hot and with the Superstition season basically over I looked at a couple different wilderness areas and decided to head over to the Mazatzal Wilderness. I've hiked a small portion of the Saddle Mountain trail before but never made it to Squaw Flat so that was the agenda for the day. The road to the Mormon Grove Trailhead was dusty but in good shape and no other cars were at the TH when I got there. The temps were perfect at the start in the high 50's. The Saddle Mountain Trail starts in a grove of Manzanita and climbs 600 feet the first two miles going around Saddle Mountain with the Arizona Trail coming in a half mile in so I knew I would see a couple people at some point. After dropping down into the wash at Sheep's Creek I came across two AZT thru hikers taking break and smoking a cigarette; hiking and smoking so healthy

. Just before the 4 mile mark the trail drops steeply into McFarland Canyon and the scene changes to a pine forest with good flow in the creek. At this point the AZT heads up the Thicket Spring Trail and I continued on the Saddle Mountain Trail. Once past the AZT portion, trail conditions become less maintained. I never lost the trail but there was some overgrowth and deadfall to get around, nothing horrible by any means and it wasn't stuff that was going to make you bleed. Made it over to the Squaw Flat spring box and remnant's of the wood corral. I spent a good amount of time under the shade of a couple Junipers that survived the Sunflower fire, eating lunch and just taking in the sights and sounds of the area before starting back. The hike back was uneventful but pretty hot, even at 5,500 feet elevation, especially since there isn't much shade once you climb out of the canyon. Passed by 4 more AZT thru hikers on the way out with a couple of them asking about water condition, when I asked one guy how far he was going, he said Utah, lol so apparently doing it straight through. Made a quick stop at the Potato Patch to rehydrate. Besides it being a little warm on the way out, it was a great day. I haven't hiked much in the Mazzie's but the scenery is phenomenal, I definitely need to get out there more.

Wildflowers Observation Substantial

	Squaw Flat Spring	Dry	Dry
	Had a small amount due to previous rains.

Upper McFarland @ #88/95

Medium flow

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