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| Hiking | 10.35 Miles |
3,204 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.35 Miles | 5 Hrs 22 Mns | | 2.12 mph |
| 3,204 ft AEG | 29 Mns Break | 7 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Wanted fall colors and something new without driving too far. The views of the peak and adjacent Carr Peak were spectacular from Sierra Vista, with lots of red, orange, and yellow. Today was a wonderful day in terms of weather, partly cloudy and a good temperature. Were the only ones at the starting parking lot. There is water at the visitors center for the monument. I brought 3 liters of water for the hike itself, more for the drive. The bathroom at the pass was phenomenal, toilet paper, no smell, likely freshly emptied. The trail is nice, some cool adits were along this part of the trail. The views from the wilderness boundary were spectacular. The peak was still a while away although that was okay. Up to this part, we had already gained a majority of the elevation pretty quickly so it was nice to get it out of the way.
The rest of the hike is awesome because there are taller (and thus shadier and even more pretty!) most of the way up to the peak. However this portion of the hike lacked a lot of views of the peak and not a lot of fall colors. Along here, I saw a solar panel sticking up from out of the trees. It was a trail cam mounted on a tree at approx. 31.38369, -110.29599. There was a camp spot here. I wouldn't recommend camping at this spot. The junction with the trail to the spring has a post that had a sign but the sign is now gone. Once the trail starts switch-backing, the rocks and pines were like the rocks by the top of Mount Lemmon with cliffs and pines. Along this section there were also many lizards (likely Sceloporis jarrovii AKA Yarrow's spiny lizard). Some had more blue than others, some of the blue being navy and others being a more aqua color.
At the junction for the peak, there were some very nice views of Carr Peak and some of the grassland and aspens that Miller Peak does not offer. A lot of this part of the trail had vegetation bleeding over onto the trail, a common theme throughout this hike. I would recommend pants if the weather allows it. Had lunch at the top. There were a few ladybugs in some of the scrub. The views were awesome, it's hard to beat the tallest peak in a range with no visual obstructions from vegetation. There was this one tree that I wanted to know the species of. It is some sort of scrub pine/juniper/something similar. I couldn't find it online after a bit of search. Didn't think to get a closer photo. Going down was way easier and faster. Since it was shadier in the afternoon, it made some of the slopes look even better.
After the hike, we went to the visitor's center just before closing (at 4:00) and were able to see some javelina appear just for us at the watering hole and wash our hands. I guess there was a cave in the monument that looks cool but I didn't know it was there. We got McDonald's soft serve afterwards. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
The oaks on south slope of Miller Peak are beautifully red and orange. Lots of oak along the trail that is yellow. Currently yellow aspens appear around summit spur trail. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Some yellows, whites, orange-red, and purples. Not lush wildflowers however! |
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