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| West Boulder Canyon Loop, AZ | |
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| | West Boulder Canyon loop, AZ | | | |
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West Boulder Canyon loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 10.83 Miles |
3,074 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.83 Miles | 9 Hrs 36 Mns | | 1.28 mph |
| 3,074 ft AEG | 1 Hour 10 Mns Break | | | |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | Started at Peralta trailhead at 6:00 am March 27, 2025. High temp in Phoenix today was forecasted to be 90 degrees so we each packed a gallon of water. Hiked up to Fremont saddle. To find route to Dacite Mesa and the Carney Springs saddle do not try to work your way through the hoodoos from the top of the saddle, go down the trail on the northwest side of the saddle about 10 to 20 yards and you will see the trail heading off to the left between two hoodoos. The trail is fairly well marked with cairns, or follow it with your Gaia GPS app on your cell phone. From Dacite Mesa the trail goes down the drainage to the west and then leaves the drainage on the south side and heads to the top of Carney Springs trail, the Gaia GPS app is helpful here, it is easy to loose the trail. From the top of the Carney Springs trail we followed the Ridgeline trial to the west about a third of a mile (to 33 24' 32", 111 22' 33"). This is a point where the trail is the closest to the drainage. From here look NNW across the drainage and you will see a saddle in the ridge above the drainage to your north. Head down and across the drainage and then up to this saddle. (if you just continue down the drainage you will end up in an almost impenetrable thicket of brush). From this saddle you will be above another drainage. Head north, down and across this drainage to the north side of the drainage. A minor amount of bushwhacking is done getting across the drainage. Head west, above the drainage. Here you will see white dots on the rocks that mark the way. Follow the white dots, the "trail" curves to the north west. When the cliff gets close to the creek and you don't see any more white dots drop down into the creek bed. Follow the creek all the way to the stone corral which is just upstream from Willow springs. The upper part of the creek has a fair amount of brush, but very little catclaw so it is fairly easy to push through. The upper part involves a lot of boulder hopping and minor climbing around boulders, as you get closer to the corral there is more slick rock that makes travel easier. Also, the lower part burned in the summer of 2024 and there are areas where you can get out of the creek bed and hike the flats above the creek.
The large stone corral is at 33 25' 53' N, 111 23' 27" W, and sits in a horseshoe bend of Boulder Creek just upstream of Willow springs. It is easy to see and appreciate the amount of work it took to make the corral because the 2024 fire burned all the vegetation in and around the corral. I was starting to feel the effects of the heat so we found some shade and ate lunch here.
Due west of the corral is a draw that heads up to the ridge. Go up the draw to the top of the ridge. This is steep but involves very little climbing (nothing scary). At the top of the ridge enjoy a great view of Weaver's needle. Look just few degrees south of due east and you will see a saddle. Head to this saddle. From this saddle continue east, traversing the hillside until you come to the main trail that will take you back to Fremont saddle and thence back to Peralta trailhead.
Bring leather gloves, wear long pants, and if cool enough, a denim jean jacket makes getting through the brush easier. Would not do this hike without hiking poles. |
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