| |
| Loy Canyon Secret Mountain, AZ | |
|
| | Loy Canyon Secret Mountain, AZ | | | |
|
|
Loy Canyon Secret Mountain, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 13.74 Miles |
2,736 AEG |
| | Hiking | 13.74 Miles | 1 Day 4 Hrs 35 Mns | | |
| 2,736 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I participated in an Arizona Backpackers Club overnight to Secret Cabin via the Loy Canyon and Secret Mountain Trails. There is a large parking lot across the road from the Loy Canyon trailhead. The trail starts out easy and sandy, passing through stands of alligator juniper, manzanita, pinion pine, ponderosa pine, and scrub oak. About 3.5 miles in there is a nice campsite, before the more challenging bits. By 4.5 miles, the trail comes out into the sun and starts aggressively switchbacking up the side of the canyon, climbing over several tilted sandstone slabs. At 5 miles, there is an awesome viewpoint at the top of the switchbacks. From here to the intersection with the Secret Mountain Trail (5.3 miles), it is relatively level, but the trail is starting to get overgrown in places.
The Secret Mountain Trail goes through several areas of deadfall resulting from a fire. From the intersection, the trail climbs up over a small ridge, then begins its way down along the ravine that feeds Johnson, Masonry and Concrete Tanks. A bypass around an area of deadfall takes you directly to Johnson Tank. There was water in the ravine and in Masonry and Concrete tanks as well as the cabin ruins. We passed the cabin and climbed up to a great campsite overlooking the canyon.
On the way back, we climbed up to the cliff dwelling ruins. A path goes off to the west at about 1.2 miles from the trailhead. I was thankful to be with a couple people who had been there before and knew the route, and who were especially helpful giving a hand up at a couple class 3 scrambles. |
 |
Concrete Tank |
76-100% full |
76-100% full |
| | | There is water in the ravine and the tank appears full from above. |
 |
Johnson Tank |
Dry |
Dry |
| | | There is water in the ravine, but the large Johnson Tank is dry. |
|
Masonry Tank |
76-100% full |
76-100% full |
| | | There is water in the ravine and the tank appears full from above. | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
