DESTINATION Wilderness Trail - FHP 1 Photoset
2026-02-01 | |
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| Hiking | 5.42 Miles |
1,456 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.42 Miles | 2 Hrs 37 Mns | | 2.07 mph |
| 1,456 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Early morning hike in the Fountain Hills area. Got to the Ardero TH around 6am. Full moon this morning. Typically, I like to think that I do t need a flashlight in such cases, but not so. The moon was just beginning to set behind the McDowells and the Western Trail that I used for start of my hike is very rocky. Headlamp definitely needed. Spent a short time on the Promenade, Alternate Route and the Andrew-Kinsey in route to the Western Trail. Hiked the Western Trail up and paid a short visit to Peak Spur 3098 and then descended down the northern side of the Western Trail. Around 1.2 I came upon the beginning of the Wilderness Trail. Daylight had started to brighten the sky so I was able to do this without a flashlight. There is a sign at the beginning that says this trail is for experience hikers and that hiking poles are recommended. The trail was definitely more rugged than the rest of the trails in the Fountain Hills system, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. The trail is more narrow than most trails, but still easy to follow. There were also several steep ups and downs, but the traction wasn’t bad. No scree. The high point seemed to be about .75 miles in on the trail. Looks like it would be an easy bushwhack to the ridgeline above. I can see use trails developing. When I reached the end I took the Mesquite Hollow back to the Promenade and the Promenade back to the TH.
Nice hike to start the month. Temps were great. In the 50’s. Intermittent breeze was appreciated. No wildlife. Encountered 10 hikers. All on the Mesquite Hollow or later. |
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