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 | Fraser - Randolph Loop and Peak 3856, AZ | |
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| | Fraser - Randolph Loop and Peak 3856, AZ | | | |
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Fraser - Randolph Loop and Peak 3856, AZ
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| Hiking | 12.95 Miles |
1,973 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.95 Miles | 6 Hrs 31 Mns | | 2.14 mph |
| 1,973 ft AEG | 28 Mns Break | | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | After hiking part of Red Tanks Trail last month, I wanted to come back and see more of that area, and the Fraser-Randolph Loop would cover some new territory for me. I hadn’t driven on FR 172 in almost a year, and the road was rougher than I remembered with more random forks where it looks like vehicles have branched off to drive around washouts/obstacles...high clearance definitely recommended.
We headed out from Woodbury TH a little after 8AM to start the clockwise loop. Early on, I left the trail to hike over to Peak 3856, one the peaks along the ridge inside the loop. Getting up was straightforward--no major obstacles other than some dense cacti in some areas, and lots of flowers were in bloom near the top. The view was worth the short climb...the loop is scenic but mostly flat, and getting up on the ridge provided some better views of La Barge, Fraser and the arch, Buzzard's Roost, and a nice vantage point overlooking JF Ranch that I wouldn't have seen from below.
Back on the trail, we continued SW past the ranch, and Fraser Canyon had a trickle of water through most of it, but no big pools. We finally saw one person with an anxious dog near the Red Tanks intersection, and we checked out Dripping Spring before continuing north up Red Tanks. There was a little more water through some sections, including some small waterfalls that provided a nice spot for a break. [ youtube video ]
After less than a half mile, we turned into Randolph Canyon, a new one for me. Like Fraser, there was a consistent trickle of water in the canyon but rarely much more than that, but the scenery was beautiful, with lots of saguaros and views of La Barge and the arches southwest of the mountain.
We took another short break when we reconnected with JF Trail and finished off the loop, with the parking lot still empty. This one was a nice choice--easy and pleasant hiking through a beautiful area...definitely a hike with a high reward-to-effort ratio. The route wasn't overgrown, and the weather was perfect. Not much wildlife to see other than a cardinal, but we only saw one person all day and were done early enough that the Ren Fest traffic wasn't out of control yet on the drive back through Gold Canyon. |
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Dripping Spring |
Dry |
Dry |
| | | No water at the spring, but light flow in the creek bed nearby |
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Fraser Canyon |
Pools to trickle |
Pools to trickle |
| | | Very light but consistent flow through much of the canyon |
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Randolph Spring |
Dripping |
Dripping |
| | | Water seeping out of the rocks and a trickle in the creek bed | | | |
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