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BarbershopCynMerritDrawLoop, AZ
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| Hiking | 13.50 Miles |
1,250 AEG |
| | Hiking | 13.50 Miles | 6 Hrs 30 Mns | | 2.08 mph |
| 1,250 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Parked along the Barbershop trail and headed down into Barbershop Canyon. Down Barbershop Canyon is initially easy, with good elk trails on benches. After awhile the going gets a bit tougher, but Barbershop Canyon is wonderful, with plenty of flowers, intermittent water, and two impressive springs along the way.
With monsoons clouds forming at the time I started the hike, it wasn't surprising I got rained on. After getting a bit wet, I finally found a spot out of the rain to wait out the second half. Thoroughly wet, I continued down the last part of Barbershop, where the elk trails got much better, and found the Ubar intersection.
Barbershop canyon is a true gem on the rim, probably the best hike anywhere in the area.
I went up Merritt Draw, which initially wasn't too bad but quickly required scrambling, bushwhacking, and crawling over many, many downed trees. After awhile of this the elk trails began to improve and I headed up the draw at twice the speed. Reaching Hank's "best entry point", I surprised two elk. One of the elk spotted me and ran away. The other elk didn't see me, but panicked when the other ran.
The elk happened to end up running right at me, not having spotted me. This was good and bad - the bad part was that I had 600 pounds of animal barreling right at me at 15 mph and about 1.5 seconds to react. What to do? Dive behind the tree! While moving, grab the camera, fire off a shot! I haven't checked, but I think I go it!
The rest of the trip wasn't as eventful, I used an elk trail to bypass a portion when I wasn't having any fun climbing over tree after tree and bushwhacking. I think I skipped about a quarter mile. The upper part of Merritt Draw has lots of fences to keep the elk out.
It was pleasant walking through the vast meadows of Merritt Draw. This part is an easy hike that anybody can do, and it goes on for quite a ways. Lots of flowers and green fields. Very nice indeed!
I continued all the way to the top of the draw, cross country to find the trail, and crossed through Barbershop canyon again to finish the loop.
Spring reports - the springs in Barbershop were flowing quite well. They are amazing, but not on the map!
Couldn't tell with the Merritt Draw springs - too many fences in the way. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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http://hikearizona.com/garmin_maps.php
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, ankle-twisting, HAZmaster crushing ROCKS!!
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, shin-stabbing, skin-shredding plants!
Hike Arizona it is full of striking, biting, stabbing, venomous wildlife! |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
I don't understand why they fully enclosed the cement spring box without having some type of human access. On my exit day 6/17, I stopped by the Hwy 87- Blue Ridge Ranger Station and leaving without a reason why..?
