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| Hiking | 11.65 Miles |
598 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.65 Miles | 4 Hrs 28 Mns | | 2.61 mph |
| 598 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Today, I hiked the second east-bound segment of the General Crook Trail, on General Crook Trail #64, from CF Canyon to Copper Canyon Trailhead, just outside Camp Verde. (Roughly P12 to P2.) I could have continued on to the historical Fort Verde cavalry post (P0), but I do enouugh suburban road walking in my neighborhood.
My hiking buddy Paul, aka Prescottstyle, and I started hiking at 7:25 a.m. Scattered showers were expected mid-afternoon in the Verde Valley, but morning was sunny. But we were so early, and heading slowly uphill to the east, that taking photographs of trail conditions was difficult. Despite the glare, the slight depression that is the 150-year old General Crook Trail was obvious. 
At one point, General Crook Trail was more obvious than where we should have turned onto a jeep trail, and we did not realize it until we deadended at a gateless fence. That cost us an extra ⅔ mile — which explains why my total mileage, below, is more than the attached GPS route. (I do a lot of wandering & backtracking for photos & route confirmation.) Turn left after 1 mile, before the double boulders.
At 1¼ mile, wait for a gap in traffic, then sprint across AZ-260. (There is no tunnel.) On the north side of the highway, there is a wired-shut gate. Without the tools or time to open it, Paul and I low crawled it. (The bottom strand is barbless.) Because the hiking General Crook Trail has diverted from the historical General Crook Trail, we curved northeast ¼ mile to FR 9603F.
FR 9603F heads east, past a full-looking Mistake Tank. (On satellite view, it is a mudhole.) When FR 9603F bends north (left) to parallel Interstate 17, there is a General Crook Trail #64 sign. Split right past the sign, through creek bottom shrubbery, to a double culvert under the freeway. I was surprised at the lack of graffiti. 
On the east side of I-17, Paul and I resumed following the now faint General Crook Trail which heads east a ½ mile to Bates Windmill. The windmill is non-functional and the corral fenceless. After 3 miles, at Bates Windmill, turn left onto FR 136, which winds through pinyon & juniper as it climbs north. Paul & I briefly stopped to chat with some deer hunters in an OHV.
At the 4 mile mark, by the powerline, FR 136 intersects FR 9603J. Bend left aiming at a saddle just ahead. From the saddle, it is all downhill through Copper Canyon, to the trailhead 5⅓ miles away. Just over the saddle, the trail splits: FR 136 left, General Crook Trail right. Paul and I went right. Stay left to avoid a 30 ft. drop off and numerous catclaw. General Crook Trail rejoins FR 136 in ⅓ mile anyway.
Following the powerline, FR 136 drops 500 rocky feet in only ⅔ mile. Though FR 136 continues to descend all the way to the Copper Canyon Trailhead, General Crook Trail basically levels out, becomming a pleasant three mile stroll through moist & verdant Copper Canyon. The foliage was so tangled, you would not want to be canyon crawling it like I do on the Mogollon Rim. 
Along the lush part of Copper Canyon, FR 136 is never more than 250 yds. from Interstate 17. Trucks air braking can be heard, and occasionally seen, 200 ft. above, but the foliage deadens most of the sound. The creek was running, and FR 136 crosses it several times. There were also quite a few wide puddles.
At 7¼ miles, I found a prospect on the south side of General Crook Trail. Paul spotted the mine adit. It was not hard, or dangerous, making entrance. Inside, I was able to stand up. But it only went in 30 ft. and there were only small traces of copper. Certainly nothing like the other Copper Creek! [ photoset ]
A ¼ mile past the mine is Copper Corral, which is in slightly better shape than Bates Windmill. A ¼ mile past Copper Corral, I saw an open area to my right (FR 513). As I turned to look, two large male javelina snorted as they ran for cover. Past FR 513, Copper Canyon opens up, with the vegetation returning to typical Sonoran Desert scrub.
The final two miles down FR 136 to Copper Canyon Trailhead were a rocky trudge. At least the clouds were beautiful! 
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/758741345 |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
The best flowers were on the steepest part of FR 136: A dense 200 yd. long patch of yellow longleaf false goldeneye. But variety increased in deepest Copper Canyon. I spoted common sunflower, tansyleaf spine aster, broom snakeweed, field bindweed, oak apple gall wasp, desert marigold, fall tansyaster, southwestern prisklypoppy, trailing four o’clock, globemallow (rusbyi or hastulata?) and velvety goldenrod, |
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Mistake Tank |
76-100% full |
76-100% full |
| | | Looked good from 200 yds. away. Way more water than mudhole on sat view. | | _____________________
| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Starting another trail across part of Arizona with Bruce(The Trail General)Coan.I give him a big 
for all the research and planning to do this one.Learning some of the History of this trail and the area around it make it a lot more fun and interesting.We saw old stone corral's beside a Huge-Huge tree,a couple of cool creeks,8 deer and a owl,the sunk it trail from the wagon trains,a couple old mines, and the Historic Fort Verde.Along with great company and weather,I'd say a very enjoyable day! 
