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Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop - 5 members in 12 triplogs have rated this an average 3.8 ( 1 to 5 best )
12 triplogs
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Jun 19 2023
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 Guides 48
 Routes 510
 Photos 9,555
 Triplogs 578

79 male
 Joined Dec 28 2006
 Scottsdale, AZ
FR139C.C/Site2-OffTrail2BarbshopCrk, AZ 
FR139C.C/Site2-OffTrail2BarbshopCrk, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jun 19 2023
Grasshopper • Triplogs 578
Hiking1.40 Miles 264 AEG
Hiking1.40 Miles   3 Hrs   19 Mns   0.67 mph
264 ft AEG   1 Hour   14 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#2
Barbershop Cyn & Dane Cyn - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Partners none no partners
This was my third and last of three short, off-trail hikes from my planned 6nt/7day Mogollon Rim- Camp Grasshopper trip from 6/14 to 6/20/23.

A number of years back, I had researched and confirmed a recommended and safely doable off-trail hiking route into an upper section of Barbershop Canyon Creek from my [ Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#2 ] . This June'23 visit I planned to reconfirm today- 6/19/23, to clean-up, and to rock cairn a/r this HAZ previously posted route.

Now with minor revisions, added "key" WPs and my 6/19 photoset with more detailed pics, pic captions, and pic tag notes, I am now reposting this recommended and revised Gps off-trail route to "Enter/Exit" Barbershop Canyon Creek.

As it turned out, it was a good decision for me to wait until today-6/19 instead of the day before as originally planned to do this hike section as it took me much longer than I originally thought, to follow and clean-up my old Gps off-trail route down to enter Barbershop Canyon Creek.

As I mentioned in my 6/18 triplog, hopefully on my next visit, I will now be able to more quickly hike down to Barbershop Canyon Creek via this updated 6/19 route and then hike down canyon (distance still tbd) to exit back up at my second recommended 6/18 off-trail hike Entry/Exit location, then connecting back with FR139C for a loop back to Park/TH Start at my Campsite #2 [ photo ]
_____________________
(Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!")
  7 archives
Jun 04 2021
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 Guides 3
 Routes 13
 Photos 231
 Triplogs 15

male
 Joined Sep 27 2020
 Tucson, AZ
Cabin Loop de Loop, AZ 
Cabin Loop de Loop, AZ
 
Backpack avatar Jun 04 2021
andrewp • Triplogs 15
Backpack36.45 Miles 4,620 AEG
Backpack36.45 Miles2 Days   21 Hrs   6 Mns   
4,620 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   7 linked trail guides
Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim
U - Bar Trail #28
Barbershop Trail #91
Houston Brothers Trail #171
Barbershop Canyon Upper
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Partners none no partners
I came up with a combination on-trail / off-trail approach to the Cabin Loop area as I suspected that the real treasures of were in the canyons. I'm really happy I did it this way as the trails, while beautiful, didn't begin to show off what the area has to offer.

I wanted to do at least 3 days and knew that I wouldn't want to be making the 5 hour drive back to Tucson after a full day of hiking so I added a 4th day and made it purposefully short. This ended up being a smart move as the drive home was taxing enough on a Monday morning, so I can't imagine it on a Sunday night after a full day of hiking.

Day 1 - Pinchot Cabin to Coyote Spring
VERY early start from Tucson and took the back way up through Globe and along Roosevelt Lake rather than the route through Phoenix that Google really wanted me to take. Uneventful drive up, parked on FR139A at the Fred Haught trail intersection, and was ready to start hiking around 11am. Spent a few minutes at the Pinchot cabin and waited for another hiker to get going on the U-Bar trail so that we weren't right on top of each other. We ended up leapfrogging each other all day. Chatted a bit at Dane Spring... nice guy. Pointed him here as he was looking to abandon Alltrails app.

U-Bar trail starts out a bit ho-hum, but improves in terrain and scenery on the approach to Barbershop Canyon. Steep descent and climb out ended up being a workout that I wasn't expecting. Stopped in the canyon bottom for lunch and continued on to Dane Spring. I had originally planned on camping at Dane, but ended up continuing on as there was still some daylight to burn and there was already a group camped there.

Finished off the U-Bar trail and ended up making a campsite for myself on the hill above Coyote Spring. On the way down to the spring to get some water I found the skeletal remains of what appeared to be an elk and this was a little offputting. There only appeared to be remains of one animal so I assumed that this wasn't a popular dinner spot and hoped that I didn't have a visitor overnight. I didn't.

Day 2 - Coyote Spring > Merritt Draw > Camp Grasshopper #2 > Barbershop Canyon (upper-middle??)

Broke camp early and continued on Barbershop trail to Barbershop Spring where I refilled my bottles. After a bit of route finding I found FR139C which I followed a bit to a drainage that dropped into the head of Merritt Draw. Once into the draw I was treated to a really pleasant meadow walk for a mile or so. The riparian exclusion zones erected by the Forest Service appear to have gotten larger from those shown in previous photos and they take up almost the entire width of the draw. They also enclose the springs so pulling water with the current flow levels wasn't possible.

After the open meadow I continued on the abandoned FR9735P which is now a grade which is slowly going back to nature. This area is beautiful and it was interesting to watch the open meadow of Merritt Draw turn into a deep canyon. I continued walking the road around the nose of the ridge and to its intersection with FR139C. I stopped at Camp Grasshopper #2 for a quick lunch and then found the elk trail down the ridge into Barbershop Canyon. The trail was fairly easy to follow, but having the GPS track was definitely nice.

Where the elk trail dropped me, Barbershop was a deep and narrow drainage with a small, dry creek at the bottom. I started upstream in the creek bed and came to some pools within a few hundred yards. The water came and went for the rest of the journey. The canyon remained narrow with hardly any room for a consistent use trail and what little trail was there crossed the stream constantly. This area was beautiful and although there were a number of forest roads about 300ft above I felt like I was miles from civilization.

My intended stop for the night was one of the primitive campsites identified by @Grasshopper , but upon reaching the planned site I realized that it wasn't going to work for me. I was hammock camping and the tree arrangement was such that my hammock would have to span over the use trail. I imagined being awoken in the middle of the night by an elk colliding with me suspended in mid-air. I continued on and after a short distance the canyon opened up a bit and after about 1/2 mile I found an excellent spot on a high bench overlooking the stream.

Made camp, had some dinner, and hit the sack early.

Day 3 - Barbershop Canyon upstream to Rim > Houston Bros > Aspen Spring

I had been awake for about 15 minutes when a crash to my right alerted me to an incoming elk making her way down the ridge. She saw me (or my hammock) and froze. As I reached for my phone to get a photo she bolted back up the hill and from the sound of it she was stepping on every piece of downed wood she came upon!

Broke camp and headed up Barbershop Canyon with the intent of continuing all the way to the rim. This was the highlight of the trip by far as the upper section of Barbershop is absolutely beautiful. From my campsite this was an easy hike and once I reached the head of the canyon it was an easy walk across FR300 to take in the view off the edge of the rim. Spent some time here soaking it up and also took advantage of the cellular coverage to share the view with my wife via FaceTime.

Set off with the intent of following the General Crook trail to Houston Bros and although I was successful for a stretch I eventually lost the blazes and just hiked cross country in the approximate direction. I completely missed the trail and overshot it a bit then in backtracking got turned around. A quick check of GPS put me back on track, but it was an entertaining couple of minutes while I walked in circles.

The initial section of Houston Bros is quite pretty and the broadleaf trees in the drainages were a nice change from all of the pine and fir that I had been seeing for days. There were some good ups and downs in the first half of this trail and it was a bit more of a workout than I was expecting.

Once into Houston Draw the character changes and I was treated to alternating forest and meadow sections. This was easily one of the more enjoyable trail sections of the entire trip and I loved every minute of it. My intention was to camp at McFarland Spring, but after inspecting the area I decided that the area was too overgrown with too much deadfall to make for a pleasant evening.

I continued on and found an excellent site at Aspen Spring just east of the meadow in the side drainage. Nice site with some nice scenery. Setup camp, relaxed a bit, had some dinner, and then hit the sack.

Day 4 - Hike out and drive home

Very early start with a quick hike out to Pinchot cabin and my waiting truck. I was ready to hit the road a little after 8:30 and was very pleased that I had structured the trip this way. The drive home was long and tiring which was made worse by the closures due to the fire. Ended up taking AZ87 to the Bush Hwy and then picking up US60 in east Mesa and finally the straight line of AZ79 back to Oracle junction. Made it home by 1:30, which wasn't too bad at all.

Parting Thoughts

This was my first time in the area and I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I knew that the trails were heavily forested and feared that the lack of views would get to be a drag after a while. That was absolutely the case and I'm so glad that I planned in the off-trail sections. If I had only done a trail hike I might not have a strong desire to go back, but after this experience I'll gladly make the drive again to explore more of the canyons.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Aspen Spring  Barbershop Canyon  Bill McClintock Draw  Coyote Spring  Dane Canyon  Houston Draw  Merritt Draw  Mogollon Rim  Pinchot Spring

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Aspen Spring Dripping Dripping
Very light flow, but enough to create some shallow pools in drainage. MSR pump filter had no issues, but other methods might require some creativity.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Barbershop canyon creek Light flow Light flow
Fair amount of water at the U-Bar trail crossing. Light flow with large pools.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Barbershop Spring Dripping Dripping
Very, very shallow trickle with some small pools. Was able to draw with my MSR filter, but other filters would have trouble. Nearby Barbershop Canyon had large pools and light flow.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Coyote Spring Dripping Dripping
Hard to tell actual flow as it's just a large pool with a trickle down slope. Water was crystal clear which suggests a reasonably consistent flow.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Dane Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Strong flow. Easily qt/min, probably more.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Houston Draw Head Quart per minute Quart per minute
Light flow but created fair amount of surface water in drainage.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max McFarland Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Good flow with pools to draw from

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Pinchot Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Good flow. Lots of pools downstream
  7 archives
Aug 10 2020
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 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
Barber Merritt, AZ 
Barber Merritt, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Aug 10 2020
chumley • Triplogs 1,993
Hiking7.48 Miles 600 AEG
Hiking7.48 Miles   3 Hrs   45 Mns   2.16 mph
600 ft AEG      17 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   8 linked trail guides
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Merritt - Barbershop Short Loop
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Barbershop Canyon Upper
Merritt Draw Loop (Lower) - Mogollon Rim
Merritt Draw
Merritt Draw Loop (Mid-Lower) - Mogollon Rim
Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#3
Partners partners
dyellab
John9L
God help anybody who doesn't have a masters degree in Hazology to figure out where they've hiked here. Is it Merritt Draw Loop Lower or Merritt Draw Loop Mid-Lower? Or maybe just Merritt Draw? Is it a riparian area? :-k

It's a good thing I didn't look these things up ahead of time or I'd still be trying to figure them out and missed out on the hiking altogether! :sweat:

Kudos to @oregon_hiker who descended into Barbershop directly from Camp Grasshopper Mogollon Rim-C/Site#3 (don't worry, I linked that one too!). That's a steep and sketchy descent. One and done for that approach, thanks!

The canyon is pretty dry. Plenty of water, but not continual. We took a break at the U-Bar junction before heading up Merritt Draw (Lower?). There was no water in Merritt for the first mile but slowly more pools appeared which was great for Roshi to swim and cool off on what was a slightly warm day up there. Still beats the valley.

It was nice to cruise on the closed-to-driving road 9735P after miles of rock hopping in the canyon bottoms. It's nice to explore these drainages, and I don't think I had done this stretch before.

[I edited the 4,177 feet of gain that apparently I recorded :roll: ]
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Unknown VV Triangle Marker
_____________________
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
  1 archive
Aug 29 2018
avatar

 Guides 187
 Routes 989
 Photos 12,068
 Triplogs 864

72 male
 Joined Jun 27 2015
 Tucson, Arizona
Barbershop Merritt Draw Loop, AZ 
Barbershop Merritt Draw Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Aug 29 2018
markthurman53 • Triplogs 864
Hiking8.50 Miles 889 AEG
Hiking8.50 Miles   4 Hrs   22 Mns   2.38 mph
889 ft AEG      48 Mns Break15 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Barbershop Trail #91
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Merritt Draw Upper
Merritt - Barbershop Short Loop
Partners none no partners
On day 2 I took the Barbershop Trail at FSR139 east to Barbershop Canyon and headed down stream. I was on this portion of the Barbershop Trail last week but it was raining so it was nice to see this part of the trail in a different light. The rains from a couple days ago had this stream running pretty good but has since subsided enough to make hiking this canyon easier. With grassy flats areas on either side of the stream the going was pretty easy. Steam crossing was a little difficult on the upper portion due to the lack of rocks to cross on but luckily there wasn't any need to cross over. Further down the rocks start showing up and also the need to cross over. Like Dane Canyon the scenery keeps you occupied and you travel pretty far downstream without realizing how far you have gone. At 2.5 miles down, the Canyon Gets a little narrow and pinches off with rock outcrops on either side of the stream that makes traveling further more difficult. This is where I bailed out by heading up the west side of the Canyon to the ridge and FSR139c. Much of the way along Barbershop Canyon you follow a faint game/human trail that makes the walking easier. At the point I exited the canyon there was a fairly good route up the side of the canyon that obviously the elk use to exit the canyon or to get to bedding areas up in the rocks on the side of the canyon.

Once on FSR139c I followed it to an old logging road that would take me toward Merritt Draw. From this road I went off trail down to Merritt Draw just below where Maverick Canyon enters. At the Junction of Maverick Canyon I ran into a bear about 50 yards ahead of me. Both of us took a few seconds to check each other out and this gave me a chance to get my camera out and get a couple of pictures. At first I was trying to frame the picture and zoom in but since the bear was moving I thought just shoot the picture or you'll miss it. Did get too photos but it would of been nice if I was able to zoom in a bit. Oh well can't have everything. Better than the bear I ran into in the Mazzies that was within 30 feet and took off immediately, so rude didn't even pose for a picture.

About .4 miles up Merritt Draw from Maverick Canyon the going gets really ugly, all choked up with trees and brush. made an attempt to stay high on the west side of the canyon but this was as hard as staying in the canyon. I decided this is where I exit this canyon and get on the old logging road that follows along the east side of this canyon from higher up. This road parallels the canyon for about a mile before crossing over the creek. From this point where it crosses to the upper end of Merritt Draw it should be called Merritt Meadow, resembles more the meadows of the Kaibab Plateau only smaller. Along these meadows are two springs, Merritt and Whistling Spring. Easy walking and great expansive views.

Great hike with the exception of the one mile portion of Merritt Draw. Looks like FSR139c is the road to take to do the lower Merritt Draw (which looks easier to navigate) and middle Barbershop Canyons. would make a nice loop trail which I believe someone has posted already.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Black Bear
_____________________
  1 archive
Aug 12 2018
avatar

 Guides 4
 Routes 491
 Photos 10,890
 Triplogs 1,257

55 male
 Joined Nov 20 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
Barbershop Merritt Loop, AZ 
Barbershop Merritt Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Aug 12 2018
BiFrost • Triplogs 1,257
Hiking12.77 Miles 1,213 AEG
Hiking12.77 Miles   5 Hrs   58 Mns   2.35 mph
1,213 ft AEG      32 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Barbershop Trail #91
Merritt Draw Riparian Area - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Partners partners
John9L
After hiking in the heat of the Supes on Saturday I joined John for some hiking in the cool Pines on Sunday. Drove up to FR300 then to FR 139 and the Barbershop TH. We went down Barbershop Canyon the normal route enjoying the scenery and pools. Several pools were probably deep enough for a swim and certainly good enough to filter. Everything was bit wet from recent rains and the clouds were already building quickly in the late morning. Eventually we reached the Barbershop and U Bar Trail junction. Since we were already getting some light rain with thunder we decided to change the original plan of going up Dane Canyon. Instead we decided to off off trail over to Merritt Canyon and head up that drainage instead.

It was a good alternative and new area for both of us. Wide scenic meadows and a couple of springs to check out. Eventually we made it back to FR 139 and the vehicle. Great to spend a relatively relaxing hike in the cool pines!
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Arizona Treefrog
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  2 archives
May 12 2018
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 Guides 3
 Routes 202
 Photos 3,513
 Triplogs 530

male
 Joined Jan 24 2016
 Arizona
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper LoopPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar May 12 2018
MountainMatt • Triplogs 530
Hiking9.43 Miles 1,306 AEG
Hiking9.43 Miles   5 Hrs   26 Mns   1.78 mph
1,306 ft AEG      9 Mns Break55 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I was wanting to hit this place up a couple weeks ago but the temporary fire closure area around the Tinder Fire put I halt to my plans but now the surrounding area is open!

I’ve been hiking through a lot of these north facing rim canyons lately and B Shop definitely takes the cake for all the important aspects!
Water, scenery and solitude.

No shortage of water, no people and great conditions had me smiling throughout the entire loop.

I was going to continue up Merrit Draw a bit further but my pack was getting quite heavy from a good day in the woods so I happily returned to my truck a little early.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  False Hellebore (Corn Lily)
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Drift Fence Spring Dripping Dripping
water report recorded in the field on our app Route Scout Nice big pools of water to refill with.
_____________________
 
Aug 25 2017
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 Guides 48
 Routes 510
 Photos 9,555
 Triplogs 578

79 male
 Joined Dec 28 2006
 Scottsdale, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper LoopPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 25 2017
Grasshopper • Triplogs 578
Hiking5.90 Miles 800 AEG
Hiking5.90 Miles   3 Hrs   55 Mns   1.82 mph
800 ft AEG      40 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
blk
1st Note:
This loop hike does not include the Merritt Draw section but rather completes the hike description loop from Barbershop TR 91 by returning (with some off-trail) to the TH Start via FR139C.

This was the sixth off-trail since 2010 that I have hiked this section of Upper Barbershop Canyon. Each hike year it seems that the off-trail, route finding 300ft drop (from the top off FR139C) into the canyon drainage changes due to new downed trees, washouts, and some re-routing of various game trails to follow.

This sixth hike down to the canyon drainage from the top I did not do a very good job of following my recommended hike description GPS Route. I missed the recommended rock cairned waypoint entrance by about 60 yards which made our route down more difficult for my two friends who are active trail hikers but do little off-trail hiking.

I do believe this Aug'17 visit had the most vegetation growth and water (both pooling and flowing) since first visiting here in 2010.

It was still a good area hike choice and I'm sure I will be back for another round on a future year :D
_____________________
(Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!")
 
Jun 29 2014
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 Guides 21
 Routes 1,182
 Photos 36,858
 Triplogs 1,570

69 female
 Joined Feb 26 2004
 Phoenix, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper LoopPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 29 2014
tibber • Triplogs 1,570
Hiking5.86 Miles 787 AEG
Hiking5.86 Miles   4 Hrs   18 Mns   1.64 mph
787 ft AEG      44 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
writelots
This was the second day hike WENDY picked for our ABC anniversary camp/hike weekend. I touched base with Hank regarding some of the logistics for this and knowing Wendy was a lot better than me at reading a GPS, we left ABC camp around 9ish I think.

I hadn't driven the Rim Road here for quite a bit. It is narrower than I remember and the drainage ditches also seem deeper. However, the road is quite smooth and fortunately not much traffic once you get past Knoll Lake. The driving directions for getting to Grasshopper Campsite 2 were pretty straight forward and the roads in (after 300) were in decent shape. Once we got to the campsite, I remembered it from my last time up here with Jack and Hank (gosh, that was clear back in 2011 :o ).

Now to figure out which way to go. We knew we would be heading in a clockwise direction per Hank's suggestion. It looks like a bit of a clearing to the north but you actually head south toward the canyon (across the fence) and pick up a game trail (at least that's what we did). We kept heading along the edge of the canyon and slightly contoured staying with the game trail until we finally reached a cairn. It's quite slippery contouring the canyon due to the pine needles mostly. And then it's almost straight down from there where you will eventually see the cairn marking your entry at the canyon floor. (It's like a double-layer climb down).

Once at the bottom you are instantly rewarded with beautiful canyon walls and lots of ferns :) . So UP the canyon floor we go, many times following the elk track. They did a great job finding us the best way to walk in this canyon. And much to our delight, we encountered more water than we anticipated along with natural rock bridges for us to cross. We also saw turkeys, butterflies and one elk and a pretty intact elk carcass. Oh, and per Hank's trip report from last year:
I noticed a significant amount of deer and elk activity via well worn use routes, droppings.

The trees growing out of the rock of the canyon walls was interesting too; especially this one that the trunk appeared to be one with the rock wall. There were a couple meadow-like areas with clumpy grass along the way too and we did pass a spring with all sorts of greenery going up the side of the canyon. Wendy also made note of the campsites Hank had put on the GPS route and there are some nice ones that are somewhat elevated above the water areas.

We came to the end of the canyon and walked over to the sign on the Barbershop #91 trail. I was surprised to see that we weren't too far from other trails I have read about. We went back a bit to have some lunch under the shade of some trees with a view down Barbershop. And then next, it was up a hill out of the canyon. THIS was much easier than what we had come down to get in the canyon; but after all, it was a trail ;) .

This is a pretty little section of the trail. You eventually come to a gate and we continued walking anticipating a turn to the right. We felt we walked too far so we went back to the gate and headed up the fence line but not too long before we saw that the GPS said this wasn't right. Se we hiked back out to the meadow where the main trail was looking for a cairn or some indication of where to turn but we never did find it so we headed north up the meadow-like area. Wendy asked if we wanted to continue this way or head up the hill to get closer to the GPS track. I opted for the hill : rambo : and eventually we got back on the track.

Soon you come to the road we had driven on and then you take a left. You follow the road for about a quarter mile where I spotted a cairn to our right. My one measly contribution to this track finding as Wendy did the most and deserves KUDOS; and I did one of these toward the end as she nailed it :worthy: . From here we more or less hiked thru the welcome spotty shade of the forest. We came to another small meadow and someone was at the campsite (9735) not too far from Whistling Spring. We walked along side the road for a bit and we came out to the first bigger and fenced meadow area (Upper Merritt Draw), Wendy had us stay to the left (west) to walk in the shade.

We did see a couple chipmunks along the way here. They are always so comical when they scamper off. We also saw a Tanager. We finally came to the last enclosure and crossed over to the east side to walk along side it. I was in familiar territory now and knew we were getting close to the end. We were both a bit weary by this time. We stopped for a five minute break before heading up the hill along the fence line and arrived safely back to Grasshopper Campsite 2.

After freshening up the best we could (FYI - not wearing sock liners because I was wearing tennis shoes instead of boots results in very dirty feet for me :yuck: ) we took the 139 to the 95 to the 87.... it seemed a long trip though I do remember taking that here in 2011. We stopped at El Rancho in Payson. I did try the Navajo Taco and it was just the right size and tasted delish (remember to get the green sauce with it).

This is a great hike but you will need your GPS. There are some landmarks for some of the waypoints along the way such as the sign for Trail 91 (and there's a visible trail) and just past the gate after going up the hill from the Canyon, etc.

Video 1 heading toward and down into and on the Canyon floor: http://youtu.be/BiF7QpYI-kQ
Video 2 in the canyon ending at Barbershop Trl #91: http://youtu.be/M6wgSUBM6Ck
Video 3 from Barbershop 91 to and thru part of Merritt Draw: http://youtu.be/k2uNMscs1iY
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Bracken Fern
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Atlantis Fritillary Butterfly  Western Tanager
 Geology
 Geology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Cross-bedding
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Barbershop Canyon  Barbershop Spring  Merritt Draw
_____________________
For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled.
 
Jun 29 2014
avatar

 Guides 19
 Routes 40
 Photos 5,624
 Triplogs 341

52 female
 Joined Nov 22 2005
 Tucson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper LoopPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 29 2014
writelots • Triplogs 341
Hiking5.86 Miles 787 AEG
Hiking5.86 Miles   4 Hrs   18 Mns   1.64 mph
787 ft AEG      44 Mns Break
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
tibber
Once again, Tibber has done a wonderful job of the writeup on this loop, and Grasshopper has done a bang-up job at creating it. I thought that it was the perfect mix of "puzzle solving" route finding and "easy peasy" walking. Always beautiful, and full of interesting sights, this is a sure winner if you're looking for an entry to off trail walking on the rim.

I want to learn more about the fenced riparian areas, I'm curious as to how they're recovering and if it's mostly an issue of damage by elk (which aren't native here, and have a terrible impact).
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Barbershop Spring Dripping Dripping

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Merritt Spring Dripping Dripping
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Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.- Barack Obama
 
Jun 15 2014
avatar

 Guides 48
 Routes 510
 Photos 9,555
 Triplogs 578

79 male
 Joined Dec 28 2006
 Scottsdale, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper LoopPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 15 2014
Grasshopper • Triplogs 578
Hiking5.90 Miles 1,117 AEG
Hiking5.90 Miles   5 Hrs   35 Mns   1.61 mph
1,117 ft AEG   1 Hour   55 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Father's Day 2014 : king :

On my June'13 week camping & hiking trip to this area, I hiked a variation of this "lots to see" loop which included all but the very enjoyable return segment via Upper Merritt Draw. For this June'14 trip adding the return segment of this loop via Upper Merritt Draw was an excellent choice as it only added an additional one mile to the loop but added twice the scenic enjoyment.

HAZ Hikebot and I both agreed that this new, moderate difficulty/route finding "off-trail" loop now in season was worthy of having more visibility via a new HAZ Hike Description for others to consider.

I might also add that for those interested in sharpening their "on-trail and off-trail" GPSr Route Finding/Following/WP go-to skills, that this recommended loop would be an excellent choice. This author's posted picture set with detailed captions and recommended official GPS Route for download with all "key" way points included http://hikearizona.com/gps=26597 is for you.

Also Note: This loop hike including driving to and from the Phoenix area should be easily doable in a long day and as a GPSr route finding/following learning experience (good or bad), this author feels that as a GPSr owner & user, you really should not be too disoriented trying to follow this downloaded, recommended and "official" GPS Route :)

As I have now learned and as our HAZ-GPSjoe belived: "Become an experienced GPS User and it will set you free" ;)
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Bigtooth Maple
 Geology
 Geology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Cross-bedding
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Informational/Interpretive Sign
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Barbershop Canyon  Merritt Draw  Merritt Spring  Whistling Spring
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Merritt Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Most always reliable Perennial Spring with concrete spring box and lower ground level access.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Whistling Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Perennial Spring Box within Merritt Draw Riparian Enclosure
(this spring source not accessible due to a seven foot fenced enclosure)
_____________________
(Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!")
 
Jun 13 2013
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 Guides 48
 Routes 510
 Photos 9,555
 Triplogs 578

79 male
 Joined Dec 28 2006
 Scottsdale, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 13 2013
Grasshopper • Triplogs 578
Hiking5.00 Miles 629 AEG
Hiking5.00 Miles   3 Hrs   40 Mns   1.88 mph
629 ft AEG   1 Hour    Break
 
Linked   linked  
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Partners none no partners
The last time I day hiked this two mile off-trail section of Upper Barbershop Canyon to its intersection with Barbershop Trail #91 was with GPSjoe in September, 2010. It was good to finally be back for a revisit. It did not disappoint in Sept'10 and neither did it this revisit :)

This June 13th loop hike was a deviation from the original hike description write-up further explained in the "information notes" section of my posted 6/13 GPS Route.

This visit I wanted to further document via photos and way point locations for all others qualified and interested, the possible and recommended overnight backpack campsite locations within this two mile section of Upper Barbershop Canyon. I located two to three possible backpack campsites that I would recommend. These campsite locations with views of and associated pic captions are documented in my geocoded picset with reference way points/comments also noted on my posted GPS Route (hiking up canyon, these two recommended backpack campsites are at elevations of 7336ft and 7424ft respectively).

While hiking this lush green with seasonal/perennial water flow and pooling sections of Upper Barbershop Canyon, I noticed a significant amount of deer and elk activity via well worn use routes, droppings, and I also noticed more alcoves and minor cave areas up into the cliff walls. This canyon surely must be a very active early morning and evening/night mecca for wildlife and thus one of the reasons why I feel it would be an awesome location to spend the night. I can visualize waking up in the early morning and seeing : rein : outside my tent. I'm not sure what else might roam around from inside the numerous alcoves and caves :lol:

This has been mentioned before by others, but I might repeat that for those who have exhausted hiking the standard Cabin Loop Trails in this area, that Barbershop and Dane Canyons should offer a pleasant off-trail minor challenge alternative for those qualified. In my opinion, Upper Barbershop Canyon (between U-Bar TR 28 & Barbershop TR 91) is a good choice for either day hiking or backpacking. Dane Canyon (between U-Bar 28 & Barbershop TR 91), the "center" section up canyon from Dane Spring being better for day hiking or backpacking with the "lower end" and "upper end" of Dane Canyon being better suited for day hiking.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
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(Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!")
 
Aug 12 2012
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 Guides 107
 Routes 249
 Photos 2,067
 Triplogs 514

male
 Joined Nov 18 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
BarbershopCynMerritDrawLoop, AZ 
BarbershopCynMerritDrawLoop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Aug 12 2012
nonot • Triplogs 514
Hiking13.50 Miles 1,250 AEG
Hiking13.50 Miles   6 Hrs   30 Mns   2.08 mph
1,250 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   9 linked trail guides
Merritt Draw Loop (Mid-Lower) - Mogollon Rim
Merritt Draw Loop (Lower) - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Cyn Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Merritt Draw Riparian Area - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Cyn & Dane Cyn - Mogollon Rim
Merritt Draw Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim
Barbershop Trail #91
Barbershop Cyn Upper - Merritt Draw Upper Loop
Barbershop Canyon Upper
Partners none 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.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Richardsons Geranium  Western Wallflower - Orange  Yellow Coneflower
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Elk
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Maverick Canyon  Merritt Draw
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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average hiking speed 1.82 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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