Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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May 10 2021

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,484
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,374

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Pinchot Cabin, AZ

Hiking		May 10 2021
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,374

Hiking	13.40 Miles	1,775 AEG

Hiking	13.40 Miles	6 Hrs 2 Mns	2.90 mph
	1,775 ft AEG	1 Hour 25 Mns Break

Linked

11 linked trail guides

Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim

Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#2

Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#3

Merritt Draw Loop (Lower) - Mogollon Rim

Merritt Draw Upper Loop - Mogollon Rim

Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim

Merritt Draw Riparian Area - Mogollon Rim

U - Bar Trail #28

Maverick Canyon - Merritt Draw Loop

Merritt Draw

Houston Brothers Trail #171

Partners

none

no partners

I decided to head up to the Rim for a couple of days of hiking and one night of car camping at Camp Grasshopper Site #2. After setting up camp, we hiked over to Pinchot Cabin and back. When we got back to the campsite we decided to climb up the ridge to the west of the campsite and check out the Merritt Draw Riparian Area.

It was a nice day to be hiking up on the Rim. We saw a mountain biker at Pinchot Cabin, but did not see anyone else all day. At Pinchot Cabin we started hiking on the Houston Brothers Trail, thinking that we might go back to the campsite that way. However, after a bit of reflection, I figured that route would be longer than I wanted, so after a short distance on the Houston Brothers Trail, we turned around and went back the way that we came.

The Merritt Draw Riparian Area was really nice and is worthy of some more exploration.

The campsite was clean except for some TP that some moron had left not too far from the fire ring. You'd think that people could do better than that, but I guess not.

This is a nice area, and I hope to get back there later in the summer.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cadastral Survey Marker Cag Shot Camp-fire Fraley Pose

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Pinchot Spring

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

Aug 11 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,484
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,374

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Pinchot Cabin from Camp Grasshopper, AZ

Hiking		Aug 11 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,374

Hiking	13.10 Miles	1,411 AEG

Hiking	13.10 Miles	4 Hrs 59 Mns	2.76 mph
	1,411 ft AEG	14 Mns Break

Linked

6 linked trail guides

Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#2

Merritt Draw Loop (Lower) - Mogollon Rim

Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim

U - Bar Trail #28

Houston Brothers Trail #171

Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim

Partners

none

no partners

I was wanting to check out a couple of cabins on the Cabin Loop that I had not been to, so I decided to camp at the excellent Camp Grasshopper #2 site on the rim, and hike for a couple of days.

This was day 1, so I drove in and set up my tent, and then I decided to hike to the Pinchot Cabin. I went north on FR 139C until it ended, and then made an off-trail descent down to a spring where Barbershop Canyon and Merritt Draw meet. There I picked up the U-Bar Trail and took it to Pinchot Cabin. This was a very nice trail to hike on. The cabin was nice to check out, but it sure needs a new roof.

I had thought about doing a loop by taking the Houston Brothers Trail south to the Barbershop Trail, and then taking FR139 and FR139C back to Camp Grasshopper. That would have added 2+ miles to the hike, and it was getting a bit late, so I decided to just retrace my steps back. Of course, I missed a turn to the trail and walked on a forest road longer than I should have. So I checked out my map and GPS track and went off-trail for a ways to FR139 just below the U-Bar Trail, and then took it back to U-Bar. I don't think that my mistake added more than 1/4 mile to the hike.

This is a nice area to hike in, and I imagine that I will go back there sometime for some more exploration. It did not look like anyone had been to Camp Grasshopper since my one-night stay there the previous week.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Garter Snake

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Unknown VV Triangle Marker

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Pinchot Spring

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

Aug 03 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,484
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,374

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Merritt Draw Meander, AZ

Hiking		Aug 03 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,374

Hiking	7.10 Miles	814 AEG

Hiking	7.10 Miles	3 Hrs 38 Mns	2.21 mph
	814 ft AEG	25 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Merritt Draw Loop (Lower) - Mogollon Rim

Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim

Maverick Canyon - Merritt Draw Loop

Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#2

Camp Grasshopper - Mogollon Rim-C/Site#3

Partners

none

no partners

I decided to escape the heat of the VOS, so I headed up to the Mogollon Rim to hike and car camp in an area that I had not been to before.

I drove up to Camp Grasshopper Site #2, and got my tent set up. Then I decided to hike north on FR 139C, following the Merritt Draw Lower Loop, and for a short ways the Merritt Draw Middle Loop and Maverick Canyon Loop. After a couple of miles or so I got to the end of 139C, and descended off-trail down to Merritt Draw. After the descent I was across from the Ubar Trail at a nice spring, with a pool of water deep enough to swim in had I been so inclined.

Then I followed the Merritt Draw Lower GPS track up Merritt Draw. The track went uphill after a ways, but it was really overgrown with some thorn bushes. I was wearing a short sleeve shirt with no gloves, and since I really wasn't looking to donate a pint of blood, I backtracked a bit and found a route up between cliffs. It was a bit steep in a couple of places, but it wasn't TOO bad. I then went south, in between FR 139C and @grasshopper's GPS track. I had intended to make my way back to @grasshopper's route, but there was some deadfall in front of me, and I decided to take the easy way, so I went uphill a bit back to FR 139C.

On the way back to the campsite I stopped to check out campsite #3 and campsite #2.5. Campsite #3 was almost, but not quite, as nice as campsite #2. Campsite #2.5 was also nice, but it did not have all the amenities of Campsite #2. Which is why @grasshopper charges less for site 2.5, so it has some appeal to more budget minded campers. otoh, @grasshopper charges an arm and leg for site #2, so you'd better have some deep pockets to stay there!...lol...I am just kidding of course!

Once I got back to Campsite #2, I walked up the hill on the other side of FR 139C, just to check it out. However, I decided to save any further exploration for another day.

This is a nice area, and I plan to come back and explore some more of Merritt Draw, and also hike on some of the Cabin Loop to check out the Pinchot Cabin and Buck Springs Fire Guard Station.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Swimming Hole

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

2 archives

Jun 14 2020

Grasshopper

Guides 48
Routes 510
Photos 9,555
Triplogs 578

79 male

Joined Dec 28 2006
Scottsdale, AZ

Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim

Payson, AZ

Merritt Draw Loop (Middle) - Mogollon Rim

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Jun 14 2020
		Grasshopper • Triplogs 578

Hiking	3.50 Miles	373 AEG

Hiking	3.50 Miles	2 Hrs 30 Mns	1.40 mph
	373 ft AEG

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

This was my last of two days hiking, of a planned 7night/8day (6/10 to 6/17) Vehicle Camping / R&R trip.

If already in the area or not, this is a very enjoyable, relaxing, scenic, easy to off-trail navigate, short loop hike (2 to 2.5hrs to complete). It includes hiking on some lesser-used open and closed to vehicle traffic Forest Road, an old Logging Road.

On this loop, hiking within the green, lush Middle Merritt Draw to view two of the three fenced-in Merritt Draw Riparian Areas. This hike goes by historic, Perennial, Merritt Spring Box Source, and also hikes by at least three other Middle Merritt Draw perennial, unnamed Spring sources. All Spring locations are waypoint detailed on this Hike Guide, "Official" posted Gps Route.

I hope my posted picset with detailed captions and tag notes will entice some to give this awesome hike, family friendly, a try! Lots of open space for the kid-O's to run and tire enough to almost guarantee a quieter drive home..

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] New Mexico Locust

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Merritt Draw Merritt Spring

	Merritt Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Minimal water seepage present but within opening of old constructed cement Spring Box, enough water flow present to secure with a filter that has a longer tube.

_____________________

(Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!")

2 archives

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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