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Missing Link Trail #724 - 1 member in 5 triplogs has rated this an average 3 ( 1 to 5 best )
5 triplogs
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Jan 25 2025
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 Guides 3
 Routes 161
 Photos 477
 Triplogs 147

70 male
 Joined Jan 02 2016
 Prescott, AZ
Tunnel -Russ-Link-Italy-Willowy Loop, AZ 
Tunnel -Russ-Link-Italy-Willowy Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jan 25 2025
Whiffer • Triplogs 147
Hiking9.86 Miles 917 AEG
Hiking9.86 Miles   3 Hrs   50 Mns   2.57 mph
917 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   11 linked trail guides
Noodle Loop Trail #760
Juniper Gate Trail #701
Tunnel Vision Trail #714
Tatanka Trail #735
Russ T. Fender Trail #728
Zygomatic Trail #761
Missing Link Trail #724
Little Italy Trail #703
Javelina Trail #332
Willow Creek Trail #704
Willy Nilly Tractor #707
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
There are many loops possible in the Spence Basin (full of Ponderosa pine), starting from either the Iron Springs Trailhead or, like this one, from the Spence Springs Trailhead. The only trail at the Spence Springs Trailhead is Noodle Loop #760, but there are four trails onto which you can turn to start a loop. It had been a few years since I had hiked Tunnel Vision #714, so named because it passes through a (low and narrow) tunnel under Javelina Trail #332 where #332 follows the old Iron Springs Railway right-of-way. It had also been awhile since I had hiked Tatanka #735 and Zygomatic #761, so I took those and Missing Link to take Little Italy south, then west, then east, a direction that I have rarely hiked. This provided views of Granite Mountain and Thumb Butte, plus lots of rocky hillsides (see photo for example). I then returned to the trailhead via Javelina, Willow Creek #704, Willy Nilly Tractor #707 and the east side of Noodle Loop for a nearly 10-mile hike. There are way too many trails to include all in the name of this loop hike, so I have included parts of the names of four trails and combined parts of two more (Willow Creek and Willy Nilly Tractor) to form Willowy.
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  2 archives
Nov 16 2024
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 Guides 3
 Routes 161
 Photos 477
 Triplogs 147

70 male
 Joined Jan 02 2016
 Prescott, AZ
Spence Springs Loop, AZ 
Spence Springs Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Nov 16 2024
Whiffer • Triplogs 147
Hiking10.22 Miles 1,036 AEG
Hiking10.22 Miles   3 Hrs   57 Mns   2.63 mph
1,036 ft AEG      4 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   8 linked trail guides
Noodle Loop Trail #760
Willy Nilly Tractor #707
Little Italy Trail #703
Missing Link Trail #724
Russ T. Fender Trail #728
West Side Story Trail #725
Javelina Trail #332
Vista Trail #706
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
A ten-mile loop clock-wise around Spence Springs Basin. The foliage was about as bright as it gets. There are mostly Ponderosa pines and Gambel oaks with a sprinkling of junipers and willows, aspens and (maybe) cottonwoods along Willow Creek, Spence Creek and some of the gullies. The Gambel oaks, willows and aspens or cottonwoods were near peak yellow.
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Trees described above. Near the trailhead were a few skunkbush sumac with hammered copper leaves
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  1 archive
Aug 06 2022
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 Guides 3
 Routes 161
 Photos 477
 Triplogs 147

70 male
 Joined Jan 02 2016
 Prescott, AZ
Javelina-West Side Story Loop, AZ 
Javelina-West Side Story Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Aug 06 2022
Whiffer • Triplogs 147
Hiking8.63 Miles 872 AEG
Hiking8.63 Miles   3 Hrs   12 Mns   2.75 mph
872 ft AEG      4 Mns Break
 
Linked   11 linked trail guides
Javelina Trail #332
West Side Story Trail #725
Little Italy Trail #703
Missing Link Trail #724
Zygomatic Trail #761
Russ T. Fender Trail #728
Waterline Trail #733
Tatanka Trail #735
Skyline Trail #712
Spence Creek Trail #719
Vista Trail #706
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
This loop starts south on Javelina Trail #332 from Iron Springs Trailhead. It uses all of Javelina Trail on the Iron Springs Railroad right-of-way, then stays on Trail #332 when it leaves the railroad right-of-way. After passing the fireplace, take Little Italy Trail #703 (may be no sign) west along the south bank of Willow Creek, then cross the creek and head east, northeast and northwest to the junction of Trail #703 and Missing Link Trail #724. Take Trail #724 west past Zygomatic Trail #724 to Russ T Fender Trail #728. It's less than 0.1 mile on Trail #728 to West Side Story Trail #725 which returns to the Iron Springs Trailhead. I wanted to go a little more than 8 miles, so this route takes Spence Creek Trail #719 back to Javelina Trail #332 and north to Vista Trail #706. Vista Trail is well-named with views of Granite Mountain (near Williamson Valley Road), Thumb Butte and the Spence Creek Basin. This route goes out and back on Trail #706 to get in the distance I wanted to cover on this hike (about 8.5 miles). The Spence Creek Basin contains a mesh of trails made and named by mountain bikers. The route contains waypoints for some of the trail junctions. It is easy to shorten or lengthen the loop by taking other trails. At the trailhead is one of the modern USFS signs with a map and trails. There are similar maps at some of the trail junctions. I have also created triplogs for these trails.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
Arizona Thistle, Dalmatian toadflax, datura, goldenrod, common mullein, firecracker penstemon, and many more yellow, purple and orange wildflowers
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  3 archives
Apr 03 2022
avatar

 Guides 107
 Routes 249
 Photos 2,067
 Triplogs 514

male
 Joined Nov 18 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
Noodle Loop Trail #760Prescott, AZ
Noodle Loop Trail #760
Prescott, AZ
Backpack avatar Apr 03 2022
nonot • Triplogs 514
Backpack16.00 Miles 1,500 AEG
Backpack16.00 Miles3 Days         
1,500 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   17 linked trail guides
Willy Nilly Tractor #707
Sidekick Trail #721
Willow Creek Trail #704
Javelina Trail #332
Little Italy Trail #703
Missing Link Trail #724
Zygomatic Trail #761
Village Loop Trail #736
Rocky Top Trail #727
Russ T. Fender Trail #728
West Side Story Trail #725
Tatanka Trail #735
BLM Trail #729
Tunnel Vision Trail #714
Happy Ending Trail #705
Lloyd's Drop Trail #711
Juniper Gate Trail #701
Partners none no partners
To make up for the sufferfest I went through on my last backpacking trip, for this weekend I chose an easy wander through the Spence Basin area, as I was fairly certain the trails were well maintained, and I enjoyed my last visit to this area. I found the trail conditions to be excellent.

Weather was about perfect for the 3 days, with the high reaching 70 and lows staying above freezing. I managed to complete all the parts of my plan well ahead of schedule. I only spent about 8 hours hiking over the 3 days, leaving plenty of time for lounging, relaxing and catching up on both reading and sleep.

While this area is popular with bikers it is also open to hiking and backpacking. Many of the trails skirt nearby housing developments, but even so I found the trails enjoyable, although many of them have few distinguishing features.

Was lucky to run into some deer on Saturday, as that was more wildlife than I expected to see in an area of forest hemmed in by housing developments. Sadly, this area seems to have no spring wildflowers at all and in general the landscape has a drab appearance as if it is still recovering from a harsh winter.

For HAZ members looking to rack up some easy miles through scrub-oak/pine woodland, I'd recommend this area in the spring and fall when it is otherwise a bit hot to hike in the low desert.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Spence Creek Light flow Light flow
Light flow at the sidekick crossing

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Willow Creek Medium flow Medium flow
Medium flow at Little Italy crossing, along Javelina, along Willow Creek, and at Willy Nilly crossing.
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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!
 
Apr 10 2021
avatar

 Guides 3
 Routes 161
 Photos 477
 Triplogs 147

70 male
 Joined Jan 02 2016
 Prescott, AZ
Missing Link Trail #724Prescott, AZ
Missing Link Trail #724
Prescott, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 10 2021
Whiffer • Triplogs 147
Hiking1.49 Miles 94 AEG
Hiking1.49 Miles      42 Mns   2.42 mph
94 ft AEG      5 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
One of the most scenic trails in the Spence Springs Basin just west of Prescott, Arizona. For a full description of the trails in the Spence Springs Basin, see the description of Noodle Loop Trail #760 which is the only trail from the the Spence Springs Trailhead. Missing Link Trail #724 runs generally east-west along the south side of the Spence Springs Basin. The west end of Missing Link Trail #724 is the south end of West Side Story Trail #725, 2.6 miles from the Iron Springs Trailhead and the east end of Missing Link Trail #724 is a junction with Tatanka Trail #735, near the latter's east end at Javelina Trail #332. The east end of Missing Link Trail #724 is over 2 miles south of the Spence Springs Trailhead via portions of several trails. Near the west end of Missing Link Trail #724 is a good view of Granite Mountain (in Williamson Valley) and Thumb Butte. The south end of Zygomatic Trail #761 is about 0.5 mile from the west end of Missing Link Trail #724 and the north end of Little Italy Trail #703 is about 0.5 mile from the east end of Missing Link Trail #724.
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  1 archive
average hiking speed 2.59 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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