Indian Butte 3745 • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Jan 02 2025

BobP

Guides 2
Routes 251
Photos 4,593
Triplogs 3,212

63 male

Joined Feb 26 2008
Scottsdale, AZ

Indian Butte 3745

Phoenix, AZ

Indian Butte 3745

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jan 02 2025
		BobP • Triplogs 3,212

Hiking	5.55 Miles	1,066 AEG

Hiking	5.55 Miles	2 Hrs 34 Mns	2.25 mph
	1,066 ft AEG	6 Mns Break

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First hike of the New Year. Bruce came up with such a winner for our last hike, I decided to do the other side of the road. Hiking a road isn't usually in my wheelhouse and hiking an OHV road is a first for me. I could have gone from the Horseshoe Dam Road but that would have doubled the mileage. It all started with a 9am call to Tonto, Andy answered the phone and all my questions and wished me a great day. I took it to heart and was hiking about an hour later.

I parked in the same spot that I parked during the Bruce hike. The road starts out sandy and stays that way most of the time. The road part is about 2 miles but I took a great short cut on the way back which was friendly and cut off road walking. I'd recommend the off road either way. I didn't see anyone until I was getting ready to leave the road. I saw 2 dirt biking guys. I would bet the weekend is full of all types of OHV's and I probably wouldn't hike it then. The views from up top were outstanding, much better than nearby St. Clair Peak.

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Dec 14 2013

Hansenaz

Guides 4
Routes 205
Photos 9,282
Triplogs 526

72 male

Joined Apr 06 2005
Phoenix, AZ

St. Clair Peak-Indian Butte, AZ

Hiking		Dec 14 2013
		Hansenaz • Triplogs 526

Hiking	10.71 Miles	2,521 AEG

Hiking	10.71 Miles	6 Hrs 13 Mns	1.98 mph
	2,521 ft AEG	48 Mns Break

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St Clair Peak 4230 - Tonto NF

Indian Butte 3745

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I knew three things about St. Clair Peak: the 1998 log from Mazatzal stating "there's a wall up there", the satellite view showing a bit more extensive structure, and while there has been a lot of archaeology work in the Horseshoe Reservoir area, none involved St. Clair Peak.

I also wondered where the name came from since a neighbor (with a well known hilltop ruin) on the other side of the road is called St. Clair Mountain...alas even 5min. on the internet didn't tell me.

There's a locked gate along Horseshoe Rd. roughly due west of the peak and I parked near there and walked the road. Fresh jeep tracks - the road does get used by someone. This one is in pretty good shape but a lot of the other old tracks I'd follow today haven't seen a vehicle for a long time.

I went up the NW satellite peak first. Didn't notice much of interest but there was a concrete cross on top. Nice broad saddle and a steep pull up to the top of St. Clair Pk. No cairn but a glass jar register with a few names from 2013 and 2001 (?). The "ruin" is just down the hill to the south on a level section. A confusing thing with a long wall and some discrete rooms. The higher walls looked like they'd been restacked but the rooms suggest ancient - I only saw 4 or 5 pottery sherds.

Further east is Indian Butte and I decided to head over there. Sort of an attractive route to drop off the north side of St. Clair and pick up some old tracks that stay on the ridge tops for a while. There are interesting rock formations along the way.

I bypassed the Indian Spring thicket on the right following what has to have been a Javalina track (I saw a half-dozen of them parallel across the draw and the track effortlessly went under low hanging branches). Pretty nice trail.

Top of Indian Butte has a large cairn but I didn't see a register. Nice view of the Bartlett Lake area and points east from the top. In spite of the name didn't notice any habitation signs, not even the odd sherd which were more common near St. Clair Pk.

I descended the NW ridge and took the maze of tracks back to the car. Only person I saw all day was a quail hunter and his hounds. Pretty enjoyable day.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Javelina

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Aircraft

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bartlett Reservoir Indian Butte Mazatzal Wilderness Saint Clair Mountain Saint Clair Peak

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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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