Reavis Ranch via 109 South • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

[ checklist ] Apple California Flannelbush Colorado Four O'Clock Silverleaf Nightshade

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wallyfrack

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I've had this loop saved for some time, mainly to satisfy my curiosity about Log Trough Canyon. With a name like that—and a spring in the area with the same name—was there once a log trough out there?

With an unseasonably, almost chilly forecast, Wally was up for hitting an area of the Supes he'd never been to before (how is that possible?).

Radar showed that it had rained most of the night before, and the area was shrouded in clouds as we made the 1:15 drive to the Roger Trough trailhead. The road seemed rougher than on previous trips, but I may just be misremembering. Definitely not doable in anything without clearance or good rubber. Wally put his 4x4 to good use, trying to keep the tires from spinning on the sharper rocks.

We were the only vehicle at the trailhead when we started the hike around 8:30. We noticed fresh footprints in the muddy areas of the trail and were curious whether we’d run into anyone during the day. We made good time heading down Rogers Canyon, made the turn heading up-canyon, and paid our respects to Elisha.

The uphill went smoothly, as the trail is mostly in great shape. About two-thirds of the way up, we saw a solo backpacker, whom we finally caught up to just past Reavis Saddle. She was from D.C., thru-hiking the AZT. She’d already completed the AT, CDT, and PCT. She stayed right with us into the ranch area as Wally gave her the history of the Superstitions and the ranch. We also shared some insights into a few upcoming areas she could check out as she continued north on the trail.

Wally and I checked out the apple orchard, noting that most of the blooms on the trees were past their prime. But if the number of blooms was any indication, it could be a banner year for apples. After a short lunch break, we left the ranch and made our way over to Log Trough Canyon.

The first 200 feet or so of the canyon off the 109 Trail were quite choked, and we wondered what we were getting ourselves into (OK, Wally figured this was just another “Bruce” hike). After that, it opened up to pine trees and easy walking—quite pretty. There was quite a bit of wildlife sign in this area, including half a dozen whitetail deer. Approaching the area on the topo where the spring was indicated, it started getting “thicker.” Wally smartly stayed in the creekbed while I fought the foliage, looking for the elusive log trough. No trough, no water—just scratches and blood.

Historian Tom Kollenborn notes that Log Trough Canyon was historically utilized by cattlemen such as William J. Clemans, John A. Bacon, and Floyd Stone. Due to the canyon's dense vegetation, working cattle on horseback was challenging, leading ranchers to rely heavily on skilled cow dogs. Evidence of old "trigger-traps" used to catch wild cattle can still be found near the head of the canyon, highlighting its significance in the region's ranching history.

Now for the slow part of the trek. We jumped out and up from Log Trough Canyon earlier than I’d planned. It was slow and very thick in places. Although it was only a one-mile off-trail jaunt, it took us a full hour to make it back to the Reavis Ranch 109 Trail. The route I’d originally planned didn’t look like it would have been any easier.

From there, it was a weary cruise back to the trailhead. Good getting out with Walter again and finally satisfying that curiosity.

The temperature was 53°F when we started and 53°F when we finished. We had off-and-on sprinkles most of the day, with only one 10-minute stretch of light showers.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Log Trough Canyon Reavis Creek Reavis Grave

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

Dry

	Log Trough Spring	Dry	Dry
	No spring found or even water in the area

Light flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

2 archives

May 05 2025

wallyfrack

Routes 93
Photos 7,758
Triplogs 1,691

64 male

Joined Mar 11 2003
AZ

Reavis and Log Trough Canyon, AZ

Hiking		May 05 2025
		wallyfrack • Triplogs 1,691

Hiking	16.71 Miles	3,604 AEG

Hiking	16.71 Miles	7 Hrs 41 Mns	2.35 mph
	3,604 ft AEG	35 Mns Break

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The_Eagle

With the cool forecast I had to hike and Bruce came up with this plan. I had been to Reavis Ranch twice in February but one more tome couldn't hurt. I may be wrong about that.

FR172 is bumpy with imbedded rocks but no trouble getting through. FR172A has some deeper/steeper obstacles. The drive up FR172A was slow. No problem for 4wd but could be a bit taxing for AWD. You make the call. The overnight rain allowed for dust free driving.

Cloud cover provided moderate morning temperature and it seemed to remain constant throughout. The trail conditions were good and the breeze enjoyable. The lone AZT through hiker was talkative/friendly.

Bruce and I made good time to the ranch and assessed the apple crop. It's too late for a freeze so I see loots of apples this fall. We took a break at the ranch before starting back to the adventurous part of the trip.

Log Trough Canyon started out thick but soon opened up nicely. We saw several deer all was good. It couldn't last but we made the best of until the GPS location for Log Trough Spring. What spring? The area was lots of brush and downed trees so nothing was found.

We started up canyon until it looked like a good route back to the trail. Of course the open area didn't last. It was okay, then choked, then okay, then steep/loose, then choked and finally a wash opened up and we made the trail.

Early on there was talk of visiting the ore cart and the miners stone house ruin on the way out but those got pushed back to next time. Will there be a next time? It could happen.

It's always good to get out on the trail with Bruce and make back.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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7 archives

Apr 19 2025

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 633
Photos 8,249
Triplogs 605

54 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Apr 19 2025
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 605

Hiking	16.94 Miles	2,439 AEG

Hiking	16.94 Miles	6 Hrs 53 Mns	2.72 mph
	2,439 ft AEG	39 Mns Break

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Hadn't ever been to Reavis Ranch. Given the unseasonably cool weather and a free Saturday, we decided to finally check this one off. I still need to go back when the apples are ripe, but we settled for apple blossoms this time--which was also cool.

I'd been to the Rogers Trough TH once before to head to the ruins, but I'd forgotten how long and miserable the drive is. It had rained (and snowed at higher elevations) the night before, so dust on the drive in was minimal, but by the time we came out, the SxSs and warm sun had returned the road to typical dust-devil conditions.

As seems typical of these roads, it deteriorates the closer you get to the TH, with the last couple of miles the worst. The hairpin turn near the end is not too bad to navigate, and there is ample space for a three-point turn. High clearance is probably mandatory for this section, and recommended for the entire off-road portion, though I was a bit shocked to see a KIA minivan parked below the hairpin turn. I'm sure it took a beating, but kudos to the driving skills of its owner.

Drive aside, the hike was pleasant--but not amazing. The climb up to Reavis Saddle provides some nice views of the eastern Supes, which have a distinctly different character (rounded, tree covered hills vs. rocky spires and hoodoos).

I didn't get a chance to see this area before the big fires swept through, but things appear to be making a slow comeback. The monster alligator juniper was an impressive sight. And it was nice to have the gurgling creek bubble up a mile or so from the ranch.

We ate lunch near the old foundation and then explored the ranch. I was surprised to learn that Reavis was not the one who planted the orchard, or built the home whose foundation is left (both were from subsequent occupants, I understand).

The apple trees were in full bloom, and I was surprised at how many trees there were! Lots of great camping spots, though I think my favorite was one near the Reavis Gap trail junction on the north end of the orchard.

I was disappointed by the trash left behind by visitors, including an old tank near the corral that folks have used as a dumpster.

The hike back out was uneventful. Passed several thru hikers, including folks from Germany, Canada, New Jersey, Ohio, and Oregon. The last was a solo hiker who was trying to complete the AZT in about 18 days--averaging about 44 miles per day. At the 300 mile mark, she was on track and seemed to be having a great time.

We missed Elisha's grave on the way in, but stopped to pay our respects on the way out. Reading up on him, he seemed like a perfectly pleasant fellow, living a pretty simple life. His wife remained in California after he came back to AZ. She died not too long after. He had two children--a son who died as a child, and a daughter who survived him. I suppose her great-grandchildren, if any, would be around today. Any HAZ genealogy fans who know about Elisha's descendants?

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Mar 29 2025

John10s

Guides 25
Routes 376
Photos 5,897
Triplogs 346

40 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Reavis Ranch - Peak 5409 - Iron Mtn, AZ

Hiking		Mar 29 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 346

Hiking	18.14 Miles	3,547 AEG

Hiking	18.14 Miles	8 Hrs 52 Mns	2.24 mph
	3,547 ft AEG	47 Mns Break

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West Pinto Trail #212 - Superstitions

Iron Mountain - Tonto NF

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TboneKathy

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Our main destination today was Reavis Ranch--TboneKathy had never been there and had wanted to go for a long time, and with a birthday coming up, she declared this her birthday choice

. The drive up 172/172A was typical--scenic and bumpy, certainly high clearance, but probably okay for 2WD. There weren't too many vehicles at Rogers Trough when we got started at ~7:45AM, and it was comfortable in the low 50s and a little cloudy.

We stopped by Elisha's grave on the way up to Reavis Pass, and the pines were very pleasant as we continued north and eventually passed the monster alligator juniper. Before we reached the ranch, I detoured up to Peak/Hill 5409. It was less than a half mile off the trail, and the slope is pretty gentle approaching from the south side with reasonable gaps between the brush, so getting up wasn't bad.

The HAZ topo shows a benchmark up there, but I didn't find one. It's a little overgrown, and I spent a few minutes looking before giving up. So no benchmark, but I got a surprise during the search when I turned over a rock found four scorpions underneath. But the hill provided some nice views and a unique perspective overlooking Reavis Ranch from the southwest. I headed back down, and we continued to the ranch foundation and ate lunch there, with some campers set up near the creek nearby.

We saw quite a few hikers/backpackers on the way out, and one guy warned us that he'd just past a baby rattler a few minutes behind him, but we never saw it. Back at Reavis Saddle, I considered detouring over to White Mountain but decided against it, unsure how long that would take to cover ~ three miles of off-trail, and I knew I'd want to take more time exploring beyond the peak over toward Rough Canyon, so I saved that for another day.

The breeze started to pick up on our way down from the saddle, and close to Rogers Trough, I raced ahead and turned on West Pinto Trail to go up to Iron Mountain, which looked like a much quicker detour than White, with a lot less off-trail. I mostly followed the official route, and it's efficient--basically straight up the south ridge. It was steep and loose, with a few brushy areas...for one brief stretch higher up, I ended up crawling under branches on all fours before it opened up again.

On top, I found the RMs and benchmark, and I'd brought a glass jar for a register. In a moment of exemplary coordination and grace, I dropped the jar as I pulled it out of my pack and shattered the top. Coincidentally, we'd had a random conversation earlier in the day about the pros/cons of glass vs. plastic. One of the major cons for glass, or course, is that it shatters. I'd carried it 17 miles, then broke it at the summit, practically on top of the Iron benchmark, and I could only laugh at the bit of irony on Iron Mountain

. So I carried the shattered jar back down, and there's still no register up there.

The guide for Iron doesn't have many great things to say about the views, and based on the lack of triplogs it doesn't seem to get many visitors, but I guess the low expectations helped, because I enjoyed it. The Superstition Ridgeline, Weaver's Needle, Four Peaks, Mound and Pinto, the Pinals, Picketpost and many other landmarks are visible from the summit, along with Rogers Trough below.

Getting back down was reactively quick, sliding/surfing down multiple loose sections back to West Pinto, and it was nice to finally visit Iron Mountain--it's so close to Rogers Trough that it would never make sense as a standalone hike, so adding it onto this one worked well. Fun day, and somehow the second-to-last-day Renaissance Festival traffic didn't result in any slowdowns on the drive back.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Bark Scorpion Mule Deer

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Aircraft Benchmark Reference Mark Summit Register Log

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cimeron Mountain Elephant Arch - Hewitt Canyon Rd (FR172) Four Peaks Iron Mountain Picketpost Mountain Pinal Mountains Reavis Creek at Fireline #118 Reavis Grave Reavis Ranch Roblas Butte Rogers Trough Trailhead Superstition Mountains - Ridgeline Trophy Alligator Juniper - Reavis Trail #109 Weavers Needle

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Light flow	Light flow
	Light flow of water in the creek bed along the trail and at the crossing

2 archives

Oct 20 2024

Vashti

Guides 17
Routes 297
Photos 1,808
Triplogs 276

female

Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Oct 20 2024
		Vashti • Triplogs 276

Hiking	7.13 Miles	1,060 AEG

Hiking	7.13 Miles	4 Hrs 39 Mns	1.96 mph
	1,060 ft AEG	1 Hour 1 Min Break

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Day 3 backpack, heading back to rogers trough. Lots of groups leaving at the same time.

We had a group of 8 and were slow to leave reavis. It was a very leisurely hike out as our youngest in the group had massive blisters. It was a long, slow day which I didn't love, but thankfully we slogged out and made it past the end of 172 before dark.

A nice backpack complete with weather adventures on Friday.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Very few flowers

Medium flow

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Light flow	Light flow
	Very low flow, but enough to filter.

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Oct 18 2024

Vashti

Guides 17
Routes 297
Photos 1,808
Triplogs 276

female

Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Oct 18 2024
		Vashti • Triplogs 276

Hiking	7.48 Miles	1,088 AEG

Hiking	7.48 Miles	5 Hrs 32 Mns	1.82 mph
	1,088 ft AEG	1 Hour 25 Mns Break

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Lots of people camping at reavis ranch last weekend. We didn't see any apples.

. Water at the crossing just past the fireline junction, but not past there. Much better volume and flow higher up nearer to log trough Canyon.

172 is not in great shape, and 172A is worse. Driveable, but not super fun. Soon erosion will really start to be an issue on 172A. This being said, there was a Subaru outback at the Trailhead!

The trail itself seems to have more erosion on the switchbacks, and more dead fall past the saddle.

The weather on Friday was awful. We were hit with a torrential downpour right as we left the Trailhead. Luckily it didn't last too long, maybe 15 minutes. The valley was shrouded in shifting mists and clouds. A short while later, we were hit again as we started up the switchbacks. We had rain, hail, and sleet nonstop until the saddle. :O it was slow going anyway since a member of our group was 8 years old on his first backpacking trip, but the cold with being wet through was not fun. Luckily, that was the last of the weather, and we were able to dry out and warm up!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Just a few flowers here and there. Not many.

Log Trough Spring

Quart per minute

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Oct 05 2024

JamesP

Routes 13
Photos 162
Triplogs 15

male

Joined Jul 22 2023

Reavis Apple Survey, AZ

Hiking		Oct 05 2024
		JamesP • Triplogs 15

Hiking	17.97 Miles	1,809 AEG

Hiking	17.97 Miles	8 Hrs 17 Mns		2.47 mph
	1,809 ft AEG	1 Hour Break	25 LBS Pack

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Met my fellow hikers Shelly, Angela and Karl near Peralta rd.at 430am Saturday and made it to the trail head at around 6am. Shelly drove us in her Jeep and the bumpy ride in the dark got me a little car sick. She made the hairpin turn in one smooth motion, something my truck has never done. The forecasted high was for 110 that day so we knew we had to move! We went fast down Rogers canyon to trail 109. We stopped for a bit to talk to and about ol' Mister Reavis at his grave. The sun had yet to rise above the ridge until just below Reavis Saddle, then we got those AZ rays for the rest of the day. Great walk through the chest high grasslands, always a spot I try to avoid rolling an ankle. Bear tracks were in trail in the form of scat and prints. Shortly after Fireline junction we met our first hiker on trail. He asked in a concerned tone about the presence of water. We told him that a few tenths of a mile to the south there was a small length of running water. We asked him about apples and water near the valley and he said he didn't see either.We doubted his search for both. He came in on Reavis Gap doing a section of the AZT on AZT trail day. He told us his folks dropped him off at the Marina at Lake Roosevelt the night before and his car was parked in Superior.
He didn't seem to be carrying much water or food. When we made it to our favorite trees we found out he was not lying. I did find one half dehydrated half fresh apple from last year's harvest high in the one of the south apple trees. Still delicious a year later, everyone else was grossed out by my adventurous palette. The pear tree to the East of the trail had several but Shelly says they aren't very good. Some of us picked some anyway. We made it to the foundations of the cabin and down into the field where we normally camp. There was no sign of water anywhere in the valley after the Fireline trail. We ventured into the orchard and we were excited to find a few trees with some low hanging apples. What we couldn't reach by hand we knocked out of the limbs with our hiking poles. The apples made a hollow percussive sound the ground that amused us as they fell. There was enough ground cover to protect most of our flying fruit. If a person brings a long fruit picker they would reach the highest and ripest bunch of the group. Karl and I searched around the area for more fruit but 4 or 5 trees was all we found. Probably no low apples after we grabbed em. These trees are not worth climbing unless you also desire a final resting place in the Supes so, bring a picker if you want the giant red ones up top. We took about an hour to search and eat lunch. People are so stupid out here and the campground we chose to eat at had broken alcohol bottles in and around the fire pit. Also, a can of spray paint and assorted dumb feces trash in the pit.
We head out and when we made it back to Reavis Saddle we could see the smoke from a fire to the south near Queen Valley. We had signal momentarily and discovered the Whitlock fire was at 100 acres. We had about an hour and a half more hiking to do. We were tired and low on water coming up the trough to the trailhead. When we got there the guy hiking the AZT was in the shade moaning. We thought he would ask for a ride and we offered but he didn't want to leave with us. He was out of water so, we filled him up with gallons left in the Jeep. I recommended he wait until dusk to head out. He didn't appear injured and he told us he does this route every year.
We could see the smoke but it had gone from black to white so, we imagined the fire service had begun to quench the fire. We were the only ones hiking South to North that day and the only vehicle at the trailhead. When we got lower we could see that our drive would take us right passed the fire. We encountered the Forest fire service,they asked us to stop at a roadblock and asked us if we saw anyone else out there today. We did see a party of hunters below the trailhead and reported their size and vehicle descriptions. Fun day, hot as hell, and got to drive near a fire (started by bullets)! I will not return to the Supes for a backpack until after it rains again. The animals out there could use all the water there is still there.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Reavis Ranch

Sep 19 2024

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Sep 19 2024
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	15.25 Miles	2,024 AEG

Hiking	15.25 Miles	6 Hrs 49 Mns	2.40 mph
	2,024 ft AEG	28 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Alligator Juniper Apple Arizona Walnut Indian Paintbrush Ponderosa Pine Sacred Datura Silverleaf Nightshade Skunkbush sumac Unidentified Flora

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The first half mile is a rarely experienced gem in August as a lush field of green. Now that it's drying out, it's a fire hazard.

One of the ravine crossings in the initial 1.6 mi leg is a little better now vs two years ago. A former 2-3 final step down appears pulverized by foot traffic. The trail maintains itself. A few new cairn stacks in the areas of question. More debris on the incorrect routes kept me on the trail at one point.

Evidence on the trail suggests that boo boo has large well-fed relatives.

Overdressed for the forecasted 57° that was 73° to start. After four slow miles, I shed the winter wardrobe, downed some pipeline juice, and rode the wave down through the intermittent pines from Reavis Saddle for a few miles.

12-18 deer encountered with the little white tails flipped up. One pair bounced away out of a thicket only a few yards away. The clearance of the initial jump seemed like it would have cleared a VW Bug. Later I saw a pair over 50 yards out so I took a video of the casual approach.

Some of the areas in the pines are so nice I think it would be nice to set up camp and explore around. 2.2 seconds later I realized there are few things in life I hate more than backpacking.

2024 Reavis Apple Report
Light to medium light, plenty for the first-rounders in a couple of weeks.

FS 172 & FS 172A
Intense rattle-fest as always.

Synopsis
You've got a friend at Reavis

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Reavis Creek at Fireline #118 Reavis Ranch White Mountain

Wildflowers Observation Light
Arizona penstemon is dried up, fields of insignificant yellows are the current show, and traces of small yet tall sunflower hints it may have been better in prime a month ago. The claw of one dried-up Red Devil's Claw.

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Dry	Dry
	Oddly drying up yards upstream. Plenty of clean flowing water upstream by Log Trough Canyon

_____________________

- joe

Apr 25 2024

00blackout

Routes 31
Photos 4,724
Triplogs 187

50 male

Joined Mar 14 2016
Gold Canyon, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Apr 25 2024
		00blackout • Triplogs 187

Hiking	19.20 Miles	2,455 AEG

Hiking	19.20 Miles	10 Hrs 9 Mns	1.89 mph
	2,455 ft AEG

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Took advantage of the cooler weather and headed out to the eastern Supes to hike up to Reavis Ranch. No cars in the parking lot when I started just after 6:30. Temps were in the low 50's with a small breeze which felt nice to start. Headed down the Rogers Canyon trail and made the turn up Grave Canyon, making a quick stop at the Reavis gravesite before making the climb up to the saddle. The climb was not nearly as bad as I remember it, it just dragged towards the end. Reavis Saddle is still a mess as it was hit pretty hard by the Woodbury in 2019, but once you get about a half mile down the pine forest returns. Got to the ranch, (had it to myself) had some lunch and filtered a couple liters of water before continuing on. My goal was to get to the upper Frog Tanks junction as that was the last bit of section of the Reavis Ranch Trail that I needed to finish. The trail past Reavis Gap was in ok shape, was a bit overgrown and had some minor deadfall, nothing like the freeway of the Arizona Trail that I was on. Made it to the Frog Tanks junction and started back. Once I got back to Reavis Saddle the wind was really howling, made it that much more fun coming down. The last mile and a half hiking back up to the TH is a 500 foot climb but my legs were dead at this point so it felt like a lot more. Passed two AZT thru hikers on the way out and that was it for the day.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Gopher Snake

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

Light flow

Reavis Creek at Gap Trail #117

Heavy flow

Medium flow

_____________________

Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee.

Mar 23 2024

davidsnaz

Photos 52
Triplogs 6

male

Joined Mar 02 2008
Queen Creek, Az

[ checklist ] Rogers Monster Agave Trophy Alligator Juniper - Reavis Trail #109

Globe, AZ

Backpack		Mar 23 2024
		davidsnaz • Triplogs 6

Backpack	22.00 Miles	3,038 AEG

Backpack	22.00 Miles
	3,038 ft AEG		28 LBS Pack

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Frog Tanks Trail #112

Plow Saddle Trail #287

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We had a break in kids sports for the weekend and decided on a long awaited weekend backpack into some of the best scenery the Supes have to offer. Having done the direct out and back to the ranch on several occasions, I decided to opt for a more the more adventurous loop from Rogers Canyon through Frog Tanks and into Reavis Ranch from the North.
The road is definitely more worn than when I was there last October. 2WD is still doable with high clearance but a bumpy ride for sure.
We made on the trail just before 9:30 a.m. and enjoyed the nice morning weather as we made decent time down to the ruins for a nice lunch and the tour of history with the boys. Having found pottery shards at other remote ruins our youngest, Zayne (12) was hopeful to come across those fragile bits of history. I informed him that, sadly, all of that was most likely long removed from the site. Much to his excitement he proved me wrong. All told he found nearly 15 pieces buried among footprints, the largest of which was about the size of a silver dollar. This was most certainly the highlight of his trip. He was careful to return them to a secluded spot where some other curious individual might also enjoy the treasures.
After lunch we continued on through the beautiful Angel Basin and began crashing through the headwall that is Frog Tanks Trail. Pruners in hand we stuck to what trail we could find and every once in while stumbled upon a cairn. Travel was slow as we hopped in, out and back and forth across the creek. I hurried forward as much as possible to clear the trail of catclaw as much as possible before the boys caught up. As expected this was only moderately successful as the stinging in our legs continued to increase through the afternoon. Upon arriving at the confluence of fish creek we stopped to recharge for a bit. After fumbling trying to follow the trail for a bit we decided it was more hassle than it was worth and made our way directly through the creek until the trail exited and continued up the hill.
Although grown over we were largely able to stay on the established route as we continued up toward Plough Saddle. With the evening well on its way, Casey (15) and I topped out at about 6:15, nearly six hours after our start. As we waited for Zayne to make his final ascent Casey thoroughly enjoyed a ketchup packet as my wife poked fun.
Nightfall fast approached and we stopped at the first reasonable site we saw near Owen Spring. Like clockwork the rain blessed us with a small preview of what lie waiting for us. Fortunately the weather held off until we were able to enjoy a hot meal and compare bruises and scratches from the day's adventures.
As is typical of the Superstitions the forecast kicked into high gear shortly before midnight. With the full moon now tucked neatly behind the clouds and sheets of rain the lightning began to dance in the distance. The rain fully saturated the already soft soil and the heavy wind gusts gave me the privilege of resetting guy lines and stakes as the storm moved across the ranch. Much to my relief the boys stayed dry under their tarp even if they did lose some sleep to the night-time bowling alley overhead.
After a final explosive wind gust the rain settled into a gentle pitter-patter and left the morning to come entirely too quickly. As I readied to exit the the tent the tic of snow pellets began against the nylon. As we packed up and ate the snow became more consistent and by about 8:00 it was accumulating on the valley floor.
The ranch proper was a ghost town as we passed through only near the southern end was I able to pick up a few tracks mostly buried in the fresh snow. We continued on stopping as little as possible to keep the cold at bay from our wet feet. We encountered a group of through hikers enjoying the variety in the weather. One lady was quite enthusiastic about her Smartwool thumbless mittens.
After posing for a few quick photos with the Monster Juniper we continued on. Shortly after the trail began to climb toward the saddle we encountered an abandoned backpack. No tracks led off trail to indicate a pit stop. Oddly though, there was a fully outstretched palm print that seemed off. After calling out and hearing no reply we pushed up the soupy trail. With the thought of the backpack fully on both of our minds my wife suggested I run ahead to see if they were close as there was little snow built up on the lonely pack. After about five minutes another group of through hikers approached and I enquired of the packs owner. They indicated that it belonged to someone up ahead the was not doing well and left it as an act of self preservation. With that information I dropped my gear and headed back down the hill toward my wife and boys. I let them know what happened and went back for the pack. By the time I made it back to my stuff it was gone. My wife had passed the porter duties to Casey and he carried my pack on his chest until I caught up with them at the saddle. With the extra weight in tow we hurried ourselves down the hill until we caught up to the guy that bailed on his pack. From across the switchback I could see that he was walking with a bit of a limp and quite slow. After making sure they were otherwise ok I told them I would drop the pack at their truck. With that load I was glad the trail was mostly gentle the rest of the way.
Finally back at the truck we dropped the bag with other members of the party and let them know of the situation with the rest of their group behind. They ended up catching back up to us when we were airing back up at the pavement so it was nice to know that they made it out ok.
Water was everywhere and the Supes are just as beautiful as every. Five out of five stars for a weekend adventure. Minus one for the catclaw. ;)

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] HAZ - Selfie

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

Feb 23 2024

JamesP

Routes 13
Photos 162
Triplogs 15

male

Joined Jul 22 2023

SuperThru Campaign-First Water, AZ

Backpack		Feb 23 2024
		JamesP • Triplogs 15

Backpack	45.00 Miles	7,241 AEG

Backpack	45.00 Miles	4 Days
	7,241 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

8 linked trail guides

Campaign Trail #256

Reavis Gap Trail #117

Rogers Canyon Ruins

Rogers Canyon Trail #110

JF Trail #106

Peters Trail #105

Dutchman Trail #104

Partners

none

no partners

This hike was done on 2/23-2/26/24. Greg O., James P. and Jason M. made our way to Campaign TH from First Water at 4pm Friday. Arriving at 630pm, we camped above Campaign Creek just a few miles in on J-B Road. Up at dawn on Saturday and on Campaign by 730am. I have been here many times, working with Peter Bigfoot and visiting the high spots in the Eastern Superstitions. I was inspired to do this hike because of Peter's stories of taking groups through the wilderness without food or water on a true survival trek. Of course, we brought our own food.

From Campaign 256 we made our way up Reavis Gap 117 where Greg O. had to depart. We could not have done this hike without his effort to drive us to Campaign from First Water. Jason and I continued on to Reavis Ranch 109 where we were alone and had a restful lunch. We made our way to Elisha Reavis' grave and further on to Roger's trail 11o to the Cliff Dwellings and Angel's Basin for camp. We figured we had done 17 miles the first day. All Trails and On X Off Road had slightly different numbers for our hike.

Sunday we took off for Tortilla Pass via Rogers Trail and caught the JF trail 106. This eventually took us to the Northern end of the wilderness near Tortilla Ranch and Peter's trail 105. We took our requisite 1 hour break, shoved the food .down and walked up to the shoulders of Peter's Mesa. Got off trail a number of times I like cairns! We were pretty shot at this point and more or less fell down Peter's trail to Dutchmans 104 right by Charlebois. Water was not a problem in any of the drainages at this time of year following some heavy rains and snows two weeks prior.
We crossed the creek and stayed on the other side of the water in the bigger, sandier campsites. The weather was perfect all weekend. In the 70's with overcast most of the 2.5 days. On Monday I woke up as the sky was sprinkling on our tents. I packed up, bid Jason goodbye, and begun the hike back to my truck at First Water. I had been asking that we were on trail by 700am Saturday and Sunday so, after making it to Dutchman's Jason knew he could sleep in and hike out when he was ready.

Looking forward to even more challenging routes in the Superstitions next season!

Oct 07 2023

GrangerGuy

Guides 34
Routes 138
Photos 931
Triplogs 111

68 male

Joined Dec 26 2018
Phoenix, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Oct 07 2023
		GrangerGuy • Triplogs 111

Hiking	15.74 Miles	2,279 AEG

Hiking	15.74 Miles	11 Hrs 12 Mns		1.92 mph
	2,279 ft AEG	3 Hrs 1 Min Break	20 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

Reavis Ranch via 109 South

Superstition Wilderness - AZT #19

As my contribution to the Arizona Trail in a Day fundraiser, I hiked the Rogers Trough to Reavis Ranch segment, and back. As the forecast was for the mid-eighties in the afternoon, I wanted to get an early start, so I stepped off at 4:45am. There were seven other vehicles in the parking lot when I left. I hiked with two headlamps until almost 6, which made some interesting pictures possible. Thanks to @The_Eagle warnings regarding the uncertain trail near the Reavis grave, I had created an extra subroute in high detail in that area. I’m glad I did. The trail really was messy near there. My GPS will only load 200 points for a single route, which can be pretty coarse for a long hike.

I met a couple of parties coming out with packs heavy with apples. They left me some, and I picked a dozen or so low-hanging fruit to take back. There were plenty left on the ground for the animals.

I spotted some deer at the trailhead, and again near the ranch.

On the way out, I collected an abandoned tent about 3 miles in. If you left this here, shame on you. At around 5 miles in there was another abandoned camp site with junk strewn everywhere. It was more garbage than I could haul out.

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Flowing nicely here.

	Reavis Saddle Spring	Dry	Dry
	Completely dry.

May 20 2023

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Reavis Ranch, AZ

Hiking		May 20 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	15.83 Miles	1,996 AEG

Hiking	15.83 Miles	7 Hrs 7 Mns		2.60 mph
	1,996 ft AEG	1 Hour 2 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Rogers Canyon Trail #110

Partners

partners

rayhuston

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

The original plans called for us going north. 70% chance of rain and electricity made us rethink our choice. Looking around, Reavis was only at 20% with temps in the 70's. I'm not a huge fan of the 16 mile drive to the Rogers Trough TH, but off we went.

Surprisingly, we were the only vehicle in the lot at the start. Water was not an issue along this hike at all on this day. Pools and trickles in the Rogers Canyon drainage all the way to the turn on the Reavis Ranch Trail. That drainage also had a decent flow in spots.

Both trails are going to need some work to the ranch. They are getting overgrown in many spots. We missed a hidden turn just past the grave site, causing an off trail exploration. Once gaining the saddle and the remnants of the fire come into view, winter rain/snow had begun the process of the charred trees falling over the trail.

We got buzzed by my first two rattlers of the year. A couple of AZ Blacks. One, would say hi to us again on the way out. We also saw quite a few whitetails.

Reavis Creek also had a nice flow. We fought to keep our feet dry on the way in. On the way out, we stayed to the west of the actual trail around the creek, to keep dry.

The ranch area was empty when we got there. The apple trees seemed to be mostly bare of any young apples. On a cursory glance of the trees, we only saw one with thumbnail sized apples.

After a snack, we headed back. The first backpacker we passed heading to the ranch, was a solo female birdwatcher. We chatted for a bit while she scoured the surroundings naming the birds she was currently seeing.

The second group at the saddle was a group of 10 or so Scouts and their leaders. The final person we saw was a solo male backpacker, checking his paper copy of a printed out Allfails map, trying to figure where he was.

The 600' climb out is always a fun one at the end of a hike. It was probably close to 80. We were able to take advantage of the water to soak our hats and bandannas.

Good getting out with Ray again!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] California Flannelbush

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Black Rattlesnake Ladybug beetle

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Grave - Identified

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Reavis Creek

Light flow

Reavis Creek at Gap Trail #117

Light flow

Light flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Mar 12 2023

louie

Routes 4
Photos 134
Triplogs 19

54 male

Joined Jan 07 2004
Phoenix, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Mar 12 2023
		louie • Triplogs 19

Hiking	25.00 Miles	3,100 AEG

Hiking	25.00 Miles	3 Days
	3,100 ft AEG		45 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

linked

Rogers Canyon Ruins

Partners

none

no partners

Finally made it to Circlestone! Arrived at Rogers Canyon Trailhead at 8am only to discover I had forgot my backpacking boots. Doh! So proceeded to spend the next three days putting 25 backpacking/day hiking miles on a pair of Merrell Jungle Slip-On shoes which did surprisingly well. Caravanned to the TH until the last mile or so when the road got to muddy for my buddies two wheel drive f150 so they parked it along the road and jumped into my Jeep. Day one we dropped our packs at the Reavis Trail Junction and hiked to the cliff dwelling. It had been around 25 years or so since my last trip to the ruin and I don’t remember the scramble to the upper ruin being that exposed or maybe the perspective of something in your 20’s vs. your 50’s is what was happening here. So I used my Merrell slip ons as the excuse to not go any higher.

We didn’t make it to the ranch that 1st night, but water was everywhere on this hike and built ourselves a nice site along the water maybe a mile at the most from the ranch. Made this our home base for the two nights. Day 2 we day hiked to the ranch and up to Circlestone. The plan was to summit Mound Mountain as well, but our late start would have meant hiking back to camp at night so saved that for another trip.

The coldest it got in my tent was 30 degrees, but outside it dipped into the 20’s. Forgot to bring my water bladder and filter into the tent the 2nd night so spent the morning thawing things out to get stuff working again. I was comfortable in my 30 degree down outdoor vitals bag with a cocoon liner and long underwear on. I did get a bit cold the 2nd chillier night at around 4am, but just scrunched into a ball and it was manageable until 6am when things started to warm up.

On the way out we found the radio still hanging on the branch where my co-hikers had left it so that was a win. Trail from the saddle to the ranch had a lot of deadfall. I don’t think this trail is high on the list for clean up. The switchbacks are eroding away. Traction on some of the traverses was an issue not just for me, but for my buddies with good boots as well. That being said I love the east side of the Supes. Totally different climate up there. And much less crowded.

Wildflowers Observation Light
The poppy’s were starting to bloom along the road.

Medium flow

Heavy flow

Reavis Saddle Spring

Gallon + per minute

Rogers Spring

Gallon + per minute

_____________________

Not all who wander are lost...

2 archives

Jan 13 2023

clayncallaway

Guides 1
Routes 168
Photos 384
Triplogs 161

32 male

Joined Aug 13 2017
Tempe

Mound Mountain via Rogers Trough, AZ

Hiking		Jan 13 2023
		clayncallaway • Triplogs 161

Hiking	19.70 Miles	3,750 AEG

Hiking	19.70 Miles	9 Hrs 47 Mns	2.13 mph
	3,750 ft AEG	31 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Fireline Trail #118

Partners

none

no partners

Mound has been on the list for some time. While 172A was unpleasant, an old Chevy Suburban made the trip just fine. There are a few spots along Reavis Ranch & Fireline that are pretty damaged and require a little more attention. This was the furthest East I have ventured in the Superstitions and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully the 88 is repaired someday and I can take advantage of easier access.

I have been aware of this peak for a few years and heard mixed reports on peak views. I was pleasantly surprised. You get a great view of four peaks from behind and most of the Superstition Ridgeline is visible off to the West. There were quite a few ladybugs on top. Peak ladybugs are always welcome.

We saw several White-tailed deer. No bears. Lots of cat tracks.

I should also mention that it looks like the trip register on the peak was destroyed. Looks like a glass container that shattered some how. If there is another register up there, I did not find it.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark

_____________________

3 archives

Dec 08 2022

pseudalpine

Guides 59
Routes 1,100
Photos 1,191
Triplogs 1,290

male

Joined Jan 01 2023
Arizona

West Pinto Trail #212 - Superstitions

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Dec 08 2022
		pseudalpine • Triplogs 1,290

Hiking	24.48 Miles	5,935 AEG

Hiking	24.48 Miles	9 Hrs 11 Mns	2.69 mph
	5,935 ft AEG	5 Mns Break

Linked

7 linked trail guides

Campaign Trail to Pinto Divide

Campaign Trail #256

Fireline Trail #118

Partners

none

no partners

If primal forest bathing is your thing, day hike this route five days after the wettest precipitation event of the year.

4 archives

Nov 26 2022

sabbs

Routes 2
Triplogs 1

71 male

Joined Dec 10 2012
Phoenix, Az

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Nov 26 2022
		sabbs • Triplogs 1

Hiking	16.20 Miles	2,455 AEG

Hiking	16.20 Miles	3 Days
	2,455 ft AEG		43 LBS Pack

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Four old hikers ( 68-74 years old ) set out on a 4 day 3 night hike. We setup our base camp at Reavis Ranch. We allowed 1 day to hike in and 1 day to hike out, 1 day to hike to CircleStone and 1 day to hike a little further on the AZ Trail. Carrying a 43 lbs backpack was not easy on the badly overgrown trail. We got off trail many times, but thank goodness for the gps track we were able to find our way. All 4 days were sunny with highs of 55, each night it froze with a low of 20 degrees, we weren't expecting it to be that cold, everything froze solid. On our hike to CircleStone, Mel trimmed all the overgrowth, lots of cats claws, to clean up all the overgrowth.

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Lots of water at Reavis Ranch, flowing water not frozen, standing water iced over.

_____________________

Nov 20 2022

pseudalpine

Guides 59
Routes 1,100
Photos 1,191
Triplogs 1,290

male

Joined Jan 01 2023
Arizona

Mound Mountain Peak

Mound Mountain Peak

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Nov 20 2022
		pseudalpine • Triplogs 1,290

Hiking	21.27 Miles	3,892 AEG

Hiking	21.27 Miles	9 Hrs 4 Mns	2.54 mph
	3,892 ft AEG	41 Mns Break

no photosets

Linked

linked

Fireline Trail #118

Partners

none

no partners

Day hike to Mound Mountain & Reavis Ranch.

3 archives

Nov 12 2022

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Nov 12 2022
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	14.70 Miles	1,999 AEG

Hiking	14.70 Miles	7 Hrs 27 Mns	2.37 mph
	1,999 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break

Linked

linked

[ checklist ] Arizona Penstemon Arizona Sycamore Arizona White Oak Pear Sacred Datura

Partners

partners

DarthStiller

wallyfrack

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

I'm an easy, enthusiastic yes on anything Reavis. Hadn't hiked with Bronco Billy Wally since April or Chris since February, and I was curious how the jungle appeared in comparison to my August 16th visit.

12 cars at the trailhead. Quote of the day from a passing lady... "sometimes the trail provides". Chilly morning. Surprised myself in keeping on double long leave shirts halfway up the ascent.

The stretch between Reavis Saddle and Log Trough Canyon was nice in the morning light but you can't help but notice a lot of the dead trees have got to be coming down in the next couple of years.

New Mexico Locust was not an issue. One extra black tarantula, then two individual babies. We lunched near the old foundation. Then headed back to square one.

One large family and several small groups, nowhere near crowded. Seemingly local hikers vs the thru-hiker sprawl back in April. Everything seemed good in Reavis's land. The road seemed fine for any high clearance truck or slower speeds in smaller Subaru types IMO but others may disagree. Always great to see the Higley twins!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Iron Mountain White Mountain

Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Nobody would come here for Autumn foliage but sycamores were turning in the ravines and the pear trees were the bright cheerful color of the day

Wildflowers Observation Light
Verbena, golden rod, Arizona penstemon was in foliage but another variety was blooming.
Yellow primrose.

Dry

	Reavis Creek at Fireline #118	Light flow	Light flow
	Expected more flow but there's plenty of clear filterable water for large groups galore

_____________________

- joe

Nov 12 2022

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 670
Photos 12,111
Triplogs 857

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Globe, AZ

Hiking		Nov 12 2022
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 857

Hiking	14.68 Miles	2,277 AEG

Hiking	14.68 Miles	7 Hrs 33 Mns	2.12 mph
	2,277 ft AEG	37 Mns Break

Linked

linked