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Fred Haught Trail #141 - 44 members in 164 triplogs have rated this an average 3.8 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Jun 14 2025
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 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
Cabin Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 14 2025
chumleyTriplogs 1,993
Hiking15.11 Miles 1,555 AEG
Hiking15.11 Miles   6 Hrs   20 Mns   2.95 mph
1,555 ft AEG   1 Hour   13 Mns Break
 
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BiFrost
John9L
Pre-note: The area of this hike is eligible to be sold by the USFS for private development. If you are unaware of this current proposal, read more about it here: [ Congress proposes selling USFS land ... d homes ]

===

I was in the mood for some actual trail miles at cooler elevations and the magic 8-ball determined this would be the answer.

We left a car with the General and Cletus'd our way a few miles down the rim road. The southern 3 miles of HouBros had quite a bit of deadfall that is in need of a chainsaw. And not the little 18-incher you can buy at home depot either. The rest of the loop was in fine shape. We passed 4 sets of other hikers on the day, all of which appeared to be backpacking, though only one group was actually set up for the night with tents near Pinchot Cabin.

Plenty of water most of the way in Houston Draw, some at the Bear Canyon Crossing, and intermittent pools all along Fred Haught. Lots of nice green grass making mid-June look lush up here.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Aspen Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Nice cold flow from the spring cave

dry Box Canyon Dry Dry

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Canyon Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
Intermittent pools. Not a lot of flow so water is turbid.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Spring Dripping Dripping
Some pools in the drainage.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max General Springs Quart per minute Quart per minute
Plenty of pools in the drainage. No flow so a little unappealing.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Houston Draw Head Dripping Dripping
Plenty of surface water at the seep

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Little Hart Spring and Creek Dripping Dripping
Light trickle in the drainage

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Pinchot Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Cold clean flow from spring and plenty of pools in the drainage.
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I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
  1 archive
Jun 14 2025
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 Guides 4
 Routes 491
 Photos 10,890
 Triplogs 1,257

55 male
 Joined Nov 20 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
Cabin Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 14 2025
BiFrostTriplogs 1,257
Hiking15.11 Miles 1,555 AEG
Hiking15.11 Miles   6 Hrs   20 Mns   2.95 mph
1,555 ft AEG   1 Hour   13 Mns Break
 
Partners partners
chumley
John9L
We started from Houston Brothers trailhead after a short setup shuttle from General Springs. Continued down trail passed McFarland Spring and then to Aspen Spring/cabin site for the first break. Ran into several hikers along the way and two at Aspen. After the break it was on to Pinchot Cabin and there was a family camped at the site where we took another short break.

Then followed the trail passed the 95 road wash out and onto the Fred Haught Trail. The trail continues into the Quien Sabe Draw which for some reason is my favorite part of the FHT. Probably the nice Pondo stands and ferns despite there being no water in the section.

Intersected with the AZT and then we followed that up canyon back to General Springs passed some decent pools which are usually there this time of year. Easy stroll back to the vehcle at General Springs.
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May 18 2025
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62 male
 Joined Dec 23 2019
 Phoenix, AZ
Cabin Loop, AZ 
Cabin Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar May 18 2025
kgustinTriplogs 3
Hiking34.30 Miles 6,898 AEG
Hiking34.30 Miles   47 Hrs   11 Mns   0.89 mph
6,898 ft AEG   8 Hrs   29 Mns Break28 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
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Oct 13 2024
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 Guides 59
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 Triplogs 1,290

male
 Joined Jan 01 2023
 Arizona
Cabin Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Oct 13 2024
pseudalpineTriplogs 1,290
Hiking25.24 Miles 3,174 AEG
Hiking25.24 Miles   8 Hrs   18 Mns   3.16 mph
3,174 ft AEG      19 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Kept hoping this forest bath would get better. It never really did. Miles and miles of monotony.
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
  3 archives
Oct 11 2024
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 Guides 17
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female
 Joined Mar 11 2002
 Gilbert, AZ
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Oct 11 2024
VashtiTriplogs 276
Hiking7.78 Miles 789 AEG
Hiking7.78 Miles   4 Hrs   4 Mns   2.47 mph
789 ft AEG      55 Mns Break
 
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1st trip
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Day 1 of 3 doing the cabin loop clockwise starting at General Springs Cabin.

The drive down FR300 on Friday morning was harrowing give the number of long, wide logging trucks sharing the road. It is scary to be two abreast in narrow sections of the road with the drop-off a few inches away. :/

No water at general springs, but lots of water as pools in the drainages up until the junction where the Arizona trail breaks off left up the hillside. It was a bit murky, but viable.

We stopped for a snack at the junction Spur to the Fred Haught cabin but decided to not see the ruin. Instead we decided to continue onward to pinchot cabin to set up camp.

I had read that the road was washed out, but I wasn't expecting the enormity of it. Wow! That must have been quite a lot of water as the culvert looked to be quite large and now is mangled. And the drop-off is frightening. Good thing there are barriers, but the note is a bit understated (road unsafe for travel). More truthful would be certain death ahead, lol. Anyway, the foot travel bypass was no issue, and pinchot cabin was not far off.

There were pools of water in the drainages surrounding the cabin that we filtered to get our water. A mountain biker that came through the area later on said that pinchot spring was running, but we opted for proximity over a 0.5 mi trek to get our water.

A nice start to our cabin loop! Not too crowded. Saw one group leaving from pinchot cabin, and a group of two also camped at pinchot that night.

dry General Springs Dry Dry
No water
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Jun 26 2023
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 Guides 21
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69 female
 Joined Feb 26 2004
 Phoenix, AZ
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 26 2023
tibberTriplogs 1,570
Hiking7.26 Miles 877 AEG
Hiking7.26 Miles   3 Hrs   51 Mns   2.17 mph
877 ft AEG      30 Mns Break
 
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trekkin_gecko
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Slept okay I think but my mattress did deflate somewhat which messed with my side sleeping; however, I did figure out a way to work with the air that was left.  It was a nice morning and Kelly made me some delish Ethiopian coffee and I tried a new Grits breakfast meal; perhaps more savory than I thought it should be in the morning.  We took our time packing, still admiring our surroundings.

We crossed the creek in a little easier area this time and headed up the hill, to the TH, and down the hill through the ferns and by the lupine to FR 95.    The scenery on the road was very pretty with cool geology, roses and ferns.  We once again admired the drop off to get around the fallen road and culvert.  It is fairly steep on both sides getting down and then up.  Once you get off the road it levels off for a bit before the climb to the Ridge.  Still complained about there not being one switchback on there as it seems a long climb.

We hung out at a log near the clearing area and had a snack. We could hear the tractor working in the distance to the south of us.  We made our way through the heavily ferned area to Quien Sabe Draw.  We decided to see how long it was; I figured a mile.  It really is a beautiful draw to enjoy with the tall trees and scattered ferns throughout.  A little over 3/4 mile later you arrive at what appears to have been a road at one time.  The temp would get hot once in a while which I thot was surprising for the morning.  Needless to say, when the breeze picked up, so did I :) .

We passed by Fred Haught spring area and saw some hikers across the way. We were going to stop and get water here but ended up going farther.  I wanted to see if the new energy powder I had would help me with my energy level as the previous afternoon, I could have stopped and taken a nap way too easily.  We finally found an area and I loaded my Pina Colada energy powder into my container and took a couple big swigs.  We would stop a little later and finish it off.  I don't know if it helps, but my energy level stayed fairly steady; although my legs were getting a little worn out the last couple miles.

We continued to admire the scenery we had passed through yesterday alongside the water which was now constantly present.  There was one area that we got to do the log balance beam across.  It was easy with the poles.  This time it was Kelly's turn to smell the vanilla.  I saw the perfect 7 foot Xmas tree but my picture didn't turn out very well.  In fact, I didn't like a lot of my photos :( ; the light just wasn't good.  I should be pulling out my Pany when there is such harsh light.  I will have to remember to do that in Glacier.  We had one more uphill to go but not before going through a heavily ferned area.  The hill has a nice enough grade and then you hit that rock area that's so cool.  It's weird that it doesn't last long and then goes back to forest.

Tonto 3 was waiting where we left it; always a good thing.  I got us our beers and we sat on a log that had a small silver metal tag on it that said, "do not remove", how odd.  The area around the cabin was pretty active.  We changed our clothes and then headed west on FR300.  It was a nice drive, though very windy.  The New Mexico Locust was blooming in many places along the way.  There was less traffic so that was good.  We had lunch at Las Casita in Camp Verde and headed back for Phx.

Thanks to Kelly for helping me practice for my trip.  I'm so glad I did the backpack trip, but didn't feel like I did very well; so I was a little dejected and was wondering if I could do the full six-nites at Glacier.  We shall see. It could turn into a 3-nite trip in the Belly River and 2 nites in the Cut Bank Valley... due to bear activity and I think secretly, I'd like that. My pack is 40 lbs :o including a litre of water. (A lot of the weight is my electronics, and food of course)


Video from our hike from Pinchot campsite to Gen'l Springs Cabin: [ youtube video ]

Watch from the north end of Quien Sabe Draw to TH 9:49AM-12:18PM, 4.55 miles, 7270-7515 elevation.  132 avg bpm/150 max.  28% zone 5 max, 54% zone 4 anaerobic, 16% zone 3 aerobic burning 982 calories. 
Watch from campsite to Quien Sabe Draw 8:26-9:31AM, 1.75 miles, 7150-7439 elevation. 127 avg bpm/151 max burning 393 calories.
Temp 83.8 sunny and 9% humidity, little to no breeze.
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Tree Tags
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Fred Haught Ridge
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
LOTS of ferns, a couple Heal All/Self-Heal among others I couldn't quite ID. We saw some Fleabane and of course, the Flagstaff Ragwort on the AZT part.
_____________________
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.
  1 archive
Jun 25 2023
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 Guides 10
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 Triplogs 4,660

67 female
 Joined Nov 17 2008
 phoenix, az
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Backpack avatar Jun 25 2023
trekkin_geckoTriplogs 4,660
Backpack15.60 Miles 1,685 AEG
Backpack15.60 Miles2 Days         
1,685 ft AEG17 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
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tibber
angela and i have been talking about an east cabin loop backpack for a couple years
postponed last weekend due to windy conditions
with a similar forecast early this week, angela came up with an excellent plan b:
an overnight on the fred haught trail
we set out from the general springs cabin around 1100 sunday
nice temps and a breeze, mostly shaded
plenty of water in general springs canyon
we had lunch at fred haught cabin, which isn't really a cabin anymore
i hadn't been on the part of the trail north of the cabin intersection
nice going through quien sabe draw, which is almost a mile long
i hadn't seen the forest service road 95 washout either
we rolled into the pinchot cabin area and found a really nice campsite nearby
took our time setting up, filtered water, had snacks and beverages, made dinner
just enjoyed relaxing in cool pine high country
saw a total a five people on sunday
i was up early monday morning, and had a couple cups of coffee before angela made an appearance
we had breakfast and more coffee, then packed up and headed out around 0900
good hike back, stopping for a couple of breaks to snack and filter water
maybe a little warmer monday but usually a good breeze
saw three day hikers near fred haught cabin and that was it
finished up then had beer and root beer that angela brought at the trailhead
forest road 300 is in good condition
lunch at la casita in camp verde - yum!
this was a training backpack for angela - think the plan b served the purpose well enough
i can always practice
utilized two new pieces of gear:
a shoulder strap pocket for my phone - loved it and just ordered a second one
a cnoc bladder, which is much easier to fill and works for a gravity setup with my sawyer squeeze
it got down to 48 degrees overnight, was warm enough with my quilt
really nice trip - can see doing more of this
thanks angela! had a lot of fun :)
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Campsite
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Bear Canyon  Quien Sabe Spring
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hazhole
  2 archives
Jun 25 2023
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 Guides 21
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 Triplogs 1,570

69 female
 Joined Feb 26 2004
 Phoenix, AZ
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 25 2023
tibberTriplogs 1,570
Hiking8.16 Miles 721 AEG
Hiking8.16 Miles   4 Hrs   45 Mns   1.92 mph
721 ft AEG      30 Mns Break
 
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Practice. Plan B.
I had done part of this trail when we did the AZT in 2019 on an overcast morning. I watched my 3-part video from that; it was actually pretty good. I remembered the ferns and that one huge ponderosa along the way plus a lot of water; nothing has changed there. This time, however, the sun was out full time and I had a 32lb overnite pack on my back; and ya, that makes a big difference. I'm still having difficulty with the one corner of the metal sticking into my backside. We finally used my folded up buff as a cushion to provide space between the backpack and my backside; can't seem to get that corner to lay a little flatter without worrying about breaking it.

We came across the same flowers that I saw in 2019. I tried to ID them on google but there are too many choices. I took some more photos anyway. The butterflies were flitting about too. We did notice a few trees that had several trunks growing from about 1/2 way up. The ferns were tall and some had not yet finished leafing out yet. We did a few water crossings including one that involved a little balance work.

We did encounter a couple backpackers. And in this area there were two slim tree trunks criss crossing over the AZT part of the trail; easy enough to get under or around. It was nice to walk near the water from time to time and it was especially nice walking in the shade which is off and on as you go in and out of the forest. We sure could tell when the AZT part of the trail ended. We decided to have lunch at Fred Haught's Fireplace. Fortunately, Kelly was familiar with the area and we crossed the creek and found the path to it.

We continued the hike hitting upon the long Quien Sabe Draw and then hangs an east and up and out to the top of the Fred Haught Ridge near FR 95. Up here we could see where they were doing some clearing work and we saw the tractor over to the southeast. We would stay on top as we weaved our way northeast across the Ridge. I was starting to get a little worn by this point and we still had a little less than a few miles to go. Fortunately, part of it was downhill. It was a pretty sharp downhill on part of it; don't know why they couldn't put in one little switchback. If they aren't going to fix the road, perhaps they could do a little trail work in this area.

We got to the FR 95 and headed down to where the washout is. I've seen pictures of it but you really can't appreciate the scale of what happened here; it must have been quite something when it happened. Getting down and around is also a little slippery, especially with a heavy pack. Once again, if they aren't going to fix the road, perhaps the work around would be a good option. I believe this area sees a good deal of hikers. However, it is pretty down here. We finished off the road part of the hike and headed up toward the Cabin through part of the fern-covered ground. There were some lupine too but I was too tired to get a few pics of them.

Coming up to the TH we saw a couple vehicles parked and we would see two hikers as we got near camp. Coming down the hill on the old cabin road makes for a pretty entry to the campsite and it is a nice one, stone table along with water running right by.

We both got to test our new filtering system: Kelly's CNOC and me and my BeFree/CNOC. Needless to say, I was pretty exhausted, thus I wonder how I am going to do with a pack full of 6 days of food and some extra clothes and power banks. We thought this was supposed to be around 7 miles max but it was a little over 8; altho we had the detour at Fred Haught's fireplace. I did have to fix my route as it glitched during the return from the fireplace.

As the evening went on we had a little happy hour and dinner (I tried a new Coconut Curry chicken dinner which tasted great but too much chicken for me). We kept adding clothing layers until it got dark.


I shot more video than I thot thus we have a two-parter:
[ youtube video ] (about to the 3 mile mark)
[ youtube video ] including Fred Haught area, Quien Sabe Draw and camp

WATCH 10:58AM-3:44PM, 7.24 miles, 7099-7431 elevation. 126 avg bpm/158 max. 23% Zone 5 max, 42% Zone 4 anaerobic, 22% Zone 3 aerobic, 10% Zone 2 Weight Control burning 1783 calories. Temp 83.8 sunny 9% humidity.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Quien Sabe Draw
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
_____________________
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 24 2023
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 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
West Cabin Loop and Stuff, AZ 
West Cabin Loop and Stuff, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jun 24 2023
chumleyTriplogs 1,993
Hiking17.14 Miles 1,914 AEG
Hiking17.14 Miles   7 Hrs   35 Mns   2.44 mph
1,914 ft AEG      34 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
We set out on a modified ccw west cabin loop that cut off a couple of miles by dropping into Bear Canyon for some offtrail things before climbing up and over into HouBros to complete the rest of it on trail.

I was surprised to find bear cyn to be dry, but that changed as we moved downstream. It was all water after the west junction, and flowing nicely after east joined in.

HouBros has seen some recent chainsaw clearing, and the winter snows put an extra nail in the coffin for the longevity of the barn at Aspen Spring. Good water flowing all along the draw with Pinchot truly gushing. But Aspen was chilly, with temps down well over 20 degrees from up above.

They're thinning along the ridge along the north end of FH, so it'll be interesting to see how that looks when they're done. The 95 washout has probably eroded a little bit more after the enhanced spring runoff this year. Curious if they'll ever fix it. Encountered a handful of others along the way, but generally a pleasant day in the woods.

Kudos to Kathy, who fought through the day far more than 17 miles on a surgically repaired knee!
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Bear Canyon

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Aspen Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Cold! Great source.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max East Bear Canyon Light flow Light flow

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Canyon Light flow Light flow
big pools and light flow most of the way between FR300 and AZT exit junction. A few short dry spots.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Spring Dripping Dripping
Didn't check spring source, but plenty of flowing water and pools where trail meets up.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max General Springs Dripping Dripping
Plenty of water in the draw below, but no noticeable flow at the source point. Just a stagnant pool. Better options just downstream.

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Houston Draw Head Dripping Dripping
Not sure the flow, but plenty of water in clear cold pools

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max McFarland Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Great flow from the spring. Cold and clear.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water 4 out of 5 Pinchot Spring Gallon + per minute Gallon + per minute
Gushing. Possibly better measured in CFS!

dry Quien Sabe Spring Dry Dry
no sign of surface water

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max West Bear Canyon Light flow Light flow
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I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
  1 archive
Jun 24 2023
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 Guides 4
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 Photos 10,890
 Triplogs 1,257

55 male
 Joined Nov 20 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
West Cabin Loop and Stuff, AZ 
West Cabin Loop and Stuff, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jun 24 2023
BiFrostTriplogs 1,257
Hiking17.14 Miles 1,914 AEG
Hiking17.14 Miles   7 Hrs   35 Mns   2.44 mph
1,914 ft AEG      34 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
Kathy and I joined 9L and Chumley for West Cabin Loop. My longest hike so far after knee surgery so it was a good test. Didn't have any issues so that was good. Starting off we hiked near FR 300 through the forest over to the drop in for Bear Canyon. Then down Bear Canyon on some off trail with some decent pools along the way.

Eventually we exited the canyon and onto Houston Bros trail. Nice stretch of trail and we had lunch at Aspen Cabin and spring. Took a long break before continuing down trail to Pinchot Cabin.

After Pinchot we hiked through the washed out section of FR 95 which was interesting. What will be more interesting is if they ever fix it....it's a huge washout and looks like a ton of work. Leaving FR 95 we hopped on the Fred Haught trail briefly and then the AZT back to General Springs and our vehicle at FR 300.
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  1 archive
Oct 02 2022
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 Guides 1
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 Photos 876
 Triplogs 267

51 male
 Joined Mar 24 2021
 Tucson, AZ
Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim Arizona, AZ 
Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim Arizona, AZ
 
Backpack avatar Oct 02 2022
JackluminousTriplogs 267
Backpack29.69 Miles 3,922 AEG
Backpack29.69 Miles   45 Hrs   40 Mns   0.80 mph
3,922 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Two nights and three days on the Cabin Loop with Philip and Steven. Drove up from Tucson Friday morning and parked at General Springs Cabin. Took the AZT north to do the Loop clockwise, and I immediately felt sad.

I had originally wanted to backpack in the Chiricahuas that weekend but thunderstorms were cropping up and between lightning and flooding potential the Chiricahuas seemed a bit dicey. The Rim wasn’t forecast to be wet, so we decided to head north instead. But I’d been longing for something wild and rugged, and while the AZT segment is gorgeous I just wasn’t feeling it. No catclaw overgrowth, deadfall, steep scree slopes, or washed out burned trail to contend with, so no type 2 fun. :(

Took the spur trail to Fred Haught, then continued to Pinchot. The trails are easy, well marked, and immaculate. Finally got a little drama at the old road that was washed out just before Pinchot, necessitating a steep bypass down through the drainage and back up the other side.

Stayed overnight at Pinchot Cabin. In the morning we continued on U-Bar, which is not as well signed and cross-crossed by many logging roads and is itself a logging road at times. On two or three occasions I had to check my GPS to confirm we were on the right trail.

By this time I had gotten over any feelings of disappointment and was free to just enjoy the beauty all around. U-Bar had more varied terrain that kept getting better the further along we went. Had lunch at Dane Spring, which was flowing nicely. Continued on Barbershop, which is even more beautiful. Barbershop was easy to follow, though not as well marked.

We made it to Houston Brothers and were getting tired, so we made camp on a ridge. Probably wasn’t the best spot but it worked. I was worried about noise from camping close to roads and other dispersed car campers, but I didn’t need to be concerned about people. It was the elk who were partying all night with their incessant bugling. :lol:

Sunday morning we packed up and continued down Houston Brothers to the Rim Road, aka General Crook trail. Route Scout showed a track more or less parallel to the road and claimed that was General Crook; we just took the road to get the great views off the Rim. Once the road pulled away and was just a road, we peeled off to find the “trail” identified as General Crook.

There was no trail. We were really close to the car and I needed a solid dose of type 2 fun, so we proceeded to follow the track on Route Scout anyway. It led us down and up steep ravines, then down a drainage with lots of debris before dumping us out in the swampy field behind General Springs Cabin. Perfect!

On the way home we stopped at Pie Bar in Strawberry. We were expecting pizza and beer, or maybe strawberry pie, so we were surprised to find that they serve empenadas. Really good ones, too.

While the Cabin Loop was definitely smoother and more manicured than what I was originally hoping for, it is absolutely gorgeous and a delight to do.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Bear Canyon  Dane Spring
 
Aug 27 2022
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 Guides 37
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43 male
 Joined Jan 21 2013
 AZ
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 27 2022
FOTGTriplogs 1,052
Hiking7.20 Miles 700 AEG
Hiking7.20 Miles
700 ft AEG
 
1st trip
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It’s been awhile since I have hiked on the rim. I almost forgot it has some redeeming qualities, especially, with a little water.

The trail was in excellent shape, as expected and there was a lot of water. In fact, it took some creativity to keep the feet dry. We turned around at the confluence with Fred Haught Canyon. We passed a runner, two hikers and two bikers. Terrific hiking conditions. We finished to some light sprinkles.

A nice little return to the rim for me and the pups. Another robust monsoon has done the rim country well. Although, I still think I would rather drive five hours to the Blue Range vs driving a mile of the 300 on a weekend.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Canyon Light flow Light flow

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water 4 out of 5 General Springs Gallon + per minute Gallon + per minute
_____________________
 
Aug 13 2022
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 Guides 12
 Routes 192
 Photos 863
 Triplogs 356

42 male
 Joined Nov 30 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Cabin Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Run/Jog avatar Aug 13 2022
ShatteredArmTriplogs 356
Run/Jog22.50 Miles 3,327 AEG
Run/Jog22.50 Miles   5 Hrs   59 Mns   4.01 mph
3,327 ft AEG      22 Mns Break
 
no photosets
Originally was gonna go camping but was too lazy, so I headed up to Washington Park to run a cabin loop with some friends. Probably have done this one at least a half dozen times, but it's always worth another go. Started at around 8:30 am hoping to get done before the storms hit, but wasn't confident in that.

I always like to get the Rim Rd section over with first; luckily with the recent rain it wasn't too dusty. Tried to follow the Gen Crook trail tread a couple of times, but it's spotty.

Everything is nice and green now, some of the small drainages on Houston Bros had water, but surprisingly there wasn't any more water at Aspen Spring or Pinchot Cabin than there was a month or so ago. Started hearing thunder at Bear Canyon or so, but the storms seemed to be moving in a favorable direction, and we managed to avoid them. Didn't get any rain until after we left the trailhead.
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  1 archive
Jul 10 2022
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 Guides 2
 Routes 208
 Photos 93
 Triplogs 205

male
 Joined Aug 08 2020
 Phx az
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jul 10 2022
ScaredyCatTriplogs 205
Hiking15.22 Miles 2,544 AEG
Hiking15.22 Miles   6 Hrs   53 Mns   2.52 mph
2,544 ft AEG      51 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Went with Meetup for this outing. Was happy to have a fellow hazzer aboard for this 1. Neither of us saw the cabin. The road then quickly turns gnarly. Not remembering that from the previous outing, we turned around and located the correct starting point.

Only saw 2 backpacking groups in route to the next cabin. Route finding is fairly basic. Mostly just cruising with a couple steeper sections along the way. Very pretty scenery.

On the way back, we decided to check out the remnants of the fred haught cabin. Was only 74 degrees upon arrival 😎 Leaving at dusk, we spotted several elk off the 300. Then deer in both pine & strawberry. Another grand adventure.
 
Jun 11 2022
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 Routes 386
 Photos 49
 Triplogs 792

43 female
 Joined Jun 23 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Fred Haught Trail #141Payson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 11 2022
emilystardustTriplogs 792
Hiking7.56 Miles 641 AEG
Hiking7.56 Miles   3 Hrs   1 Min   2.82 mph
641 ft AEG      20 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
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Jun 10 2022
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 Routes 3
 Triplogs 3

62 male
 Joined Dec 23 2019
 Phoenix, AZ
Partial cabin loop, AZ 
Partial cabin loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Jun 10 2022
kgustinTriplogs 3
Hiking28.14 Miles 2,996 AEG
Hiking28.14 Miles   44 Hrs   44 Mns   2.20 mph
2,996 ft AEG1 Day   7 Hrs   55 Mns Break36 LBS Pack
 
no photosets
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
0.03 miles - 4:04 pm
Water flowing along Fred Haught here. Saw large herd of mule elk and calfs-10
 
May 14 2022
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 Guides 41
 Routes 1,626
 Photos 14,983
 Triplogs 2,762

69 male
 Joined Jan 20 2009
 Far NE Phoenix,
Long - Bear - Quien - Houston - Rock Crossing, AZ 
Long - Bear - Quien - Houston - Rock Crossing, AZ
 
Hiking avatar May 14 2022
The_EagleTriplogs 2,762
Hiking14.32 Miles 1,693 AEG
Hiking14.32 Miles   6 Hrs   5 Mns   2.64 mph
1,693 ft AEG      40 Mns Break14 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
I received an invite to hike with the Moe, Curley and a couple of their friends Ryan and Hillary.

I met them at their campsite just south of CC Cragin at the crack of 8:30am. After setting up the shuttle, we started hiking a bit after 9:00am. 9L, Ryan and Hillary were just doing Long Draw, General Springs Canyon with us. They were going to float around on the lake after that.

Chums and I headed up Bear Canyon. We'd actually seen quite a bit of bear sign to this point. We opted to add a couple of miles and hike up Quien Sabe Draw (Translated - Who Knows Draw) to the Fred Haught #141 at the spring.

After lunch at Pinchot cabin, we headed down Houston Draw. Easy walking to begin with, and the draw turned more canyonlike the closer we got to the lake. The only semi tricky portion was the 100 yards when the lake started, on the sidehill traverse to get to the ridgeline going up.

Chums took a dip in the lake and chatted up the campers fishing there.

Up Telephone Ridge from the lake for the steepest climb of the day. Down Rock Crossing 8C to 8B and up to FR123 to finish a fun day in Rim Country.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Well Tank
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Bear Canyon Pools to trickle Pools to trickle

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Quien Sabe Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Well Tank 1-25% full 1-25% full
water report recorded in the field on our app Route Scout
_____________________
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry 🦅
 
May 14 2022
avatar

 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
Cragin canyons, AZ 
Cragin canyons, AZ
 
Hiking avatar May 14 2022
chumleyTriplogs 1,993
Hiking14.21 Miles 1,200 AEG
Hiking14.21 Miles   6 Hrs   7 Mns   2.39 mph
1,200 ft AEG      11 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
We were camping in the area so I scanned the map for places I haven't previously explored.

We started down the grassy Long Draw, turned left down General and splashed through the creek down to the lake, where I knew the level (6,696) was just below the B-C crossing. From here we headed up Bear before veering into Quien Sabe. Fred brought us across to Houston. A quick break at the guard station before heading downstream back to the lake. This would be tough with higher water as the canyon tightens up considerably right at the confluence. We were able to scramble up the hillside.

I took a refreshing dip in the lake before climbing the hill up to Telephone Ridge. We finished up by returning to 123 via Rock Crossing C and B. We had set up a shuttle to save a couple of miles of road walk.

Eagle took off and I headed down the north side of B to meet up with the others for a little bit of lake time. A couple of groups camped along the shore gathered firewood as I floated, because obviously they just don't gaf about the place.

Besides that, another great day in rim canyons.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Well Tank
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I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
 
May 11 2022
avatar

 Guides 47
 Routes 96
 Photos 850
 Triplogs 385

81 male
 Joined Dec 24 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
Cabin Loop - Mogollon RimPayson, AZ
Payson, AZ
Backpack avatar May 11 2022
MEWhitemanTriplogs 385
Backpack26.37 Miles 4,564 AEG
Backpack26.37 Miles3 Days         
4,564 ft AEG22 LBS Pack
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Tom and I decided to do another backpack after only a 3 week break from our last one to keep up our conditioning. The cabin loop on the rim was appealing because of the cool temperatures and our desire to return to the rim for more hiking; it had been over 10 years for each of us. I always had the desire to do the loop as a backpack ever since GPSJoe and Grasshopper introduced me to it.

Planning the trip was a little confusing since different sources gave very different results for elevation gains for the same distance and direction of travel. We decided to hike counter-clockwise from Pinchot Trailhead and deal with whatever the gains were.

Day 1: Fred Haught Trail from trailhead to General Crook Cabin. 7.12 miles and 1,247’ aeg. A great hike along a shaded trail with streams full of water and numerous campsites. We camped in the vicinity of the cabin on a very windy night. A few AZT northbounders passed by the cabin while we were there. Morning temperatures were about 30 degrees.

Day 2: FR300 (Rim Road), Houston Brothers Trail and Barbershop Trail to Coyote Spring. We couldn’t locate the track north of Rim Road so opted for a road walk which turned out better in my view. The forest north of the road had a lot of dead trees. The road walk offered great viewpoints and a gradual 4.5 mile uphill climb. The short segment of the Houston Brothers trail had a lot of blowdowns to navigate. The Barbershop Trail also had a lot of blowdowns and three canyon crossings. 10.96 miles and 2,075’ aeg. We camped near Coyote Spring which had plenty of water. The morning temperature was about 30 degrees.

Day 3: UBar trail to Pinchot TH. This was a really nice hike with gradual ups and downs until the Dane Canyon crossing. It was mostly shaded and there was plenty of water in the springs and crossings, There were fewer blowdowns until about a mile from the end where numerous trees were down in the same area. We met a party of 3 backpackers doing the loop in the opposite direction at the blowdowns. We had planned on spending the night near Pinchot Cabin and day hike on Saturday, but opted to call it a trip and head back to Phoenix. We were both tired and I was catching a cold plus I didn’t sleep well both nights. We also hadn’t spent much time planning for the day hike.

It was a great trip and we plan to return to the area, car camp and hike many of the other hikes described in guides on this website. HAZ puts some iPhone apps to shame.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Mostly dandelions

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Barbershop canyon creek Medium flow Medium flow
Water flowing

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Barbershop Spring Dripping Dripping
Dripping where trail crosses spring runoff. Better flow up the hill from the trail.

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Coyote Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Water flowing

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Dane Spring Gallon per minute Gallon per minute
Steady stream from pipe

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Fred Haught Spring Quart per minute Quart per minute
Flowing stream

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max General Springs Quart per minute Quart per minute
Spring itself was full but water was light brown. Water was somewhat clearer and flowing at the north end of the fence north of the cabin.

_____________________
 
Sep 25 2021
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 Routes 175
 Photos 2,335
 Triplogs 191

44 female
 Joined Jan 21 2019
 Pine, AZ
General Springs Canyon, AZ 
General Springs Canyon, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Sep 25 2021
jillyonanadventureTriplogs 191
Hiking11.01 Miles 1,306 AEG
Hiking11.01 Miles   4 Hrs   54 Mns   2.54 mph
1,306 ft AEG      34 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
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brainz94
Bsolaz
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Fred Haught/ General Springs Canyon is an area that had really intrigued me on a prior hike. There weren’t any routes that I could find but I had some ideas based on the map and also reached out to @grasshopper for some assistance with the route. (Thank you so much for helping us!)

I recruited two friends that were up for any type of adventure and off we went. We took rim road to FR 95 then parked off of FR719 at a small trailhead that would fit a couple of vehicles. (Note: there is a sign saying the road is closed 6 miles ahead at the beginning of the road, but there are no issues/closures in reaching this parking spot). The route is a loop that takes you through a large chunk of the canyon. You can either start or end with a road walk. If you end with the road walk you are also choosing to exit the canyon on the steep uphill. We opted to do the loop this way to get right into the canyon quicker.

We followed the Fred Haught trail heading downhill to drop into the canyon. This approach was quite simple and peaceful and here was where we saw the only other two people we’d see all day! Once dropping down into the canyon, you’ll head to your right to get into the Fred Haught/ General Springs Canyon.

Throughout the canyon you should choose the path that feels most comfortable to you. You can walk in the water or follow some faint game trails on either side of the water. You will need to cross the water several times to get a better path choice and avoid thick vegetation. If you are careful in your foot placement and rock hopping skills, you could keep your feet dry at the current water levels.

The canyon is one of the most stunning rim canyons I’ve visited! Around every corner we were in awe. The water was perfectly clear and had beautiful blue and green hues from the algae. It was so serene and peaceful in this canyon. There are pockets where you’ll have a bit of bushwhacking and navigating over deadfall, but in my opinion it was very mild bushwhacking compared to some others. The geology throughout the canyon was incredible and there were a lot of little nooks, caves and other places for animals to hide. We didn’t see any wildlife, but I could definitely feel the presence of some throughout the canyon.

You don’t really even need to keep an eye on your GPS for a good stretch of it as you just continue to follow the canyon at whatever paths you choose. You should definitely take note of where you are in relation to the exit point, but aside from that, navigation is not challenging. Since we opted to drop in on the Fred Haught trail, our exit led us out of the canyon and climbed up until it reached the road.

There were two hills that were a bit steep before you reach the road, but this exit was mild compared to many others I’ve done. There were faint game trails and paths and the bushwhacking/deadfall was very mild. We reached the road and had a couple of miles of walking until we got back to the vehicle. The section of the road we were walking on was closed to motor vehicles and there were a couple of fallen trees across the road. There is a slight incline on the road walk and I could definitely feel it with tired legs! Again, you can choose to do the loop starting with the road walk if you’d prefer!

I believe route scout recorded the mileage a bit high and that it’s closer to 8-9 miles. This was a stunning canyon and we really enjoyed ourselves! Thank you again to hank for assistance on the route planning.

A few extra details:
- Road conditions in my opinion would be high clearance preferred but possibly doable in a sedan if the road is dry. My friend with a sedan opted to park a couple of miles in and hop in with me in my 4Runner. The road can get muddy and has some ruts and larger rocks, but nothing that’s too technical or challenging. 4x4 is not required, clearance is definitely helpful. If the road is muddy, I would take caution in a sedan.

- Route finding is easy if you have some knowledge of off trail hiking.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Princely Daisy
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Ghost?
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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Restless between adventures...
  1 archive
average hiking speed 2.28 mph
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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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