Mount Baldy Loop • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 24 2025
		ScaredyCat • Triplogs 204

Hiking	16.59 Miles	2,872 AEG

Hiking	16.59 Miles	7 Hrs 36 Mns	2.61 mph
	2,872 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break

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Reach TH @ 7 am. A minor miracle for me.

Up East which wasn't as difficult as I remembered from 9-8-2019. Chill at boundary with guy doing loop rev of us. Going down W was mostly easy. Terrain does limit how fast one can move most of the way.

Chill at water next to Crossover Trail. After already hiking 13 miles, that first mile was brutal. Next couple were much easier. Finished an hour and a half sooner than expected. Same time it took me to do E to boundary and back 6 years ago.

Aug 03 2025

adilling

Guides 2
Routes 267
Photos 9,816
Triplogs 402

62 male

Joined Dec 02 2014
Mesa, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 03 2025
		adilling • Triplogs 402

Hiking	16.85 Miles	2,784 AEG

Hiking	16.85 Miles	11 Hrs 20 Mns	1.58 mph
	2,784 ft AEG	41 Mns Break

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This hike has long been on my radar. My crazy buddy Jackson asked me if I would be interested in doing a single day trip up the White Mountains to knock this one. Super Early start, 16+ miles hiking in 11k+ elevations, then a long drive back to Phoenix?? That sounds like a great idea!

We met at Fountain Hills at 2am and off we went. The drive was nice with no other traffic. We made it to Route 273 a little after sunrise and saw tons-o-critters – elk, deer, cows, horses, aardvarks, and a few pangolins before arriving to the East Baldy Trailhead.

Jackson had done this hike 6 years earlier with his recently departed wife. It was another of his “tribute” hikes. We opted to hike the loop clockwise – up the East Baldy and down the West Baldy and take the Crossover back to the TH.

The hike up was steady through a lovely, shaded canopy of pines, aspen and fir. A couple of miles in we hit a series of switchbacks up to the beautiful view area. Awesome rock formations and view. Probably my favorite part of the entire hike.

The slow and steady climb starts up afterwards. Just below Mount Thomas the remains of a giant fire became the main feature. Not sure if this was from the Wallow Fire or an earlier fire, but it surely roasted the area below Baldy and Thomas. Tree fall was everywhere. Signs of trail work were covered with new tree falls across the trail. It was a log hopping (or scurrying under) all the way to junction. Lots of wild (and thorny) raspberry and other after fire growth was plentiful.

We made it to junction and for a second thought about going to the summit of Baldy, but we didn’t want to end up at Whiteriver Tribal Lockup or a worse fate. Next time for sure (with proper permissions, of course).

The hike down West Baldy was more treefall hell, but there was considerable regrowth of fir and pine. After a little down, we hit the switchbacks that took us down to the next phase, beautiful alpine meadows. The Little Colorado River makes an appearance, and we were thinking what a lovely day, we are almost back to the trailhead!

For some reason, I had a vision of the Crossover Trail as some pleasant little jaunt that would take us back to the truck. Although it’s only 3 miles and only 600 ft of aeg, our legs were feeling every step. It seemed to take forever. But, we survived and made it back.

I really enjoyed this hike. It was as beautiful as advertised. I learned some valuable lessons too. One, acclimate next time. I was literally dizzy and a little nauseous at the top of hike. I could feel the 11k elevation. Two, we were dummies for doing this hike as a day hike. This is a “Go Up to The White Mountains For a Week” hike. Three, the Crossover Trail was a “parting gift”. I’ve done the loop now, next time, I will just hike up the East Trail, hit the summits and hike back down the same way.

As I arrived back home at 1030pm (After leaving the house at 130am), my wife gave me that “I told you so” look and offered little sympathy for my pathetic and tired looking appearance.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Larkspur (various)

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Big Lake

_____________________

"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."

instagram: @andydilling

1 archive

Jun 20 2025

fricknaley

Guides 93
Routes 397
Photos 4,984
Triplogs 4,124

49 male

Joined Jun 20 2003
Tucson, AZ

Mt Baldy from Winn Campground, AZ

Hiking		Jun 20 2025
		fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124

Hiking	22.46 Miles	3,208 AEG

Hiking	22.46 Miles	6 Hrs 20 Mns		4.08 mph
	3,208 ft AEG	50 Mns Break	8 LBS Pack

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Did a big clockwise loop of Mt Baldy from my campsite at Winn Campground. Have not been up on Baldy in a very long time and it was delightful to be back. Moved well all day and had a great time. chilled on the white man summit for a while and at some other spots just taking in the day. Lot of downed trees on the upper parts of both east and west baldy but otherwise smooth sailing. filtered some water along west baldy a couple times so i could travel lightly. really lovely day

they closed the springerville district on me while i was out there. did not see that one coming so had to make alternate plans for the next day but it was fine

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hi

Sep 21 2024

mikemcg

Guides 2
Routes 127
Photos 1,478
Triplogs 129

male

Joined May 07 2019
Tempe, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 21 2024
		mikemcg • Triplogs 129

Hiking	18.71 Miles	2,836 AEG

Hiking	18.71 Miles	9 Hrs 22 Mns	2.30 mph
	2,836 ft AEG	1 Hour 14 Mns Break

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Second time doing this loop, including the summit. We contacted the Office of the Chairman of the White Mountain Apache Tribe several weeks ahead of time to obtain permission to go to the summit.

We started at the East Baldy trailhead, and went clockwise. The ascent felt like it went by fairly quickly, as we were enjoying the views and vibes the whole way. Spent some time playing and climbing in the rock garden. Further up is an amazing lookout point, and we spent some time awestruck by the views. At 10800 feet, the trail flattens out, and the 2 avid mushroom afficionados in our group were excitedly looking at all the large mushrooms just off the trail and explaining the unique qualities of each one. Apparently there had been a huge mushroom hunt the week before, but there were still many along the trail. Next we encountered the prolific raspberry bushes, and we all enjoyed the berries.

We reached the turnoff toward the summit, but the sign announcing that only tribal members may proceed was no longer there. We encountered a member of the tribe, and after he checked for our permit, he accompanied us most of the way to the peak. There were many people at the summit, and a large group was leaving as we arrived. Most were members of the Apache tribe, while some were non tribal members who worked for the tribe in Whiteriver. It was very peaceful and quiet, despite the large number of people, as most people appeared to be enjoying the views, contemplating, or conversing quietly. We spent some time taking in the views in all directions, then headed back down.

The upper third of the West Baldy trail was forgettable, with numerous dead and downed trees. Eventually we reached the river and the meadows, which were beautiful. We then took the crossover trail, which had more of an ascent than I remembered. The trees and meadows were very peaceful and pleasant, but this part felt like it proceeded more slowly than the other sections of the loop. We eventually reached the East Baldy Trail and returned to the car.

Overall this is one of my favorite hikes of all time. It was a beautiful day, with perfect temperatures (40s-70s over the course of the day). Most of the loop is exceptionally picturesque, except for the stretch of dead/downed trees along the upper part of the West Baldy Trail. The summit feels like a special place. The views are remarkable, especially at the summit and at the flat lookout area near the top of the East Baldy Trail. The river, rock garden, and raspberries made the experience even better. We encountered very few people the entire day except for the tribe members at the summit. Definitely will do this more often.

Finally, it turned out that we had randomly picked the last possible day that we could be allowed to go on this adventure, as most of the White Mountains were to be closed down that evening for the next 2 weeks so that George Strait and his posse could go on their annual elk hunt in the White Mountains. In fact, when we were at the summit, we were advised to evacuate the mountain before sunset to avoid being shot by Mr. Strait or his crew. Yes, apparently that's a thing.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Baldy

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

10 archives

Sep 02 2024

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 632
Photos 8,235
Triplogs 604

54 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 02 2024
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 604

Hiking	19.31 Miles	2,892 AEG

Hiking	19.31 Miles	9 Hrs 5 Mns	2.30 mph
	2,892 ft AEG	42 Mns Break

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The White Mountains have always been a glaring hole in my Arizona hiking experience--mostly because they are just a little too far away to make a day trip from Phoenix. Over the Labor Day weekend, we decided to make a trip up on Sunday and spend Labor Day on the trails. Stayed at a motel in Springerville, then got up early and made the 30-ish minute drive to the trailhead.

Very happy to have experienced Mt. Baldy. On the way to the trailhead, we had to stop for a whole family of wild turkey to cross the road.

Baldy is kind of a hidden peak, which was not what I was expecting, given that it's the second highest point in the state outside the San Francisco Peaks. I guess I was expecting a more SF-Peaks-type experience, with the mountains rising sharply from the surrounding landscape. Instead, it was more like: Where's the mountain?

We debated which trailhead to start from and whether to do the "crossover" first or at the end. Ultimately, we elected to start from the East Baldy Trailhead and head counterclockwise, up the mountain first, leaving the crossover to the end. My wife hadn't done any high-mile hikes in a bit, so we decided that doing the uphill on the front end made sense, and then if she wasn't feeling good on the back end, she could just finish off the West Baldy Trail and I'd do the Crossover and then pick her up. Turned out to be a non-issue, as she hiked the whole thing and did great!

We were very happy with our routing choice. We passed by one campsite early on and then one more backpacking campsite on our way up, but didn't see a soul until well into our descent on the West side.

The "rock garden" area on East Baldy is striking and a definite contrast from the mostly forest and meadow hiking to that point. Then, after rounding/ascending the rocks, the trail breaks suddenly into a panoramic view. Super cool. A nice (though dry) camp spot is just beyond the viewpoint.

From there, it became mushroom heaven. Many varieties of mushrooms all along the trail. I've never taken so many pictures of mushrooms, and did not expect them to be a photographic highlight of the hike.

As we made the turn that skirts below the peak proper, we entered the "raspberry zone" and enjoyed foraging.

We came across a few small strawberries as well, but not many.

On the West Baldy side, the views were more expansive, and the meadows, with the west fork of the LCR alongside, stole the show. I can see why the lower portion of this trail is generally quite popular. That said, for a Labor Day, we expected to see more people, but had no complaints about the sparse human presence on the trail.

We stopped and soaked our feet in the creek for a bit--which was refreshing, before tackling the crossover. Based on triplogs, I expected the crossover to be a bit dull, but was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the many meadows and forested areas we crossed through. Surprisingly, this was the part of the trail we encountered the most people on.

Crossing the last large meadow, we spotted a large female elk (we had heard some bugling earlier along the trail), which was a nice way to end the hike.

On my route, I flagged the Rock Garden, the Viewpoint on top of the rocks, the "berry zones," and a couple of nice campsites.

The drive back to Phoenix was long after a 19-miler, but the expected traffic jam of holiday weekend returnees never materialized.

Now, to figure out my next White Mountains destination. Taking suggestions ....

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary

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2 archives

Jul 07 2024

ChampionSleeper

Triplogs 1

40 male

Joined Apr 04 2016
Tempe

Alpine, AZ

Backpack		Jul 07 2024
		ChampionSleeper • Triplogs 1

Backpack	17.00 Miles	2,880 AEG

Backpack	17.00 Miles	1 Day 7 Hrs
	2,880 ft AEG

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Started at the East Baldy trailhead around 5:30 pm. Worked my way up crossover (some mosquitos right now but a little bug spray did the trick). Continued up West Baldy, which is absolutely gorgeous in the evening. Beautiful flowing water, lots of good looking swimming holes. Made camp about 5 miles in, as the trail starts to drift away from the West fork. Lots of good camping spots along the West fork, although many were taken on a Saturday night. Setup camp with a mezcal cocktail (mezcal, blueberry electrolytes, and water) and went for a quick splash in the creek as it got dark. Made dinner and hung my food in a tree and went to bed. The sound of the river running around both sides of my camp was soothing.

Woke up, made coffee and oatmeal, and broke camp. Saw one party pass by heading towards the summit while I was drinking coffee. Got on the trail again and headed up. Lots of water filtering opportunities leading up towards the summit. Ran into a local at the junction of the two trail and the summit trail. He told me people routinely hike to the summit without permission, but emphasized the importance of respecting tribal members and turning around if you see ceremonial activity near the summit. I went up, didn't see anyone, but did pickup a fair amount of trash on the way down. Maybe that counts for something.

The East side is much drier and hotter than the West side. The spring was running enough to filter near the plane crashes. I grabbed a bottle of water as a backup but didn't filter it and continued down. Ran into a fair amount of hiker, backpacker, and horse traffic on the way down. Made it back to the car around 2:30, using the unfiltered spring water to cool off a little on the way.

Highly recommend this loop. There are camping opportunities on both sides of the loop, but the better water (for filtering, swimming, or keeping beer cold) is on the West side. The local I talked to said there is a bit of a trash problem in the area, so maybe do your best to bring out more than you bring in.

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Jul 05 2024

Mike_W

Guides 104
Routes 256
Photos 16,118
Triplogs 528

53 male

Joined Dec 30 2005
Tucson, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Jul 05 2024
		Mike_W • Triplogs 528

Hiking	17.11 Miles	2,419 AEG

Hiking	17.11 Miles	8 Hrs 30 Mns	2.01 mph
	2,419 ft AEG

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Brian and I found a nice camping spot the night before near FSR 237 A which had reliable cell service. Note: The US topo map shows FSR 273 A but the actual sign said FSR 237 A. We believe we had good cell service because we were close enough to the town of Greer, AZ. The West Fork trail #94 ran through our camp area, only a few feet away. We later realized this trail connected with the West Baldy trail, a few miles back.

GPS location of good camping location: 34.001149, -109.473375

Brian and I camped overnight, got up and drove to the East Baldy trail. We left a car at the West Baldy trail so we could hike the "V" without needing to hike the entire loop which would have been 20 miles or more.

We saw many pines, aspen, fir, etc. We noticed there were other GPS routes going up around the 6.5 mile mark, but there didn't seem to be any trail going that way. We also saw a lot of downed trees and the only logical way to go was to continue along the East Baldy trail. We took the East trail to the West trail, and then took that trail up from there.

At the summit, it was a rock pile with no trees and 360 degree views. There was a US survey marker at the high point. We didn't see a registry up there which was a bit surprising.

Flowers/plants seen: Orange-sneezeweed, pansy, blue flax, Rocky Mountain iris, Eaton's penstemon, red columbine, American yellow-rocket, green false hellebore, common cowparsnip, tall bluebells, Crane's bill, common yarrow, graceful cinquefoil, Rocky Mountain penstemon, red elderberry, black currant, giant red indian paintbrush, sanddune wallflower, Aspen daisy, scarlet gilia, Lemmon's spring-parsley, common juniper, slendertube skyrocket (pink)

Stats:
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Distance (round trip) = 17.11 miles
AEG = 2,419 feet
Strava moving time = 6 hrs 58 mins
Strava elapsed time = 10 hrs 31 mins

Wildflowers Observation Light
Orange-sneezeweed, pansy, blue flax, Rocky Mountain iris, Eaton's penstemon, red columbine, American yellow-rocket, green false hellebore, common cowparsnip, tall bluebells, Crane's bill, common yarrow, graceful cinquefoil, Rocky Mountain penstemon, red elderberry, black currant, giant red indian paintbrush, sanddune wallflower, Aspen daisy, scarlet gilia, Lemmon's spring-parsley, common juniper, slendertube skyrocket (pink)

_____________________

Michael Williams
IT Professional
Rocky Point Vacation Rentals
Ocean Front Condo in Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico
www.beachfrontmexico.us

Oct 31 2023

GrangerGuy

Guides 34
Routes 138
Photos 931
Triplogs 111

68 male

Joined Dec 26 2018
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 31 2023
		GrangerGuy • Triplogs 111

Hiking	17.34 Miles	2,610 AEG

Hiking	17.34 Miles	10 Hrs 30 Mns		2.04 mph
	2,610 ft AEG	2 Hrs Break	15 LBS Pack

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My Halloween hike was the Baldy Loop, about 17-18 miles. Usually I have a song in my head while I’m hiking to move me along. Today the lyrics were, “Out from his coffin Drac’s voice did ring; seems he was troubled by just one thing…” When I started at first light, it was 14° outside. About 2/3 of the way up the East Baldy Trail, the path crosses a section of Fort Apache Reservation land that seems to have a different trail clearing philosophy. There were quite a few downed trees where the trail just went around them now.

At the trail junction at the top, there is no sign prohibiting going on to the summit, but you have to know this to avoid trespassing on the reservation. I understand it is possible to get a permit from the tribe, but I did not have one, so I headed down. I discovered on my way down that the soles of my boots no longer had street legal tread as I negotiated the fine gravel trail. My mantra on the way down to avoid falling on my butt was, “knees bent, weight forward, poles out front.”

The Crossover Trail junction at the West Baldy Trail is marked only by a bare fence post, no sign. And the crossover trail itself is vague at times. “Use the force, Luke.” I did this loop in 10.5 hours. I have to remember that whatever time is given on HAZ, I need to up it by a third.

Autumn Foliage Observation None
Well past prime. Only a few aspens with any leaves left.

Wildflowers Observation None
One.

	Mount Baldy Spring	Dry	Dry
	No water here.

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Medium flow	Medium flow
	The creek was flowing cheerfully!

Oct 21 2023

emilystardust

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Oct 21 2023
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Hiking	18.40 Miles	3,001 AEG

Hiking	18.40 Miles	8 Hrs 58 Mns	2.32 mph
	3,001 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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Finally experienced this one in the fall - east to west and then crossover back.

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Sep 23 2023

PatrickL

Guides 7
Routes 79
Photos 2,440
Triplogs 652

34 male

Joined Jan 10 2010
Pomona, CA

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		PatrickL • Triplogs 652

Hiking	18.50 Miles	3,250 AEG

Hiking	18.50 Miles	8 Hrs 3 Mns		2.42 mph
	3,250 ft AEG	24 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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One of the most beautiful hikes I've done in AZ and another county highpoint to check off the list. Would like to return to this area sooner than later. Went counterclockwise, starting with Crosscut to get it out of the way. Really enjoyed heading up West Baldy and the rock formations along East Baldy. What an awesome mix of meadows, mountains, valleys, hoodoos, and rivers. I'd love to see this place when the aspens turn.

Ran into Kelly, Bruce, and Johnlp on the way down from Baldy. Nice to see you all!

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Sunrise

Autumn Foliage Observation None
Still too early; a leaf or two here and there.

Wildflowers Observation Light

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Sep 23 2023

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,760

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	18.49 Miles	2,889 AEG

Hiking	18.49 Miles	7 Hrs 43 Mns		2.77 mph
	2,889 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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johnlp

trekkin_gecko

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Day 3 in the White Mountains

After a chilly night of camping and another night of the local elk population bugling, we packed up and headed for the last hike of the trip. I swear one of the elk bugled just outside my tent.

East Baldy Trail
It's been more than 10 years since I've done this loop. I think clockwise is the way to go for me. Meadows give way to forests that lead you to and through a rockwall maze, ultimately opening up to an open boulder top. It's a great place for a break and some photo ops.
[ youtube video ]

Starting at about the 4-mile mark, there is quite a bit of deadfall that looks like it's been there for a while. At the intersection of the East and West trails, we chatted with a couple of cowboys taking a break with their mules. Shortly after that, we crossed paths with fellow HAZer @PatrickL. Great to finally meet you!

We took a short jaunt over to the peak for some photos in a gale-force wind and then returned to the cover of the trees.
[ youtube video ]

West Baldy Trail
The West Baldy Trail has a different feel, and I really enjoy both the East and West trails. You steeply descend out of the forest, cross the West Fork of the LCR, and then the wide-open meadows start.

Mt. Baldy Crossover Trail
With 3.5 miles to go, the crossover adds some elevation with four climbs, the first being the steepest coming out of the LCR.

It was a fun three days in the White Mountains. Thanks to Kelly and John for the hikes, humor, and storytelling.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Baneberry

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

	Mount Baldy Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Little bit of water trickling across the trail

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Medium flow	Medium flow

_____________________

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

Sep 23 2023

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 14
Photos 7,202
Triplogs 5,208

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,208

Hiking	16.33 Miles	2,685 AEG

Hiking	16.33 Miles
	2,685 ft AEG

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The_Eagle

trekkin_gecko

Final day in the White Mountains. Kelly has been talking up this hike for quite some time and it delivered.
Following breakfast with the bugling elk, we packed up camp and headed to the East Baldy trailhead.
The hike up is mostly through forest with occasional long distance views. Nice trail. Not too steep. We went through a short stretch with quite a few blow downs, but nothing too difficult to get around.
The summit is exposed and was quite windy with great views. We ran into @PatrickL on the way there. Good to see you again!
Descending the West Baldy trail is steeper than the East. Once reaching the bottom the trail follows the very scenic Little Colorado River for a few miles.
Great hike. Would definitely do this one again.
Fun three days in the White Mountains. Thanks Bruce for organizing and driving. Thanks Kelly too.

Wildflowers Observation Light

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“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

Sep 23 2023

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 673
Photos 7,281
Triplogs 4,660

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Sep 23 2023
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660

Hiking	18.49 Miles	2,889 AEG

Hiking	18.49 Miles	7 Hrs 43 Mns	2.77 mph
	2,889 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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johnlp

The_Eagle

we packed up camp and headed for east baldy trailhead saturday morning
hiked this trail at least 20 years ago to just past the intersection with west baldy
then west baldy to the summit eight years ago with wade, mary jo and angela
the loop has been on my list for awhile
moderate uphill through the woods for most of this trail
some cool rock formations along the way
a large section of blown down trees
some airplane crash remnants near the top
we had cool temps and a pretty strong breeze
at the east/west junction, talked with a couple cowboys who had ridden mules up
then on the way to the summit we ran into @patrickl
we hiked quartz peak together eleven years ago

nice to see you again!
very windy at the summit
great views of the white mountains and a few lakes
back to the junction, and down west baldy
a steeper descent through the forest for several miles
we had some lunch along here
a tricky creek crossing over the little colorado river
then an easier descent through a series of meadows along the river
very scenic
we saw quite a few people on west baldy
we hit the crossover for a finish through the woods and across a few meadows
enjoyed this piece more than i had anticipated
this is a beautiful hike, and i think it is now officially my favorite hike in arizona
it was nice to revisit some hikes from years ago and get in a couple of new ones
thanks to bruce for driving and planning the logistics
always good hiking with you two

great trip!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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hazhole

Sep 03 2022

jacobemerick

Guides 38
Routes 182
Photos 1,602
Triplogs 232

40 male

Joined Dec 09 2014
Gilbert, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Run/Jog		Sep 03 2022
		jacobemerick • Triplogs 232

Run/Jog	16.16 Miles	2,433 AEG

Run/Jog	16.16 Miles	3 Hrs 53 Mns	4.16 mph
	2,433 ft AEG

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Been thinking about running this loop since starting marathon training, and everything worked out perfectly. Started from the east TH a few mins before the sunrise, temp was below 50, kept my long-sleeve shirt on for much of the morning. Turned on Crossover right away, lots of dew and muddy sections in the grassy fields. Annoyed a pair of hunters scoping out elk. West Fork trail was really enjoyable, the steady climb and open views under the still-early sun was fantastic. When the trail entered the forest and the grade steepened I slowed to a walk... I might have been able to keep up a slow job, but the altitude was starting to mess with me. Trail junction meant all downhill, so I opened up the throttle and cruised down East Fork. There was one section along here with 10-20 deadfall obstacles, everything else was perfect. Think I want to move to Greer now.

	Mount Baldy Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Strong flow, water running over trail in a few spots.

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Strong flow.

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Aug 21 2022

AugustWest

Routes 174
Photos 471
Triplogs 184

51 male

Joined Mar 16 2019
Phoenix

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 21 2022
		AugustWest • Triplogs 184

Hiking	14.44 Miles	2,329 AEG

Hiking	14.44 Miles	5 Hrs 2 Mns	3.16 mph
	2,329 ft AEG	28 Mns Break

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Incredible day on Baldy that had me thinking at one point on West Baldy, 'Why not just sell everything and live at the trailhead in a van?'

I stayed with my son and his girlfriend at an AirBnB in Eager the night before. I woke up at about 5:30 and made it to the West Baldy Trailhead at sunrise. There was one other truck in the parking lot. The day started misty and cold at 45 degrees. A common theme for the day was really mushy, wet trails.

As I made my way up towards the overlook, I couldn't help to notice the most gigantic firs I have seen since leaving Oregon. This for me was one of the highlights of the day. At the lookout, I caught up to the truck owner who was the only other person I ran into on West Baldy.

Heading down East Baldy I started running into a couple of people here and there. I think I saw 4 people total in the forested section. By the time we reached the meadows there were twice that, up to within a couple of miles from the trailhead.

The plan was for my son and his girlfriend to get a later start and meet me somewhere on lower East Baldy. Hiking with then slowed me down some, but I so rarely get a chance to hike with my boy so I really treasured the slower steps.

Tyler shuttled me back to my truck in time to get back to the house and pack up. We stopped in Show Low at The House which has great burgers and homemade potato chips!!

I am probably not going van life anytime soon, but I will definitely be back in the White's soon!

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Wildflower seed in the sand and wind
May the four winds blow you home again

Aug 14 2021

Vashti

Guides 17
Routes 297
Photos 1,808
Triplogs 276

female

Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 14 2021
		Vashti • Triplogs 276

Hiking	14.44 Miles	2,335 AEG

Hiking	14.44 Miles	8 Hrs 33 Mns	2.09 mph
	2,335 ft AEG	1 Hour 38 Mns Break

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Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

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

Beautiful weather and views on our trip to the Baldy east/west Junction. I had never been on the west trail before. I enjoyed the hoo doos, and also seeing the plane wreckage. The baldy area is so beautiful with its big trees, rolling meadows, winding creek, and lush vegetation near the top. Given nearly nonstop rain for 1.5 months, we were treated to an abundance of wildflowers of all colors as well as a plethora of mushrooms in all shapes and sizes!

We did a shuttle instead of using the crossover link trail.

At the trail Junction near the top there are no signs marking the boundaries. We played it safe and stayed by the Junction as routescout showed the boundary to be just beyond the junction. Another 2 hikers there confirmed this. I was disappointed not to have the beautiful view that I had on a previous trip (not at the summit of course, but before that, where I thought was still permissible, but maybe it turns out it was not?).

A beautiful hike on a beautiful day! And handily, we got off the trail a hour or so before a massive torrential downpour, so great timing!

Wildflowers Observation Extreme

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Jun 13 2021

ShatteredArm

Guides 12
Routes 192
Photos 863
Triplogs 356

42 male

Joined Nov 30 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Run/Jog		Jun 13 2021
		ShatteredArm • Triplogs 356

Run/Jog	16.00 Miles	2,400 AEG

Run/Jog	16.00 Miles	4 Hrs 27 Mns	3.60 mph
	2,400 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

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West Baldy Trail to the Mt Baldy pseudo-summit was one of the first real hikes I did growing up, but I never got around to doing East Baldy. Decided today would be a good day to change that.

Started at East Baldy TH. A quarter mile or so into the Crossover Trail, we saw a herd of elk with 4-5 young fawns, which was cool. Saw a handful of backpackers as well.

West Baldy Trail was as scenic as I remembered. Less deadfall than the last time I went up there; they're definitely doing a lot of work on it. Saw a work crew a half mile past the creek crossing, and another near the top.

East Baldy Trail is definitely a much different look, with mostly forest, and of course the hoodoos. The upper section had a decent amount of deadfall, but the lower reaches offered some nice, fun running.

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Oct 20 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,485
Photos 16,072
Triplogs 1,375

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Thomas Baldy, AZ

Hiking		Oct 20 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,375

Hiking	17.70 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	17.70 Miles	7 Hrs 55 Mns	2.67 mph
	3,000 ft AEG	1 Hour 17 Mns Break

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Mount Thomas - Mount Baldy Wilderness

[ checklist ] Bridge Cadastral Survey Marker Informational/Interpretive Sign

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I had been wanting to hike up to Mount Thomas, and I was wondering how the aspens were in the Mount Baldy area, so I decided to head to the East Baldy Trial and find out.

There were quite a few yellow leaves to be seen along the East Baldy Trail, and I really enjoyed hiking on the trail. I stopped to take a break at the Hoodoo Overlook, and the scenery was exceptional from there.

I continued on the East Baldy Trail to about the 5.5 mile mark, and then went off-trail to the summit on Mount Thomas. From where I turned it was an easy off-trail to the summit. I wandered around on the flattish summit for a bit trying to locate the high point. I found a spot that looked like the highest point, but it is possible that another point might be a tad bit higher. From the highpoint I walked a short distance SW and found a cadastral survey marker that obviously marked the boundary between tribal land and the Baldy Wilderness. Instead of heading straight back to the East Baldy Trail I decided to wander off-trail for a bit as I made my way back to the East Baldy-West Baldy trail junction.

I then took the West Baldy Trail back to the Crossover Trail, and then took it back to the East Baldy Trail and the TH. The Crossover Trail was a bit of a slog on this day, and if I had it to do over again I would have returned on the East Baldy Trail back to the TH. The views of the aspens were much better on the East Baldy Trail than the West Baldy Trail.

There was a bit of deadfall to contend with on the East Baldy Trail, but not very much. Amazingly, there was essentially no deadfall on the West Baldy Trail -- usually there is more deadfall on West Baldy than East Baldy.

There was a good bit of water flowing alongside the lower part of the West Baldy Trail in the West Fork of the Little Colorado River.

It was a great day to hike in one of my favorite areas!

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Thomas

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
I'd say that the aspen leaves were slightly past peak, but they were awesome nonetheless.

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

Sep 20 2020

kyleGChiker

Guides 1
Routes 61
Photos 604
Triplogs 79

male

Joined May 28 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Backpack		Sep 20 2020
		kyleGChiker • Triplogs 79

Backpack	21.30 Miles	2,725 AEG

Backpack	21.30 Miles	3 Days
	2,725 ft AEG

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East Baldy Trail #95 to West Baldy Overlook

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

Went out with my mom for a three-day hike in the Baldy Wilderness. Our family had hiked the West fork many years ago, and the East fork last year, but this was our first time doing the whole loop!

If this is your first time reading about the Baldy Wilderness, please be aware that the summit of Mt. Baldy is on the Apache reservation, and they do not permit access to the summit. Please be respectful of their religious beliefs and land rights by refraining from hiking to the summit.

Here’s a brief summary of the trip, highlighting the details:
Trail condition: Very good—mostly dirt, with few rocks or tree roots. New since last year: quite a few downed trees across the trail.
Wildlife: Elk sighted on the forest road to Winn campground the day we started our hike. Elk were heard bugling at all hours of the day and night throughout the whole trip. The only other exciting wildlife sighting was an owl catching a small rodent about half hour after sunset.
Water: As always, plenty of water for filtering in the East and West forks of the Little Colorado River. Baldy spring was dry at the trail crossing, but had plenty of water for filtering at the source if you hike up to it. All three drainages in the West fork (~5 miles in) had water flowing. Lee Valley Creek on the crossover trail also had plenty of water.
Weather: Perfect at this time of year! Low 40s at night and 60s to 70s during the day, depending on cloud cover
Scenery: We like the scenery in the East fork better…the hoodoos are spectacular!
Crossover trail: The crossover trail was a treat because the aspen trees were just starting to change to yellow foliage.
Crowds: This is a popular hiking destination. We met about 10 other backpackers on the trail, but there was never anyone near our camp. The backpackers do a pretty good job of spreading out throughout the wilderness. We met around 20 day hikers doing the full loop in one day, and probably another 20 day hikers near the trailheads on our first/last days of hiking.
Free time: Obviously this is a super short hike to spread out over three days. We hiked slowly since my mom is affected by the high elevation. We also took all the luxuries, including frisbees, Quiddler, Yahtzee, Backgammon, and Pass the Pigs.
Food: We made a new recipe on this trip—curry couscous. It is very simple and was simply delicious! We will certainly bring this one on future trips. Of course, you can suit the recipe to your tastes, but what I did was:
8 oz. couscous
2 oz. dried veggies
2 oz. sliced almonds
2 oz. raisins
1/4 tsp. curry powder
Salt to taste
Way too much food for two people! We ended up eating this for dinner, and then again for breakfast the next morning. Probably 5 oz. couscous would be better. Do you have a favorite backpacking recipe you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about it, as I’m always looking for new recipes (trying to get myself off Mountain House and Backpacker’s Pantry!)
Question: Does anyone know why there are so many dead/fallen trees in the Baldy Wilderness? It seems the area has never been burned by a forest fire. Bark beetles? Perhaps it’s just a really old forest?

Be safe out there, and make sure you look for forest fires before you go hiking somewhere!

	Lee Valley Reservoir	51-75% full	51-75% full
	Not sure what maximum capacity is, but there was a lot of water!

	Mount Baldy Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	I believe this is the spring near the airplane crash site. Normally, there is a small creek flowing under the trail through a culvert. This was dry. However, hiking up to the actual spring, there was plenty of water to filter, about 1 quart per minute.

	West Fork LCR - Upper Tributary	Light flow	Light flow
	We camped near here in the large meadow to the east. The LCR was around 2-3 feet wide and several inches deep. Plenty of water for filtering. Also, the two drainages to the northeast were both flowing.

1 archive

Aug 25 2020

Oregon_Hiker

Guides 9
Routes 473
Photos 8,433
Triplogs 626

79 male

Joined Dec 07 2010
Phoenix, AZ

Alpine, AZ

Hiking		Aug 25 2020
		Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 626

Hiking	13.60 Miles	2,040 AEG

Hiking	13.60 Miles	8 Hrs 17 Mns		1.64 mph
	2,040 ft AEG		20 LBS Pack

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