username
X
password
register help
Home FAQ Donate
MapRoute Editor Route Editor Route CloudRoute Scout Route Scout Radar Near Me• loading... Pack Planner
Publish a Guide
Trail/Hike Guide
 GPS Route
Recorded Track of a Hike
 Triplog
Review/Journal of a Hike
 Photoset
Photos of a Hike
help
HAZ Forum
@replies
Private Messages
 
 
GuidesRoutes
 
Photosets
Recent Photosets
Liked PixelMASTERS
Avatars Tagged Notes
LabelsComments
triplogs photosets comments more
Previous  1 ... 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34  Next
670 triplogs
All Modes▾

Apr 22 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Los Caballos Loop Trail, AZ 
Los Caballos Loop Trail, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Apr 22 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking 700 AEG
Hiking   2 Hrs      0.00 mph
700 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Linked linked
Timber Mesa Trail #636
Partners none no partners
This is one of those loop trails in Show Low. It is supposed to be 14 miles around. But I had time only for an out and back, so took the route that starts at the main trailhead. When I go again, I will take the other fork (which, editing this later on, I found out is across the road from the trailhead.) There are several of these loop trails near Show Low, and so far, what I have found is that, although they are well-marked "non-motorized," they have been pretty well trashed by ATVers. I drive a school bus and have a run to Show Low once a week. I have a couple hours to kill, so I go hiking and get paid for it! This hike also has had its nice views altered (as described in an old guidebook I have) by rampant nearby development--the "Bison" developments to be exact. However, all that being said, I saw no one and had a pleasant couple of hours on the trail. Since I don't know the area well, I am first going to hike the nearby trails before trying anything off-trail. This particular trail does take you through the edges of the 2002 Rodeo-Chedeski fire. The trail was closed for about 5 years or so while they waited for the trees to fall. However, there are still a lot of live trees that survived, and new undergrowth.

This trail is located off 260, about 3.6 miles west of the 60/260 stoplight. If you are coming from Show Low, you'll be turning to the left onto Joe Tank Road, then drive about half a mile, past some houses, trailhead is very well marked on the right.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Apr 20 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Overland TrailAlpine, AZ
Overland Trail
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 20 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking4.00 Miles
Hiking4.00 Miles   2 Hrs      2.00 mph
 
Partners none no partners
Just a quick out-and-back exercise hike after work. I go here all the time. Seldom do I post it, though. Starting at the Water Canyon trailhead I hiked up to where the trail starts to follow a closed gravel road, which is 8070C. And back down again.

One thing of note, if you find yourself bored with this wide trail, watch for a small narrow trail that will bear off to the left, and go along the creek. That little old trail goes for quite a distance up Water Canyon, following the water all the way, until it becomes choked in deadfall. I guess you could easily hike it about 3 or 4 miles one-way before having to really start bushwhacking. The Overland Trail follows the water for only a short distance, then heads toward Point-of-Mountain and the high country.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Mar 15 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Rudd CreekAlpine, AZ
Rudd Creek
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 15 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking 200 AEG
Hiking      2 Mns   0.00 mph
200 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Partners none no partners
To get to this canyon, take 180/191 south from Springerville/Eagar. Just before you get to Nelson Reservoir, and past milepost 408, you will cross the bridge over Nutrioso Creek. There is a parking area for the trail on the right, just past the bridge. Nelson Reservoir 7.5 map. It's a nice one to catch on your way to or from Escudilla. That's Escudilla, covered in snow, in the highway photo.

We hike this one in spring when the snow is melting. Hike up about 2 miles, you are going to be almost to the Game and Fish Department's Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. That's as far as we went, but you CAN follow Rudd Creek upstream on through Sipe's and out the other side, past a locked gate, keep going upstream, crossing FR 85 (Milligan Valley Road) and on up to St. Mary's Lake and Water Canyon Rd. Incidentally I did try to climb to the top of that knob you see in the photo, from the other side of it. Later I saw there is a small break in the rimrock on the north side of it. I'll try that way next time--I got cliffed-out on the south side.

Theoretically you could follow Rudd Creek to its source, then hike the Overland trail back to Eagar, or hike it to the south and catch the Black River, and make a big loop, via Fish Creek, Grant Creek, Lanphier Creek, etc., to New Mexico and the Gila Wilderness. That might seem like a long hike. It would be at least two or three weeks, if you took your time. Ah, but I'm daydreaming again!
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Mar 13 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
South Fork Trail #97Alpine, AZ
South Fork Trail #97
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 13 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking2.00 Miles
Hiking2.00 Miles   1 Hour      2.00 mph
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Hiked in from Big Lake Hwy, not main trailhead, just to see the snowmelt coming down the creek. To reach this area take Big Lake Rd. from Eagar. Turn right on FR 8070A. Go to locked gate. Hike following road to creek, about .8 mile. From here you can hike upstream,downstream, or continue hiking to Greer on 8070A. Mtn. bikable, too. (Photos are not meant to be great art, just to illustrate the snowmelt.)
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
3 archives
Mar 13 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
White Mountain Grasslands AreaAlpine, AZ
White Mountain Grasslands Area
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 13 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking3.00 Miles
Hiking3.00 Miles   2 Hrs      1.50 mph
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This area is known locally as the Water Ranch because it used to be owned by the town of Springerville for usage of its water rights. It is now owned and managed by the G&F dept. The original owners I believe were the Wiltbanks. I love this area! Usually we see elk or antelope. My husband saw deer this time, but I missed that.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Mar 12 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Water Canyon Creek Upper ForkAlpine, AZ
Water Canyon Creek Upper Fork
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 12 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking6.00 Miles
Hiking6.00 Miles   2 Hrs      3.00 mph
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked linked
Overland Trail
Murray Basin
Partners none no partners
This area is easy to find on the Eagar 7.5" map. Without the map, forget it, there are no signs for this hike. Just go up Water Canyon Road, FR 285, which is easy to find by the old sawmill on the south end of Main St. Go along up there as far as Elderberry Springs, then park at the turnaround and hike to the west on the old (closed) 8070C. When you get down into the creek bottom, after hiking about 1/4 mile, you then have a choice of hiking up the west or the east forks. The west (main) fork has more water in it, and that's the one we did yesterday. You'll want to cross the main creek to start your hike. If you have gone too far up you will have to cross two creeks.

Yesterday's weather was a combination of sunshine and clouds. As we followed the VERY faint trail along Water Canyon Creek, we saw a lot of wolf, bear and elk scat. There were patches of snow in the shade. There were little waterfalls and pools, and as we gained elevation there were aspen trees. There is this one HUGE Doug fir up there, just about the biggest one I have ever seen in AZ. The area is very thickly forested, with little glades suitable for backpack camping, which I have done there in the past. You can follow this all the way to Water Canyon Reservoir, but the trail is faint to non-existant. It is necessary to bushwhack a bit. Best kind of hike, in my opinion!

You can also get to this same faint trail by following the Overland Trail, Water Canyon Trailhead, which DOES have a sign. But after following the Overland Trail for about one mile, when it starts to go uphill, then you need bear to the left to follow the creek instead of the trail. The Overland Trail goes up to the right (west) and tops over the rim.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Mar 11 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Murray BasinAlpine, AZ
Murray Basin
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 11 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking6.00 Miles 800 AEG
Hiking6.00 Miles   2 Hrs      3.00 mph
800 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I hiked the Flat Top trail FROM 12th STREET and LINE STREET near the sawmill in Eagar (NOT 180 trailhead) to the rim and then back around the Robinson Hollow Loop. The reason it took so long is I was doing a bit of trailwork along the way. Picking up hundreds of rocks and tossing them off the side. The horses and the weather tend to chew up these trails, especially the Robinson Hollow section. By the way there is NO SNOW down this low, and no mud, either, at least not on this day. The snow is all up there above about 9,000 feet today.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Feb 28 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Horse Tanks in Kofa Refuge, AZ 
Horse Tanks in Kofa Refuge, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Feb 28 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking3.00 Miles
Hiking3.00 Miles   2 Hrs      1.50 mph
 no routes
1st trip
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This is in Western Arizona, not far from the Colorado River. You can find this if you have the regular Kofa map given out by the Refuge. From Yuma, go North on Hwy 95 to Stone Cabin, which in winter is a hamburger stand. Across the highway from Stone Cabin, take Kings Rd. east a couple miles or so to Rd. 42, where you will make a right (south) and go 2.6 miles to the road's end. Rd. 42 requires high clearance, but is not truly 4WD. You can walk it, too. The trailhead is obvious, at the end of the road, with signs there about the tanks, the wildlife that use the tanks, etc. The name of the mtn. range it's in is Castle Dome Mtns. The topo map it's on would be Arch Tank 7.5 min. map.

Ok, most people just hike up a short distance and see a couple of the tanks. I hiked up and scrambled up several waterfalls and traverses, and I saw at least 8 or 10 tanks. I lost count. (Not a numbers person, either, but hey, I did provide you with directions!) Plenty of water in these tanks at this time of year, end of Feb. I think there may have even been more tanks above where I went.

Now, as to the Indian sites there. I will only tell you how to find one of them. I found more, but will let you figure it out. The grinding holes are on a flat rock very close to the trailhead, on the right side of the trail, right by the trail, very visible from the trail, before you get to the water. I walked right by them the first time.

The caves, petroglyphs, arches, more grinding holes, newspaper rock, etc. I will leave for you to find yourself as I did. I had fun finding them, you will too. Please don't touch anything!
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Jan 09 2009
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Betty's KitchenInland, AZ
Betty's Kitchen
Inland, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 09 2009
azbackpackr
Hiking2.00 Miles
Hiking2.00 Miles   1 Hour      2.00 mph
 no routes
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Where we went is more of a walk than a hike, but takes you to the river. It would make for a nice, very easy mtn. bike ride, too.

Okay, so we didn't actually go into the trailhead for Betty's Kitchen. Been there, done that. (It's not all that interesting.) We had heard about an area right NEXT to it though. You make the same turn off of Laguna Dam Rd. (Ave. 7E) at the sign that says "Betty's Kitchen," but then you keep on going straight past the driveway for that trailhead another hundred yards or so to a locked white pipe gate. Park near gate but don't block it, the farmers need to get in.

Walking past the gate and down the road you get to an alfalfa field. Walk around the field to the left, following the dirt road. You will pass a totally cool ruin of a house, of the wattle-and-daub method of building. (We later met the landowner, and told him we'd be happy to rent it and restore it!) It was heavily damaged in a river flood, but the walls and roof are still pretty good--needs cleaning up and new windows. It has heavy logs for roof beams. It is so neat! Anyway, pass the house and get to the far side of the field, then follow tire tracks to the river. This is a put-in used by the owner of the field for his motorboat.

If you have a kayak or small fishing boat you can drive past that white pipe gate (don't go through it) to a legal put-in. It is a 4WD put-in if you are using a trailer, but if you are hand-carrying a kayak it will be very easy. This area is very nice for fishing and kayaking. It is a stretch of the old river below Imperial Dam and above Laguna Dam. Not many people go in here as it is hard to get in and out of. There are many birds, and deer. We saw hundreds of deer tracks. It is a very beautiful area with many cottonwood and willow trees. A cottonwood grove, in nice straight rows, has also been planted in this area by the Bureau of Reclamation as habitat for the endangered Willow Flycatcher. But the farmer said he didn't think there were any of those birds around there.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Dec 14 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Antelope Hill Petroglyph SiteSouthwest, AZ
Antelope Hill Petroglyph Site
Southwest, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 14 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking0.10 Miles
Hiking0.10 Miles      30 Mns   0.20 mph
 no routes
1st trip
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This isn't really a hike, but it is a bit of a scramble to see all the petroglyphs. For all I know there could be hundreds more all over the hill.

From Interstate 8 near Tacna, AZ (between Gila Bend and Yuma) take Exit 37. Head north on this road, Antelope Hill Rd. You can't miss Antelope Hill--it's the one with the big A on it! There are no other hills nearby, anyway. Antelope Hill Rd. goes past the high school, and some houses, then continues on toward the Gila River. When you are in sight of the big railroad bridge, turn right on a gravel road, I think it's County 7th. Anyway, it's easy to see, just before Antelope Hill Rd goes over the river bridge. Just after you make the turn, watch for a kiosk and pull-out area on your right. On the kiosk is information about the petroglyphs, the local history, etc.

The petroglyphs are scattered all over the hillside on boulders. They are somewhat damaged. Please don't add to the damage! There is a trail, but to see them all you will be scrambling a little bit. I didn't climb way up to the cliffs to see if there are more up there.
Culture
Culture
Gila Petroglyph Style (Abstract) Gila Petroglyph Style (Anthropomorphic) Gila Petroglyph Style (Zoomorphic) Great Basin Abstract Style
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Dec 03 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Bouse Fisherman Intaglio/Geoglyph, AZ 
Bouse Fisherman Intaglio/Geoglyph, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Dec 03 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking0.40 Miles
Hiking0.40 Miles      10 Mns   2.40 mph
 no routes
1st trip
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
An intaglio or geoglyph is a sort of large petroglyph on the ground, best seen from an airplane. The ones in South America are more well-known, as are the ones near Blythe, California. This is the only one I know of in Arizona. It's an interesting thing to see, but I admit, I was a bit disappointed that the actual human figure is only about 20 feet long! I was expecting it to be very large. I took one photo with my husband in it to give you an idea.

It is right off the side of the highway on the Paloma Rd. between Quartzsite and Bouse, in western Arizona. There is a Scenic Viewpoint on the west side, a path leading from viewpoint to geoglyph, but no signs until you get to the thing.
Flora
Flora
Ocotillo
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Nov 14 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Signal Hill, AZ 
Signal Hill, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Nov 14 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking4.00 Miles 1,000 AEG
Hiking4.00 Miles   2 Hrs      2.00 mph
1,000 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This is Yuma's equivalent to Squaw Peak. Popular workout hike for locals and snowbirds. There are always cars at the trailhead. It's in the Gila Mountains. You can see it on your right (north) as you are going over Telegraph Pass on I-8, the big mtn. pass you have to go over when traveling east on 8, just before you get into Yuma. Not a gorgeous hike, but a fast, steep workout. Neat views from the ridge where the telecom forest is. Partly single track trail, partly narrow, rough VERY steep paved road, closed to public vehicles.

To find this hike, take Foothills Blvd. exit a few miles east of the city of Yuma. Take the north frontage road all the way to its eastern end, where there is a barrier. This is a couple miles or so from Foothills Blvd. exit. To find the single track, hike along a road to the north (not the one paralling the freeway.) You will see a trail at the entrance to a little canyon. Follow this trail a couple miles, you'll get to the cell phone tower road. Then follow it to the top of the ridge. There is a hiker's sign-in and bench there.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Nov 07 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Muggins Mountains Wilderness, AZ 
Muggins Mountains Wilderness, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Nov 07 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking3.20 Miles 100 AEG
Hiking3.20 Miles   2 Hrs      1.60 mph
100 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
My first foray into the Muggins Mtns. Wilderness near Yuma. I went with a friend who lives nearby. We just hiked up the wash and singletrack trail a short distance, then turned around and went back. It's pretty interesting, but very dry. My pal said she wants to take me to a more interesting section next month for an overnight backpack. We did see a short slot canyon on this hike also. It is just to the left of the place where most people park their cars.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Sep 17 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
White Mountain Grasslands AreaAlpine, AZ
White Mountain Grasslands Area
Alpine, AZ
Mtn Biking avatar Sep 17 2008
azbackpackr
Mtn Biking7.00 Miles
Mtn Biking7.00 Miles   2 Hrs      3.50 mph
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Using the Grasslands Area as a starting point we rode a two track road (near the G & F big white metal barn) to the north, then swinging west after going through a gate. This brought us to the top of the rim of the canyon. From here you can ride for miles. This was an afternoon ride, after work, so we didn't have all day. We rode a bit up in those grasslands, then dropped back down into the G & F property, passing the old ranch buildings on our way, and making a semi-loop of 7 miles or so. It was fun and not in the least technical--if you are a serious rider this is a Sunday ride. All the two-tracks are overgrown with weeds, so you really have to watch for junctions. There are many choices of roads to ride out there, though. I think you could spend the whole day, ride almost to Green's Peak, take a picnic!
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Aug 25 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Indian Spring Trail #627Alpine, AZ
Indian Spring Trail #627
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 25 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking12.60 Miles 300 AEG
Hiking12.60 Miles   3 Hrs      4.20 mph
300 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Partners none no partners
We mountain biked both Indian Springs Loop, plus the spur trail, the West Fork Trail, which leads to West Fork of the Black River. I had not done this whole ride in several years. It is really a nice one. The volunteers from White Mtn. Conservation League, with a little help from a chainsaw-wielding Forest Service employee, have cleared both these trails very recently. They had become almost impassable due to deadfall.

Indian Springs Trail is basically a beginner's ride, whereas West Fork can challenge you a little bit.

Mushroom season is fast ending, with the monsoon almost over, but one of my friends elected to not ride her bike, but hiked around and filled large bags with 'shrooms, which she will dry in her dehydrator. They were lobster tails and chanterelles, which I am not sure how to spell.

She said she spooked up some elk, but we riders saw none. We did see a large flock of turkeys on the way back.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Aug 10 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Railroad Grade Trail #601Alpine, AZ
Railroad Grade Trail #601
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 10 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking9.00 Miles 300 AEG
Hiking9.00 Miles   4 Hrs      2.25 mph
300 ft AEG
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
From the "sledding hill" on Hwy 260, (between the Sunrise Ski Park turnoff and the Greer turnoff) to the West Baldy Trailhead, the Railroad Grade Trail is a fun mtn. bike ride. I'm surprised it isn't entered into permanent data on this site.

(I'm told that the rest of the trail, from Baldy Trailhead to Big Lake, is very hard to follow right now due to the ongoing construction and re-alignment of 273. Some fences have also been erected across that section of the trail, I've heard.)

However, the 9-mile stretch from Hwy. 260 to West Baldy Trailhead has no obstructions and is easy to follow. Look for the trailhead within the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, just east of the White Mtn. Apache Reservation boundary. At the trailhead there is a VERY large parking lot and a restroom. (This is to accommodate the hundreds sledders in winter.) There is also a big red and white cellphone tower on the hill next to the sledding area. Plus there is a sign on the highway that says "Railroad Grade Trail." The entrance to the RR Grade Trail is well-signed in a corner of the parking lot. (Don't go up the steep hill--look for the wooden signs that mark the RR Grade trail entrance.) The trail goes across the meadows and stays fairly flat most of the time. It is fine for easy hiking or horses as well. We saw several large flocks of sheep with their attendant shepherds and dogs. There are several lakes and large ponds visible along the trail as well. I have often seen elk on this ride.

For the real "animals": At the Baldy Trailhead, one of the riders in my group continued on down the West Fork Trail #94 into Greer. From there he found his way onto the so-called phone line road, a closed road that goes from Greer to South Fork Trail #97. He rode the lower part of South Fork Trail to the campground, and back to the highway and he rode the highway back to Eagar. That was quite a ride! The rest of us were content with the 18-plus miles we put on our odometers. It was a great day to ride a great bike!
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Jul 18 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Black River - MainstemAlpine, AZ
Black River - Mainstem
Alpine, AZ
Backpack avatar Jul 18 2008
azbackpackr
Backpack5.00 Miles 900 AEG
Backpack5.00 Miles2 Days         
900 ft AEG
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
mikehikes
I call this one "The Black River Wade." Had fun with a small group on an easy backpacking trip. We camped two nights by the river, having accessed via Bear Creek Trail #66. We hiked upstream. After six or seven crossings we found the swimming hole I'd heard about, plus a rope bridge desperately in need of repair. Water was pretty cold. How come I'm the only one who ever swims these days?
Fauna
Fauna
Osprey
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Jul 13 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Black River - MainstemAlpine, AZ
Black River - Mainstem
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Jul 13 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking5.00 Miles 900 AEG
Hiking5.00 Miles   4 Hrs      1.25 mph
900 ft AEG
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
We accessed the river via the Bear Creek Trail #66, a short access route. Hiked downriver to first crossing, very leisurely pace, stopping a lot to take in the scenery. Very nice day, a few sprinkles, nice and warm and balmy. Ran into some backpackers and their unruly dogs on their way out, then we had to put out the fire in their messy camp when we got to it. Whatever happened to the ethical standard known as "Leave No Trace"? Or "Take only pictures, leave only footprints"? They said they were from Phoenix, four young people. Just in case they see this. Read a book on backpacking next time before you go.

The late-summer wildflowers are coming out. We saw quite a few yellow columbines.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Jul 12 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Indian Spring Trail #627Alpine, AZ
Indian Spring Trail #627
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Jul 12 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking8.20 Miles 300 AEG
Hiking8.20 Miles   4 Hrs      2.05 mph
300 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
First of all, I have been GPS'ing all the trails in the Springerville Ranger District with my Garmin 60Cx. All mileages given by the Forest Service seem to differ quite a bit from my GPS. This trail is given as 7.5 by the FS. My GPS says 8.2.

It rained about half way through. We hiked the loop, but opted to not go on down the West Fork spur trail, due to the rain. It didn't rain hard--we enjoyed the rain. We saw quite a few elk during the day, some on the trail. Some along the highway.

The White Mtn. Conservation League volunteers recently did trailwork on the entire trail. They did have the help of one Forest Service employee wielding a chain saw. There had been a great many large trees down across the trail, but now it is all cleared out. Very nice work!
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
Jun 27 2008
azbackpackr
avatar

 Guides 26
 Routes 372
 Photos 4,783
 Triplogs 726

66 female
 Joined Jan 21 2006
 Flag-summer-Need
Overland TrailAlpine, AZ
Overland Trail
Alpine, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 27 2008
azbackpackr
Hiking15.50 Miles
Hiking15.50 Miles   8 Hrs   30 Mns   1.82 mph
 
Linked none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
We left a car at the Apache Trailhead spur trail, which is near Mexican Hay Lake, and leads to the Overland Trail. We then drove to Crescent Lake trailhead for the Overland Trail, and parked there. We hiked the 15 and 1/2 miles back to our first car. It took a long time because my husband walks pretty slowly.

The upper parts of the Overland trail are almost impossible to find now. My husband had tried to find the route before, but got off onto a dirt road that led back to the highway. This dirt road is right by the first old cabin you will pass, after about a mile from Crescent Lake. The dirt road leads back to the highway. So here is how to find the trail: Just past that cabin there is a trail cattleguard and cattleguard yellow sign. The dirt road passes to the right of this. JUST PAST THIS WATCH FOR A FAINT WIDE TRAIL ANGLING OFF TO THE RIGHT. There was a non-motorized sign there, someone had knocked it down--I propped it up again, but that won't last long. This trail to the right is the Overland Trail.

Another few miles and you'll get to a knoll where there is so much deadfall it's hard to follow the trail. But it does come out the other side of the knoll.

A long way down the trail (10 miles) and you'll get to Rudd Knoll. The trail goes up into the woods on the Knoll and there is a lot of deadfall. You can find your way through it, though. It goes past a camping area and back out into the meadows. Across the meadows you'll get to a gate. Past this gate you will find that many ATVers are using the designated non-motorized trail. We encountered two of them and told them they were breaking the law and they could be fined. They were just friendly young kids, we were gentle!

From this area on it is easy to follow the trail. If you want to hike the whole 21 miles or so, you'd have to leave your other shuttle car down in Water Canyon at that trailhead.

The Forest Service spent $500,000 to build this trail about 6 years ago. Now they ignore it completely. They don't maintain it, they don't fix all the signs that have been destroyed by ATVers, nor the gates and cattleguard crossings that have been vandalized by ATVers. This was the only long non-motorized trail they have built in many years in the Apache-Sitgreaves NF. Most of the trails they have built suitable for mtn. bikes and horse riding and hiking have been these very short little loops that don't go anywhere, such as Murray Basin. The Forest Service does not understand that many people want long trails that connect with other trails. Long, meaning more than 20 miles, even more than 100 miles, with the connections.
_____________________
There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.
average hiking speed 2.03 mph
Previous  1 ... 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34  Next

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.

FAQ
help comment issue

end of page marker