The_Eagle's Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Dragonfly Trail - Spur Cross

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Jewel of Spur Cross Loop, AZ

Hiking		Jan 22 2026
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	10.63 Miles	2,278 AEG

Hiking	10.63 Miles	4 Hrs 26 Mns		2.53 mph
	2,278 ft AEG	14 Mns Break	4 LBS Pack

Linked

8 linked trail guides

Boca Grande - Spur Cross

Spur Cross Loop

Elephant Mountain Trail - Spur Cross

Limestone Trail #252 - Spur Cross

Spur Cross Trail

Metate Trail - Spur Cross

Towhee Trail - Spur Cross

Partners

none

no partners

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

This is one of my close-by go-tos. A late start meant a full lot at the Jewel of the Creek parking area.

Dragonfly Trail – Spur Cross
This trail is now a lasso loop and no longer extends into Spur Cross Ranch. It’s a pleasant hike with amber cottonwoods and a trickling Cave Creek.

Boca Grande – Spur Cross
This used to be the portion of the Dragonfly Trail outside the Jewel of the Creek Preserve, located entirely within Spur Cross Ranch. It climbs out of the preserve into the ranch. Nothing exciting, but big views of the area.

Spur Cross Loop
A winding trail that gently climbs to the EMT.

Elephant Mountain Trail – Spur Cross
Sixteen years ago, when I first hiked this, it wasn’t much of a trail. It’s now easy to follow on the climb up to the saddle. The north side used to be badly water-eroded, but it’s in much better condition (relatively) than before.

Limestone Trail #252 – Spur Cross
This trail is also much more obvious now. I’d forgotten how rocky it is, with plenty of ankle-busters along a good portion of the route.

Spur Cross Trail
Good to be back on smooth ground. Saw a couple of horseback riders crossing Cave Creek. There’s a light flow, so where there aren’t bridges, it’s easy to cross.

Metate Trail – Spur Cross
Been there, done that… yep, metates were seen.

Towhee Trail – Spur Cross
No towhees seen, and it’s too early for the wild cucumber.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Limestone Spring - Spur Cross Metate Pond Page Spring - Spur Cross Skull Mesa

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

	Limestone Spring - Spur Cross	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	Cool clear water with a lot of bees

	Metate Pond	76-100% full	76-100% full

	Page Spring - Spur Cross	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	Catchment was full of yucky green scummy water.

_____________________

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

Jan 15 2026

Ocotillo Trail - Sonoran Preserve North

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Apache Wash, AZ

Hiking		Jan 15 2026
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	7.24 Miles	976 AEG

Hiking	7.24 Miles	2 Hrs 15 Mns		3.22 mph
	976 ft AEG		4 LBS Pack

Linked

7 linked trail guides

Ridgeback Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Ridgeback Overlook Trail - Sonoran Pres N

Sidewinder Trail - Sonoran Perserve N

Javelina Pass Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Apache Wash Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Apache Vista Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Partners

none

no partners

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

Beautiful weather. Testing out some new hiking accessories. Late start with a smattering of hikers and bikers.

Wildflowers Observation Light

_____________________

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

Jan 06 2026

Pine-Strawberry Trail #15

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Payson, AZ

Pine-Strawberry Trail #15

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Jan 06 2026
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	9.87 Miles	1,121 AEG

Hiking	9.87 Miles	3 Hrs 23 Mns		2.98 mph
	1,121 ft AEG	4 Mns Break	5 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Strawberry Mountain Trail

Partners

none

no partners

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

It had been a while since I was last on this trail, and I had a couple of things I wanted to check out. First, the path had been rerouted since my last hike. Second, I had read somewhere that a new trail was being created to climb to the summit of Strawberry Mountain, though the report gave no specifics.

Starting from the Strawberry Trailhead, I headed south. Some sections were still muddy from last week’s rains. I initially saw no hint of a trail climbing toward Strawberry Mountain. The new reroute of the P/S #15 trail moves the path further away from SR-87 and eliminates some of the "roller-coastering" elevation changes. I passed signage for the Goshawk and Mohawk Trails; the P/S Trail used to follow these, but the reroute now bypasses them entirely.

I passed two other spurs—the Towhee and Kestrel Trails—which I’ll have to explore in the future.

After reaching Hardscrabble Road, I retraced my steps back toward the Strawberry Trailhead. About 100 yards from the TH, I noticed a fresh-cut trail to the west. I followed it to its terminus. It is nicely constructed, climbing and traversing the contours toward Strawberry Mountain. The tread was very recent, with visible tracks from a trail dozer. The path stopped abruptly, but flagging was visible beyond the current end.

This is another trail I’ll be interested to check out later in the year. In the past, reaching the summit required crossing private property from the south or navigating steep, off-trail climbs from the east or north.

_____________________

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

Jan 03 2026

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Little Granite Mountain - McDowells

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jan 03 2026
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	8.35 Miles	659 AEG

Hiking	8.35 Miles	2 Hrs 55 Mns		2.93 mph
	659 ft AEG	4 Mns Break	4 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Bootlegger Trail - MSPN

Coyote Canyon Loop - MSPN

Balanced Rock Trail - MSPN

Partners

partners

Tortoise_Hiker

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

Denny was not able to join us for the pre NYE hike earlier this week, so we fashioned this one to keep our string of 15 years going.

We started with temps in the 40's, as the sun was rising in the orange sky. We did the CCW loop and saw very very people until the last 2 miles of the hike.

Everything that is normally brown is a lush green. The brittlebush is confused an is in full bloom. Also a smattering of Poppies, Lupine, Desert Globemallow, Penstemon are making an appearance.

We made a stop at the Balanced Rock area to check it out. Getting closer to the TH and later in the morning, the trail started getting busier with bikes, hikers and horses.

Good catching up with the Turtle again and keeping the string alive.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Balanced Rock - MSP Little Granite Mountain - MSP North

Wildflowers Observation Moderate
The brittlebush thinks it's springtime. Some lupine, poppies and other assorted wildflowers.

_____________________

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

Jan 01 2026

Ocotillo Trail - Sonoran Preserve North

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Apache Wash, AZ

Hiking		Jan 01 2026
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	5.30 Miles	690 AEG

Hiking	5.30 Miles	1 Hour 36 Mns	3.31 mph
	690 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Ridgeback Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Sidewinder Trail - Sonoran Perserve N

Javelina Pass Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Partners

none

no partners

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

Wanted something smooth and this always fits the bill. Mist turned into rain and windy conditions, so I cut it short, being soaked and cold.

_____________________

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

Dec 28 2025

White Canyon Upper - SW Approach FR319

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

White Christmas, AZ

Hiking		Dec 28 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	11.77 Miles	1,841 AEG

Hiking	11.77 Miles	6 Hrs 7 Mns		2.32 mph
	1,841 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

White Canyon

White Canyon via Wood Canyon

Partners

partners

	BiFrost	chumley
	joebartels	John10s
	LindaAnn

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

Denny and I started a tradition back in 2010 of getting a "NYE-ish" hike in for the final trek of the year. [ photo ] .
It’s been going every year since, hitting a new location each time. Denny was all gung-ho to plan the hike and gather the players for a rousing outing. That was until he hiked with Linda; she pushed him, causing injuries bad enough that he had to drop out.

Those of us with nothing better to do met up at the HC non-4x4 parking area, said our hellos, engaged in the appropriate backstabbing, and were on our way. It was a refreshingly brisk morning in the low 40s, but we all stopped complaining about the temperature once we finished the road walk.

We noted the recently flagged route that bypasses some of the narrower pour-overs—a trail created by horsemen, horsewomen, or whatever pronoun they identify as. Even though we saw it, I didn't use it; the rock scramble was much more fun.

We reached the bypass area and headed WSW to catch some nice views. Chum10S found a sweet little arch that worked perfectly for the group photo, though Linda insisted I take pictures of her and Karl peering through it.

Next, we dropped into the bottom of White Canyon to check out the Bat Cave and see how recent storms had affected the pour-off we’d bypassed. It has been filled in extensively. We then backtracked to Wood Canyon so Karl and Chums could get in their year-end bath. We had a good time navigating the obstructions and took a 20-minute lunch, though none of us noticed the turtle trying to escape just 15 feet away. Denny kept checking in on us throughout the day.

The rest was just a walk in the park back to the vehicle. It was good catching up with the Mötley Crüe again: Nikki, Tommy, Vince, John 5, and Mick.

Happy New Year to all!

(Get better, Tortoise!)

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Marigold

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Unidentified Culture

Black Hills Tank

51-75% full

Crucifixon Tank

51-75% full

	White Water Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Moist in the area you'd expect

_____________________

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

Dec 16 2025

Bob Bear Trail #18 - Fossil Creek

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Camp Verde, AZ

Bob Bear Trail #18 - Fossil Creek

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Dec 16 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	9.75 Miles	1,739 AEG

Hiking	9.75 Miles	4 Hrs 29 Mns	2.45 mph
	1,739 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

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

The last of the family was still in town for my son Ben's ( @Eaglet ) nuptials last weekend. I took advantage of the non-permit period to show my brother Pete Fossil Creek. There was only one car in the parking lot when we started around 9:30 AM. There are signs on this trail, as in many others in the state, of washouts from the recent rains. Pools of water were frozen both on the way down and remained frozen on the way back.

We stopped at the springs area first and 'splored around.

Then, we checked out the dam area and worked our way down toward the cave. It was there that we ran into the owner of the vehicle in the lot; she’d just gotten out of the water and was in the process of getting dressed. We hurried along so as not to embarrass her.

[ youtube video ]

After lunch, it was the trudge back to the top. With three miles to go, I was "lucky" enough to pull a calf muscle. This slowed things down a bit, as going uphill was quite painful.

Overall, it was a good time with my little brother, and I was glad I got to show him some areas outside of the Valley.

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

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

2 archives

Dec 09 2025

Sonoran Preserve - Peak 2383

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Sonoran Preserve - Desert Vista, AZ

Hiking		Dec 09 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	7.79 Miles	1,571 AEG

Hiking	7.79 Miles	2 Hrs 53 Mns		2.94 mph
	1,571 ft AEG	14 Mns Break	3 LBS Pack

Linked

9 linked trail guides

Union Hills Loop

Hawk's Nest Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Desert Tortoise Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Valle Vista Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Great Horned Owl Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Union Peak Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Dixie Mountain Loop - Sonoran Preserve

Dixie Summit Trail - Sonoran Preserve

Partners

partners

Bobzilla

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

Got out for a short one with my son. Nice weather and very few on the trail. Looking to the south, the brown cloud we were in yesterday was quite obvious.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

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

Dec 08 2025

Goat Hill Loop via Pyramid / Bursera

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Pyramid Lost Loop, AZ

Hiking		Dec 08 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	8.03 Miles	1,878 AEG

Hiking	8.03 Miles	3 Hrs 18 Mns		2.77 mph
	1,878 ft AEG	24 Mns Break	3 LBS Pack

Linked

6 linked trail guides

Pyramid to Goat Hill

Pyramid Trail - South Mountain

National Trail - South Mountain

Lost Ranch Mine Trail

Prospector Loop - South Mountain

Partners

partners

Bobzilla

lmarie0130

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

Got out for a hike with my oldest son and his wife, in town from NC. The location of the Bursa TH has changed since the last time I hiked here.

We attacked this balloon loop CCW, hitting up the steady climb on Pyramid Trail to the National. After a break atop Goat Hill we made our way down what I think used to be called the Eliminator Trail (Now part of the Prospector Loop). First time on the trail and was surprised by the lack of switchbacks.

Pretty quiet out there with only a handful of hikers.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

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

Dec 01 2025

Bluff Spring Mountain Loop

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Charlebois from Peralta TH

Bluff Spring Mountain Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 01 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	16.19 Miles	2,932 AEG

Hiking	16.19 Miles	7 Hrs 53 Mns		2.23 mph
	2,932 ft AEG	38 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Bluff Springs Trail #235

Terrapin Trail #234

Dutchman Trail #104

Partners

partners

joebartels

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

It’s Superstition season again.

A 7:10 start with the sun just starting to rise, temps in the 50s, and a light breeze blowing—how does it get any nicer? There was a van in the parking lot with a camera crew of some sort just getting packed up; we would see them again at the end of our hike. Not a clue what was going on there. The road in to Peralta was in mostly great shape, with only a couple of areas where you needed to slow down to avoid some rutting.

Bluff Springs Trail #235
There’s been a bit of work at the beginning of this trail to fix some washouts. Cardiac Hill still gets the heart pumping. Sure feels like more than a 500' climb.

Terrapin Trail #234
We opted to do this balloon loop clockwise to avoid the steep, loose drop from Terrapin Pass to the Dutchman Trail. This worked out well. There are a few areas on the Terrapin Trail where we actually had to consult our GPS; it’s a bit thin in spots.

Dutchman Trail #104
The Dutchman is a collection of friendly grades, running water, large trail-side boulders, and hints of fall. We took a break for lunch in a dry spot across from Oak Spring in LaBarge Creek, amongst the colorful cottonwoods.

We took the Dutchman back to the Bluff Spring Trail, where we ultimately retraced our steps back to the TH.

We did not see a single person the entire day until we were within 2 miles of the TH. Temps were perfect all day. I don’t think we went more than 15 minutes without seeing and/or hearing water. There were quite a few areas of wildflowers of all types. Get out and enjoy all the greenness of the Supes.

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Barks Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle

	Bluff Spring Mountain Canyon	Light flow	Light flow

	Music Canyon	Light flow	Light flow

_____________________

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

Nov 27 2025

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Andrews - Kinsey Trail FHP

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Nov 27 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	6.81 Miles	1,365 AEG

Hiking	6.81 Miles	2 Hrs 25 Mns		2.94 mph
	1,365 ft AEG	6 Mns Break	4 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Andrews - Kinsey Trail MSP

Peak Spur Trail - MSP

Partners

9 partners

	John10s	johnlp
	JuanJaimeiii	LindaAnn
	rayhuston	TboneKathy
	Tortoise_Hiker	trekkin_gecko
	wallyfrack

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

My first Thanksgiving Day hike with this crew. Remembering some of their past triplogs, wind and cold seemed to be the theme. The temps were perfect but the wind made an appearance. A 6:30 start in the dark gave way to a colorful sunrise.

The trail showed signs of damage from the recent deluges, but I'm sure it'll be back to it's near paved appearance in no time.

Good to see JJ and Ray Ray again... It's been awhile, and to meet TBoneKathy.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

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

Nov 08 2025

Christopher Creek @ Highline Trail

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

High Sees, AZ

Hiking		Nov 08 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	11.43 Miles	1,983 AEG

Hiking	11.43 Miles	4 Hrs 48 Mns		2.48 mph
	1,983 ft AEG	11 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

See Spring Trail #185

See Canyon Trail #184

Drew from See Canyon TH

Highline Trail #31

Partners

none

no partners

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

This is a hike to See Spring, See Canyon, and the Highline Trail to the Drew Trail.

I was jonesing for some color, and this was my last chance to get a color hike in for a while.

See Spring Trail #185
Based on the popularity of this trailhead (TH) in the fall, I knew I needed an early start. It was 40 degrees at 7:30 a.m. at the TH, and there were about six parking spots remaining. I passed a few people on my way to See Spring. There was still color remaining, but it was probably a week past prime. Getting there early bypassed the crowds, but it also didn't allow time for the sun to get high enough in the sky to light up the maples. There were two groups camping at the spring.

See Canyon Trail #184
Next, I thought I'd sample this trail to check out the color there. There were pockets of color, but nothing spectacular. Originally, I was going to hike to the rim and back, but the smoke from campfires had me turning around just above Nappa Spring.

I started seeing more and more people. Close to the turnoff for See Spring, I passed a conga line of 30+ hikers. I half expected to see a Greyhound bus when I got back to the parking lot.

Highline - Drew from See Canyon
@Tortoise_Hiker turned me on to this section for fall color a couple of years back. It's his little slice of maple pie. Colors were good here, and I only saw two people (a plus). I went past where Denny normally turns around and continued to the Drew Trail. Some of the best color of the day was through this section.

Of note, there is trail work going on to improve the track. It looks like they might be working east to west and even doing some more reroutes. I hiked down one reroute that is still in progress about a mile west of the intersection with the Drew Trail.

https://www.nationalforests.org/regiona ... initiative

Back at the parking lot, it was a zoo. Cars were parked more than three-quarters of a mile away along the side of the road, making it a single-lane road.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Wild Strawberry

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
A week or so past prime

Light flow

	See Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	A heavy flow of moistness

_____________________

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

Nov 03 2025

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Little Granite Mountain - McDowells

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Nov 03 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	8.35 Miles	585 AEG

Hiking	8.35 Miles	2 Hrs 41 Mns		3.11 mph
	585 ft AEG		2 LBS Pack

Linked

7 linked trail guides

Bootlegger Trail - MSPN

Saddlehorn Trail - MSPN

Coyote Canyon Trail - MSPN

Coyote Canyon Loop - MSPN

Cow Poke Trail - MSPN

Granite Mountain Trail - MSPN

Partners

none

no partners

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

I hadn't been out here in awhile and it's always an enjoyable walk through the boulders. The cloud cover made it even a more enjoyable walk. There were a handful of bikes but mainly hikers out, I maybe passed 10 or so. All the trails are in great shape.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Brittlebush Fairy Duster Sacred Datura Saguaro - Crested

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Little Granite Mountain - MSP North

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

_____________________

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

Oct 23 2025

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Windgate Bell Loop

Inspiration Point via Windgate

Windgate Bell Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Oct 23 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	9.91 Miles	2,090 AEG

Hiking	9.91 Miles	3 Hrs 44 Mns	2.69 mph
	2,090 ft AEG	3 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Gateway Loop Trail - MSP

Bell Pass Trail - MSP

Windgate Pass Trail - MSP

Partners

none

no partners

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

I had not hit up the Micky D's in awhile and the temps cooperated. I did the CCW loop from the Gateway TH passing the normal crowd that was doing the Gateway Loop. Off of that section, I only saw 2 people and none on the east side of the passes.

All the recent rain has turned the desert into what looks like Ireland with all the green. Also was surprise at the amount of flowers that were blooming.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Parish's goldeneye

Wildflowers Observation Light

_____________________

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

Oct 20 2025

Humphreys via Inner Basin

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Inner Basin to Hump Saddle, AZ

Hiking		Oct 20 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	21.10 Miles	4,602 AEG

Hiking	21.10 Miles	9 Hrs 22 Mns		2.58 mph
	4,602 ft AEG	1 Hour 11 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

Linked

linked

Inner Basin Trail #29

Weatherford Trail #102

Partners

partners

joebartels

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

We headed North to catch the last bit of color of the Inner Basin.

The road to the Inner Basin is still closed, so it's an added 3.1-mile road walk each way to access the trailhead (TH). The walk went quickly enough, and it definitely helped keep the peeper traffic down.

The aspens in the area from the TH to the Waterline Road are still popping for the most part. There is plenty on the ground, but that just adds to the ambiance. They should be good through the weekend at least.

Once on the Waterline, they are still showing off until things open up by the Bus Stop area. Those aspens are completely void of leaves.

The road from the bus stop heading west out of the meadow has been recently graded, filling in all of the washout crevices that used to exist. The beginning of the Inner Basin has also been fixed and was not as rough as it used to be.

We cruised on the Weatherford Trail, making our way to the Humphreys Saddle where we took in the views and had some lunch. The peak was not in the cards; our excuse was the amount of available daylight.

We traced our steps back to the TH, finishing at dusk.

Nice temps throughout. We passed a smattering of people on our road walk up. On the way down, in the aspens, we passed a mother with two children (who without a doubt finished in the dark), and a few bikes passed us.

Good to get in this classic fall hike and catch up with Joe-Joe the wonder chimp.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Aircraft

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
Aspens in the area from the TH to the Waterline road are still strong. Lots-o-leave litter on the ground adds to the experience. Aspens in the Bus Stop area have long lost their luster.

	Doyle Spring	Dry	Dry
	There is no evidence of any spring in the area

_____________________

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

Oct 06 2025

Upper Buck Spring Canyon - Mogollon Rim

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Payson, AZ

Upper Buck Spring Canyon - Mogollon Rim

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Oct 06 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	5.15 Miles	340 AEG

Hiking	5.15 Miles	2 Hrs 23 Mns		2.34 mph
	340 ft AEG	11 Mns Break	8 LBS Pack

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

Ladyeagle

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

Deb and I first did this hike in 2010. It's an easy hike with a dependable color show. It seemed we were a week or so away from peak foliage, but it was still worthy. Hopefully, the forecasted winds and rain don't knock too many more leaves from the trees.

We saw one person turkey hunting while we ate our lunch at the Buck Springs Cabin.

Temperatures and weather were picture-perfect.

We came in on FR300 from the west, driving the 22 miles to our turn at FR137. The first 19 miles were in good to great condition. After that (and when we later continued east on FR300), the road is in rough condition until you hit the A/S boundary.

We attempted to stop at Knoll Lake on the way out, but the entire area is currently closed. They are trying to eradicate the nonnative Green Sunfish to protect the native fish.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Upper Buck Spring

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Upper Buck Spring

Dry

Upper Buck Springs Canyon

Dry

_____________________

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

Oct 02 2025

Ocotillo Trail - Sonoran Preserve North

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Apache Wash Loops, AZ

Hiking		Oct 02 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	6.44 Miles	740 AEG

Hiking	6.44 Miles	2 Hrs 1 Min	3.19 mph
	740 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Ridgeback Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Sidewinder Trail - Sonoran Perserve N

Javelina Pass Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Apache Wash Trail - Sonoran Preserve N

Partners

none

no partners

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

Saw my first Danger Noodle in a while and hundreds of caterpillars in a few sections. Many of which had secum to bike wheels. 70's to start, 90 to finish.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] White-lined Sphinx Caterpillar

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

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

Sep 30 2025

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Sep 30 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	6.61 Miles	1,881 AEG

Hiking	6.61 Miles	2 Hrs 32 Mns	2.68 mph
	1,881 ft AEG	4 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

Tortoise_Hiker

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

Got out for a hike with the Turtle. The trail has taken a bit of a hit from the recent rains, but was still in good shape. 70's to start with a bit-o-breeze throughout. Only saw one couple until we got back to the TH.

Good catching up with Denny.

As HAZ does, you rock too.

_____________________

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

2 archives

Sep 26 2025

English Point Red Trail - IPNF

Guides 42
Routes 1,740
Photos 15,366
Triplogs 2,867

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

English Pt Red Yellow Green Blue trails, ID

Hiking		Sep 26 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,867

Hiking	5.94 Miles	477 AEG

Hiking	5.94 Miles	1 Hour 59 Mns	3.05 mph
	477 ft AEG	2 Mns Break

Linked

linked

English Point Yellow Trail - IPNF

Partners

partners

LindaAnn

trekkin_gecko

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

This was the last hike of the trip that we thought we'd have time for. It's an easy walk through a pleasant wooded area close to Hayden.

Surprise, surprise it finally happened.

After the hike we left for the airport, then returned when we got the announcement the the flight had been delayed until later in the day because of storms in Phoenix. Long story short we spent the night at the airport for a flight leaving 7am the next day, that did not take off until 4:30pm with 17 people on board.

Hike
Peaks: 0
Lakes: 0
Moose: 1

Trip Summary
Peaks: 3
Lakes: 11
Moose: 1

_____________________

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

Sep 25 2025