Basin Trail #600 • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Plan was to loop Snowshed and Greenhouse. Got started a little bit late, so brought lights just in case. Herb Martyr Trail was steep but pretty. Snowshed was not as steep, but rougher. Loved both; beautiful terrain up there.

We decided to do the out and back to Snowshed Peak. The first half is easy, then it gets overgrown. Looks like they've done some work on the first half.

Headed towards Chiricauhua via an alleged trail north of Aspen Peak, which my map shows but clearly does not exist in any meaningful form. Would have been easier just to go up and over.

Chiricauhua Peak was comparatively easy. I had been up from Rustler Park a few years ago, so nothing new.

Greenhouse Trail was cold. Creek was mostly frozen, as was Winn Falls.

Made it back to the car just as the sun was starting to set.

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2 archives

Sep 16 2020

markthurman53

Guides 128
Routes 622
Photos 7,402
Triplogs 502

67 male

Joined Jun 27 2015
Tucson, Arizona

Basin Trail Loop, AZ

Hiking		Sep 16 2020
		markthurman53

Hiking	10.89 Miles	2,145 AEG

Hiking	10.89 Miles	5 Hrs 21 Mns		2.48 mph

	2,145 ft AEG	57 Mns Break	15 LBS Pack

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Basin Trail #600

Ash Spring Trail #247A

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I am back in Arizona and decided to get in a hike or two in the Chiricahua Mountains. It is nice to be on a hike that has some elevation change. I thought I would start out with an easy fairly level hike to get back in shape so I chose the Basin Trail. Since it is a long drive here and the last 24 miles to Portal is a winding dirt road I made a two day trip out of this. The weather was in the low 80's but in the sun it was a bit hot.

I started the hike on the north end of the Basin Trail along FR42 at the signed trail head. The trail immediately starts a climb of about 500 feet to cross over into Greenhouse Canyon. In this area it is mainly oak juniper forest. Just over the crest the trail comes across Welch Seep, about 100 yards off trail. There was no water but from the green grasses it must be damp. The trail all the way to Greenhouse Creek is in good condition. There are mediocre views from this trail of Winn Falls in Cima Creek. Greenhouse creek had spotty water. From Greenhouse Creek the trail follows FR713 for about .7 miles where it exits the road and becomes a trail again as it heads toward Ash Spring and then continues on to the Herb Martyr Trail. about 5.1 miles total. Ash Spring and Cave creek both had water. I returned along the Herb Martyr Trail to the campground and then took the Ash Spring Trail back up to the Basin Trail and returned along the Basin Trail. I am considering this trail from FR 42 to the Herb Martyr Trail as the Basin Trail #600. Seems like a logical division of the trail and the signs seem to indicate this. The forest service web site has some different break down of the Greenhouse Canyon Trail, Ash Spring Trail and the Basin Trail. What's in a name as long as you get where you want to go.

Saw lots of white tail deer and they were quite unafraid of humans. Other than birds no other wildlife. I only saw one person the whole day and they were at the Herb Martyr Campground, bird watchers I think. The air was hazy/dusty/Smokey so the views weren't spectacular as they usually are here. I was planning for tomorrow to hike up the Herb Martyr to the Snowshed Trail then up to the crest and return on the Greenhouse Trail but with heat I experienced today I decided I better put that off for another trip (darn it means I will be forced to come up here again). I stayed the night in the Portal Peak Lodge and had dinner there and planned what tomorrows hike would be.

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Apr 05 2008

sumnergeo

Guides 2
Routes 1
Photos 44
Triplogs 24

76 male

Joined Mar 26 2004
Houston, TX

Basin Trail #600

Tucson, AZ

Basin Trail #600

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2008
		sumnergeo

Hiking	3.00 Miles	500 AEG

Hiking	3.00 Miles	5 Hrs	0.60 mph

	500 ft AEG

no routes

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Greenhouse Trail #248

Snowshed & Greenhouse Loop

Herb Martyr #247

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Trail Head, FR 42, 31.89947, 109.23878, 6263 feet

This is oak, pinyon, juniper, and yucca country. A friend from Portal and I started early on another perfect early Spring day to enjoy the view and do some trail work on the Basin Trail (#600). We spent half a day brushing, improving the tread and clearing a couple of large trees from the trail. The creek coming down from Centella Point (North Fork of Cave Creek?) was running well but no problem to cross. The ceanothus was in early bloom otherwise not too many flowers. Since the trail runs along the west side of the Cave Creek Basin there are perfect views of Silver Peak, Portal Peak, Sulphur Peak, Snowshed Ridge and Snowshed Peak. Footing treacherous through shaley areas - good fosssils in the limestones; limestone, sandstone and shale of the Bisbee Formation. The Greenhouse Trail Creek was also running but the drainage coming from Welch Seep was dry.

It's about three miles to the jeep trail (FR713) that runs from FR 42A to the Greenhouse (#248) trail head, so our out and back took the morning. With the work we did on the Herb Martyr and Ash Spring Trails (#247 and 247A) earlier in the week, the combined trails from FR 42 to Snowshed Ridge (about 8 miles) are now clear of downed timber.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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it's the only earth we have

Apr 05 2008

sumnergeo

Guides 2
Routes 1
Photos 44
Triplogs 24

76 male

Joined Mar 26 2004
Houston, TX

Ash Spring Trail #247A

Tucson, AZ

Ash Spring Trail #247A

Tucson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2008
		sumnergeo

Hiking	2.00 Miles	400 AEG

Hiking	2.00 Miles	1 Hour	2.00 mph

	400 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

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Basin Trail #600

Herb Martyr #247

Greenhouse Trail #248

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Trip Log: Ash Spring Trail (#247A), April 5 2008

Trail Head, Herb Martyr lower parking lot, 31.87255, 109.23475, 5832 feet

I started this 2-mile loop late in the day after working on and walking the Basin Trail. It was another perfect day and the slanting light made it all the better. I walked it in the reverse direction, first to FR713 to the trail intersection; the trail contours south to the spring and old homestead (check out the old apple tree - still has a few flowers). This first half is all in live oaks and pinyons with some junipers, yucca and a few century plants. Past the spring, the trail enters the valley with Cima Creek. Just past the gate near the spring, keep an eye out for the best pine drops I've seen in the Chiricahuas. This is also birding country.

Back to the parking lot in less than an hour, with after cutting out a good-sized silver leaf oak near the junction with the Herb Martyr Trail (#247).

_____________________

it's the only earth we have

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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