GRAND CANYON COUNCIL, BSA ARIZONA TRAILS BOOK
APPENDIX 2 Grandview Trail, Grand Canyon National Park From Grand Canyon National Park web-site: http://www.nps.gov/grca.com
By Mike Lanza, BACKPACKER Northwest Editor, June 1, 2003
Unlike other South Rim footpaths that pick their way down dark drainages, this aptly named route stays in the open, allowing constant canyon views. It's also narrow and steep--a stiff challenge coming back up. From the Grandview Point trailhead to a Colorado River overlook on Horseshoe Mesa, and back, you'll hike 8 miles. Go any season but high summer. drive time: Flagstaff: 1 1/2 hours guides: Official Guide to Hiking the Grand Canyon, by Scott Thybony ($12). Trails Illustrated map Grand Canyon National Park #207 (800-962-1643; www.backpacker.com/mapstore; $10). contact: Grand Canyon National Park, (928) 638-7888; www.nps.gov/grca Bright Angel Trail, South Rim
MAPS: 7.5 Minute Quadrants: Phantom Ranch 15 Minute Quadrants: Bright Angel Trails Illustrated: Grand Canyon National Park
ELEVATIONS: 1.5 Mile Rest house - 5720 ft. 3 - Mile Rest house (photo)- 4760 ft. Plateau Point (photo) - 3770 ft. Indian Gardens Campground - 3800 ft.
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Bright Angel Campground - 2546 ft.
MILEAGE: Indian Gardens Campground - 4.5 miles Plateau Point (photo)- 6 miles Bright Angel Campground - 9.6 miles (approximate distances)
ACCESS: The trailhead is located at the rim between the Bright Angel Lodge and the Hermit Road interchange. Parking can be found within 1/2 mile of the trailhead in parking lots D and E.
WATER AVAILABILITY: Drinking water is available (subject to pipeline breaks) throughout the year at Bright Angel Campground and Indian Gardens Campground. Water is available seasonally (May-September) at 1.5 mile and 3 mile rest houses.
CAMPSITES: Indian Gardens Campground is located 4.5 miles down the Bright Angel Trail. Drinking water, toilets, and a ranger station with medical facility and phones are located here. Bright Angel Campground is located 9.6 miles down the Bright Angel Trail and is accessed by the silver bridge over the Colorado River. Drinking water, flush toilets, a ranger station with a medical facility and an emergency phone are located here. A permit is required for all camping, and camping is in designated sites only.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION: Bright Angel is a steep and well-defined trail with a little shade, mostly in the morning and evening. It is the preferred trail for hiking to the South Rim from Bright Angel Campground. There is a toilet at the 1.5 mile rest house, and seasonal water is available at 1.5 mile and 3.0 mile rest houses. Indian Gardens is located 4.5 miles down the trail, there is water available here year round, as well as a ranger station. Plateau Point is an overlook 1.5 miles from Indian Gardens with little elevation change. It is the furthest recommended day hike from the South Rim. From Indian Gardens, the Bright Angel Trail continues down 4.5 miles to the silver bridge over the river to Bright Angel Campground. There is a rest house and emergency phone at Pipe Creek, before you reach the bridge. Drinking water is available year round at Bright Angel Campground.
Corridor Zone (with GREEN codes) Recommended for hikers without previous experience at Grand Canyon. Maintained trails. Purified water stations. Paved roads to trailheads. Toilets, signs, emergency 136
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phones, and ranger stations. Use of private livestock (horses and mules only) allowed only when specified on permit.
Threshold Zone (with YELLOW codes) Recommended for experienced Grand Canyon hikers. Non- maintained trails. Scarce water sources. Dirt roads to trailheads. Pit toilets. Use of private livestock (horses and mules only) allowed with permit only on Whitmore Trail and on designated roads and trails on the rim.
Primitive Zone* (with RED codes) Recommended for highly experienced Grand Canyon hikers with proven route-finding ability. Non-maintained trails and routes. 4-wheel-drive roads to trailheads. Occasional signs. No other developments. Use of private livestock (horses and mules only) allowed with permit only on the Ken Patrick Trail to Uncle Jim Trail to Uncle Jim Point and on designated roads on the rim.
Wild Zone* (with BLACK codes) Recommended for highly experienced Grand Canyon hikers with extensive route finding ability. Indistinct to non-existent routes require advanced route funding ability. Water sources scarce to non-existent. No other development. Use of private livestock is not allowed.
Primitive and Wild Zones are not recommended for use during summer months due to extreme high temperatures and the lack of reliable water sources.
The Backcountry Use Area Map is available as a PDF file. PDF files retain the look and feel of the original document (including typography, page layout, and graphics) and can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5. If you plan on printing the file, it may print faster if you download it to your computer.
PDF file - Backcountry Use Area Map - 557kb
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Code Use Area Name Management Zone Camping Type CBG Bright Angel Corridor Campground CCG Cottonwood Corridor Campground CIG Indian Garden Corridor Campground AK9 Clear Creek Threshold At Large Camping BF5 Horseshoe Mesa Threshold Designated Sites BL4 Horn Creek Threshold Designated Sites BL5 Salt Creek Threshold Designated Sites BL6 Cedar Spring Threshold Designated Sites BL7 Monument Creek Threshold Designated Sites BL8 Granite Rapids Threshold Designated Sites BM7 Hermit Creek Threshold Designated Sites BM8 Hermit Rapids Threshold Designated Sites NF9 Widforss Threshold At Large Camping NH1 Point Sublime Threshold Designated Sites SC9 Eremita Mesa Threshold At Large Camping BE9 Hance Creek Primitive At Large Camping BG9 Cottonwood Creek Primitive At Large Camping BH9 Grapevine Primitive At Large Camping BJ9 Cremation Primitive At Large Camping BN9 Boucher Primitive At Large Camping NA0 Walhalla Plateau Primitive At Large Camping NC9 Ken Patrick Primitive At Large Camping ND9 Robbers Roost Primitive At Large Camping NG9 Outlet Primitive At Large Camping NJO Swamp Ridge Primitive At Large Camping AH9 Vishnu Wild At Large Camping AJ9 Cheyava Wild At Large Camping AL9 Greenland Springs Wild At Large Camping AP9 Phantom Creek Wild At Large Camping AQ9 Trinity Creek Wild At Large Camping AR9 Scorpion Ridge Wild At Large Camping NB9 Thompson Canyon Wild At Large Camping
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Mogollon Rim Arizona Trail (Blue Ridge Segment) The Blue Ridge section of the Arizona Trail stretches across meadows, forests, and canyons from the top of the 2,000 foot Mogollon Rim to Arizona Highway 87 near Blue Ridge Campground. The trail's route across the Mogollon Rim Ranger District begins at General Springs Cabin. This Forest Service Work Station was named after a nearby water source discovered by General George Crook. Crook was famous for his campaigns against the Apaches in this area. Legend has it that he narrowly escaped a band of marauding hostiles here.
From the old cabin, the trail winds down General Springs Canyon to the Fred Haught Trail named after another historic resident. This leg of the Cabin Loop System leads the Arizona Trail to the top of Battleground Ridge. Here it offers good long distance views of the surrounding countryside before descending into East Clear Creek Canyon and crossing that small mountain stream just as it flows into Blue Ridge Reservoir.
Length: 8 miles
Rating: Moderate
Use: Light
Season: April to November
Hiking time: 3-4 hours one way
Notes: No motor vehicles
USGS Map(s): Dane Canyon, Blue Ridge Reservoir
Location: About 60 miles southeast of Flagstaff on paved and graveled Forest Roads and highways.
Access: Drive 55 miles south of Flagstaff to Clints Well on Forest Highway 3 (Lake Mary Road), then 9 miles southwest on AZ 87 to FR 300 (the General Crook Trail). Turn east about 6 miles to the General Springs trailhead. (FR 300
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Or turn north from Clints Well about 7.5 miles to the Blue Ridge Trailhead.
For more information contact: Happy Jack Info Center, P. O. Box 19664, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477- 2172, FAX 477-2173 or Mogollon Rim Ranger District, HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477-2255 FAX 527-8218
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Plateau Country Arizona Trail (Marshall Lake To Fisher Point) #87 Plentiful wildlife and great views of the San Francisco Peaks provide the major features of interest on this section of the state-spanning Arizona Trail. For the best views, begin at the Marshall Lake Trailhead. This vital wetland, which is more of a marsh than a lake, is frequented by bald eagles in winter and osprey in summer. Waterfowl and a variety of smaller hawks are generally present year- round.
The bulk of the trail winds across Anderson Mesa, a broad grassy upland dotted with widely spaced trees. The open character of the terrain here provides excellent opportunities to view the area's wildlife residents. Anderson Mesa supports a rich and diverse community of wild animals some of the larger and more visible are elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, wild turkey, Abert's squirrels, coyotes, and pronghorn antelope.
As you near Fisher Point and drop into Walnut Canyon, have your camera ready for some of the most photogenic views of the San Francisco Peaks available anywhere on the Forest. There are even some red rock cliffs here that are reminiscent of Oak Creek and the Grand Canyon.
Length: 5 miles
Rating: Moderate
Use: Light
Season: April through November
Hiking time: 2 hours
Notes: No motorized vehicles. Near Fisher Point you'll be sharing the trail with horseback riders from a local stable.
USGS Map(s): Flagstaff East
Location: 12 miles (about 30 minutes) southeast of Flagstaff on paved and
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Access: Best access to the Fisher Point end of the trail is via Sandy's Canyon Trailhead. Drive southeast out of Flagstaff 6 miles on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3). Just past the second cattle guard turn north (left) to the trailhead.
Marshall Lake Trailhead: Continue past Sandy's Canyon turnoff 9.2 miles to the FR 128 intersection. Turn left on FR 128 and drive 2.2 miles to the Marshall Lake trailhead.
For more information contact: Morman Lake Ranger District, 4825 S. Lake Mary Road, Flagstaff AZ 86001, (928) 774-1147
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Volcanic Highlands Arizona Trail (Equestrian Bypass) #87C This segment of the state-spanning Arizona Trail was designed to give the equestrian user a alternate route around Flagstaff to avoid the busy city traffic and also to provide a safe way to cross Interstate 40.
The trail follows the rim of Walnut canyon so have your camera ready, as the views are spectacular. There will be a variety of photo opportunities including scenic canyon shots to fabulous views of the San Francisco Peaks. There is also an abundance of wildlife. Keep your eyes open for elk, deer, antelope, squirrels, fox, coyote and many varieties of birds.
Length: 9 miles
Rating: Moderate
Use: Moderate
Season: April through November
Hiking time: 2 hours
Notes: No motorized vehicles. Near Fisher Point you'll be sharing the trail with horseback riders from a local stable. The trail is not installed as of this writing.
Elevation: 7,000' to 6,700'
USGS Map(s): Flagstaff East, Winona
Location: 3.8 miles southeast of Flagstaff, southeast of Continental Country Club.
Access: From Flagstaff, take Country Club Drive to Oakmont Drive and turn left. Oakmont Drive will turn into Forest Road 303, follow FR 303 for 3.8 miles to the trailhead parking which is located on the right.
From the trailhead, you can go north or south. The northern route continues for
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3.5 miles to Interstate 40. The southern route follows the rim of Walnut Canyon to Fisher Point and then across Walnut Canyon into the Morman Lake District of the Coconino National Forest. This portion of the Arizona Trail goes to Marshall Lake.
For more information contact: Peaks Ranger Station, 5075 N. Highway 89, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004, (928) 526- 0866
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Wilson Mountain/North Wilson Trails #10/#123 This hike heads straight for some of the most panoramic views in the Oak Creek Canyon/Sedona area. Plan a full day for it and start early - the climb up Wilson Mountain is a strenuous one. The majority of the 2300 foot climb is packed into the first mile or so of the hike. You'll have more reasons than just exertion to stop and take a breather along this route, however. The views start as soon as you leave the car and they just keep getting better.
There is shade along parts of this trail but enough of it is out in the open to make it hot work under a summer sun. An alternate, cooler route is provided by North Wilson Trail which starts just north of Encinoso Picnic Area, 3 miles up canyon from Midgely Bridge. The two trails join at a point midway up the mountain.
At the top you'll be rewarded with views that stretch over hundreds of square miles of scenic canyon country and include Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Coffee Pot Rock, Capitol Butte, Sterling Canyon and the Verde Valley.
Length: 5.6 miles
Rating: Strenuous
Use: Moderate
Season: April to November
Hiking time: 5 hours round trip
Notes: No mechanized vehicles in Wilderness. This trail can be hot in summer.
USGS Maps: Wilson Mtn., Munds Park
Location: 22 miles south of Flagstaff (2 miles north of Sedona) on paved roads in scenic Oak Creek Canyon. Elevation ranges from 4600' 148
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to 6900'.
Access: Drive 22 miles south of Flagstaff or 2 miles north of Sedona on U. S. 89A. The trailhead is just north of Midgely Bridge where you'll find a small parking lot and a monument to Richard Wilson who was killed by a grizzly in this area in 1885.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282-4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Mooney Trail #12 This trail was originally built to drive cattle to and from summer pastures on the rim and is still used for this purpose. Because of this relationship to ranching, this is a wide, well constructed trail. The trail begins next to Black Tank at the junction of FR's 525C and 9551. The trail turns due north along FR 9551A. The road ends at Sebra Tank and the foot path begins. Both of the two-track roads are rough but driveable. The wilderness boundary is along the 9551A road so take care not to drive off the road.
From Sebra Tank the trail follows Mooney Canyon for about a mile at which time it starts a steep ascent to the top to the rim. Views are outsanding not only from the top but all along the way. Shade is avaliable in the riparian zone of the canyon but once on the slopes of the canyon, shade become scarce. The trail tops out at the junction of Taylor Cabin and Casner Mountain trails. These trails offer some alternatives to returning by way of the same route. Please note that this can be a very hot hike during the warm months. Take plenty of water!
Length: 4.2 miles one way
Rating: Strenuous
Use: Light to moderate
Season: All year. Snow may be present in winter.
Hiking time: Plan on a full day.
Notes: No motorized or mechanized vehicles in Wilderness.
USGS Maps: Loy Butte
Location: About 40 miles south of Flagstaff (10 miles west of Sedona) on paved and gravelled roads.
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Access: Drive 30 miles south from Flagstaff through Sedona on US 89A. Five miles past Sedona turn north on FR 525 and follow the signs to Sycamore Pass. Turn west on FR 525C and continue for 5 miles to the trailhead. Watch for the trailhead sign on your right along FR 9551 next to Black Tank.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282-4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Harding Springs Trail #51 This trail originally was one of several that provided a way for cattlemen to drive their stock in and out of Oak Creek Canyon. For today's hiker, that means it's wider than most Oak Creek Canyon trails and not as steep as some. So, if you're looking for a gradual climb to the canyon rim, complete with rest stops along the way where you can enjoy the view both up and down canyon, you've found it.
All of Harding Springs Trail is in the shade of a mixed conifer forest characteristic of central Arizona canyons. That adds another to this trail's already impressive list of pluses by keeping it reasonably cool in summer. And when you top the rim, you have the option of continuing either north to Cookstove Trail or south to Thomas Point Trail to complete a loop hike. Then again, you may want to go back by the same friendly route that brought you here.
Length: 0.7 miles
Rating: Moderate to strenuous
Use: Moderate
Season: April to November
Hiking time: 1 hour round trip
Notes: No motorized vehicles.
USGS Maps: Mountainaire
Location: 17 miles south of Flagstaff (10 miles north of Sedona) on paved roads in scenic Oak Creek Canyon.
Access: Drive 17 miles south of Flagstaff or north 10 miles from Sedona to the entrance to Cave Springs Campground at about milepost 385.5. The Harding Springs trailhead is on the east side of the highway. Be careful to take the trail that leads uphill. The other one doesn't go much of anywhere.
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For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282-4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Thomas Point Trail #142 This is the southernmost of three trails that climb to the east rim of Oak Creek Canyon. Of the three, it offers the broadest and most varied views. However, it is also the hottest and longest. The Thomas Point Trail starts in a mixed conifer forest characteristic of Arizona canyons but quickly breaks out into more open chapparal. Above this point, vistas are broad and impressive with good views both down canyon, toward Sedona and the crimson bluffs near Slide Rock, and cross canyon to the steep cliffs of one of Oak Creek's largest tributaries, West Fork Canyon.
If you chose to continue all the way to the top, the trail winds through the manzanita and scrub oak to the canyon rim where you'll be rewarded with a nice view of the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, about thirty miles away.
Length: 1 mile
Rating: Moderate to strenuous
Use: Moderate
Season: April to November
Hiking time: 1-1.5 hours round trip
Notes: No motor vehicles. This trail can be hot and dry in summer. There is no water along this trail.
USGS Maps: Munds Park
Location: 17.5 miles south of Flagstaff (9.5 miles north of Sedona) on paved roads in scenic Oak Creek Canyon. Elevation is 5400 feet at the trailhead.
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Access: Drive south 17.5 miles south from Flagstaff or north 9.5 miles from Sedona to about halfway between milepost 385 and 384. The trailhead is on the east side of the highway across from a few houses. The best place to park is at the Call O' The Canyon day area about a quarter mile north of the trailhead. This is a fee parking area.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282-4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Casner Canyon Trail #11 Bring you wading shoes for this one. You'll be wading clear, cool Oak Creek early in the hike. According to historians, this trail was built to provide cattle grazers a means of getting their stock from water on the canyon floor to pastures on the canyon rim. Today, it is used by hikers and horsebackers for access into the heart of a landscape most people see only through their telephoto lens.
After crossing Oak Creek, the trail leads a short way up the floor of Casner Canyon before turning up the canyon's north slope. It then continues a long and sometimes steep climb to the canyon rim about a half-mile north of the Schnebly Hill Road overlook. The route it follows is a scenic one, right through the middle of some of the rock formations that make up the spectacular view from Sedona and Highway 89. Because shade is sparse, this can be a hard, hot climb on a sunny day. Bring lots of water along with your camera.
Length: 2 miles one way
Rating: Moderate to strenuous
Use: Moderate
Season: April to November
Hiking time: 1 hour one way
Notes: No motor vehicles. This trail can be hot and dry in summer.
USGS Maps: Munds Park
Location: 25 miles south of Flagstaff (2 miles north of Sedona) on paved roads in scenic Oak Creek Canyon. Elevation is 4400 feet at the trailhead.
Access: Drive 25 miles south from Flagstaff or 2 miles north from
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Sedona on US 89A. Park either on the west side of the highway across from a road blocked by a closed gate or at the Grasshopper Point recreation Area. If you park at Grasshopper, you'll have to follow Allens' Bend Trail to its intersection with Casner Canyon Trail. Allen's Bend Trail starts at the north end of the Grasshopper Point parking lot.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282- 4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Jacks Canyon Trail #55 You'll want to hike this trail all the way to the end and then some to gain access to the unique views it offers. Jacks Canyon Trail leads up the bottom of a rocky desert gorge where the vegetation is mostly high chaparral. Watch for desert cottontails and black-tailed jackrabbits scurrying through the thorny underbrush. Most likely you'll see some top-knotted Gambels quail, too, and hear them crowing from their hiding places as you pass by. Extensive stands of Arizona cypress carpet the canyon floor along with catclaw acacia, false palo verde, and banana yucca.
The trail starts by skirting the boundary of an outlying subdivision. It then follows an old jeep trail to Jacks Canyon Tank where it drops into the drainage bottom and proceeds along its moderate climb by crisscrossing the dry streambed. At the upper end of the canyon, the trail leaves the streambed to switchback to a high saddle connecting the Mogollon Rim and Munds Mountain. The views are good here, but they're even better a short, steep climb up the Munds Mountain Trail. From the top of Munds Mountain the panorama of the Red Rocks Country is as complete as it gets, including parts of Oak Creek Canyon, all of the major rock formations around Sedona and even the San Francisco Peaks in the distance.
Length: 5.7 miles
Rating: Moderate to strenuous
Use: Moderate
Season: March through November
Hiking Time: 3 hours
Notes: No motorized vehicles, no mechanized vehicles in Munds Mt. Wilderness.
USGS Map(s): Munds Mtn.
Location: 42 miles south of Flagstaff (11.5 miles east of Sedona) in scenic 162
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Red Rock Country.
Access: Drive south 30 miles out of Flagstaff on US 89A to the Rt 179 intersection in Sedona. Turn left at the traffic light and drive about 7.3 miles to Jacks Canyon Road (FR 793). Follow this road about 3 miles to the trailhead.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282- 4119
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Red Rock Country Vultee Arch Trail #22 A short, easy hike along the bottom of Sterling Canyon. The drainage is dry most of the year. Shade is available, but it would be wise to carry some water in the warm months.
The trail deadends at a bronze plaque place in memorium for Gerard and Sylvia Vultee who lost their lives in an aircraft crash on January 29, 1938. The actual crash site is more than a mile north and at a much higher elevation, on East Picket Mesa. On the north side of the canyon across from the plaque is the sandstone arch named for Vultee, an early aircraft designer from California. Just before the plaque site there is a junction with the Sterling Pass Trail which continues over into Oak Creek Canyon.
Length: 1.7 miles
Rating: Easy
Use: Heavy
Season: All year
Hiking time: 1 hour
Notes: Trail dead ends at a bronze plaque, dated January 29, 1938, placed in memorium of a plane crash. A sandstone arch, located on the north side of the canyon, is named for Vultee.
USGS Maps: Wilson Mtn.
Location: About 42 miles south of Flagstaff (12 miles west of Sedona) on paved and gravelled roads.
Access: Drive 27 miles south from Flagstaff to Sedona on US 89A. Continue through Sedona to Dry Creek Road (152C) at the west end of town. Turn right on Dry Creek Road and drive for two miles to Forest Road 152. This road is rough, but can be traveled by passenger vehicles.
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It is not recommended during wet weather. About 4.3 miles up this road you will reach a small sandy opening or turn-a-round. Park here and proceed hiking out the east end of the opening along a short jeep trail which deadends at a drainage. Continue on the foot path up the canyon.
For more information contact: Red Rock Ranger District, P.O. Box 300, Sedona AZ 86336, (928) 282- 4119
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Highline Trail #47 Length: 14.6 miles Rating: Difficult Use: Light
Season: April-December
Elevation: 7,000 feet to 7,600 feet
Description:
Highline Trail is nearly 15 miles from east to west as it follows contour lines from 7600 feet to about 7000 feet in elevation. The vegetation remains constant with ponderosa pine predominating. As the trail winds west, the pine trees thin out and juniper and oak brush become more numerous. Big game animals are indigenous to the entire area as well as smaller mammals and many species of birds including wild turkeys. Some wildflowers are in bloom most of the year and cattle graze the hillsides, emphasizing the multiple-use concept of our forests.
Notes:
Carry plenty of water and treat any water you find before drinking Raspberry Trail #35 starts on the other side of Highway 191 This trail ends at the junction of the Rim Trail #309 and accesses the following trails: Crabtree Trail #22, Salt House Trail #18, Chitty Creek Trail #37, McBride Mesa Trail #26, Squirrel Canyon Trail #34, Warren Canyon Trail #48, and Dry Prong Trail #45 Trail Log:
0.0 Strayhorse Campground 1.0 East Eagle Creek and Trail # 348 1.4 Junction with Crabtree Trail #22 1.5 Crabtree Creek 2.4 Salthouse Fire. Burned in 1959 3.5 Cabin ruins on bottom of Salthouse Creek. Junction with Salthouse Trail #18 6.7 Bottom of Chitty Creek and Junction of Chitty Trail #37 8.0 Junction with McBride Mesa Trail #26; Helispot 166 9.8 Helispot #167 10.7 Junction with road to Saunders Cabin 11.1 Saunders Cabin; junction with Squirrel Trail #34 14.6 Junction with Dry Prong Trail #45
USGS Maps: Hannagan - 302SW and 302SE
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Access: Take Highway 191 north from Clifton for 61 miles to Strayhorse Campground. The trail starts on the west side of the highway at the north end of the capground.
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Horse Canyon Trail #36
Length: 11 miles
Rating: Difficult Use: Light
Season: April - December
Elevation: 4,400 feet to 8,000 feet Description: This trail starts on the Blue River about 3 miles upstream from XXX Ranch. Next you will arrive at Horse Canyon Cabin and after that there are high ridges both to the north and the south. This trail accesses Trail #7, Bullard Peak, Maple Peak, Charlie Moore Mountain, and ends at the junction with Trail #310.
Notes:
This trail begins about three miles up-stream from the XXX Ranch on Forest Road 475 (Juan Miller Road). Trail Log:
0.0 Junction Blue River NW quarter of Section 17. Elevation: 4400 feet 2.8 Horse Canyon cabin 6.3 Junction with Wildbunch Trail #7 8.3 Maple Peak 9.9 Charlie Moore Mountain 11.0 Junction Baseline Trail #310, elevation 6800 feet
USGS Maps: Maple Peak, Fritz Canyon
Access: Via the Blue River upstream of XXX Ranch
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Strayhorse Canyon Trail #20 Length: 9.4 miles
Rating: Moderate
Use: Light
Season: April - December
Elevation: 8,200 feet
Description: A popular route to the Blue River, Strayhorse Canyon Trail #20 starts near Rose Peak Lookout. The trial starts in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forest. The vegetation changes to pinyon and juniper forest as you go down in elevation, towards Blue River.
About 0.5 miles down the trail you pass an abandoned cabin, this was the home for early fire lookouts at Rose Peak some 50 years ago. The cabin was located here to be close to water, large old pumps were left behind when the cabin was abandoned. Just off the trail to the east of the junction with Lengthy Trail #89 you will see the remains of another old cabin known as Strayhorse Cabin.
Exploratory mining took place near the bottom of the trail. These drill holes were not capped and you can hear water running in them if you listen carefully.
The trail enters the Blue Range Primitive Area just after you leave the information Kiosk. Therefore no bicycles or motorized use are allowed past this point.
Notes:
Bring drinking water. Treat any water you find before drinking. Shares a trailhead with Red Mountain Trail #25. Connects to Hagan Trail #31 and Lengthy Trail #89, and Blue River Trail #101. Trail Log:
1.4 Distance from US Highway 191 to Strayhorse Spring 5.6 Distance from Strayhorse Spring to junction at Hagan Trail # 31 1.0 Distance from junction at Hagan Trail # 31 to the junction at Lengthy Trail # 89 1.4 Distance from junction at Lengthy Trail # 89 to end of trail at Blue River
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USGS Maps: Rose Peak 325 NE and Dutch Blue 326 NW
Access: Take US Highway 191 North of Clifton for 49 miles. The trailhead is on the eastside.
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West Baldy Trail #94
Length: 14 miles, round trip from parking lot at Sheeps Crossing.
Rating: Moderate.
Use: Heavy from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Moderate at other times.
Season: May through October, depending on snowpack. Sometimes snowdrifts block portions of the trail as late as June.
Elevation: 9,000 feet to 11,200 feet.
Description:
The trail starts just out of the parking area and through the gate. Please take a moment to sign the visitor register. The trail is easy to follow as it cuts across a wide meadow and edges up to the West Fork of the Little Colorado. The trail follows the stream for the next two miles, climbing gradually. This stretch is the most heavily used portion of the trail and quite possibly the most heavily used trail on the Forest. If you have a problem with lots of other hikers, avoid this trail on weekends and holidays. As the trail begins a more noticeable climb, the crowds thin out. The trail crosses the West Fork over an old bridge and continues its uphill grade. The ascent is no vein-popper, but it can be taxing due to the steady climb and high elevation.
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The trail crosses meadows and winds through a thick forest setting dominated by spruce, fir and aspen. Beaver dams dot the streams and fishing on the West Fork is generally good. As you work your way up, the trail becomes a series of switchbacks. Please stay on the trail and resist the temptation to make your own shortcuts. This damages the soil, scars the land and causes erosion which could wash out the established trail and bring silt into the creek. The West Baldy Trail merges with the East Baldy Trail in a saddle near the Reservation boundary below Mt. Thomas. At this point you can see some new country and continue down to the other side, or turn around and see the trail you just came up from a different angle. Each trail is a 7 miles hike from this point. Many hikers park a vehicle at the Sheeps Crossing trailhead and another at the Phelps trailhead as shuttle vehicles. The summit of Mt. Baldy is on the White Mountain Apache Reservation and is closed to all non-tribal members. Please respect their customs and laws and do not travel to the top.
Notes:
This is a wilderness trail. Rules pertaining to wilderness areas apply and are enforced. No motorized vehicles, no bicycles and no power equipment are allowed in the wilderness. For more information on rules governing wilderness areas, please refer to the general information section of the Wilderness portion of this website. Do not drink from local water sources. They are untreated. Carry your own water or bring water purification equipment. Please sign in and out at the trailhead register. Let someone know where you'll be and when you expect to return. Group size limits are 12 for hiking and riding and 6 for camping. This is the second half of Trail #94, which begins in Greer off Osborne Road. For a full description of that trail, please refer to the West Fork Trail #94.
USGS Maps: 279NE, Mt Ord, AZ; 280NW, Big Lake NW, AZ.
Access:
The trailhead is located at Sheeps Crossing, off of AZ 273.
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General Crook Connector Trail #140
Length: 12.5 miles
Rating: Moderate for hikers
Use: Light
Season: Spring to early winter
Elevation: 6,370 feet to 6,900 feet
Description:
This connector was built to link the White Mountain Trail System to the historic General Crook Trail. The trail begins at the west end of Lewis Canyon Campground. From there it travels west through several beautiful canyons. After six miles it crosses Forest Road 132 into the Heber Ranger District. Approximately 6.5 miles later, the trail joins the General Crook Trail.
The General Crook Trail is a designated Arizona State Historic Trail running from Fort Verde to Cottonwood Wash on the Mogollon Rim. The trail follows a route created by General George Crook in the 1870's.
Although the net change in elevation is not very great, there are a lot of short and steep sections on this trail. Geology buffs may notice the rocks in this area are smooth and rounded. This type of rock is called Mogollon gravel. It was deposited here by some ancient body of water before the Mogollon Rim was lifted to its present place.
Access:
From the trailhead kiosk at the west end of Lewis Canyon Campground follow the trail west, past the intersection for Juniper Ridge Trail. To access the trail around its midpoint, continue on State Highway 260 past the Pinedale turnoff for about 2 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 132. After driving approximately 3.5 miles, look for blue diamonds on either side of the road.
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The General George Crook Trail # 140 Length: 57 miles on the district, 138 miles total. Rating: Moderate. Use: Light to moderate. Season: Spring through Fall.
Elevation: 6,500 to 7,900 feet.
Description: The Crook Trail is named after General George Crook, the Commander of the Military Department of Arizona in 1871, who was in charge of subduing the Apache Indians and confining them to reservations. General Crook, who was known as "Gray Wolf" by the Apaches, rode mules along the trail as they were more sure-footed than horses. The trail was built under Crook's command in 1872 to connect Fort Whipple, the Arizona military headquarters near Prescott, and Fort Apache. Supplies and troops were moved to Fort Apache on this trail and for 22 years the trail was used as a route to patrol the northern boundary of the Apache Reservation.
The trail is located in northern Arizona within 3 National Forests: the Prescott, Coconino, and the Apache-Sitgreaves. Originally 200 miles in length, 138 miles are maintained today and 57 miles are located within the Chevelon/Heber Ranger Districts. The maintained trail begins in Dewey, near Prescott, and proceeds east through Camp Verde, up along the Mogollon Rim, and finally ends at Cottonwood Wash near the community of Pinedale.
The trail is marked with intervisible chevrons (V's) on the trees adjacent to the trail. The trail merges with Forest Road 300 on top of the Rim. A few mileposts with mileage indicated from Camp Verde have been placed along the trail by local clubs and groups. Many portions of the trail are not maintained as a footpath. Instead the chevrons "blaze" the route to follow.
Portions of the trail are suitable for hiking and equestrian use and, in the winter, for cross-country skiing. Connecting trails on the west end provide a connection with the Highline Trail at the base of the Rim on the Tonto National Forest.
Notes:
No overnight camping is allowed within the 200-foot wide corridor of the trail or within 1/4 mile from water sources; this allows wildlife to use the water sources, too. The use of motorized vehicles is prohibited unless otherwise designated and signed.
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USGS Maps: Woods Canyon, Heber, Clay Springs, O W Point, Day Spring, Outlaw Draw, and Brookbank Point.
Access:
The trail can be accessed on the Chevelon/Heber Ranger Districts from the west by means of Forest Road 300 south of Knolls Lake. An easy way to find the trail is by visiting the Rim Visitor Center on State Highway 260. The trail passes just east of the Center and is well-marked. There are also numerous roads south of State Highway 260 that bisect the trail. Major trailheads are at Military Sinkhole and Al Fulton Point.
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Mogollon Rim General Crook Trail #130 This is a section of the trail which famous Indian fighter General George Crook blazed from Camp Verde to Fort Apache. Besides being of historic note, the Crook Trail follows one of the more striking geologic features in Arizona, the Mogollon Rim. This 2,000 foot escarpment, named for one of the Spanish colonial governors of New Mexico, forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. The trail plays tag with the edge of this 400 mile-long cliff and the road that parallels it across the Forest. At a number of places the path crosses the road to hug the rim and offer spectacular views of the state's central mountains and desert. Four Peaks, the Sierra Anchas, and the Mazatzals stand out among the scenery. At night, the lights of Payson wink up from 2,000 feet down and 15 miles away.
If you would rather not hike all of the trail's 25 miles, you can easily retrace just a part of the route. Nearby roads, most notably FR 300, provide easy access to all portions of the trail. Portions of this trail are part of the Cabin Loop Trail system.
Length: 25 miles
Use: Moderate
Rating: Easy
Season: April to late November
Notes: No motor vehicles
USGS Maps: Dane Canyon
Hiking time: Up to three days
Location: 65 miles (about 2 hours) south of Flagstaff in the cool pines of Mogollon Rim country.
Access: Drive about 55 miles south of Flagstaff on Forest Highway 3. Turn
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GRAND CANYON COUNCIL, BSA ARIZONA TRAILS BOOK south (right) on AZ 87 and drive 9 miles to FR 300. You'll find a number of access points along this road. FH 3 and AZ 87 are paved. FR 300 is graveled and suitable for passenger vehicles except during winter when it is closed.
For more information contact: Happy Jack Info Center, P. O. Box 19664, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477- 2172, FAX 477-2173 or Mogollon Rim Ranger District, HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477-2255 FAX 527-8218
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Last modified: 9/98
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Home | About Us | RECREATION | Management | Help Recreation: Mogollon Rim Rim Road/General Crook Trail Loop One of the most striking geologic features in Arizona is the Mogollon Rim. This steep escarpment, measured in thousands of feet and hundreds of miles, begins just across the border in New Mexico and stretches diagonally two thirds of the way across Arizona. As such, it forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau and stands as one of the most impressive overlooks in the Grand Canyon State.
That precipitous drop-off is the star of this scenic drive, part of which traces the rim's edge across the Coconino. In so doing, it follows another feature of interest, the General Crook Trail which the famous Indian fighter blazed to his stronghold at Fort Apache.
When you're not on the rim, you'll still find much to see along this drive, as it winds through a forest well populated with wildlife and gives you a taste of canyon country in scenic East Clear Creek and Barbershop canyons.
Location: Drive 50 miles south from Flagstaff to Clints Well. The scenic drive starts here. Head 9 miles north on AZ 87 to FR 95. Follow FR's 95, 96, and 321 a total of 19 miles to FR 300, then 17 miles west (right) to AZ 87 and 9 miles back to Clint's Well.
Length: 154 miles round trip from Flagstaff, 54 miles round trip from Clints Well
Season: April through November
Attractions: Panoramic views off the Mogollon Rim, Photography, Wildlife watching, Fall colors, Hiking, Mountain biking
Road Condition: FH 3 and AZ 87 are paved. All Forest Roads are gravelled and suitable for sedans. Forest Roads are closed in winter.
Driving Time: 4 hours (154 miles) from Flagstaff, 2 hours (54 miles)
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from Clints Well.
For more information contact: Happy Jack Info Center, P. O. Box 19664, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477-2172, FAX 477-2173 or Mogollon Rim Ranger District, HC 31, Box 300, Happy Jack AZ 86024, (928) 477-2255 FAX 527-8218
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