Today we plan an easy 5 mile one-way hike, easy because the trail is an old road that was converted into a hiking trail and where motorized traffic is forbidden even though we still encounter it from time to time on the trails. There is no monsoon today but it rained almost continously for the last two weeks and we expect to see mushrooms and are not disappointed they are seemingly everywhere in the woods. Unfortunately not many of them are edible as we intended to pick up a few and eat them at home.
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| Start of the trail | Flat and easy to follow trail/road |
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| Mushrooms are everywhere | Not that many are edible though |
Along the way we do not meet any other humans except a few ATVs lost at the end of the trail. However what we do meet are animals, from chipmunks all the way to deer and elks. Elks are especially troublesome as they like to wait and jump at the last second which is quite scary with such a huge animal suddenly appearing from the brush.
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| Meeting the elks | Also some deers |
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| Quite a few chipmunks | Monsoon lake |
The canyon views unfortunately are not that great as there isn't a clean view of the valley. Still we enjoy walking along the Rim a bit, admiring the green moss before starting on our return hike towards the car. The return hike is uneventful if you don't count the jumping elk and in what seems no time at all we are back at the car and ready to return to Phoenix.
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| Chevelon Canyon View | Nice moss |
We have just returned from Iceland and we still are under the weather from the cold we caught during the trip so today we do not plan any longer hikes except a few short jaunts on trails between Payson and Pine. The first trail is a short hike up a hill with some good views however what we will remember most is the small UFO we find in the forest as it is quite unexpected and whimsical. Returning to the car we continue to a close by overlook over the Verde River to eat lunch and hike a bit.
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| Climbing up the abandoned road | UFO lost in the woods |
After a quick lunch we explore the area a bit - close to our parking spot a trail starts towards some cliffs overlooking the Verde River. The views are quite nice and the cliffs are impressive, we even hear people rock-climbing as we walk on top so it seems to be a popular rock climbing spot. As we take in the views we find a historic inscription from the early 20th century so the spot was popular even then which makes sense as water is quite scarce in Arizona so any river must have been an attraction.
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| Overlook view of Verde River Valley | East Verde River in the distance |
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| Nice overlook of the Verde River | Historical inscription |
To end our day we stop at the Pine Trailhead for a short one mile hike on the Arizona Trail. Unfortunately the first part of the trail passes near the village of Pine so it is less remote than we would have liked but afterwards the trail is deserted and it passes near a beautiful lake which we feel is a great turnaround point after the short hike. Before returning home we stop in Payson at a small diner to eat a good cheap dinner and afterwards quite satiated we make our way back to Phoenix to end what was ultimately a nice nature outing even without any longer hikes.
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| Arizona trail entrance | Lake near trail |
With the solar eclipse we have lost all the mushrooms collected during the mushroom foray so we are quite keen to try again in the same general area and see if we can find anything for at least one dish. We have been in the area once before and at that point we were impressed by the number of mushrooms however now it is a little bit later in the season and colder. We first stop at the Arizona Trailhead and hike for some time following the trail but unfortunately we find only one lobster mushroom which is already dessicated.
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| Arizona Trail start | The Trail - not a good place to meet bicycles |
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| Old tree near the trail | Lobster mushroom - our first find |
We continue to a spot where we have found quite a few mushrooms a year ago but this time is surprisingly empty. No matter how hard we search it seems we have arrived too late in the season and finally defeated we return to the car. At least even though we did not find any mushrooms we see quite a few animals from the many squirrels preparing for the winter to the deer which are watching us cautiously from a distance.
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| Squirrel fattening for the winter | Deer in the forest |
Given that we are quite unlucky today with the mushrooms we decide to end the day with a short hike up a side road - it is quite scenic however as the sun is falling below the horizon it is getting quite cold so we return to the car to return to Phoenix without any bagged mushrooms unfortunately.
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| Picturesque road | Quite photogenic |
Each week we are looking for a place to hike where we haven't been before and this time we have found what seems to be an interesting ridge hike on a road that is accessed by what is almost a 4x4 road. From the place we stop we estimate it is an 5 mile hike to the end of the Fire Control road with most of it being level. We are surprised at how good the road is especially in the beginning, probably better than the access road which likely scared most people as we meet only one more (stopped) car on the way.
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| Our starting point | The road looks to be in good shape |
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| Mogollon Rim View | You can see far in the distance |
The hike is very enjoyable and the miles go by quite fast and after a few hours we arrive at the end of the road where we supposedly and according to the signs meet a few hiking trails. However even after looking for some minutes we cannot find any trails that continue from the signs, it is quite weird in that way.
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| None of this trails really seem to exist | End of road and trail |
Returning during dusk we are surprised at the number of animals we meet on the way. While we meet deer and squirrels as expected the animal that seems to be most common is the elk - they are everywhere and seemingly it is mating season. The bugling of elk in the coming darkness is eerie and there are herds running left and right in front of us, it is quite special even though we have to be as careful as possible not to scare them - they are quite a bit bigger than us :). Returning to the car we have no trouble with the exit road and soon are on our way back to Phoenix after a special day.
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| Looks like a petrified troll | Real live deer |
This week's hike we had an eye on for some time but the weather never seemed right. However today it is unseasonably warm and it is past monsoon season so we have no good excuse to avoid it:). It is a 5 mile hike on a closed road up to the fire control watchtower on top of O'Leary Peak with an altitude differential of about 2000 ft so it is quite a good calorie burner. We start in the empty parking lot and the beginning of the hike is actually quite flat as we pass the Sunset crater lava flow.
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| Start of trail/road to peak | Fall is here |
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| This is volcano land | Growing in the lava |
Soon the trail starts to climb, mostly gently, using quite a few switchbacks to the tower that seems out of reach whenever we catch a glimpse of it. The views of the area are magnificent - this is an advantage of leaving in Arizona with relatively fewer trees even at altitude.
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| That is our goal - still a lot to go | Sunset crater |
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| Lava field | Flagstaff is right in the path of the lava field |
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| Still a bit to go | Getting closer |
As we walk we get into a rhythm and the miles pass almost imperceptibly and suddenly we are at the base of the watchtower. Due to the altitude difference and being late afternoon it is getting cold on top especially as the wind starts blowing so after enjoying the all around views we are soon on our way back to the car. With the night falling we spend most of the return hike looking for satellites (about 5) and meteorites (about 10) which makes it very enjoyable and soon we are at our car for the return trip to Phoenix after a great day out.
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| Seems like a difficult spot to climb | Yay - we are there |
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| The watchtower | View from the top |
Our goal today is an area that we never explored off Colcord Road specifically the trail along Haigler Creek. The general area is much more popular than we expect with a high frequency of cars passing us on our way to the parking lot which is more empty though (only one other car) to our delight. The first part of the trail follows a steep abandoned road down to the creek and from there after passing some narrows high on the cliffs using a good trail we can walk along the creek using a faint trail.
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| Is this still used? | Going down |
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| At Haigler Creek | Small waterfall |
The riverwalk crosses the river a few times and most of the times there are ways to do it without getting wet but not always. We follow the creek for about 1-2 miles until we reach the springs. As it is getting dark we decide to start on our way back to ensure we can pass the narrows during daylight. On the return trip we manage, using a few detours, to avoid all river crossings and arrive a bit tired after nightfall to our car after an interesting exploratory hike.
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| Fall colors | Crossing the river |
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| Cliffs next to river | Haigler Creek Spring |
Due to unseasonable high temperatures we have to drive farther from Phoenix than we expected to find good hiking places so today we decide to drive to Munds Park close to Flagstaff to explore a trailhead where we have not stopped before. As there are two trails that are leaving the trailhead we start first north however that trail peters out after reaching an empty river bed. We continue a bit in the wash which is good as we encounter over 40 javelinas hiding in plain sight (and running like crazy afterwards).
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| Empty creek - or is it? | One of the tens of javelinas |
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| No way through the wash | Typical high altitude forest |
Returning to the trailhead we also explore the south trail which is more established as it goes to Crystal Point peak and then returns via surface streets back to the parking lot. Today we decide to do an out and back hike to Crystal Point and here it is that we have a weird dog encounter. About half way up we meet a dog waiting for us and barking however as we move towards it he disappears. Initially we assume the owner is somewhere around but reaching the Crystal Point peak we cannot see anyone else (and also there was no additional car in the parking lot). Returning at the trailhead it is dark already and we are alone in the parking lot and just as we are preparing to leave a truck comes barreling in and the owner starts asking about a lost dog. That is quite a coincidence - we point him towards the trail and then we are on our way back to Phoenix.
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| Crystal Point trail | Beautiful tree |
With a friend in town we have to decide on a hike close to Phoenix that is also scenic and a reasonable length. After doing some research we decide that the Peralta trail fits the bill and on we go. It is a very popular trail and we are quite lucky that we find a parking spot right at the trailhead and soon we are on our way. The online descriptions were right - the trail is spectacular almost from the beginning as it climbs up a wash surrounded by some impressive cliffs.
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| Peralta trail cliffs | Some interesting rock formations |
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| Peralta trail | Fortress-like |
As we get higher and higher the views open up and we can see how far we have climbed (a lot). We stop quite a lot here both to catch our breath and enjoy the views - we notice a few caves and even a small arch on the cliffs.
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| Expansive views | Looking back |
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| Balanced stone | That is mountain goat territory |
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| Valley we climbed through | View from top plateau |
The logical turn around point for the hike is at the Weaver's needle overlook which is impressive from this vantage point. The trail continues towards the base of the Needle and another trail loops back to the trailhead however as we are short on time we decide to use the same trail going back to the much emptier parking lot.
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| Weaver's needle | Close up |
With rain on the horizon we have to scrap our planned hike further afield and decide to stick to an area close to Phoenix. As we already have a State Trust Land Pass we decide to hike in an area below Baseline that we eyed for some time. Just finding a good entrance takes some time and after that we wander here and there finding waterholes and tens of cows, getting rained on, meeting hawks and in general just having a great walkabout until we return to the car before sunset from our aimless wandering.
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| Creosote land | Who did this? |
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| Small tree near water | Attentive hawk |
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| Quite desolate | But it can be beautiful |
We planned this hike for a few weeks but the weather was always against us but today finally all stars aligned and we make the two hours drive to the empty parking lot. The good road actually ends at the parking lot with the road afterwards entering in 4 wheel territory. We have been on the Mail Trail (a new trail following an old postal route) a couple times before and every time we are surprised how empty it is given its proximity to the highway.
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| Large parking lot | Road out of the parking lot |
The likely reason is of course that the the trail is quite difficult to follow. There is little trail to follow, if you follow the inviting cow paths it is more likely you will get lost than stay on trail so the best thing to do is to just follow the cairns, if you can find them. We hike for about 2 miles in to our planned turnaround seeing only a few cows from a distance (this time). However we still have the scare of our lives when checking a tree hollow that we think is empty as three chipmunks jump on us one after the other making as squeal like we are attacked by monsters from another universe. It is a fun experience (in retrospect) and probably the one thing that we are going to remember for a long time from this hike.
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| Mail Trail - where is it? | Only way to follow most of the time |
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| Rare visible trail | Typical landscape |
Last time we tried this trail it was in January when the water flowing in the Agua Fria River made crossing it unadvisable but because we certainly wanted to hike further in the area we decided to try again today after a long period with little rain. We go fast through the early part of the trail stopping however whenever we see a bird and there are quite a few of them so close to the water. We even see a few quails, something we haven't seen to many lately.
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| Good trail | Views from trail |
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| Can you see the quail? | Here it i |
We approach the river crossing with trepidation as everything is quite green as seen from above however we shouldn't have worried as the river is quite low and easily crossed without even getting wet. We explore the area for a bit, supposedly there is even a waterfall that we can't find, eat lunch and then continue on the trail.
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| Agua Fria River in the distance | You can see easily where the river is flowing |
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| Much calmer than last time | This was full of water last time |
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| Quiet portion | Beautiful |
We decide to hike a loop trail on the other side using the Black Canyon Trail and a couple informal trails to create a 4 mile loop. On the side we explore a few side canyons, climb a few hills for better views so it is quite dark when we approach the river for the crossing back (crossing rivers at night is always fun :). From there we follow the trail easily using our flashlights back to the car and to the city after a nice day out.
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| Narrow canyon | Fun to explore |
We have hiked on Cave Creek Trail a few times before from both ends but we never made it to the midpoint of the 10 mile hike as we always are distracted by other attractions along the way. Today we finally want to remediate this and plan a hike that would take us right to the midpoint of the trail. We decide to start from the Seven Springs TH as it doesn't close and we don't know how long the hike will take. The start is already well known, descending stairs and jumping over fences until we reach the creek.
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| Our descent | Crossing towards the creek |
The trail continues near the creek for some time through the riparian area with some leaves still clinging to the trees for some late season fall colors. However most of the leaves are on the ground making for a nice and cushy walk.
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| Trail near creek | Some shade is always welcome |
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| Some late fall colors | Beautiful ground |
The trail is well defined however not always that well maintained with trees that have fallen over the trail not being cleared creating informal trails that go around them - some easier to follow than the others. The views however get better as we start to climb with lots of saguaro clinging on the cliffs including a few rare crested saguaro.
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| This portion is not that well maintained | Easier to pass here |
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| Lots of cacti | Rare crested saguaro |
As we are following the river the trail has multiple water crossings so what goes up must come down however we do not mind this as much as the river cools us a bit and we even find a nice place to have a late lunch. Along the way we also find a historic inscription - already 100 years old but still easily readible.
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| Descending again towards the creek | Another creek crossing |
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| There is a lot of water around this portion | Historical inscription |
At the next descent however we lose the trail which is less defined with few cairns in this area and we enter a marshland created by the creek - it is fortuitous mistake as it great place to walk around and admire and we do just that until finally picking up the trail again and crossing the river.
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| Descending again | We have been on top |
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| Doesn't look like Arizona | Beautiful colors |
The next attraction on the trail and close to our turnaround point is an indian ruin a few hundred feet off the trail. It is a one room ruin as far as we can tell however there are a lot of pottery shards around it and it had quite a great view of the surrounding area.
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| Ruin with a view | Where is the entrance? |
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| Inside the Indian ruin | Pottery shards |
Soon we reach the half point of the trail and start on our return hike in the falling darkness. Luckily we have the full moon (and the flashlights of course:)) to guide us back to our car and then back to civilization.
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| The moon is showing up to help us on the night hike portion | Full moon even |
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