SKUNK CANYON

SKUNK CANYON

Flagstaff

Although popular with mountain bikers, this trail has yet to ignite in the hiking community.  Why?  Well, for one, it doesn't generate a lot of buzz on the web.  In fact, I only stumbled upon it while perusing the Emmit Barks Cartography “Flagstaff Trails Map”. There it was, a lonely red line in section D4.

Squeezed into near obscurity by it's proximity to popular Sandy's Canyon and the Walnut Canyon Passage of the Arizona Trail (AZT),  this closed road/footpath , offers an under-the-radar trek through sun-drenched meadows and a shady slot canyon .  From the trailhead, head out into a wide field following a double track Jeep route that's now off limits to motorized travel.  After roughly 0.25-mile, the track meets a cross road.  Here, turn right and walk toward a tall white pole with a solar panel (no idea what this is) about 0.1 mile up the canyon and let the summer wildflower frenzy begin. When I visited here on August 27^th, patches of shoulder-high sunflowers clogged the path.  Lupine, primrose, vetch, fleabane, and countless other blooming plants formed  fragrant carpets of color.  Near the 2-mile point, the trail dips into a narrow, damp  ravine hemmed in by moss-embellished limestone escarpments with shallow caves and thick coniferous woodlands.  Along this brief fir-shaded segment, displays of mushrooms, berries and sparking crystals embedded in trailside boulders make for interesting “stop-and-see” moments.  Once through the dark forest, the path emerges onto yet another open meadow and continues a short distance  to the unsigned “Y” junction with the Arizona Trail.  From here, the hike can be extended by heading either left (north-ish) to connect with the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) or, better yet, go right another 1.8 miles to Fisher Point, a scenic overlook above Sandy's Canyon. 

LENGTH:  5.2  miles roundtrip (8.8 miles roundtrip  to Fisher Point)

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 6,720' – 6,920' (7,033' to Fisher Point)

DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 149 miles one way
BEST SEASON: May - October (Aug-Sept for wildflowers)

FACILITIES:  none

GETTING THERE:

From Phoenix, go north on I-17 to exit 339, Lake Mary Road (Forest Road 3) located  just south of the I-40/I-17 interchange in Flagstaff.  From the bottom of the off ramp (across from a Circle K), turn right and go 2.1 miles south on  Lake Mary Road to S J Diamond Road on the left.  Follow this good dirt road roughly 0.2 mile to the end where there's a small parking area and gate.  Generic forest service and game & fish signs are posted, but nothing indicating “Skunk Canyon”--no worries though, you're in the right place.

INFO:
Emmit Barks Cartography, "Flagstaff Trails Map" (best resource for this trail)
Although there's no comprehensive online resource for this trail (except this one),  these sites are helpful:

Walnut Canyon Passage of Arizona Trail:

http://www.aztrail.org/passages/pass_31.html

Flagstaff Urban Trails System:

http://flagstaff.az.gov/index.aspx?nid=1379

MORE PHOTOS:

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