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Happy Jack, AZ
Where there’s water, there’s wildlife and because of its numerous
stock tanks, natural pools and soggy drainages, animals tend to congregate on the
Happy Jack passage of the Arizona Trail.
Running 31.2 miles from AZ87 near the Blue Ridge ranger station to Lake
Mary Road near Allan Lake, this mild section of trail is a beautiful mix of
pine-oak forests and wide-open meadows.
Hoping to spot roaming elk and deer, we made an easy “stock tank” themed
out-and-back day hike on the northern part of this passage. Beginning at the Gooseberry Spring
trailhead (head southeast--right when facing the sign), the trail passes by six watering holes. All but two will likely vaporize by summer, but the two big
ones should survive the season.
The first water appears to the left of the trail in under a mile of
hiking and is little more than a natural shallow bog cluttered with water
buttercups. Tank number two is a
bulldozed depression dug out where the trail briefly follows a dirt road. Third water shows up as a tiny
grass-choked pond shortly before the trail encounters Maxie Tank---one of the
big ones. Less than a mile
farther, we met a local woman sitting near a deer blind on the far side of tank
number four. She is an avid
wildlife watcher and says that the best time to spot animals at the tanks is
between 7 a.m and 9 a.m. As it was nearly 10 a.m. when we arrived at tank four,
we wrote off seeing any elk on this trip.
At the 4-mile point is Shuffs Tank. Ringed by fragrant Ponderosa pines, wet meadows full of
wildflowers, and hundreds of animal footprints, this was by far the biggest of
the six tanks on our hike. Here,
thousands of Rocky Mountain irises are popping through the mucky swamplands
south of the tank---they should start blooming in next few weeks. We decided to
take a lunch break on the northwest shore, still hoping to spot animals. Up until then, our only sightings had
been the back end of a coyote, a mountain bluebird and thousands of gopher
burrows. (Do butterflies and ants count?) Then, on the way back,
about 2 miles from the trailhead, we hit pay dirt---a herd of 5 elk roughly
100 yards ahead of us. By some
miracle, Shortie the hiking dog had not spotted them and his handler was able
to leash him while I camera stalked.
Click on the “more photos” link below to see the beasts (and Shortie) in
action.
 |
| First water hole |
LENGTH: 8 miles out-and-back
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 7,500’- 7,555’
KID FRIENDLY: yes, excellent choice
DOGS: water, wildlife--chasing!
GETTING THERE:
Gooseberry Spring trailhead:
From Phoenix, travel north on I17 to Camp Verde. Connect to SR260 east (Payson) and go
33.6 miles to SR87 (Beeline Hwy).
Turn north (left) and drive 10 miles to Lake Mary Road (FR3) which is
just past Clint’s Well. Turn
northwest (left) and follow Lake Mary Road 21.1 miles to FR 935 (signed
Gooseberry Spring), turn right and drive 0.2 mile to the signed AZT trailhead. Paved up to the last 0.2 mile. Passenger cars okay. For alternative directions, see "Four Gates" hike below.
INFO: Arizona Trail Association
MORE PHOTOS:
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