Posts
CHRISTMAS TREE TRAIL
Flagstaff
 |
| Mule deer on the trail |
For the dancing herds of mule deer roaming the grasslands on
the eastern slopes of Flagstaff's Mount Elden, cliff-rose is considered a
browsing delicacy. When in bloom (April-September), the delicate white roses spill
a tart-sweet perfume into the mountain breezes which churn the scent through
pines boughs to form an airborne elixr---"eau de cerf". This is indeed deer paradise---ample
food, wide open spaces and woodlands replete with hiding places for foals. Wildlife-loving hikers will
almost certainly share the Christmas Tree trail with the elegant beasts who
will usually pause to indulge their curiosity about approaching humans before
galloping off into the brush.
Although this easy footpath is mostly used as a connector route for the dozens of more
challenging trails around Mt. Elden, it makes for an excellent solo destination
when hiking with kids (and I saw quite a few hitting the dirt this week) or as
a deer-spotting expedition.
LENGTH:
From south: 4 miles roundtrip
From north: 6 miles roundtrip
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 6900'- 7250'
GETTING THERE:
South access, Elden Mountain trailhead:
From Phoenix, travel north on I17 to the I40 interchange in
Flagstaff. Head east on I40 to
exit 201 for US89 north. Drive
north on US89 to just past the Flagstaff mall and turn left into a parking area
marked by a hiker sign. This turn
off is between mileposts 419 and 420.
To find Christmas Tree Trail, hike 0.2 mile on the main path to the signed
junction for Fatmans Loop, turn right here and go 0.3 mile to the signed
junction. From here, it's 1.5 mile to the Sandy Seep Trail junction.
North Access, Sandy Seep trailhead:
From Phoenix, travel north on I17 to the I40 interchange in
Flagstaff. Head east on I40 to
exit 201 for US89 north. Drive
north on US89 to milepost 421 (0.5 mile north of Townsend-Winona Road) and turn left onto FR 9139 and drive
0.1 mile to the trailhead. Follow Sandy Seep trail 1.5 mile to the Christmas
Tree junction, turn left and hike 1.5 mile to the Fatmans Loop sign.
INFO:
Flagstaff Ranger District, Coconino National Forest,
928-526-0866
MORE PHOTOS:
No comments:
Post a Comment