LITTLE
HORSE TRAIL
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Water pools in a drainage on Little Horse Trail
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When driving
north on Interstate 17 toward Flagstaff, there comes a point when high-desert
scrub gives way to Ponderosa pines.
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Deep woods on a ledgy section of Little Horse Trail
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The vegetation
transition begins on an uphill grade around milepost 311 and quicky evolves into
full-blown high country pine forests. This
is a happy summer rite of passage for travelers looking to escape desert summer
heat. By the time the freeway reaches
Munds Park, a mountain hamlet 20 miles south of Flagstaff that’s known for its
abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, heat-weary travelers are ready to
pull over and take a walk in the woods. |
Hike begins at the Pinewood trailhead in Munds Park
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Munds Park
is a great place to do so. The area is
home to the Munds Park and Kelly OHV trail systems which combine for over 100
miles of hiker and shared-use trails, that debark from easy-to-reach trailheads.
A good start point for exploring this shady
stretch of Coconino National Forest just west of Mormon Lake is the Little
Horse Trail that begins at the Pinewood trailhead located just 2 miles from
Interstate 17.
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Nelson's larkspur grows in sunny meadows
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The shared
use route wanders through cool woodlands between Munds Park and Mormon Lake.
Simple and
shaded, the hike follows a dirt path that’s open to hikers, equestrians, bikes
and small motorized vehicles.
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Water and pines make for a cool summer hike
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The first mile
roughly traces Forest Road 240 where dispersed campsites fill up quickly in summer
before swerving away from the road and onto ledges above a shallow canyon.
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There are over 100 miles of trails in the area
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Over the barely
noticeable 200-foot climb, the route passes through dense tree cover dominated
by Ponderosa pines, Gamble oaks and New Mexico locust. Two miles in, glimpses of the green
drainage
area below, and if you have a sharp eye, communication towers on Mormon Mountain
to the east peek through tree branches.
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Rocky Mountain iris bloom in May -June
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Right about
where the route begins an easy dip into the drainage, a pool of residual water sits
in a sunny clearing surrounded by a jagged rock wall and a moist swale where Rocky
Mountain irises add blazes of purple in May and June.
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Woodhouse's phlox grows abundantly on the trail
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A few yards east of the water, the trail crosses
the drainage, heads up an embankment and meets Forest Road 700 F. Up to this point, the trail seems to cater
more to foot traffic and bikes, but once past FR700F, it’s an OHV paradise. That’s why, for hikers, the road is a good
turnaround point for an easy six-miler.  |
Watch for signs where the trail crosses a drainage
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LENGTH: 6
miles roundtrip to FR 700 F and back
RATING:
easy
ELEVATION:
6,781 – 7,008 feet
GETTING
THERE:
Pinewood
Trailhead
From Interstate 17, take the Munds Park exit #322 and
continue 2 miles east on Pinewood Boulevard (Forest Road 240) to the parking
area on the left. Trail begins at the
north end of the lot. Roads are paved with a short section of maintained dirt
that's fine for all vehicles.
INFO & MAPS:
http://www.mundsparktrailstewards.com/
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