Wilderness waterfalls

BARNHARDT FALLS

Tonto National Forest

entrance to the grotto

inside the grotto: March 16, 2013

view of the trail with "chevron folds" on left canyon wall

Late winter snowfall followed by suddenly warm days of spring combine for  a perfect storm for waterworks in the Mazatzal Wilderness.  Because of this, Barnhardt Trail #43 is a busy place from March through early April--peak season for snowmelt waterfalls. In addition to its spectacular display of cascades, the totally canyon bound route zigzags through a complicated stew of geological delights including some spectacular "chevron folds"---accordion-style bends in the canyon wall created by millions of years of tectonic forces.  Also, look for "fossil" waves in the quartzite.  These stone ripple marks are either preserved ocean-bottom wave action or fingerprints of currents of shallow rivlets. Throughout the hike, outcroppings of blush-colored quartzite and dragon-scaly shales are drenched by trickling springs, puddles of melted ice and roaring cascades of water plunging 2000 feet over rough cut cliffs.  Several stony ledges along the way offer excellent views of water flowing at the bottom of the canyon and the contorted rock formations.  A particularly grand vista can be seen at a the 2.80-mile point where a natural rock shelter embellished with clumps of pincushion cactus teeters above a vertical drop with big views of the Mogollon Rim.  Although trail #43 runs for six miles one-way, we like to hike up to the large slot canyon falls at the 3.14-mile point, climb to the semi-hidden grotto and then return the way we came.   Amazingly, some hikers walk right past the slot without even noticing the 100-foot, three-tiered cataract visible around a bend in the rock. The entry is marked by a gushing, double water chute as shown in the photo on the left. It takes a bit of scrambling to get into the grotto at the base of the falls, but the effort pays off in a memorable shower of icy spray and crystal clear plunge pools. 

the rock shelter

LENGTH: 6.5 miles roundtrip

RATING:  moderate

ELEVATION:  4210' - 5580'

GETTING THERE:

From Shea Blvd and AZ87 (Beeline Hwy) in Fountain Hills, travel 51 miles north on 87 to FR 419.  This road is located just beyond the sign for Barnhardt Trailhead and roughly 0.25 mile south of the town of Gisela.  Turn left and go 4.8 miles on FR 419 to the trailhead.  FR 419 is a rutted one-lane track.  Although sedans are frequently sighted at the trailhead, a high clearance vehicle is recommended.

INFO: Payson Ranger District, Tonto National Forest

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tonto/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=35281&actid=50

MORE PHOTOS:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3877582756786.1073741830.1795269672&type=1&l=8c2cd93919

Video: Barnhardt Canyon waterfalls

BARNHARDT CANYON
Mazatzal Wilderness
The waterfalls along Barnhardt Trail #43 were running wild today. I'll be posting a trip report and photos from today's hike later, but, here's a video of the waterworks in the big grotto.

Wilderness waterfall hike

BARNHARDT CANYON to the FALLS

Mazatzal Wilderness

Last week's high-country snowfall has resurrected my hopes for a spectacular water show in Barnhardt Canyon. Even in drier years, a late winter-early-spring hike up the geologically complex cataracts of the Mazatzal mountain range rewards with myriad waterworks including gushing springs, trickling rivlets and an impressive 100-foot, multi-tiered waterfall tucked into a secluded box canyon of red-tinged quartzite. It's easy to miss the turnoff for this hidden wonder as it's not visible from the trail. So, be sure to inspect every nook once you pass the 3-mile point. You'll hear them, but you won't see the falls unless you're willing to do some moderate scrambling on slippery rock. For reference, the second photo here shows the falls entry point.

LENGTH: 7-9 miles round trip (7 miles to the falls and back)

RATING: moderate - difficult

ELEVATION: 4,200-6,100 feet
BEST SEASON: mid-March thru April (for waterfalls)

GETTING THERE: From the Shea Blvd. intersection in Fountain Hills, go 51 miles north on AZ 87 (Beeline highway) to the Barnhardt Trailhead turn off (FR 419) located a quarter mile south of the town of Gisela. Follow the dirt road 4 miles to the signed trailhead.

INFO: Payson Ranger District, Tonto National Forest, 928-474-7900

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tonto/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=35281&actid=50

BARNHARDT FALLS MARCH 13, 2010

BARNHARDT CANYON Mazatzal Wilderness Record rain and snow this winter has resulted in one of the best water shows I've ever seen in Barnhardt Canyon. See my prior entries for more info and directions to the trailhead. If you're ever gonna visit this amazing place---do it this year. The best time to see the waterfalls is from mid-March through mid-April. Don't miss out! See additional photos on my Facebook photo page.

BARNHARDT REVISITED

When the wonderfully thick pine-fir woodlands of Barnhardt Canyon went up in flames, the devastation was already a few hundred years overdue. Yet, the fact that naturally-occurring forest fires are as inevitable as they are necessary for forest health, did little to keep my heart from aching that summer in 2005 when I kept watch on the plumes of smoke over the Mazatzal Mountains from my Scottsdale office as they made an agonizingly slow beeline toward Barnhardt Canyon. Fires of this nature happen every few hundred years, and it has been estimated that more than 500 years had passed since Barnhardt Canyon last took the heat. The day the fire swept up the canyon, the abundant fuels sent billowy white towers of smoke higher than on any other day of the month-long blaze. Mental images of smoldering trees and eroding slopes haunted me for days. In March of the following year, we decided to hike the Barnhardt trail to see the damage for ourselves. The drive in to the trailhead showed minimal fire damage and the parking area was completely intact---surrounded by healthy junipers and scrub oaks. A collective sigh and an “it’s not so bad afterall” attitude stayed with us for less than a mile of hiking. Fire is arbitrary in its path and fickle in choosing victims. The pattern of destruction in the canyon seems to make little sense. In places, acres of 100-foot-tall black matchsticks clung to the ravines, still smelling of smoke while random patches of oaks stood untouched. One striking sight was a lone agave—the sole survivor living in an alcove of soot and ash. Gone was the majestic grove of Ponderosa pines that shaded a stony side canyon where snowmelt tumbled downhill. The oak and manzanita hedges that lined a section of trail over a 1,000-foot drop off—gone. It seemed that the damage increased with the elevation. Our normally gregarious hiking group went silent when we rounded the bend past the upper falls. Here, the damage was absolute. Where a sea of manzanitas and scrub oaks had once dominated the landscape there was now nothing but dirt and ash. Save for the blackened remains of an old wooden junction sign placed on a charred tree stump, our beloved trail had been obliterated. Since the fire, we’ve been going back to Barnhardt every year. The trail has been restored and many of the burnt trees have toppled to the ground and are rapidly turning to dust. Vegetation is coming back strong, and this year, we even had a nice showing of wildflowers. With many of the trees gone, views of the areas complex geology have opened up and the trail has taken on a new flavor. Although it will be hundreds of years before the forests regenerate, the signs of recovery are encouraging. Until then, random, fickle things, like the sprouts that emerged from the lone survivor agave this spring, keep us entertained. Happy trails, Mare SEE MY 2010 ENTRY FOR A VIDEO OF THE UPPER WATERFALL. See prior entry for trail information.

BARNHART CANYON

BARNHART CANYON to the FALLS Mazatzal Wilderness Devastated by a wildfire in 2005, the oak-pine woodlands and manzanita-covered hillsides that formerly shaded the Barnhart trail, now reside only in our memories, hard drives and memory cards. What remains is an astonishing array of geological landforms and endless mountain views that have been laid bare for hikers to enjoy. The highlight of this rugged trail is a roaring waterfall nestled in a slot canyon. It takes a bit of scrambling to get to the falls, but the experience has earned a spot on my TOP 10 ARIZONA HIKES list. The best time to hike this trail is between mid-March and early April when snow melt sends hefty cascades of icy water over the cliffs for a spectacular water show that cumulates at Barnhart Falls--a secluded box canyon of red-tinged quartzite where a slender double water fall plunges 100 feet over the canyon walls. This trail is a MUST DO for all Arizona hikers. SEE MY 2010 ENTRY FOR A VIDEO OF THE UPPER WATERFALL. LENGTH: 7-9 miles round trip (7 miles to the falls and back) RATING: moderate ELEVATION: 4,200-6,100 feet GETTING THERE: From the Shea Blvd. intersection in Fountain Hills, go north on Highway 87 for 51 miles to the Barnhardt Trailhead turn off (FR 419) located a quarter mile south of the town of Gisela. Follow the dirt road 4 miles to the signed trailhead.