BEALE WAGON ROAD HISTORIC
TRAIL
Kaibab National Forest
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| Laws Spring |
Way back in the mid-1800s a
hardy battalion of 4-legged "ships of the desert" helped to blaze a passage through the Southwestern wilderness. It was Lt.
Edward F. Beale who bestowed the noble title upon 22 camels imported
from the Middle East to help survey the unforgiving landscape for a
highway into the newly acquired Western territory. The Beale
expedition team of 1857-59 had high hopes for the humped beasts that
were hailed for their strength and tenacity. Although their work
ethic did pan out as advertised, they didn't win any popularity
contests among workers because of their smell, spitting habits and
cranky temperaments. Hence, they were retired from government service
after the project was completed.
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| Camel motif on Beale Wagon Road trail post |
Although short-lived, the work of
the lanky creatures is memorialized on wooden posts bearing their
image along the original rough cut, 10-foot-wide trail that was to
become the precursor to Route 66, the Santa Fe Railroad and
Interstate 40. Today, bits of the 1,240-mile Beale Wagon Road that
ran from Arkansas to California have been relocated and adopted into
recreational use. In Arizona, much of the route cuts through private property,
but the 23-mile section that winds through Kaibab National Forest is
marked and open to public use.
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| Pinion-juniper prairies dominate the landscape |
One of the most beautiful stretches
runs between Laws Spring and Forest Road 84. This historic path
begins at a perennial spring surrounded by boulders etched with the
artistic symbols of ancient inhabitants, Beale party initials and the
unfortunate scrawls of modern visitors. A plaque at the site details
its historic significance. Beyond the spring's muddy pools, a narrow
walkway leads to the sketchy path of Beale Wagon Road.
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| Pools around Laws Spring |
At the
double-arrow camel sign, the route is easiest to follow by heading
west (left). Not your traditional hiking trail, its faint course is
marked by rock carins and posts. It takes constant attention to stay
on track. The trick is to "leap-frog" from
marker-to-marker, spotting the next before moving ahead. Don't let
the tricky route finding get in the way of enjoying the breathtaking
mountain vistas that rise above pinion-juniper scrubland and
wildflower speckled prairies. At Forest Road 84, the route enters
private land, marking your turnaround point on a trek through an unusual episode of Arizona history.
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| Rock carins mark the route |
LENGTH: 3.5 mile one way
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 6,480' - 6,820'
GETTING THERE:
Laws Spring trailhead:
From Flagstaff, travel 23
miles west on Interstate 40 to Pittman Valley exit 171. Follow the
access road 0.1-mile, turn left at the stop sign and continue 7.7
miles on Forest Road 74 to Forest Road 141. Turn right and go 0.5-mile to Forest Road 730, turn left and continue 2.2 miles to Forest
Road 115. Follow FR 115 1.9 miles, veer left onto Forest Road 2030
and continue less than a mile to the trailhead. High clearance is required beyond FR 141.
INFO:
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