Fern Mountain Botanical Area

FERN MOUNTAIN BOTANICAL AREA

Aspens on the Arizona Trail 10-7-26

On the western face of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, vast meadows of wild roses, ferns and brambles lap up against pine-and-aspen flocked slopes.

The hike meets the AZT at one-mile

In early to mid October, the aspens blaze in syrupy shades of gold and ochre, spewing an airborne tide of heart-shaped leaves.

Fern Mountain Botanical Area

Fern Mountain Botanical Area (FMBA)  is an unspoiled slice of autumn mountain delights. 

Looking west from the trail

The patchwork of rare wet meadow wildlife habitat in Coconino National Forest is known by several names—Hart Prairie, Wilson Meadow and often shows up on maps as Domingo Tank Road. 

Artistic natural sunshine illuminates Fern Mountain 

Fern Mountain 

Whatever the name, the place is home to some of the most beautiful aspen glens in Arizona. For hikers who want to avoid the annual autumnal hordes crowding to popular Flagstaff foliage destinations like the Kachina Trail, Inner Basin Trail  and Aspen Corner, FMBA offers a smaller, quieter yet equally pleasing experience.

The view from 9,000 feet

Bebb willows in the wet meadow

  A mile-long trail makes easy work of a nearly 600-foot climb that lands at a high-point vista at the junction with the San Francisco Peaks Passage of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. 

Aspens in Fern Mountain Botanical Area 10-7-26

Kendrick Peak in distance

The non-motorized trail starts  out as a rocky two-track passing through thigh-high forbs, acres of lacy ferns, wild rose shrubs and Bebb willows.

Arizona Trail 10-7-2026

Views of the peaks are breathtaking all the way up!

San Francisco Peaks 10-7-26

To the north, a cluster of buildings tucked around the base of Fern Mountain—a 8,772-foot extinct cinder cone volcano—belongs to the Nature Conservancy.

Beginning of the hike

The trail soon morphs into a stringy single track as it edges closer to a magnificent glen of aspens.

Approaching the peaks

At the Arizona Trail junction, there are options to continue hiking through this high-elevation paradise. 

The trailhead parking area

Go right (south) for about a mile to reach the popular Aspen Loop Trail at Snowbowl Road or head north about 1.5 miles and take a half-mile detour to visit Bismarck Lake—a shallow volcanic crater that sometimes holds enough weedy water to reflect the peaks and attract elk, deer, squirrels and swarms of butterflies. 

Access road to trailhead parking

LENGTH: 2 miles round trip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 8,420 - 9,018 feet

GETTING THERE: 

From downtown Flagstaff, go 10 miles north on U.S. 180 to Forest Road 151 (Hart Prairie Road) near milepost 225. Continue 4.2 miles on FR151 to Forest Road 9007T on the right. Follow the narrow dirt road 0.1 mile to the parking area. 

Two Ravens-Waterfall-Bradshaw Loop

TWO RAVENS-WATERFALL-BRADSHAW LOOP

Bradshaw Tank

On a clear day in early October, I stepped out of my Jeep and into a Hitchcock film.

Switchbacks on the Two Ravens Trail

At least that’s how it seemed as I began hiking on the Two Ravens trail near the town of Pine beneath the Mogollon Rim. 

Two Ravens Trail

The 2-mile non-motorized route in Tonto National Forest was unveiled in July 2025, as part of a 21-mile loop of connecting trails that circle the town.

The route is well signed

If I wondered about the trail’s name, the answer swarmed overhead in the form of circling ravens. Not two, though—-more like two dozen.

Maples and oaks for fall foliage color

And they were agitated. I’m no bird expert, but I know enough to recognize when ravens are anxiously protecting something like a food source or nest.

A raven croaks from a pine limb

Ear-splitting croaking, congregating in trees and “dive bombing” are unmistakable clues.  As it wasn't nesting season (usually January - March), it could mean only one thing—-a rotting carcass.

The waterfall grotto

Bradshaw Tank

And, sure enough, about a quarter mile in, the scavenged remains of an elk lie splayed in a ravine some 10 yards off the trail, dripping in fresh bird droppings.

Juniper passage on the Two Ravens Trail

Above, a cacophony of raven squawks radiated from the branches of a Ponderosa pine. Clearly, they needed me to move on down the road. I did move on and found myself in an Alejandro G. Inarritu film.  Rife with big vistas, a variety of vegetation zones and natural landforms, the Two Ravens trail packs in a plethora of movie-worthy attractions. 

Trailhead sign

Even though it’s just steps from town, the path is generous with its wild feel and connectivity to new and legacy trails. While the entire 21-mile loop would be an ambitious day hike, a 4-miler using the Two Ravens, Waterfall and Bradshaw trails provides a milder alternative.

Pine-oak woodlands on the Two Ravens Trail

From the trailhead, the Two Ravens dips into a shady pocket of pines, oaks and maples—evidently a raven stronghold. At the 0.2-mile point, the route meets the junction with the old Walnut Trail before twisting uphill to emerge on a sun-drenched, juniper-dominated plateau with amazing Rim and distant mountain vistas. 

Mogollon Rim view from the Two Raven Trail

Another dip brings the trail back into pine cover then meets the junction for the Waterfall trail at the 1-mile point.  Waterfall Trail is a 0.23-mile leg named for a stone grotto with a dry waterfall formation. Crowded with Big-tooth maple trees, the narrow waterfall cavity will likely blaze in red foliage in mid-to-late October.

Gate at Bradshaw Tank

The trail ends at a residential cul-de-sac where the next leg of the loop picks up on the Bradshaw Trail.

Meadow on the Bradshaw Trail

Once again in a pine-oak woodlands, the 0.66-mile segment crosses several rocky drainages and passes by Bradshaw Tank. A rustic wood-and-wire gate beckons a short detour to the tiny created waterhole situated at the edge of a meadow.  Soon, the hike starts an uphill climb to reconnect with Two Ravens.
To complete the loop, continue straight ahead, or for a longer trek, go east to connect with the Whiterock Mesa passage of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. The return leg of the Two Ravens trail starts out on long switchbacks that easily move hikers from moist ravines and deep woods back onto the airy, juniper-studded mesa. 

Alligator juniper on the Two Ravens Trail

Passing by the elk corpse, a conspiracy of ravens scattered, leaving threads of meat hanging from rib bones while a lone bird perched on a pine limb croaked menacingly as if daring me to filch some flesh.  That would be a whole other kind of film that I wouldn’t want to star in. 

Trailhead on Hardscrabble Mesa Road

LENGTH: 4-mile loop

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 5,846 - 5,398 feet (1,591 feet of total elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

Hardscrabble Mesa Road Trailhead:

In the town of Pine, go 2 miles on Hardscrabble Mesa Road (FR 428) to the parking area on the left. This is also an access point for the Pine-Strawberry Trail. There’s limited parking along the road and in nearby pullouts. The last mile on FR428 is dirt/gravel suitable for all vehicles. 

Sandrock Canyon

SANDROCK CANYON

An Arizona Sister alights on Gambel oak

Arizona Sisters are hard to ignore.  Adorned with distinctive white markings and orange wing tips the eye-catching butterflies are familiar sights in oak woodlands. 

FR9361A crosses Sandrock Canyon

Native to Central America and the American Southwest, Adelpha eulalia are easy to spot flitting among oak canopies from late spring through fall.

Fossil Springs overlook at end of FR9361A

Unlike many other butterflies, this colorful species with a wingspan of 3 to 5 inches does not normally feed on flowers.  

Sandstone ledges over Fossil Springs Wilderness

Oak trees are their host plants and primary food source, but they can also be observed perching around mud puddles and water holes. 

Arizona Sisters stand out in oak forests

The pine-oak woodlands and riparian canyons of Arizona’s Mogollon Rim provides ideal habitat.  They have a knack for finding beautiful places to live and produce three or more broods per year between March and December.  Hikers can take a step into their terrain by seeking out quiet trails and backroads located between 4,000 and 8,000 feet in elevation where several species of native oaks thrive.  

Amazing views from above Fossil Springs

Forest Road 9361A in Coconino National Forest departs from a who-knew trailhead 27 miles east of Camp Verde on State Route 260.

Agaves grow on the rim over Fossil Springs

 The dirt two-track leads into prime butterfly territory with a jaw-dropping beautiful payoff at the end.

From the trailhead, the FR9361A heads through a barbed wire gate and a concrete tunnel under SR260. 

Sandrock Draw Tank on FR9361A

There are three wire gates along the route. Be sure to close each gate behind you. At the 0.3-mile point, the road is signed as FR9361D, but maps show it as FR9361A, either way, it goes to the same destination.  

Sandrock Draw Tank is a wildlife magnet

A short walk past the sign, pine-shaded Sandrock Draw Tank, a created waterhole, attracts a host of wildlife. 

Water hole near the FR9361Q junction

Birds, dragonflies and Arizona Sisters twitching along its muddy fringe are common sightings.  Sandrock Draw gradually widens becoming a canyon that feeds into Fossil Springs Wilderness.

Tunnel under SR260 at the trailhead

Just beyond the tank, the route heads left at a fork and continues to the 0.9-mile point where the route veers right at the FR9361H junction to stay on FR9361A.  Here, the road traces the Sandrock Canyon dipping and climbing through juniper meadows and Ponderosa pines with occasional mountain vistas peeking through dense tree cover.  

FR9361A ends just yards from the overlook

A major road fork at the 1.6-mile point is marked by a small water hole and the junction with FR9361Q.  The route heads right to again stay on FR9361A.  The final 0.8-mile leg of the hike passes through an enchanting green tunnel--bound to turn gold in autumn-- of Gambel oaks replete with Arizona Sister activity.  The lightly travelled dirt road narrows as it makes a moderate descent to its terminus at a non-descript circular campsite that belies the spectacle located just a few yards beyond. 

Mountain vistas from a sunny meadow

Faint game paths wind through a maze of agave, cacti and ancient Alligator junipers landing hikers at an overlook above Fossil Springs Wilderness.  Sandstone ledges protrude over a gorge that plunges 1,000 feet to the wilderness floor that’s home to Fossil Creek, one of Arizona’s most popular water-centric recreation areas. 

There are 3 gates on the hike. Close them behind you!

Broken agaves at the overlook

Free of the (permit-required) traffic and visitors splashing in the waterfalls, the view from above gives a seldom seen overview of the scope and magnitude of the 11,550-acre wilderness below.

Ponderosa pines shade the route

 

LENGTH:  4.8 miles roundtrip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION:  6,375 – 6,149 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Interstate 17 in Camp Verde, go 27 miles east (toward Payson) on State Route 260 to Forest Road 142 located past milepost 245 on the left.  Immediately past the cattle guard, turn left into a dirt parking area.  A high clearance vehicle is recommended.

The dirt parking area also serves as an access point for the General Crook Trail No. 130.

Calloway Butte-New Tank

CALLOWAY BUTTE - NEW TANK

New Tank in Coconino National Forest

Peaceful, secluded places aren’t too difficult to find along the backroads of Coconino National Forest. 

Weighing in at over 1.8 million acres in size, Arizona’s second largest national forest is ostensibly the most diverse. 

Gambel oaks shade Forest Road 142

The northern Arizona swath of public land encompasses the famous red rock high deserts of Sedona, mountain lakes and streams, aspen glens, and alpine tundra around the state’s highest point in Flagstaff.  

Barbed wire fencing around New Tank

While sandstone phantasms, plunge pools and hypoxic vistas are the hallmarks of the easily accessible land, the B-list stuff in between is quite remarkable as well. 

Mountain vistas from Forest Road 142

When viewed through a lens of discovery, who-knew pockets of forest deliver hikes with generous servings of tranquil beauty.  Wildlife water holes, often created and maintained by Arizona Game & Fish Department, are the unsung gems of back road hiking destinations.

Old corral near New Tank

Gateway to New Tank on Forest Road 142

The weedy stock tanks backed by earthen dams are plentiful along 4x4 roads so they’re easy to find.  It's possible and legal to drive to many of them, but road conditions are not for amateurs. New Tank, one of the most scenic water holes, is a sizable pond choaked with water smartweed and bulrushes. 

A peaceful place in Coconino National Forest

Situated along Forest Road 142 about 27 miles east of Camp Verde, the pond is the focal point of a pastoral scene wrapped in a dilapidated ring of log-and-wire fencing.  The tank sits at the north base of Calloway Butte, a 6,860-foot pine-covered mound south of the West Clear Creek Wilderness. 

Calloway Butte seen from FR 142

Getting to the tank involves an undulating walk on the rough track of Forest Road 142.  Beginning at a dirt parking area off State Route 260 where the General Crook Trail #130 passes under the highway, the hike makes an immediate descent to a 3-way junction. 

Meadow with a view near New Tank

FR 142 heads left, on the first of a sequence of rocky climbs.  The road is shaded by a mix of Ponderosa pines, Gamble oaks and gnarly alligator junipers, passing by several side roads before dipping down into the cut of Meadow Canyon.  A final uphill crawl reveals mountain vistas peeking through thick tree cover and first looks at the green arc of Calloway Butte.  The road flattens out as it approaches the tank and skirts a rustic corral before meeting the tank at the 2.4-mile point.  

Wildflowers and pines along FR142

Massive oaks that blaze in shades of gold in autumn serve as a leafy gateway to the water hole that attracts all sorts of wildlife.  Elk, javelina, water birds and a robust community of woodpeckers skulk its perimeter.  The photogenic site is drenched in sunlight, the air spritzed with earthy notes of mint and grass. 

Pastoral scene at New Tank

It’s a relaxing spot for a lunch break before heading back or continuing another 0.8-mile on the road to Forest Road 142B, which is also signed as FR 9396. The hiker logo on the post indicates that the Calloway Trail, a half-mile strenuous route that descends into West Clear Creek, lies ahead.

FR 142 traverses Meadow Canyon

Well-equipped, adventurous hikers may follow the narrow, rough road 3-miles the trailhead.  But to stick with the theme of enjoying the pleasure of an unassuming little place between highway and wilderness, New Tank makes for a good turnaround point.

The FR 142B turnoff for the Calloway Trail

 

LENGTH: 4.8 miles round trip (to the tank and back)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 6,146 – 6,718 feet ( 1,501 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

From Interstate 17 in Camp Verde, go 27 miles east (toward Payson) on State Route 260 to Forest Road 142 located past milepost 245 on the left.  Immediately past the cattle guard and turn left into a dirt parking area for the General Crook Trail.  A high clearance vehicle is recommended.