WILSON MEADOW

WILSON MEADOW

View of San Francisco Peaks from Wilson Meadow

On the western face of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, vast grasslands of wild roses, ferns and berries lap up against pine-studded slopes beneath an airborne tide of golden aspen leaves.

Wilson Meadow

This patchwork of wet meadows--collectively known as Hart Prairie--is home to some of the most beautiful, but often overlooked aspen glens in the state. In October, the white-barked forests blaze in a honey-lemon canopy.  Although hikers in search of autumn foliage trails around Flagstaff usually flock to big-name places like Inner Basin or the Kachina Trail where the crowds are as thick as the woodlands, Wilson Meadow offers a smaller, quieter option.  It's signature open space is populated with clumpy shrubs and thickets of rare Bebb willows surrounded by loosely woven stands of pines, firs and aspens.  The short, simple walk offers an alternative, contemplative experience.

Bebb Willows

LENGTH: 2 miles roundtrip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 8,500’ – 9,000’

DOGS: This is a very sensitive area. Dogs must be on leash and owners must pack out all waste.

GETTING THERE:

From Flagstaff, go 10 miles north on US180 to milepost 225, turn right onto Hart Prairie Road (south access of Forest Road 151) and continue 4.2 miles to Forest Road 9007T on the right. Hint: if you reach the Nature Conservancy entrance, you’ve gone too far. Go 0.2 mile on FR9007T to the trailhead. FR 151 is maintained dirt passable by sedan. FR 9007T requires a high clearance vehicle.

Beware of road work near some favorite Flagstaff fall color hikes

Road work on FR 515 (Hart Prairie Road) and FR418 will slow down access to several popular fall color hikes and drives including:  Wilson Meadow, Bismarck Lake, and some entry points for Arizona Trail Passage 34.  Construction will only take place Mondays-Thursdays through December 14, 2012.  Plan accordingly.

Hart Prairie, Oct. 1, 2010

From: "Magee, Brienne U -FS" <bmagee@FS.FED.US>
Date: September 26, 2012 12:40:19 PM PDT
To: <USDA-FS-NEWS@NEWSBOX.USDA.GOV>
Subject: SOUTHWESTERN-NEWS-RELEASE: Coconino National Forest Information

Construction to begin on Hart Prairie Road (Forest Road 151)

Flagstaff, AZ – Visitors to the Hart Prairie area this fall should expect delays while traveling on Hart Prairie Road (Forest Road 151) and Forest Road 418; Road construction efforts will be taking place starting October 1. 

Delays of up to two hours may occur. Travelers with high-clearance vehicles can use FR 794 - located approximately five miles north of the FR 151/Highway 180 junction - as an alternate route. FR 794 is not maintained for passenger vehicles.  

Contractors will work Mondays through Thursdays, dawn to dusk, as weather permits. The project could last until December 14.  Activities include improving drainages, road reconditioning, and resurfacing with crushed aggregate on eight miles of FR 151, as well as five miles of FR 418 from the FR151/418 junction to the east.

For additional information, contact the Flagstaff Ranger District at 928-526-0866.

WILSON MEADOW

WILSON MEADOW
Flagstaff

On the western face of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, vast grasslands of wild roses, ferns and berries lap up against pine-studded slopes beneath an airborne tide of golden aspen leaves. This patchwork of wet meadows--collectively known as Hart Prairie--is home to some of the most beautiful aspen glens in the state. However, over the past 50 years Arizona’s aspen communities have been in decline. Non-native flora and fauna, altered hydrology and fire suppression have compromised their health and without help, these elegant clonal propagators will likely disappear completely. That’s where the Hart Prairie Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project comes in. To save the aspens, the project seeks to restore the area to a more natural state through the use of forest thinning, sprout protection and prescribed burns. Wilson Meadow gives a glimpse of what the goal results might look like---lots of open space with clumpy grasses and thickets of rare Bebb willows sharing the landscape with loosely woven stands of pines, firs and aspens.

LENGTH: 2 miles roundtrip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 8,500’ – 9,000’

DOGS: This is a very sensitive area. Dogs must be on leash and owners must pack out all waste.

KID FRIENDLY?: yes

DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 163 miles one way

GETTING THERE:

From Flagstaff, go 10 miles north on US180 to milepost 225, turn right onto Hart Prairie Road (south access of FR151) and continue 4.2 miles to FR9007T on the right. Hint: if you reach the Nature Conservancy entrance, you’ve gone too far. Follow FR9007T 0.2 mile to the trailhead. FR 151 is maintained dirt passable by sedan. FR 9007T requires a high clearance vehicle.

SUDDEN ASPEN DECLINE INFO:

Flagstaff Ranger District, Coconino National Forest: 928-526-0866

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/forest-resources/forest-health/aspens/index.shtml

Friends of Northern Arizona Forests: http://www.friendsofnazforests.org/

Aspen Delineation Project: http://www.aspensite.org/index.html

THIS HIKE IS THE "COVER GIRL" FOR THE OCTOBER 2011 ISSUE OF PHOENIX MAGAZINE.

HART PRAIRIE FALL COLOR REPORT

Just got back from hiking near Hart Prairie north of Flagstaff. Fall foliage color will come about a week later than usual this year due to unseasonably warm temperatures. Higher elevations (Abineau-Bear Jaw, et al) are in bloom this week, however, the meadows below the peaks are still kinda green. This coming weekend (October 9-10) should be spectacular in the lower meadows. Here's a photo from today's hike in Wilson Meadow. MORE PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38236&id=1795269672&fbid=1290895131212&ref=mf

HART PRAIRIE PRESERVE

HART PRAIRIE PRESERVE The Nature Conservancy, Flagstaff Before the arrival of European settlers on the western slopes of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Mountain, Hart Prairie was a healthy patchwork of meadows, willow-cluttered wetlands, rings of aspens and a smattering of pines where regular low-intensity natural fires and a community of top-tier predators helped keep the ecological balance in check. Over the past hundred years, the effects of altered hydrolics, fire suppression, and the introduction of invasive plants and non-indigenous animals have transformed the landscape. In 1994, 245 acres of Hart Prairie along with an historic lodge and guest cabins were donated to The Nature Conservancy. Since then, the organization has set out to restore the alpine meadows to their former natural state through creative collaboration with the forest service, local landowners and other conservation groups. This ambitious restoration project is a work-in-progress and is open to visitors only by guided nature walks offered every Sunday from June 13th to October 10th (except September 12th). The walks are easy, last roughly 90-minutes and cover topics such as topography, willow biology, and wet meadow dynamics. LENGTH: variable, but about a mile RATING: easy & educational ELEVATION: 8,500 feet BEST SEASONS: June - October GETTING THERE: Tour groups meet at 10:00 a.m. sharp at the Fort Valley Plaza Shopping Center, 1000 N. Humphreys St. at the southwest corner by the guardrail. Reservations are not required. Participants must wear sturdy shoes and bring sun protection, rain gear and plenty of water. No pets or food are allowed in the preserve. Fees: Tours are free, however, donations are appreciated. INFORMATION: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/arizona/preserves/art15233.html (928) 774-8892 or e-mail hartprairie@tnc.org.