HOLBERT TRAIL

HOLBERT TRAIL, South Mountain Park, Phoenix

Dobbins Lookout

On clear evenings, the beacons on Mount Suppoa that bleep and flinch above an array of communication equipment are visible from many parts of the Valley.  The spindly forest of red-lighted poles marks the highest point in South Mountain Park.  The 2690-foot summit is off limits to the public but equally swell sights can be had at nearby 2330-foot Dobbins Lookout.

Hikers on the Holbert Trail

Dobbins Lookout

You could drive up to this Depression Era observation deck, but for those who prefer to sweat for it, the Holbert Trail provides a moderately difficult slog and rewarding discoveries all the way up.  The hike is as much a trek through history as it is a respectable workout.  The trail winds up the north face of the Guadalupe Mountain Range---one of the three elongated ridges that make up South Mountain. The others are the Gila and Ma Ha Tauk ranges.  The first history lesson comes within a half-mile of the trailhead where the route cuts through a box canyon of pre-Cambrian stone that’s older than primordial ooze.

Hikers on the Holbert Trail

The rocks that predate all life on earth have survived eons of change, and their disintegrating, sun baked surfaces have served as canvas for the etchings of ancient inhabitants including the Hohokam people who made many of the intricate symbols visible on boulders and cliff faces throughout the hike. While images that look like water birds, turtles and sheep might be easy to understand, the meaning of artful spirals, crosses and cryptic figures may never be known.  Be sure to scope out the surroundings as petroglyphs seem to pop up in the most unexpected places.  As with all heritage sites, be respectful by not touching, rubbing or (gak) altering with graffiti or adding chalk to make them more visible. Sadly, many of the irreplaceable images have been lost or damaged by careless visitors.

Beyond “petroglyph alley” the trail begins a steady climb over wide switchbacks that move between canyon-bound passages and edge-clinging escarpments.  The trail ends at Telegraph Pass Road, but a more interesting option is to skip the last 0.3-mile and instead take the spur trail that leads to the lookout.  The native-stone-and-concrete structures as well as many of the park’s more than 50 miles of trails were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1933 and 1940.  An exhibit at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center gives insight to the program and the historic structures located within park. 

Downtown Phoenix seen from the Holbert Trail

At 16,000 acres, South Mountain is one of the largest municipal parks in the nation.

Dobbins Lookout

The wear and tear of generations of use by outdoor enthusiasts has taken a toll on the park’s condition. Many of the old trails were not built to modern sustainability standards and structures such as picnic ramadas no longer suit contemporary needs. That’s why the park is getting a major facelift that will include new facilities, stabilized trails, some new trails and improved parking. The first phase is nearing completion at the Pima Canyon trailhead.

Ascending the Holbert Trail

Compass at Dobbins Lookout

Valley views from Dobbins Lookout

The Dobbins Lookout provides a platform to contemplate what a treasure South Mountain is to our community. A compass post overlooking the Valley points to local landmarks, mountain ranges, farmlands, cities and suburbs that have grown up around the park.  Just as these surrounding elements have morphed and bloomed over time, so South Mountain Park adapts to accommodate.

Petroglyphs on Holbert Trail

LENGTH: 4.8 miles roundtrip

DIFFICULTY: moderate

ELEVATION: 1,350'-2,330'  
FACILITIES: restrooms, water, picnic tables, covered ramadas
GETTING THERE: Holbert Trailhead, 10919 S. Central Ave.

From central Phoenix, follow Central Avenue south all the way to the end where it flows into South Mountain Park. Just past the park entrance gate, turn left into the Activity Complex. Drive past the Interpretive Center and go all the way to the end of the road near the restrooms and park. The signed trailhead is directly across the road. Trailhead gates  are open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Trails remain open until 11 p.m.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/south-mountain

BOX CANYON

BOX CANYON South Mountain Park, Phoenix Determining the age of the thousands of petroglyphs pecked into the crumbling cliffs of South Mountain is a daunting task, and figuring out their meanings is even more of a challenge. Although we will never learn definitive answers for the “whos, whats and whys” of the myriad heritage sites in the area, many archeologists attribute the work to the Hohokam people who lived here roughly 800-1200 years ago. A good place to get a look at some of the intricate rock art panels is Box Canyon-- an impressive cliff-flanked wash at the western end of the park. More than 240 petroglyph panels have been documented in Box Canyon, but many are difficult to spot. Still, even casual trekkers can easily locate at least 6- 12 galleries including the elaborate etchings of water birds, spirals and crosses on famous “bird rock”. Unfortunately, there’s also ample evidence of vandalism. Spray paint, sharp tools and even guns have been used to deface these important artifacts. How people can be so destructive is even more befuddling than the stories behind the original art. Vandalism of heritage sites is also profoundly insulting to modern native peoples and robs all of us of important historical relics and opportunities to learn from ancient cultures. As with all heritage sites: do not touch or alter or remove anything. HIKE DIRECTIONS: Begin the on Holbert Trail and hike roughly 0.1 mile to a point where the trail drops into a sandy wash where there are fire rings and seating. This is Box Canyon. The canyon runs east-west. To the west, the “box” closes up rapidly and hikers need to scramble over boulders to get very far, but the eastern side is flat and sandy. Most of the petroglyphs are located high on the canyon walls. To see even more rock art, backtrack and follow Holbert Trail for about 0.2 mile through “rock art alley” where most of the glyphs are fenced off in an effort to preserve them. FYI: the fire rings, corrals and seating in the canyon are used by various nearby stables that offer hayrides, horse rentals and cookout packages. LENGTH: half-mile exploratory RATING: easy ELEVATION: 1300 feet BEST SEASONS: October - April GETTING THERE: From downtown Phoenix, go south on Central Ave. past Dobbins Road and continue into the park. Take the first left after passing the entry gate, follow the road to the end and park across from the Holbert/Box Canyon trailhead. FACILITIES: restrooms, water, covered picnic ramadas INFO: http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikesoth.html http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/smp111210.pdf 602.262.7393 HORSE RIDES: http://arizona-horses.com/

HOLBERT TRAIL

HOLBERT TRAIL TO DOBBINS LOOKOUT Phoenix South Mountain Park Phoenicians are lucky to live within sight of the nation’s largest municipal park. South Mountain Park sprawls across our southern horizon and has hundreds of miles of trails that may be hiked individually or in combination loops. The Holbert Trail is easy to access and a cinch to follow due to excellent trail maintenance as well as strategically placed signage. From the trailhead, the path begins by traversing “petroglyph alley”. Keep one eye on the boulders and cliffs while hiking the first flat half-mile. Ancient rock art appears everywhere, as does the evidence of artifact thieves. Once past the petroglyphs, the hike becomes more strenuous as it follows the canyon walls and gently switchbacks uphill to the junction for Dobbins Lookout. The trail is rocky and can be tricky in places, so, pay attention. Hang a right at the signed junction and haul up more switchbacks to popular Dobbins Lookout. An old stone building and numerous vista points with benches make Dobbins Lookout a nice spot to rest and enjoy great view of the Valley of the Sun. Although the City of Phoenix provides ample reciprocals for trash, the lookout area, which is accessible via a paved road, is habitually coated with a layer of crap. Gatorade bottles, beer cans, candy wrappers, Doritos bags and the remnants of romantic interludes. Don’t ask. On our last hike to the lookout, we took along plastic trash bags and policed the area for rubbish but could do nothing about the graffiti. It's interesting to note that garbage and graffiti rarely occur in areas that are not accessible by car. Hey all you beer guzzling, littering, tossers; here’s something to ponder—how safe do you think it is to drink alcohol on the summit of a narrow, winding mountain road and then get back behind the wheel? Wheeeeeee! Just a thought. Anyhooo, I do digress. On our way back down the mountain, several young men who had driven to Dobbins Lookout were perched on the summit, cans in hand and fixated on us with our black trash bags as if we were mutant tree huggers. As we passed beneath them on our descent, I felt a slight “ping” on my backpack, but thought nothing of it. Later that day, when unloading and cleaning my pack, I noticed an aluminum pop-top ring in the mesh side pocket of my pack. It smelled of beer. LENGTH: 5.8 miles roundtrip DIFFICULTY: moderate ELEVATION: 1,350'-2,370'  
FACILITIES: restrooms, water, picnic tables, covered ramadas
GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, follow Central Avenue south all the way to the end where it flows into South Mountain Park. Just past the park entrance gate, turn left into the Activity Complex. Drive past the Interpretive Center and go all the way to the end of the road near the restrooms and park. The signed trailhead is directly across the road. South Mountain Park is open from 5:30 a.m to dusk and access and parking is free.
INFO: City of Phoenix Parks & Recreation:
http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/south/hiking/index.html