BECKER LAKE WILDLIFE AREA: RIVER WALK TRAIL

BECKER LAKE WILDLIFE AREA: RIVER WALK TRAIL

Springerville

Little Colorado River

A short, meandering stretch of the Little Colorado River is a better place thanks to the introduction of coconut matting and recycled Christmas trees.

These biodegradable materials are just two of the many tools being used by conservation agencies (Arizona Game & Fish Department, Apache Natural Resource Conservation District, USDA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Arizona Dept. of Water Resources and Arizona Water Protection Fund) to restore riverbank stability and inprove wildlife

Footbridge river traverse

habitats. Project managers are quick to conceed that some of these rehabilitative practices are more successful than others, leaving the verdits up to visiting hikers who can draw conclusions based on interpretive singage placed along the experimental test grounds. The biodegradable mats and trees augered into the riverbank are hardly noticable and are slowing down erosion to help reinstate the river's natural flows for a healthier riparian ecosystem. A robust community of water-loving bullrush, grasses and showy milkweed at the water's edge have taken root in the mesh of introduced materials. This is providing shelter for nesting waterfowl and ample building supplies for busy beavers. In fact, so many birds visit the area that the site has been designated as an Important Bird Area by Audubon Arizona . One shady section of the 1.2-mile, streamside hiking trail exhibits the sun-dappled ambience of a Monet garden replete with water-caressing willows and a wooden footbridge. Where the path enters the surrounding floodplain and open rangeland, it becomes easy to see how precious this ribbon of moisture is to sustaining life in the White Mountains.

Although this close-to-town, short hike isn't likely to get you into your target heart rate zone, it's educational value and profound beauty makes it a worthwhile diversion---coconut mats and all.

View of Springerville's Coyote Hills on horizon

LENGTH: 1.2 miles one-way

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 6920' - 6945'

GETTING THERE:

From Springerville, go 1 mile west on US60 (Main Street) to the parking area on the left.

INFO: Arizona Game & Fish Department, 928-367-4281

http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/wildlife_area_becker.shtml


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WENIMA WILDLIFE AREA

WENIMA WILDLIFE AREA

Springerville

Beavertail Trail

Within the deeply incised Little Colorado River canyon, Wenima Wildlife Area protects the biodiversity of a scenic 2.5-mile strip of property encompassing three types of ecosystems.

Managed by Arizona Game & Fish to provide essential habitat for native wildlife, the 357-acre site includes riparian stream corridor, upland pinion-juniper grasslands and open pastures.  Two easy trails paralleling the stream are outfitted with interpretive signs and convenient rest areas with benches.  Beavertail Trail heads north through a lush jungle of willow arbors,

Beavertail Trail

house-high grasses, groves of walnut trees and hop-vine-laced brambles before culminating at an old cabin beneath soaring basalt bluffs. Powerhouse Trail winds south exploring a more arid upland habitat of rugged cliffs, creek side grape vines and beaver-built pools where the threatened Little Colorado spinedace fish dart like silver bullets. The ruins of an abandoned native stone shed, pipes and dam equipment mark the end of the route. The property’s surrounding meadows and forests also are open to hunting, fishing and off-trail hiking making for an eclectic mix of public recreational opportunities.

Powerhouse Trail

LENGTH:

Beavertail Trail: 2.5 miles one-way

Powerhouse Trail: 1.2 miles one-way

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 6700’ – 6800’

GETTING THERE:

From Springerville, travel 2 miles northwest on US60 to the US180/191 junction. From here, continue 0.25-mile north on 180/191, turn right onto Hooper Ranch Road and continue 1.5 miles to the parking area. Access road is sedan-friendly gravel and there are restrooms at the trailhead. The area is open daily from sunrise to sunset.  No fees.  The trails are located 0.2-mile farther up the road from the trailhead.  Beavertail Trail is on the left before the bridge and Powerhouse Trail is on the right past the bridge.

Wildflower meadows

Powerhouse Trail

INFO: Arizona Game & Fish Department

http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/wildlife_area_wenima.shtml

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EAST FORK TRAIL

EAST FORK TRAIL Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest The thin air above the town of Greer may get your lungs pumping, but it’s the views of Arizona’s White Mountains that will really take your breath away. This alpine passage begins where the West and East forks of the Little Colorado River drift off in opposite directions under a canopy of streamside alders and willows.. After an immediate wade across the West Fork, a short but steep haul up to 9,200-foot Amberon Point marks the most difficult portion of the hike. With the only major uphill grind of the hike out of the way, it becomes much easier to take in the relaxing alpine scenery that characterizes the remainder of the trail. Roughly paralleling the East Fork of the Little Colorado River, trail #95 meanders through a checkerboard of cienegas—marshy wetlands fed by springs, seeps and drainages—that foster acres of waist-high grasses and a colorful mix of flowering plants. Because of the vigorous vegetation in the cienegas, it’s easy to veer off track-- look for strategically placed trail posts to stay on course. Near the end of the route, the path follows the remnants of the Maverick Line of the Apache Railway that was used from the 1940s to the 1970s to transport logs to the McNary lumber mill. This final cinder-strewn segment of open country passes Colter reservoir before terminating at the Gabaldon campground at the boundary of Mount Baldy Wilderness. HIGHLIGHTS: Crisp, high-altitude mountain air with sweet vista views. LENGTH: 15 miles roundtrip RATING: moderate ELEVATION: 8,300' – 9,400'  DRIVING DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 245 miles one-way GETTING THERE: From the stoplight in Eagar, go west on Highway 260 for 9.6 miles to Highway 373. Go south (left) on 373 and continue 5.5 miles to the signed trailhead on the left. INFORMATION: 928-333-4301 fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/sprgrvlle_trails/trl_spr_efork.shtml

GRAND FALLS

GRAND FALLS Navajo Nation Nicknamed the “Niagara of the Desert”, Grand Falls, located on the Navajo nation, puts on a thunderous water show worthy of comparison to its upstate-New York cousin. The 180-foot-high terraced falls were formed roughly 20,000 years ago when lava flows from nearby Merriam Crater (the prominent cinder cone visible on the drive in) dammed the gorge of the Little Colorado River forcing it to swerve and pour over the canyon walls. Bone-dry most of the year, the falls come to life in a rush of sediment-rich, muddy waters during spring snowmelt season (February – April) and following summer monsoon rains (July- September). Although there are no official trails at the falls, it’s easy to walk along the cliffs where a field of volcanic cinders and solidified tongues of black lava dripping over ochre-colored sandstone walls create an eerie, visceral landscape. Adventurous—and well-equipped—hikers can scramble down into the river channel for up-close views of this geological wonder. BEST SEASON: March-April and following summer monsoon rains ELEVATION: 4,700’ Distance from Phoenix: 180 miles northeast GETTING THERE: From Flagstaff, travel north on Highway 89A to Townsend-Winona Road (County Road 510). Turn left onto CR 510 and continue for just under 2 miles to Leupp Road (County Road 505). Follow Leupp Rd. for 15.2 miles and turn left onto Navajo Route 70, which is located just past a “Welcome to the Navajo Nation” sign. Drive north on Route 70 veering left at two junctions. At the 8.6-mile point, turn left onto an unmarked, primitive road that leads to the sun shelters and parking area. Route 70 is rough dirt, but passable by sedan.
INFO:
https://www.discovernavajo.com/grand-falls.aspx

SOUTH FORK of the LITTLE COLORADO RIVER

South Fork Trail #97 Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest

Originating in the majestic Rocky Mountains, the Little Colorado River roars south through the plateaus and canyons of northern Arizona. Near the end of its twisting course, the river spawns scores of tributary streams that spill into the serene valleys of the White Mountains. The South Fork Trail follows the river’s southern-most tributary to where it trickles out into marshy open plains and into White Mountain reservoir. The trek begins in the canyon-bound South Fork campground and immediately enters woodlands of mixed conifer and broadleaf trees embellished with lush undergrowths of shrubs and wildflowers. Because the waterway is the beneficiary of a seemingly boundless supply of replenishing rain and spring waters, it runs fast and wild. The sound of rushing water is an appropriate soundtrack for the airborne sprays of water that bounce off the boulders and beaver dams in the river channel. This natural “misting system” keeps the lower portion of the trail dripping in a cool, moist fog. At about the halfway point of the hike, the trail emerges from the forest and leaves the stream behind. From that point, the route embarks on a moderately-steep climb up to a high-altitude bench. Situated at 9,000 feet in elevation, views from the bench are spectacular. The rounded domes of Mount Baldy (11,590 feet) and Escudilla Mountain (10,912 feet) stand out above a sprawling landscape of peaks and valleys. Beneath the bench, boggy Mexican Hay Lake fills the bowl of an alpine meadow attracting hordes of elk, wild turkeys and chattering waterfowl. UPDATE: This trail has been impacted by the WALLOW FIRE, June 2011. LENGTH 11 miles round-trip RATING: moderate ELEVATION: 7510' -8890' GETTING THERE: From the traffic light in downtown Eager, go south on Highway 260 for 5 miles to Country Road 4124. Turn left on CR-4124 and continue for 2.4 miles to the South Fork campground. Just inside the campground, turn right, cross a small bridge and drive another quarter-mile to the signed trailhead.