Flagstaff fall color update: Oct 11, 2013

LAMAR HAINES MEMORIAL WILDLIFE AREA

Flagstaff

Veit's Cabin, Oct. 11, 2013

Aspen overload with a side of fresh snow is the big draw along Flagstaff’s Snowbowl Road this week.  Heart-shaped leaves on the willowy, white-barked canopies are showing a mixed pallet of ready-to-burst lemons, full bloom golds and past-prime caramels, so now is the perfect time for fall color hiking. Exploring the Lamar Haines Memorial Wildlife Area (a.k.a. Veit Springs) involves a short trek

Fresh snow, Oct. 11, 2013

packed with interesting ruins, pictographs and a wide, easy tread--which is why it buries the needle on the kid-pleasing scale. Allow plenty of time to stroll among the collapsed remains of homesteader Ludwig Veit’s 1890s cabin, an historical marker commemorating the work of conservationist Lamar Haines, and a concrete well with pond for collecting spring water along this aspen-rich, 160-acres of wet meadows and old growth forest.

LENGTH: 1.6-mile loop

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 8,600’ – 8,800’

GETTING THERE: From Flagstaff, go 7.5 miles north on US180 to milepost 223, turn right onto Snowbowl Road and drive 4.2 miles to the Lamar Haines Memorial Wildlife Area trailhead on the right. Parking is very limited.

SITE ADMINISTERED BY: Arizona Game & Fish Department

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

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VEIT SPRING

VEIT SPRINGS Coconino National Forest Short in length but long on interest the Veit Springs trail is an under-appreciated gem of a hike. An interpretive sign at the trailhead offers insight to the many attractions along the way, including two springs, a pond, several old buildings, a monument to conservationist Lamar Haines and a gallery of Native American petroglyphs. Easy on the feet and well marked, the hike wanders through stands of spruce, fir and aspens with views of the San Francisco Peaks emerging through the canopy in several scenic spots. At 8,600 feet of elevation, this trail also makes a good acclimation hike for the Humphreys Peak or Kachina Trails that are located further up the road. LENGTH: 1.6-mile loop RATING: Easy ELEVATION GAIN: 60 feet GETTING THERE: From Flagstaff, take Highway 180 north for 7.3 miles to the Snow Bowl Road (near MP 223). Turn right onto Snow Bowl Road and continue for 4.5 miles to a parking area on the right. Look for the “Lamar Haines Memorial Wildlife Area” sign that marks the beginning of the hike.
INFO:

SITE ADMINISTERED BY: Arizona Game & Fish Department

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