SMITH RAVINE

SMITH RAVINE

Prescott National Forest

View of Prescott Valley from Smith Ravine Trail

A climb to the top of Prescott’s Spruce Mountain is a standard bucket lister for Arizona hikers. The usual way up is by using the Groom Creek Trail that begins at the busy western base of the mountain off Senator Highway. Although the signature route is a must-do, there’s an alternate, less crowded way to visit the woodsy mountaintop that’s a favorite summer and fall destination.

Smith Ravine Trail No. 297 approaches the mountain from the northeast along ridges and gullies with fantastic views and varying eco-zones. 

A deep woods section of Smith Ravine Trail

The trail hugs the edge of Smith Ravine

Manzanita "little apples" shrubs line the lower trail

The first half-mile of Smith Ravine Trail is open scrubland

The trail ends at FR52A, but you can go on to Spruce Mtn.

Located a couple miles south of the Lynx Lake Recreation Area in Prescott National Forest, the moderate-rated trek begins its ascent on sunny foothills lined with manzanita, scrub oak and yucca. The exposed first half-mile offers views of Prescott Valley and Glassford Hill to the north and the green peaks of the Bradshaw Mountains to the east.

Tall Ponderosa pines shade the trail

Where the trail begins its edgy traverse of the slopes above the deep gorge of water-chiseled Smith Ravine, scrublands gradually merge into shady corridors of Ponderosa pines, Alligator junipers and Gambel oaks.

Hints of fall color on Sept. 22, 2019.

The massive stands of oaks along this trail put on a gorgeous display of fall color in mid-October. Over its 3-mile length, the trail gains more than 900 feet, but the gentle grade makes short work of the uphill trudge.

An artfully-twisted trunk on Smith Ravine Trail

The snafu here, though, is that the constant dips and climbs through gullies and drainages amount to 1,817 feet of accumulated elevation change. As the trails ascends through deep woods, breaks in the tree cover reveal ever-expanding vistas that stretch all the way to Flagstaff.  About halfway through the hike, the trail enters a rich zone of water-loving plants and trees like boxelders, Arizona walnut, berry brambles, Yellow columbine and tangles of wild geranium flowers. This moist, colorful riparian zone is nurtured by Smith Ravine Spring that flows intermittently attracting wildlife, birds and swarms of pollinators. You might encounter the piercing cries of Stellar’s jays and crackling of ravens swooping above as they warn you to move on from this coveted water source.

Oak galls contain insect larva---usually wasps

A huge Alligator juniper clings to the lip of Smith Ravine.

Beyond the spring, the slim trail traces the stone-jumbled head of the ravine before emerging onto a juniper-framed clearing at Forest Road 52A. This is the upper terminus of Trail No. 297 and the turnaround point to a moderate 6-miler. To continue on to Spruce Mountain, pass the gate head left and follow the dirt road 1.4 miles uphill.  The short road hike is fringed with pines, oaks and firs---but no spruce trees. The elegant conifers with blue-green needles that line the mountain’s flanks are actually white firs that were misidentified by early explorers.

Bradshaw Mountains seen from Smith Ravine Trail

Optional road hike leads to Spruce Mountain lookout

Yellow columbine grow near Smith Ravine Spring

The route dips and climbs through several drainage areas

On the summit, picnic tables, restrooms and the Spruce Mountain fire tower provide a convenient rest stop. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 30-foot-high fire tower was constructed in 1936 to keep watch over the Bradshaw Mountains.

The tower is open to visitors when a lookout is on duty, but even if you don’t get to tour inside the tiny cabin, the cliffs at its base showcase equally-impressive panoramic views of surrounding mountain lakes and green valleys.

LENGTH: 6 miles roundtrip or 8.8 miles with Spruce Mountain

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 6004 – 6947 feet or 7,693 with Spruce Mountain

GETTING THERE:

From State Route 69 in Prescott, go 5 miles south on Walker Road (toward Lynx Lake) to the trailhead on the right just past mile marker 5.

INFO: Prescott National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/prescott/recreation/recarea/?recid=67571&actid=50

WESTERN GATEWAY TRAILS

WESTERN GATEWAY TRAILS

Phase I trails of Western Gateway system opened spring 2019

Way back when, my grandfather kept his “church key” can opener tied to the cooler we’d take along on our fishing trips when I was a snot-nosed kid chasing frogs in Connecticut swamps. The simple strip of metal embossed with the Knickerbocker Beer logo got a workout on these outings—puncturing the lids of pre-flip-top-era beverage cans. When pull-tabs eliminated the need for the handy little tool, our tackle box staple rusted away on its cotton cord. Sometimes, we’d use it to scrape grit off our shoes.

Great Sedona views on the Western Gateway trails

The new trails wind through the Dry Creek drainage area

The distinctive puncture of the church key can opener

Big Sedona views on the Ledge-N-Airy Trail

It’s been more than 50 years since flat-top metal containers that required a church key opener went extinct in the mid 1960s, but in many places in Arizona’s backcountry, piles of these old-style food and beverage cans belie the locations of defunct ranch and mining encampments.  Determining the age and stories behind these sites is best left to professionals who use the distinctive triangular pierce mark of the church key as an index fossil of sorts in the science of can-ology.

View of Mingus Mountain from the Roundabout Trail.

Over the years, various antiquities acts designed to protect archeologically-significant resources on public lands have expanded to include objects as young as 50 years old.  So, although grandpa’s discarded beer cans were once trash, those that survived the elements are now historic artifacts.

Cockscomb formation, center horizon, visible from the trails

A few of these rusty relic sites are visible on the new Western Gateway Trail System in Sedona. Phase 1 of the proposed 30-mile system of fresh-cut, re-aligned and adopted user-created trails was completed earlier this year with the help of  Flagstaff-based American Conservation Experience trail crews and funding from various organizations. The twisted, interconnected trails wind though the hilly high desert that had been part of the old Girdner Ranch in the area around Dry Creek and its drainages.

Capitol Butte seen from the Outer Limits Trail

Centered around the old-standard Girdner Trail that begins north of State Route 89A near Sedona Cultural Park, several routes are finessed, signed and open for exploration. With fun names like Ledge-N-Airy, Outer Limits, Drano, Last Frontier and Roundabout, the singletrack routes offer additional access to a pocket of Coconino National Forest 4 miles west of Uptown Sedona.

Limestone escarpments on Ledge-N-Airy Trail

The new routes spin off from the Girdner and Centennial Trails and may also be accessed from the north at the Fay and Aerie trailheads along Boynton Pass Road.  For a moderate 4.6 mile hike, follow the Girdner Trail to the Outer Limits junction, veer left, pick up the Ledge-N-Airy trail and follow the signs to complete a loop. To see some of the rusty can artifacts, go right at the Outer Limits junction and step out on the Roundabout Trail. Within a half-mile, mounds of the now-protected camp litter are scattered among cacti and scrub oaks, dissolving into the red, dusty soil. As with all heritage sites, please do not disturb or remove anything.

Silverleaf nightshade berries on the Centennial Trail

If you are tempted to “clean up” the place, consider volunteering with an organization like Natural Restorations that will teach you how to differentiate trash from treasures and to remove refuge responsibly without disrupting the ecosystem or sensitive, protected relics. Phases II and III of the Western Gateway project are planned for the near future and are expected to be completed by 2021.

New trails spin off the Girdner & Centennial trails

Historic artifacts on the Roundabout Trail

Prickly pear fruits on the Girdner Trail

LENGTH: 4.6 miles  for the loop described here.

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 4440 – 4020 feet

GETTING THERE:

From the State Route 89A/179 traffic circle in Sedona, head 4.2 miles west (left thru the circle) on 89A to Cultural Park Way (traffic signal). Turn right and continue 0.3-mile to the Girdner Trailhead on the right. Trailhead has picnic tables and a map kiosk but no restrooms or water.

INFO & MAP:

COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST

https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/nepa/108635_FSPLT3_4275041.pdf

To Volunteer or donate to the Western Gateway project:

SEDONA RED ROCK TRAIL FUND

https://redrocktrailfund.org/

To volunteer and learn about responsible trail clean-ups statewide:

NATURAL RESTORATIONS:

http://www.naturalrestorations.org/

SYCAMORE POINT TRAIL

SYCAMORE POINT TRAIL 

Sycamore Point sits above Sycamore Canyon Wilderness 

Roughly 23 miles southeast of Williams, Arizona’s second largest canyon splits the landscape at the juncture of three national forests and two wilderness areas.

High-desert grasslands: one of several eco-zones on the hike

Anchoring a 55,937-acre wilderness, Sycamore Canyon is one of the most remote and primitive gorges in the state. Unlike the Grand Canyon--which claims the number one spot in terms of canyon size-- there are no maintained roads, amenities or reliable water sources within Sycamore Canyon.

A sheer drop off marks the rim of Sycamore Canyon  

Except for a few easy-access, well-travelled trails like Parsons Spring near Cottonwood and the Sycamore Rim Trail south of Williams, exploring in and around this wilderness is not for the casual visitor. Those who venture into its deepest corners best be prepared to navigate miles of tire-eating, confusing back roads to get to trailheads, hike on strenuous paths and carry enough water for the entire trip. Despite the fact that maps show Sycamore Creek meandering through the canyon, water is a rare find.

AZ's second largest canyon is raw and untamed.

Meadows define the mid-section of the hike

The trail is open to hikers, bikes and motorized vehicles

Although a multi-day backpacking trip is the optimum way to experience the multifarious features of this unforgiving backcountry, there’s an easier way to get an overview of the canyon’s scale and diversity. A hike or bike ride on the Sycamore Point Trail #131 culminates at a breathtaking overlook that rivals those along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, but without the crowds and concession stands. This ersatz Ooh Aah Point sits near the intersection of the Prescott, Kaibab and Coconino National Forests, where the Red Rock Secret Mountain and Sycamore Canyon Wilderness areas collide 1000 feet below. There are no guard rails to stall a fall, so use extreme caution when approaching the edge. 

Domestic cattle graze in the forests around the trail 

The 10-mile out-and-back trek follows the graveled, rough tail-end of Forest Road 110 that has been designated as multi-use recreational trail.  From the trailhead near JD Dam Lake, the hike begins by heading southeast on a dirt track through shady pine-oak forests. Watch for tiny bike trail signs placed at junctions to stay on track. Near the 2.5-mile point, the environment changes from thick woodlands to open meadows before gradually emerging on a grand plateau with sweeping, high-desert grasslands dotted with pinion pines, agave and Alligator junipers. Soon thereafter, first glimpses of the canyon rim appear on the eastern horizon backed by hazy views of Kendrick Peak and the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. 

Distant San Francisco Peaks seen from Sycamore Point

A twisted Alligator juniper survives on an open prairie.

Where the road ends, a wide gravel roundabout makes a swing around the edge of the canyon. Ringed by junipers, shrubs and an understory of yucca and cacti, views of the 20+-mile-long chasm are dominated by russet-stained buttes and chiseled limestone pillars.

Spent agaves frame Bill Williams Mtn on center horizon

At the brim, a sheer drop off unsettles the nerves while expansive views of the of the wild canyon assault the senses like a rogue tidal wave.  From the precipitous perch, layer upon layer of complex geological features and eco-zones roll out below.

Beautiful rangeland near the canyon's rim.

The point juts out from the edge of the Colorado Plateau to showcase a rare mix of mountain peaks, coniferous woodlands, high deserts and faint strips of riparian trees and shrubs that sink roots into seasonal water pools around Sycamore Creek and feeder streams that drain into the Verde River.

High-desert scrubland near trail's end

Directly under the overlook, the impossible to spot Winter Cabin and Taylor Cabin trails wind among buff-and-vermillion-colored cliffs and water-sculpted ravines while the tree-covered mesas above Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon bolster the eastern horizon. The isolated, exposed and utterly raw beauty visible from this rim-top platform might inspire you to start training and preparing for an expedition into the wilds beneath it. But, an extended dive into Sycamore Canyon requires skill and a healthy dose of humility.

Mountains of Prescott NF on the southwest horizon

Pine forests shade the first 2 miles of the hike.

Follow the bike signs to stay on course. 

It’s easy to succumb to the come-hither call of the canyon, but surviving its clutch is a whole other matter.

Pinion pine are common along the trail

LENGTH: 10 miles out-and-back

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 6583 – 6296 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Interstate 40 in Williams, take the Garland Prairie exit 167, go left at the off ramp and drive south on the access road. Just over the railroad tracks, make a sharp left onto Forest Road 141 and continue 7.9 miles to Forest Road 109. Turn right on FR 109 and continue 5.6 miles south to Forest Road 12, veer left and continue 4.9 miles to the signed trailhead at FR 110. There’s a parking turnout a few yards to the left of the sign. Access roads are gravel/dirt with some washboard sections that are suitable for passenger vehicles.

INFO: Kaibab National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/kaibab/recarea/?recid=11686

Flagstaff Urban Trails System-Arizona Trail Loop

Hike in the Urban-Forest Interface

FUTS routes close to town connect with the Arizona Trail

 “You can’t get there from here,” my hiking partner told a confused pair of trekkers who asked us for directions to an Arizona Trail junction. He gently kicked my shin to signal he was joking as the couple fumbled with a map. Waiting a beat to satisfy his warped sense of humor, my pal continued, “Just kidding, of course you can get there from here. This is Flagstaff.”  He’s not wrong.

I-40 passes above Duck Pond on the Arizona Trail

With hundreds of miles of national forest trails and city pathways, there are dozens of ways to access the iconic 800+-mile Arizona Trail (AZT) that swings through the northern Arizona city.

Mexican Hat flowers bloom along FUTS

The state-traversing route draws hikers, bikers and equestrians from all over the world to this Arizona Trail gateway community---a city or town that embraces and gives ongoing support to the trail and its users. In addition to deep-forest trailheads and popular campgrounds the Arizona Trail may also be accessed by using the Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS). With over 50 miles of existing trails in place and plans for 80 more, the network of paved walkways, re-purposed dirt roads and single track paths make walking off a busy city street into a quiet forest as effortless as moving from room-to-room in your home. One stunning example of the connectivity offered by this community-driven system is located near the intersection of Interstates 17 and 40 southeast of downtown.

Russian knapweed (invasive) grows in meadows

View from the trailhead near Coconino Community College

You'll see planes from nearby Flagstaff Pulliam Airport

The moderate loop has some steep sections

The moderate 6-mile loop hike samples several flavors of FUTS. From a groomed trailhead near Coconino Community College, the hike begins by heading 0.2-mile north on the paved Lone Tree Trail. Next, turn right onto the Broken Arrow Trail which leaves the pavement and heads east on a dirt track.  After 0.4-mile, the trail continues on a dirt road through a drainage area surrounded by pines and wildflower meadows.

FUTS paths connect with Coconino NF trails

The route is obvious except for where a solitary tree stands at a fork in the road at the 1.6-mile point. Veer left here and continue 0.3-mile to Duck Pond and the junction for the Arizona Trail Passage 33.

A dragonfly rests near Duck Pond

Despite the rumble and hum of vehicles rolling over a bridge on Interstate 40, the reedy lake is a pleasant little place with active waterfowl and swarms of dragonflies. After exploring around the water, head right (southeast) at the AZT sign and make a short but steep uphill slog that leads into a sliver of Coconino National Forest that sits between country clubs and subdivisions.

FUTS paths provide non-motorized travel through Flagstaff

Along this 1.7-mile leg of the trip, freeway noise is gradually muffled by the hilly terrain, but aircraft using the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport that’s located a few miles to the southwest are regular reminders that this woodsy buffer zone is very much within the urban-forest interface. Follow the AZT signs to a 3-way junction with a gate and a sign for Fisher Point. To complete the loop, head right and follow an unsigned dirt road. After 0.6-mile of traipsing through sunny fields and shaded bends, the route rejoins the FUTS system. 

Part of the loop follows closed dirt roads

Continue 0.4-mile on the Fisher Point Trail which skirts the edge of a posh golf community then hang a left at the JWP Trail.

The loop is a seamless walk between city and forest

The final 0.8-mile return leg is on the non-motorized path that parallels John Wesley Powell Boulevard. This tiny taste of FUTS and its connectivity shows how with only a bike, horse or a pair of hiking boots, you can get just about anywhere in Flagstaff--and beyond.

LENGTH: 6-mile loop

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 6766- 6979 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Flagstaff, go 1.2 miles south on Lake Mary Road to J.W. Powell Blvd. Turn left and continue 1 mile to the trailhead at the corner of Lone Tree Road.

 INFO: Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS)

https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/1379/Flagstaff-Urban-Trails-System-FUTS

Arizona Trail

https://aztrail.org/

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