Little Elden Trail to Schultz Tank

LITTLE ELDEN TRAIL TO SCHULTZ TANK

FIRE NOTICE: August 6, 2019. This area is now back OPEN for use following the Museum Fire closure. Wildflower season is in full bloom in Flagstaff’s Dry Lake Hills area.

San Francisco Peaks dominate the northern vistas.

Yellow Columbine bloom in moist areas on Little Elden Trl.

Recent forest logging and clearing operations that had closed many of the trails that meander through the diverse terrains of the Coconino National Forest north of 9299-foot Mount Elden are gradually finishing up and several paths are now open.

Stormy San Francisco Peaks reflected in Schultz Tank.

One particularly productive wildflower trail that’s outside of the closure area is the Little Elden Trail to Schultz Tank.  This multi-faceted gem traces the north flanks of 9018-foot Little Elden Mountain through a mix of deep, mixed-conifer woodlands, aspen glens, sunny meadows and a variety of blooming plant communities.

Western blue flax grows in sunny meadows along the route.

From the trailhead, follow the 0.3-mile access path to the Little Elden Trail which doubles as part of the Arizona Trail Passage 32. The route heads right (west) at the sign and begins with a shady walk among pines and firs with a smattering of aspens tucked into clearings. Where the trail crosses drainages, plots of rich-green ferns swaying over the narrow footpath gently brush the shoulders of passing hikers. Roughly 0.8-miles in, reminders of the 2010 Schultz Fire begin to appear in the form of charred logs and gangly snags.

The spur path to Schultz Tank.

Ripe berries on a Fendler's ceanothus shrub.

A woodsy corridor near the beginning of the hike.

Soon, the devastating effects of the human-caused blaze that burned 15,075 acres over 10 days and also caused massive, monsoon-driven erosion come into full view.  Although only a short section of the trail passes directly through the fire scar, evidence of its havoc on the landscape  are clearly seen in the surrounding hills. The formerly dense pine-oak forests that defined the trail’s mid-section were toasted down to ash. Nine-years removed from the fire, this section is now a sprawling meadow flush with wildflowers and brambles that have taken root among blackened, matchstick-like stumps. The loss of the tree cover has revealed previously obscured views of O’Leary Peak and Sunset Crater to the northeast and the scorched edge of the Kachina Peaks Wilderness to the northwest.  The recovering meadows of hip-high grasses foster a botanical garden of blooming plants and shrubs.

Thorny fruits on a gooseberry shrub.

Look for fruity raspberry shrubs and the frothy cream-colored blooms and dark fruits of blueberry elder tree that grow sporadically in bright fields.  Delicate Western blue flax twines around Fendler’s ceanothus bushes and acres of paintbrush, butter and eggs, thistle, mountain parsley, common mullien, lupines, purple locoweed, gooseberry shrubs and other sun-loving varieties splatter vivid colors on the forest floor.

O'Leary Peak and Sunset Crater on the northeast horizon.

Richardson's geranium pokes through a bramble.

New Mexican vervain thrive in exposed meadows.

Dense coniferous forests near Schultz Tank.

Pollinators are attracted to Fendler's ceanothus shrubs.

Silver lupine add splashes of color to alpine meadows.

After about a mile of exposed grassland hiking, the trail heads uphill and ducks into moist, canyon-bound woodlands in the drainage areas near Schultz Tank. This beautiful segment features slopes with sprouting aspen saplings as well as ravines cluttered with old-growth conifers draped in moss. The wetter micro climate here supports a whole other type of wildflower habitat.

Purple locoweed is a common plant along the trail.

An understory of spreading dogbane, yellow columbine, Richardson’s geranium, curly dock, wild roses and fragrant wild geranium grow profusely in damp slivers of space among roots, boulders and gigantic trees. 

Little Elden Trail is part of the 800+-mile Arizona Trail.

Immature blueberry elder fruits follow frothy white flowers.

The Little Elden Trail ends at a signed junction where several classic Dry Lake Hills routes take off in all directions.

Ferns grow shoulder-high along the Little Elden Trail.

If you want to create a longer loop hike, check with the forest service before heading out to be sure your selected trails are open for use.

Fire damage visible on the edge of Kachina Peaks Wilderness

Schultz Tank is the turn around point for the hike.

Otherwise, follow the signs 0.2-mile to Schultz Tank, meander around the peak-reflecting pool and popular recreation hub then return the way you came.

Wild bergamot grows in moist pine woodlands.

Pale lavender aspen fleabane attract insects.

The 2019 Schultz Fire burned over 15,000 acres of forest.

Aspen saplings take root in the burn scar of the Schultz Fire.

Juicy wild raspberries grown in drainage areas.

LENGTH:  5.6 miles out-and-back

RATING: 7180 - 8000 feet

ELEVATION: 7320 – 8000 feet

GETTING THERE:

In Flagstaff, go north on U.S. 89 to Forest Road 556 (Elden Spring Road, just past mile post 429) turn left and continue 2.4 miles to the Little Elden trailhead on the right. The hike begins at the trailhead kiosk.

INFO: Coconino National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55130

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Perkins Tank and JD Dam Lake

Two Tank Trek: Perkins Tank and JD Dam Lake

Kaibab National Forest

Perkins Tank attracts myriad wildlife.

Southeast of Williams, a string of fishing holes hiding on the north rim of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness attract anglers, wildlife watchers, birders, runners and day hikers in search of atypical forest treks. 

Alfalfa blooms around Perkins Tank

Watch for dragonflies darting among reeds at Perkins Tank.

Clustered among pine forests and sunny prairies along scenic backwoods roads 20 miles south of town, Perkins Tank and JD Dam Lake comprise a water-centric tour of the Kaibab National Forest’s southern sector.

A hiker photographs birds at JD Dam Lake.

Although both ponds are stocked occasionally with rainbow trout, neither is a very productive fishery. Light visitation along with their locations off main roads make these secluded alcoves excellent places to view the myriad critters that come to their shores to drink and wallow. This two-stop circuit combines short walks around waterholes with a sweet scenic drive for a day of easy exploring. We begin at the northern most site and work our way south.

A 0.25-mile trail flanks Perkins Tank.

Trees and lush aquatic vegetation in JD Dam lake.

Perkins Tank is a 3.5-acre catch-and-release trout fishery that averages 10 feet in depth. Sitting at a summer-comfortable 6800 feet in elevation, the tiny pond has been adopted by the Northern Arizona Flycasters (http://nazflycasters.com/naf-history/), a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of fisheries in the Flagstaff and Williams areas.

Acres of water smartweed cover JD Dam Lake

The organization worked with land management agencies on projects to remove destructive sediments and install structures that both improved wildlife habitats and fishing access.  Although the tank can be reached by way of a rough dirt road, a better option for hikers is to park along the main artery access road and walk 1.4 miles to the trailhead. Because the lakes are located just far enough away from major recreation sites (White Horse Lake and Sycamore Canyon Rim Trail) and heavily travelled roads to offer wildlife sanctuary, you’re almost guaranteed to spot elk splashing about in the reeds if you arrive early in the morning. One of the first things you’ll notice here is a cacophony of singing bullfrogs and squawking birds. The ubiquitous croaking and screeching of the amphibious chorus makes an apt soundtrack for the clouds of dragonflies that dance among shoreline vegetation.

Bullfrogs (center) serenade at both lakes.

 

Perkins Tank dam makes for a great viewing platform.

Penstemon and other wildflowers bloom near the ponds.

A quarter-mile, out-and-back trail traces the tank’s north shore and crosses the earthen dam that contains the water.  Find a secluded spot camouflaged by a tree or rushes, sit awhile and be amazed at the dozens of species of local fauna whizzing past.

A dragonfly darts among reeds at JD Dam lake

The marshy backwaters of JD Dam Lake.

Hikers spot a group of elk wallowing at Perkins Tank.

Two walk-able peninsulas jut into JD Dam Lake.

A few miles down the road, JD Dam Lake is roughly twice the size of Perkins Tank.  The six-acre trout pond features two walk-able peninsulas that jut into the lake’s weedy waters. Whereas Perkins Tank is surrounded mostly by pine-oak woodlands, this pond swells with willows and aquatic plants including acres of water smartweed and emerald green marshes.  Because of its drive-up access, this little gem is a popular stop-off for fishing, floating a pontoon, wildlife watching and enjoying a picnic lunch.  Pack a pair of binoculars to view the waterfowl, frogs and wild turkeys that thrive in the marshy perimeters where shoreline footpaths are sometimes obliterated by flattened reeds, soggy backwaters and hip-high grasses. Explore with care and steer clear of anglers casting lines and gaggles of marauding geese.

A beautifully stripped dragonfly at Perkins Tank.

LENGTH:

Perkins Tank:  4 miles out-and-back

J.D. Dam: 1.2 miles out-and-back

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 

Perkins Tank: 6925 - 6815 feet

JD Dam Lake: 6458 feet

GETTING THERE:

Perkins Tank:

From Williams, go 8.2 miles south on 4th Street (County Road 73/ Perkinsville Road) to Forest Road 110 (White Horse Lake Road). Turn left (east) and go 4.6 miles to Forest Road 3281 on the right. Park along the road and hike the road to the lake. Those with high-clearance vehicles may opt to drive the narrow, bumpy road 1.4 miles to the lake. There’s a restroom at the trailhead.

JD Dam Lake:

From Perkins Tank, return to Forest Road 110, turn right and continue to Forest Road 109 (signed for White Horse Lake and JD Dam). Turn left and go 2 miles to Forest Road 12 then follow the signs 5 miles to JD Dam.  There’s a restroom at the trailhead.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/kaibab/recreation/fishing/recarea/?recid=11663&actid=42

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CRATER LAKE

CRATER LAKE, Coconino National Forest

Crater Lake fills the vent of an extinct cinder cone

The light, porous cinders that put a roll and crunch in your step on the mountain trail that leads to Crater Lake belie the site’s fiery origins.  When viewed from the dusty dirt roads that pass by its base, the 8460-foot-high cinder cone volcano blends in with dozens of another mundane hills that dot the  Coconino National Forest 20 miles northwest of Flagstaff.  

San Francisco Peaks seen from Crater Lake volcano.

But a surprise at trail’s end makes this little mountain special.

During their active phases, cinder cone volcanoes live fast and furious lives. Although they are like a fly-in-the-soup in terms of igneous impact on the landscape when compared to the likes of other nearby volcanic mountains like the San Francisco Peaks or Kendrick Peak, these spitfires leave interesting residuals.

Kendrick Peak is visible through most of the hike

Crater Lake volcano seen from Forest Road 760

View from the road leading to Crater Lake

The conical hills that rarely break 1000 feet in height form when gas-propelled lava blasts from the earth in what has been described as “curtains of fire”. The bubbly spatter flies high into the sky cooling quickly into bits of ash, cinders (scoria) and pock-marked blobs that fall back to earth to form mound of  pyroclastic debris around the central vent.

Wright's Bluets bloom May through September

The process continues over months to decades before the eruption runs out of gas, the fireworks subside and a belch of viscous lava signals the end of the hill’s active period. Thousands to millions of years later, some of these spent magma geysers have taken on second lives as hiking destinations and tourist attractions.  Of the roughly 600 cinder cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in northern Arizona, several are well-known natural wonders.  The collapsed walls of Red Mountain expose complex volcanic structure while the young, intact Sunset Crater and its raw lava flow is an outdoor science festival.

Butter and Eggs bloom on the summit road

Others, like the Crater Lake volcano, live a less-showy, but intriguing retirement. The trek to this quiet geological find is an easy stroll on backroads below the east face of Kendrick Peak.  Begin hiking on Forest Road 9009D--a rough two-track--through piney cattle country. At the 0.8-mile point, a series of berms mark where the road has been decommissioned and closed to motorized travel. Follow the road scar another 0.2-mile to Forest Road 9009V on the right which swerves onto the mountain for a moderate half-mile climb to the rim of the crater. This short climb packs in some terrific views of the San Francisco Peaks, Crowley Park (an open meadow area) and Kendrick Peak.

San Francisco Peaks loom southeast of Crater Lake

 

Crater Lake approach.

Approaching Crater Lake

At the top of the trail, a wood cattle fence serves as a gateway to the jewel of the hike.  Directly ahead, a shallow pond shaded by pines and firs fills the basin that was the volcano’s central vent.  Alive with lush grasses and wildflowers, the aspen-ringed paradise is wrapped in a crusty rim of ragged stone.  A walk around the boggy, bowl-like depression reveals evidence of abundant wildlife activity. Footprints and scat speak to the importance of this watering hole to resident elk, deer, racoons, bear and birds.

A log soaks in Crater Lake

East flanks of Kendrick Peak tower over Crater Lake

Within this cloistered hollow, the hush and rustle of leaves makes it difficult to imagine that hot vapors and flames once spewed from the eroded vent.  Sometimes, in the early morning hours, the crater emulates its origins when the summer sun coaxes a smoke-like mist from the dewy swale. 

Volcanic ejecta on Crater Lake volcano

LENGTH: 3 miles roundtrip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 7,955 – 8,460 feet

GETTING THERE: From Flagstaff, go 18.3 miles north on U.S. 180 to Forest Road 760 (just past milepost 234). Turn left and continue 0.9 mile and bear right at a fork. At 1.1 mile, continue straight ahead at the crossroads for the Kendrick Snowmobile trails. From this point, continue 1.0 mile to Forest Road 9009D on the left. The road sign is located roughly 100 feet in from the FR760 and is easy to miss. Park in the roadside pullouts.