White Horse Hills

White Horse Hills

The mouth of the north pass at White Horse Hills

Within the pass that cuts through the pyramid-shaped pinnacles of the White Horse Hills, voices carry. But, voices are rare in the barren cluster of vertical mounds located below the north face of the San Francisco Peaks 20 miles north of Flagstaff in Coconino National Forest.

This is not the kind of place hikers drool over visiting, it’s allure draws more curiosity seekers than hard-core trekkers, especially since it competes with nearby Passage 34 of the Arizona Trail.   Inquiring minds might well find amusement on the obscure dirt road that shows up on topographic maps as a oversimplified line connecting Forest Roads 514 and 418.

A storm brews above Saddle Mountain (left)

Kendrick Mountain seen from FR 9219M

Painted Desert views stand out on the route

But the reality of hiking the deceptively straight forward course of Forest Road 9219M, which runs down the center of the lumpy conglomerate, is a bit more complicated.

The section of FR 9219M that ascends the mountain pass is now closed to motorized traffic and its point-to-point length is only 2.8 miles, yet for those without a good sense of direction, picking out the overgrown path can be a challenge. Still, with two options to explore the area, expert and novice hikers alike can experience this unusual landform.

Ponderosa pines shade segments of both routes

The North Route

View from the high pass of White Horse Hills

The easiest route begins at Forest Road 514. From a trailhead that’s shared with the Arizona Trail, follow Forest Road 9006R for a half-mile to Forest Road 9219M. Veer right and hike the dirt two-track as it makes an mild 400-foot climb through patches of pines and shadeless meadows. Views along this nondescript backroad are astonishing. Dozens of volcanic landforms including 8,880-foot Saddle Mountain and 10,418-foot Kendrick Mountain fill the horizons while hazy glimpses of the Painted Desert and the rim of the Grand Canyon roll out to the northeast.

The route shares a trailhead with the Arizona Trail

Straight ahead, Arizona’s highest peaks that top out at 12,643 feet, cast shadows on the destination: the White Horse Hills. Also known as Marble Mountain, the geological curiosity is a dome laccolith, a volcanic feature that forms when subterranean magma pushes up layers of older rocks from below, sort of like a blister that never breaks the surface.  Described by geologist John V. Bezy in A Guide to the Geology of the Flagstaff Area, the multi-peaked massif formed around 850,000 years ago. 

There's lots of solitude in the White Horse Hills

A faint trail ascends to the top of the pass

Thousands of years of erosion and recent wildfires have shaped the terrain into a desolate yet oddly appealing pocket of stark rhyolite hills and exposed layers of ancient sediments, previous volcanic flows and ragged outcroppings of Redwall limestone that were changed into marble by the heat of rising magma. At the 1.5-mile point, the road hike ends in a patch of Ponderosa pines at the mouth of the mountain pass where a barbed wire fence and a toppled sign bar motorized travel into the hills. There’s no gate and no easy way to get through the fence. As it’s important to never cut or alter fences on forest lands, I called this scenic spot the turnaround point and set out to explore the hills from the south.

Thistle are plentiful along the routes

White Horse Hills is a dome laccolith volcanic feature

The South Route

Although hiking the hills from the Forest Road 418 access point is more difficult, it gets you into the guts of the laccolith. A short but steep and slippery climb on a disintegrating road leads to a landing where the road seems to disappear entirely. To find the fading track, look ahead to spot a barely discernable road cut between two conical peaks, the highest of which reaches 9,065 feet. Follow this path 300 feet uphill to the highpoint saddle—a dizzying perch surrounded by sheer bluffs, broken clefts and boulder-filled ravines. Through the V-shaped gap in the pass situated at 8,738 feet, flatlands dotted with cinder cone volcanoes and the contrasting green pastures of Kendrick Park are visible 1,000 feet below. From this point, the path becomes clearer, but still tricky in places, and can be spotted snaking across the eastern (to the right) slopes below. Carefully work your way down the incline and walk toward the barbed wire fence (8,062 feet) at the 1.3-mile point. Again, unless you can squeeze under the wire without causing damage, return the way you came.

Common mullien thrive in meadows below the hills

White Horse Hills sit at the base of San Francisco Mountain

Wildfires and erosion have shaped the White Horse Hills

Southern access point to White Horse Hills

The eroded innards of White Horse Hills

LENGTH:

From the North to the fence:  3 miles round trip

From the South to the fence: 2.6 miles  round trip

RATING: easy or difficult depending on route

ELEVATION:

North access: 7,647 – 8,062 feet

South access: 8,062 – 8,738 feet

GETTING THERE:

North Access FR 514:

From Flagstaff, go 21 miles north on U.S. 180 to Forest Road 514 (Kendrick Park Road). Turn right and continue to just past the 3-mile marker at Kelly Tank and park in the dirt lot on the right at the beginning of Forest Road 9006R. This is directly across from an Arizona Trail gate.

South Access FR 418:

From Flagstaff,  go 19.5 miles north on U.S. 180 to the north access for Forest Road 151 (Hart Prairie Road) located past milepost 235. Turn right and continue 1.6 miles to Forest Road 418, veer left and go 2 miles to a small dirt turnout just past a 2-mile post where there’s a “closed to motorized use” sign on the left. Parking is limited to turnouts along the road. Do not block private driveways.

Access roads to both trailheads are rough dirt suitable for all carefully driven vehicles.

INFO:

http://repository.azgs.az.gov/sites/default/files/dlio/files/nid1540/dte-14_guideflagstaffgeology400dpi.pdf

Brandis Trail

BRANDIS TRAIL

Survivor pines near the Deer Hill Trail junction

Ten years ago this month, the Schultz Fire was ravaging the eastern slopes of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks.

Trailhead gate on the Brandis Trail

The human-caused blaze, ignited from an abandoned camp fire on June 20, 2010, went on to burn more than 15,000 acres of Coconino National Forest before being contained 10 days later. The fire was followed by one of the wettest monsoon seasons on record which lead to devastating flooding. Without trees and other vegetation to stabilize and absorb runoff, heavy rains created rivers of debris that further eroded the landscape leaving behind a charred moonscape of sludge and an eerie wilderness of torched tree trunks and ashen gullies.

Evidence of the 2010 Shultz Fire come early in the hike

Extend the hike on the Deer Hill Trail

Mountain gromwell sprout tiny white flower heads

Sunset Crater (left horizon) seen from Brandis Trail

Pollinators swarm around Rocky Mountain beeplants

Pine sprouts grow among casualties of the Schultz Fire

O'Leary Peak (right horizon) viewed from Brandis Trail

Schultz Fire scar on eastern slopes of San Francisco Peaks

Frothy Apache plume shrubs color the trail.

Borne of volcanism that began shaping the area millions of years ago, this mountainous parcel in Northern Arizona is no stranger to fire. Whether brought on naturally by lighting or lava or by human carelessness, fire drives uneasy cycles of destruction and resurgence that’s aren’t going away anytime soon.

Brandis Trail access point 

Ten years removed from the blaze, the area is in recovery mode, transitioning from what had been a place of thick coniferous woodlands, alpine meadows and forested foothills into a much different, starkly beautiful destination. The blaze damaged several popular hiking trails including the Little Elden, Little Bear, Sunset, Heart and parts of the Arizona Trail. But two outlier routes that suffered the kind of odd, patchy damage to vegetation that melds islands of old growth survivors with resurgent sprouts provide enlightening walking tours of an emerging landscape.

Skunk bush--one of many blooming shrubs on the trail

Even before the fire, the Brandis and Deer Hill trails weren’t big-name attractions but instead offered less crowded, easy treks at the base of San Francisco Mountain with no difficult climbs or confusing junctions. The Brandis Trail, located at the edge of a residential area less than a mile from U.S. 89 north of Flagstaff, wanders through the fire scar and is a good path to follow to see how the forest is regenerating.

The 1.4-mile, straight-shot route heads due west toward the peaks beginning with a short hike among unscathed pines. Within a quarter mile, though, views of charred tree trunks that hover precariously over acres toppled logs deliver a gut-punch to those who recall the woodsy pre-fire environment.  The upside is that the near treeless terrain is now replete with unobstructed views of nearby O’Leary Peak, a 8,916-foot  lava dome volcano and Sunset Crater a young, 8,042-foot cinder cone and focal point of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Interestingly, the now dormant volcano turned tourist attraction was the source of a curtain of fire that disrupted life here about 1,000 years ago.

Brandis trail roughly traces a drainage gorge where resurgent shrubs, wildflowers and saplings are encouraging signs of life regaining its hold. Healthy swaths of silvery rabbitbrush, mountain gromwell, penstemons, Rocky Mountain beeplant and Apache plume add color and sink stabilizing roots into the fragile soils while intermittent stands of survivor pines, oaks and junipers stand in testimony to the sometimes bizarre movements of wildfires.  The trail gets a little sketchy where it crosses the winding drainage several times. To stay on track, know that at the crossings, the trail picks up directly on the other side, not down the wash as random footprints might suggest.

At the 1.3-mile point, a livestock gate stands near one of the few shady areas on the trail. Pass through (close it behind you) and continue on to the turnaround point at the Deer Hill trail junction. For an optional, longer hike, the left leg heads 4 miles south to connect with the Little Elden and Arizona Trail while the right leg goes 1.5 miles north to its terminus at Schultz Pass Road.

The trail traces a scoured drainage 

A Yellow salsify flower gone to seed

Yellow salsify is a common bloomer along the route

LENGTH:  3 miles roundtrip (Brandis Trail only)

RATING: easy

ELEVATION:  6,840 – 7,212 feet

GETTING THERE:

From the Interstate 17/40 interchange in Flagstaff, go east on I-40 to exit 201 for U.S. 89 north.

Continue 8.2 miles north on U.S. 89, turn left on Brandis Way and go 0.8-mile to a parking apron at the corner of Brandis Way and Ostrich Lane.  The trailhead is located at the end of a fenced easement at the end of Brandis Way. Please respect private property in the area by not blocking driveways or attempting to drive on the easement.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/2010-schultz-fire

Gooseberry Springs

GOOSEBERRY SPRINGS

The old trough at Gooseberry Springs

Since prehistoric times, the fertile forests around Mormon Lake have served Native peoples, wildlife, commerce and recreationists. The geologically complex area of volcanic landforms and natural lakes is situated among historic travel corridors that have been used for centuries by early inhabitants, loggers and ranchers. Gooseberry Springs, which sits at the base of 8,532-foot Hutch Mountain 30 miles south of Flagstaff, offers a glimpse into a time in the late 19^th and early 20^th century when homesteaders ran sheep and cattle in the forests and meadow on the Mogollon Rim.

Arizona honeysuckle grow near Gooseberry Springs

Aspens and pine trees shade the road to Gooseberry Springs

Water lingers in a catchment at Gooseberry Springs

Mountain vistas peek through dense tree cover

Today, the area is a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts interested in camping, riding and hiking opportunities.  Passage 30 of the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile route from Mexico to Utah, wanders through this beautiful territory and offers hikers, bikers and equestrians a sweet backcountry experience. While the Arizona Trail passes a few miles to the west of Gooseberry Springs in Coconino National Forest, the site may be visited by way of two under-the-radar routes. The traditional path begins near the summit of Hutch Mountain.

Trailhead kiosk has information on the area's history

There are two potential downsides to that option, though. First, a high-clearance vehicle is needed to reach the trailhead and second, the hike descends 600 feet, so all the steep climbing is done on the way back. But the deterrents can be overcome by taking an alternate route that begins at the Arizona Trail Gooseberry Springs trailhead where a kiosk showing historical information on the area’s geography, early inhabitants, railroads, logging, wildlife, settlers and ranchers enhances visitor experience.

The bucolic environs of Gooseberry Springs

New Mexico locust bloom through mid summer

 Fire tower on Hutch Mountain

From the kiosk, continue hiking east on Forest Road 92 (the road you came in on) past a large dispersed camping area and meadows full of wild roses, irises and lupine.

Pollinators congregate on a Gregg's ceanothus shrub

The rough road soon ducks into thick pine-oak woodlands with smatterings of fir and spruce and begins a mild climb along a ridge above Fulton Canyon.  At the one mile point go left at a major road fork to continue on to the springs.  The road to the right is Forest Road 92A which leads down into the Seven Anchor Spring area--a nice side trip for the way back, if you like. 

The eponymous gooseberry shrub

Through the dense vegetation, sporadic views of distant mountain peaks break up the tree-centric scenery.  After about a mile and a half of hiking, the road dips into a green, bowl-like depression where Forest Road 135C veers off to the right. Motorized traffic is not allowed beyond this point, but hikers can use this closed road to get to the springs.

Lupine are common summer bloomers on the Mogollon Rim

Continue 0.3-mile to a “Y” junction where a faint path heads left. Marked only by a “road closed to motorized traffic” post, this final leg of the hike passes through a large sunny meadow fringed with aspens and dozens of gooseberry shrubs with views of the lumpy backside of Hutch Mountain overhead. At the 2.6-mile point, the road meets the springs.  A dilapidated concrete trough wrapped in metal bars and rusty wire rests a few yards downhill from a stonework catchment at the head of the springs.

The hike follows Forest Roads 92 and 135C

On my June 13, 2020 visit, a few inches of water lingered in a masonry box protruding from a hillside, but the trough was bone dry.  Nearby, a patch of rare, moisture-loving Arizona honeysuckle thrive where groundwater seeps to the surface—just one example of the many micro climates visible to the attentive eye in this little pocket of paradise.  The springs mark the hike’s turnaround point and it's all downhill on the way back.

View from the trail that starts on Hutch Mountain

Deers ears grow in dappled light beneath pine trees

The last leg of the hike is open to non-motorized use only.

LENGTH:

5.2 miles round trip from Gooseberry Springs or

4 miles round trip from Hutch Mountain

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION:

Gooseberry Springs route: 7,452 – 7,934 feet

Hutch Mountain route: 7,934 - 8,535 feet

GETTING THERE:

GOOSEBERRY SPRINGS TRAILHEAD as described here:

From Flagstaff, go 32 miles south on Lake Mary Road (County Road 3) to Forest Road 92. This is past mile post 313 on the left and signed for Gooseberry Springs. Continue a short distance to the trailhead on the right. Roads are okay for all vehicles.

HUTCH MOUNTAIN TRAILHEAD:

From Flagstaff go 33 miles south on Lake Mary Road (County Road 3) to Forest Road 135 at milepost 311. Continue  2.6 miles on FR 135, bear left at an unsigned junction and then left again onto Forest Road 135B.  A high clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicle is required on FR 135B. 

Those with low clearance vehicles should park along FR 135 and hike 1.5 miles uphill on the rough dirt road to the parking area on a mountain saddle. Pass through the gate and hike 0.12 mile to where the road makes an abrupt turn to the right. Look for a faint, unsigned path heading downhill off to the left. Follow this trail 2 miles to Gooseberry Springs. 

To visit the fire tower, follow the road a half-mile beyond the gate. 

INFO:

aztrail.org

Mount Baldy Crossover Trail

MOUNT BALDY CROSSOVER TRAIL

Mount Baldy Wilderness.

Mt.Baldy Crossover trails moves through forests & meadows

Tethering the West Baldy and East Baldy trails that make grueling ascents to a saddle near the 11,403-foot summit of Mount Baldy at the edge of the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation, the Mount Baldy Crossover trail No. 96 is much more than a means to an end.

Crossover Trail is in the Mt. Baldy Wilderness

The woodsy 3.5-mile connector route is often used as part of the 16.7-mile three-trail loop that traces the slopes of the extinct stratovolcano that’s been silent for 2 million years, but it also delivers a classic White Mountains experience when done alone as an out-and-back trek. It’s a great way to get acquainted with the high country terrain and acclimate before taking on the mountain.

Although this trail trifecta isn’t especially difficult in terms of technical challenge, the thinner, high elevation air can cause huffing and puffing that slows down progress. That’s a good thing, though, because you’ll want to take this one at a leisurely pace to enjoy the variety of scenery and rich biodiversity.

Delicate prairie smoke sprout feathery plumes in summer

Brilliant magenta American vetch flowers stand out underfoot

Forest and meadows collide on Crossover trail

Orange gooseberry shrubs are common on the route

Ferns grow hip-high in sunny spots

Marsh marigolds grow in moist areas on the Crossover trail

A feeder stream cuts through a meadow on Crossover trail

Many-flower stickseed is a fun find on the trail

Aspens flourish in sunny glens on the Crossover trail

False hellebore grows in wet meadows along the route

Rocky Mountain irises thrive in wet meadows

The quickest access to the Crossover trail is from the East Baldy trailhead where the route follows the East Baldy trail for 0.2-mile to a junction where it swerves north and away from the channel of nearby East Fork of the Little Colorado River.  Bouncing among various ecozones within the Mount Baldy Wilderness area in Eastern Arizona, the trail kicks off with a stroll through aspen glens with glimpses of mountain foothills. Soon, the aspens are swallowed up in mixed conifer woodlands of Douglas firs, Ponderosa pines and Engelmann and Blue Spruce. 

There's lost of scenic variety on the Crossover trail

Cloaked in a crisp atmosphere tinged with the smell of moss and damp earth, the forest is so thick in some places that sunlight barely lights the way, while in other spots, gaps in the tree cover let in enough sunshine to sustain spreads of ferns, wild strawberries, Canada violets and spotted coralroot--a complex and odd-looking ground dweller in the orchid family.  Interspersed throughout the hike are open-to-the-sky wet meadows replete with their own community of moisture-loving plants. Where the ground is mushy and damp, look for frilly bundles of false hellebore that sprout head-high flower stalks in summertime and the delicate blooms of marsh marigolds, aquatic buttercups, prairie smoke and berry-laden shrubs.

Spotted coralroot grow among pine needles on the forest floor

The route begins with a short hike on the East Baldy trail

A segment of mixed conifer woodlands  on the trail

Except for where fallen trees slumped over the trail require some mild scrambling to get over, the trail is easy to follow and, even with the diluted oxygen, not too much of a challenge. The trail ends at the junction with the West Baldy trail. Turn around here, or if you parked a shuttle vehicle at the West Baldy trailhead, head right and hike a half-mile to complete the journey.

LENGTH: 7.4 miles round trip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 9,275 – 9,400 feet

GETTING THERE:

From Pinetop-Lakeside, travel 20 miles east on State Route 260 to State Route 273 which is just past mile post 377 and signed for Sunrise Ski Area. Turn left and go 11 miles south to the East Baldy trailhead on the right.

INFO:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5227797.pdf#page=22