Arizona Hiking and
Backpacking Excursions
Picket Post Mountain: This is a nice little mountain hike about 45 minutes East of Phoenix, near the town of Superior. The Hike is about 4.5 miles round trip, but it is a pretty strenuous hike, climbing nearly 2,000 feet in elevation. From the trailhead you follow along the Arizona Trail and after just a short distance you will see a spur trail that heads up the mountain; this is the one you want. The trail takes you up through a gully and at the top it opens up a little bit more. From here navigation becomes a little more difficult because there are little trails going all over the place. They all lead to the same place, so just take the one that looks the most worn or the one that looks the easiest. The ground is steep and lose in this area so be careful. And watch out for cacti that are hanging over the trail. Eventually, you make it past this steep, loose area to a plateau. This Plateau is pretty much the top of the mountain, but there is a small summit that rises about another 25 feet above the plateau. From the summit (or from the plateau) there are awesome 360 degree views. This is a stand-alone mountain, so there are no ridges connecting it to other mountains that may block your view. At the summit there is a mailbox with a trail register in it. I'm told that the mailbox used to actually be in service somewhere in Oregon, but was hit by a car and taken out of commission.
Rating: 8/10
Rating: 8/10
Siphon Draw to Flat Iron and Superstition Mountain:
This is an awesome 7.5 mile roundtrip hike in the Superstition Wilderness. The first little bit is level and very easy to follow. The trail to Flat Iron and Superstion Mountain soon takes off to the left and starts going up the mountain and becoming much steeper. As you make your way up the mountain, you find yourself in a draw (hence the trail name Siphon Draw). Along the way there are some cool rock formations. At about the half way point you come to a small basin where it is clear to see the erosion from the rain waters coming down the draw. Depending on when the last rain fall was, there may even be a small waterfall here. From here on the trail becomes a little tougher and a little scrambling will be needed at times. If you ask me, that's what make this trail so much fun. Eventually you make your way up to a small bench on the mountain side. Going right here will take you to Flat Iron and going left will continue to Superstition Summit. At Flat Iron you have tremendous views of the desert below and the greater Phoenix area. At this point you are about 1,100 feet above the desert floor and it's almost a straight drop down. At Superstition Mountain you have excellent 360 degree views including Weaver's Needle to the East. You are also looking down on Flat Iron from up there and you truly understand why it is called Flat Iron.
Rating: 9/10
This is an awesome 7.5 mile roundtrip hike in the Superstition Wilderness. The first little bit is level and very easy to follow. The trail to Flat Iron and Superstion Mountain soon takes off to the left and starts going up the mountain and becoming much steeper. As you make your way up the mountain, you find yourself in a draw (hence the trail name Siphon Draw). Along the way there are some cool rock formations. At about the half way point you come to a small basin where it is clear to see the erosion from the rain waters coming down the draw. Depending on when the last rain fall was, there may even be a small waterfall here. From here on the trail becomes a little tougher and a little scrambling will be needed at times. If you ask me, that's what make this trail so much fun. Eventually you make your way up to a small bench on the mountain side. Going right here will take you to Flat Iron and going left will continue to Superstition Summit. At Flat Iron you have tremendous views of the desert below and the greater Phoenix area. At this point you are about 1,100 feet above the desert floor and it's almost a straight drop down. At Superstition Mountain you have excellent 360 degree views including Weaver's Needle to the East. You are also looking down on Flat Iron from up there and you truly understand why it is called Flat Iron.
Rating: 9/10
Blue Ridge Mtn Trail and Ice Cave Trail:
This is an 8.5 mile loop that some friends and I did in the White Mountains of Arizona. The hike starts off on Blue Ridge Mountain trail at about 7,200 ft. and gradually climbs through a Ponderosa Pine forest to Blue Ridge Summit (about 7,850 ft) before gradually descending down the other side. When you get to the Ice cave trail you make a right and go about 2 miles before coming to Ice Cave. Ice Cave is actually a lava tube, but even on the hottest of days the air coming out of it seems to be ice cold. From there you go back up the Ice Cave Trail to Blue Ridge Mtn. Trail. Blue Ridge Mtn. Trail actually makes a loop so to continue the loop you go right. You can also make the loop a little shorter by taking a forest road that goes through the middle of the loop and comes out right at the trailhead. During the hike we saw a couple of elk and I saw my first tarantula, although it was just a small one.
Rating: 7/10
This is an 8.5 mile loop that some friends and I did in the White Mountains of Arizona. The hike starts off on Blue Ridge Mountain trail at about 7,200 ft. and gradually climbs through a Ponderosa Pine forest to Blue Ridge Summit (about 7,850 ft) before gradually descending down the other side. When you get to the Ice cave trail you make a right and go about 2 miles before coming to Ice Cave. Ice Cave is actually a lava tube, but even on the hottest of days the air coming out of it seems to be ice cold. From there you go back up the Ice Cave Trail to Blue Ridge Mtn. Trail. Blue Ridge Mtn. Trail actually makes a loop so to continue the loop you go right. You can also make the loop a little shorter by taking a forest road that goes through the middle of the loop and comes out right at the trailhead. During the hike we saw a couple of elk and I saw my first tarantula, although it was just a small one.
Rating: 7/10
Peralta Trail:
This is an easy to moderate 6 mile hike that a friend and I did in the Superstition Wilderness. Although the trail goes further, we decided to turn around at Fremont Saddle. The trail follows along the bottom of Peralta Canyon and climbs gradually. Along the way there are some cool spires and rock features that line the cliffs of the canyon. If you know where to look, you may also be able to spot Geronimo Cave. As the trail gets closer to the top it also becomes more steep. After about 3 miles you find yourself at the top of the canyon in Fremont Saddle. From Fremont Saddle you have amazing views of Weaver's Needle to the north. To the south, you have tremendous views of the canyon you just came up.
Rating: 8/10
This is an easy to moderate 6 mile hike that a friend and I did in the Superstition Wilderness. Although the trail goes further, we decided to turn around at Fremont Saddle. The trail follows along the bottom of Peralta Canyon and climbs gradually. Along the way there are some cool spires and rock features that line the cliffs of the canyon. If you know where to look, you may also be able to spot Geronimo Cave. As the trail gets closer to the top it also becomes more steep. After about 3 miles you find yourself at the top of the canyon in Fremont Saddle. From Fremont Saddle you have amazing views of Weaver's Needle to the north. To the south, you have tremendous views of the canyon you just came up.
Rating: 8/10
Widforss Trail:
This is an easy to moderate trail that runs along the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park. This is a very peaceful hike that goes through the forest and is mostly in the shade. Being my first time to the Grand Canyon, I expected more of a desert terrain like I've seen in pictures. However, most pictures are of the South Rim, and the North Rim is much different. Not even a mile into my hike I came across a couple big Mule Deer bucks. I came across more deer further down the trail. This trail also offers great opportunities to view the rare Kaibab Squirrel, which only exists on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Along the trail there are view points looking out into the Canyon. This is an interpretive trail, so you can pick up a brochure and follow along. The brochure will point out specific flora, in addition to Geological landmarks on the rim. The trail goes for 5 miles before coming to Widforss Point. This is a nice open view point of the canyon, and great spot to have a picnic. Pictures from this hike can be found in the video below (1:30-4:10).
Rating: 8/10
This is an easy to moderate trail that runs along the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park. This is a very peaceful hike that goes through the forest and is mostly in the shade. Being my first time to the Grand Canyon, I expected more of a desert terrain like I've seen in pictures. However, most pictures are of the South Rim, and the North Rim is much different. Not even a mile into my hike I came across a couple big Mule Deer bucks. I came across more deer further down the trail. This trail also offers great opportunities to view the rare Kaibab Squirrel, which only exists on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Along the trail there are view points looking out into the Canyon. This is an interpretive trail, so you can pick up a brochure and follow along. The brochure will point out specific flora, in addition to Geological landmarks on the rim. The trail goes for 5 miles before coming to Widforss Point. This is a nice open view point of the canyon, and great spot to have a picnic. Pictures from this hike can be found in the video below (1:30-4:10).
Rating: 8/10
North Kaibab Trail:
The Park Service brochure reads "Under no circumstances should you attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day!" That sounded like a challenge to me, so I started out with my headlamp shortly after midnight. If you stay on the main trail, it is a strenuous 28 mile roundtrip hike. I did a couple short side trips to Ribbon Falls and Roaring Spring so it ended up being 30.5 miles for me. Of course the way down was in the dark, so I couldn't see much I made it down to Phantom Ranch at 6:00 am and the temperature was already 85 degrees. I went another quarter mile to the river and had a bite to eat. As I was finishing my meal, the sunlight was just starting to come over the canyon walls. On the way back out of the canyon there are some terrific views. It's amazing seeing how high the canyon walls tower above you. To my surprise, there were also a lot of deer in the canyon. The trail follows alongside a creek. There is also a pipe that runs near the trail the majority of the way that carries water to the South Rim. Sometimes there are small cracks in the pipe which make for a great spot to cool off in the summer heat. There are few restrooms along the trail in addition to places to get water. These were much need on this hike in the middle of the summer.
The trail is quite the engineering masterpiece. There are several bridges along the trail, as well as rock walls, tunnels and areas where the trail is carved into the vertical canyon walls. However, the highlight of this hike had to be ribbon falls. Ribbon falls is about 3/4 of a mile off of the main trail. Despite being in a desert type terrain, Ribbon Falls is a lush oasis. It's really one of those areas that you could not have dreamed up. Although the rest of the trail doesn't have anything else as spectacular as Ribbon Falls, there are still some amazing sights and wildlife. Roaring Spring is pretty awesome and of course I was able to see everything I couldn't while coming down the trail in the dark. I also saw my first King Snake, and several species of lizards.
Pictures and videos from this hike can be seen in the video above (7:30-end), and the video below.
Rating: 8/10
The Park Service brochure reads "Under no circumstances should you attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day!" That sounded like a challenge to me, so I started out with my headlamp shortly after midnight. If you stay on the main trail, it is a strenuous 28 mile roundtrip hike. I did a couple short side trips to Ribbon Falls and Roaring Spring so it ended up being 30.5 miles for me. Of course the way down was in the dark, so I couldn't see much I made it down to Phantom Ranch at 6:00 am and the temperature was already 85 degrees. I went another quarter mile to the river and had a bite to eat. As I was finishing my meal, the sunlight was just starting to come over the canyon walls. On the way back out of the canyon there are some terrific views. It's amazing seeing how high the canyon walls tower above you. To my surprise, there were also a lot of deer in the canyon. The trail follows alongside a creek. There is also a pipe that runs near the trail the majority of the way that carries water to the South Rim. Sometimes there are small cracks in the pipe which make for a great spot to cool off in the summer heat. There are few restrooms along the trail in addition to places to get water. These were much need on this hike in the middle of the summer.
The trail is quite the engineering masterpiece. There are several bridges along the trail, as well as rock walls, tunnels and areas where the trail is carved into the vertical canyon walls. However, the highlight of this hike had to be ribbon falls. Ribbon falls is about 3/4 of a mile off of the main trail. Despite being in a desert type terrain, Ribbon Falls is a lush oasis. It's really one of those areas that you could not have dreamed up. Although the rest of the trail doesn't have anything else as spectacular as Ribbon Falls, there are still some amazing sights and wildlife. Roaring Spring is pretty awesome and of course I was able to see everything I couldn't while coming down the trail in the dark. I also saw my first King Snake, and several species of lizards.
Pictures and videos from this hike can be seen in the video above (7:30-end), and the video below.
Rating: 8/10
Rim Trail:
This is an easy trail that follows along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon that runs from South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermit's rest (about 13 miles). There are shuttle stops about every 3/4 of a mile on average so you can do less if wanted, or if you do the whole thing round trip you would be looking at almost 26 miles. I ended up doing the entire thing one direction, and parts of it both directions, which made it about 17 miles for me. The trail only has about 200 feet of elevation change, and is paved almost the entire way. Along the trail are several nice viewpoints into the canyon. However, the South Rim is way too urbanized and crowded for my liking. It was more like walking down a city sidewalk. I didn't get the feeling I was in a National Park. If the trail followed the North Rim it would be much better. There are some historic buildings along the way so it was cool to check them out and get some of the history. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the video below (1:09 - 6:09).
Ranking: 5/10
This is an easy trail that follows along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon that runs from South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermit's rest (about 13 miles). There are shuttle stops about every 3/4 of a mile on average so you can do less if wanted, or if you do the whole thing round trip you would be looking at almost 26 miles. I ended up doing the entire thing one direction, and parts of it both directions, which made it about 17 miles for me. The trail only has about 200 feet of elevation change, and is paved almost the entire way. Along the trail are several nice viewpoints into the canyon. However, the South Rim is way too urbanized and crowded for my liking. It was more like walking down a city sidewalk. I didn't get the feeling I was in a National Park. If the trail followed the North Rim it would be much better. There are some historic buildings along the way so it was cool to check them out and get some of the history. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the video below (1:09 - 6:09).
Ranking: 5/10
South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails:
This was a strenuous 18 mile hike that goes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, down to the river, and back up to the South Rim. This is not recommended as a single day hike. According to the National Park Service, "Under no circumstances should you attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day!" However, I know my abilities well, and after doing the North Kaibab Trail in a single day just two days prior, this one would be a piece of cake for me. I left about 3 am heading down the South Kaibab Trail. Of course, it was dark the whole way down, so I couldn't see anything beyond about 50 feet with my headlamp. I made it to the river about 6 am. Just before crossing the river, the trail enters a tunnel and once through the tunnel, immediately comes to the bridge crossing over the river. Even though it was only 6 am, the temperature along the river was already about 90 degrees. It was supposed to get up to 116 later that day (I did this hike in late July). I didn't stick around long. I wanted to beat the heat and get back up to the rim where it was only supposed to be mid 80's. On the way back out I took the Bright Angel Trail. I chose to do this trail for the climb out because unlike the South Kaibab Trail, the Bright Angel Trail has a few places to get water if needed. The sun reflecting off of the Canyon walls as the sun was rising was pretty remarkable. The trail offers some spectacular views of the canyon and was actually more shaded than I expected. However, there are still long stretches where you are exposed to the sun. Fortunately, there is a nice creek to cool off in along the way, and as I mentioned before, occasional water spigots. The one bad thing about Bright Angel Trail is that it is probably the most popular trail into the canyon. Although longer than South Kaibab Trail, the descent (or ascent) is much more gradual, and the trail is well maintained. This also means that you will likely come across several pack mules on the Bright Angel Trail. As you get closer to the top the crowds become bigger, but you also come to a couple of tunnels that the trail passes through. This is how you know you're getting close to the rim. After the last tunnel, it is only about 75 more yards to the rim. Once back at the rim, I was able to take the free shuttle system back to the South Kaibab Trailhead near where I was parked. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the above video (6:10 - end).
Rating: 8/10
This was a strenuous 18 mile hike that goes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, down to the river, and back up to the South Rim. This is not recommended as a single day hike. According to the National Park Service, "Under no circumstances should you attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day!" However, I know my abilities well, and after doing the North Kaibab Trail in a single day just two days prior, this one would be a piece of cake for me. I left about 3 am heading down the South Kaibab Trail. Of course, it was dark the whole way down, so I couldn't see anything beyond about 50 feet with my headlamp. I made it to the river about 6 am. Just before crossing the river, the trail enters a tunnel and once through the tunnel, immediately comes to the bridge crossing over the river. Even though it was only 6 am, the temperature along the river was already about 90 degrees. It was supposed to get up to 116 later that day (I did this hike in late July). I didn't stick around long. I wanted to beat the heat and get back up to the rim where it was only supposed to be mid 80's. On the way back out I took the Bright Angel Trail. I chose to do this trail for the climb out because unlike the South Kaibab Trail, the Bright Angel Trail has a few places to get water if needed. The sun reflecting off of the Canyon walls as the sun was rising was pretty remarkable. The trail offers some spectacular views of the canyon and was actually more shaded than I expected. However, there are still long stretches where you are exposed to the sun. Fortunately, there is a nice creek to cool off in along the way, and as I mentioned before, occasional water spigots. The one bad thing about Bright Angel Trail is that it is probably the most popular trail into the canyon. Although longer than South Kaibab Trail, the descent (or ascent) is much more gradual, and the trail is well maintained. This also means that you will likely come across several pack mules on the Bright Angel Trail. As you get closer to the top the crowds become bigger, but you also come to a couple of tunnels that the trail passes through. This is how you know you're getting close to the rim. After the last tunnel, it is only about 75 more yards to the rim. Once back at the rim, I was able to take the free shuttle system back to the South Kaibab Trailhead near where I was parked. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the above video (6:10 - end).
Rating: 8/10
Humphrey's Peak Trail:
This is one of those hikes that I have a tough time rating the difficulty on. Although I found the hike to moderate, I would say for most people it is a strenuous hike that climbs to the highest point in Arizona. The climb itself actually reminded me a lot of a hike I do frequently in Oregon called Mt. McLoughlin. Although Humphrey's Peak is much higher (12,633' compared to 9,495'), the terrain is actually very similar and the trail gradient of each climb is similar. Humphrey's Peak climbs 3,300 feet over about 4.75 miles (695 feet per mile), while Mt. McLoughlin climbs 3,900 feet over 5.5 miles (709 feet per mile). Both trails start off relatively flat before becoming much steeper after about 2 miles. Humphrey's Peak is part of the greater San Francisco Mountain which was a volcano that erupted thousands of years ago.The terrain on the hike up Humphrey's Peak is not what you would expect in Arizona. Everything was very lush and a lot of the flora is the same as what I see in Oregon. After about 4 miles the trail comes to a saddle and it appears that the summit is off to the right. However, if you go right that will put you on Mt. Agassiz, which is illegal to climb. Follow the trail to the left that drops off the ridge a short distance (it's a little bit hidden). From here on, the trail is mostly through the rocks but there are posts that have been added to mark the trail. It will eventually make its back up to the ridge, over a false summit, and finally to the real summit. The views from the top are amazing. There is nothing in sight for miles that even comes close to the elevation of the summit. It was pretty windy up there, which I'm told is common, so bring your windbreaker. There is also a windbreak at the top made of rocks. This was useful as I hunkered down behind it while I ate my breakfast. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the video below (start - 2:06).
Rating: 9/10
This is one of those hikes that I have a tough time rating the difficulty on. Although I found the hike to moderate, I would say for most people it is a strenuous hike that climbs to the highest point in Arizona. The climb itself actually reminded me a lot of a hike I do frequently in Oregon called Mt. McLoughlin. Although Humphrey's Peak is much higher (12,633' compared to 9,495'), the terrain is actually very similar and the trail gradient of each climb is similar. Humphrey's Peak climbs 3,300 feet over about 4.75 miles (695 feet per mile), while Mt. McLoughlin climbs 3,900 feet over 5.5 miles (709 feet per mile). Both trails start off relatively flat before becoming much steeper after about 2 miles. Humphrey's Peak is part of the greater San Francisco Mountain which was a volcano that erupted thousands of years ago.The terrain on the hike up Humphrey's Peak is not what you would expect in Arizona. Everything was very lush and a lot of the flora is the same as what I see in Oregon. After about 4 miles the trail comes to a saddle and it appears that the summit is off to the right. However, if you go right that will put you on Mt. Agassiz, which is illegal to climb. Follow the trail to the left that drops off the ridge a short distance (it's a little bit hidden). From here on, the trail is mostly through the rocks but there are posts that have been added to mark the trail. It will eventually make its back up to the ridge, over a false summit, and finally to the real summit. The views from the top are amazing. There is nothing in sight for miles that even comes close to the elevation of the summit. It was pretty windy up there, which I'm told is common, so bring your windbreaker. There is also a windbreak at the top made of rocks. This was useful as I hunkered down behind it while I ate my breakfast. Pictures from this hike can be seen in the video below (start - 2:06).
Rating: 9/10
Bucktank Draw, Horseshoe Bend, Waterhole Canyon, Hanging Garden:
This is a series of short hikes I did in the Page, AZ area. All together, these added up to about 11.5 miles and they were all easy to moderate for the most part. There was a couple sections in Waterhole Canyon where a little scrambling is needed. Although all of these hikes are in the same general area, they are all quite different.
Bucktank Draw starts out as just a normal draw that the road passes by. There is nothing significant about it. If not for some very good directions I would have never found it. The draw is fenced off, but there is a gate you can go through. Follow the draw for about 1.5 miles and on the cliffs to the right you will spot a large arch (Birthday Arch). Carefully make your way up the rocky and sandy cliffs to get right beneath the arch.
Horseshoe Bend is short hike over a sandy knoll to a viewpoint overlooking a large bend in the Colorado River. This hike is by far the most crowded in the area, but it is still worth it. Even though I was there during flash flood season and the water was supposedly murky because of it, I still found it to beautiful. The size of the river makes it look like it's not all that far down, until you spot the rafts and see how small they look.
Waterhole Canyon is a narrow slot canyon that actually lies on the Navajo Reservation. The Canyon is similar to the more popular Antelope Canyon, which is also in the area, but you don't need to pay $50+ for a tour. Stop by the Tribal Parks Office and get a permit for $12 dollars. However, this still only grants you access to about 2 miles of the canyon. The canyon was awesome and unlike anything I've ever seen before. The colors of the walls were amazing as were the shapes formed by the rushing water from flash floods. I wanted to explore further, but I was a guest on their land, so I had to follow the rules.
Hanging Garden is a hike that leads to a spring in the sandstone that creates a green oasis. The only other thing in the area is rock and a few desert shrubs, so when you walk up on this patch of greenery with ferns hanging from the wall, it's quite the surprise. In addition, the small hills surrounding the Hanging Garden offer decent views of Lake Powell.
Pictures and videos from these hikes and other sites around Page, AZ can be seen in the video above.
Rating: 8/10
This is a series of short hikes I did in the Page, AZ area. All together, these added up to about 11.5 miles and they were all easy to moderate for the most part. There was a couple sections in Waterhole Canyon where a little scrambling is needed. Although all of these hikes are in the same general area, they are all quite different.
Bucktank Draw starts out as just a normal draw that the road passes by. There is nothing significant about it. If not for some very good directions I would have never found it. The draw is fenced off, but there is a gate you can go through. Follow the draw for about 1.5 miles and on the cliffs to the right you will spot a large arch (Birthday Arch). Carefully make your way up the rocky and sandy cliffs to get right beneath the arch.
Horseshoe Bend is short hike over a sandy knoll to a viewpoint overlooking a large bend in the Colorado River. This hike is by far the most crowded in the area, but it is still worth it. Even though I was there during flash flood season and the water was supposedly murky because of it, I still found it to beautiful. The size of the river makes it look like it's not all that far down, until you spot the rafts and see how small they look.
Waterhole Canyon is a narrow slot canyon that actually lies on the Navajo Reservation. The Canyon is similar to the more popular Antelope Canyon, which is also in the area, but you don't need to pay $50+ for a tour. Stop by the Tribal Parks Office and get a permit for $12 dollars. However, this still only grants you access to about 2 miles of the canyon. The canyon was awesome and unlike anything I've ever seen before. The colors of the walls were amazing as were the shapes formed by the rushing water from flash floods. I wanted to explore further, but I was a guest on their land, so I had to follow the rules.
Hanging Garden is a hike that leads to a spring in the sandstone that creates a green oasis. The only other thing in the area is rock and a few desert shrubs, so when you walk up on this patch of greenery with ferns hanging from the wall, it's quite the surprise. In addition, the small hills surrounding the Hanging Garden offer decent views of Lake Powell.
Pictures and videos from these hikes and other sites around Page, AZ can be seen in the video above.
Rating: 8/10