Road Trip to Horseshoe Lake

In the outer reaches of Carefree, a paved road extends out east to Bartlett Lake. Halfway up this road though, is a treasure of a dirt road that most people simply drive by without ever giving it a second glance. Down this road is a glimpse into the undisturbed Arizona that existed before Phoenix exploded into the metropolis it is today.

The Horseshoe Dam Rd. takes you through hills, mountains and valleys on its way out to Horseshoe Lake. Along the way is a landscape almost entirely untouched with saguaro cacti flourishing around every corner. Miles and miles of unpaved road drive you through the mountains outside of the Phoenix area until the road finally begins to travel along the Verde River.

The road at this point becomes a bird watcher's paradise as dozens of species call this place home, including bald eagles. For this reason, access to certain areas of the river are prohibited from December to June, annually. Despite this, a few still have been seen flying up and down the river, but don't go out expecting to see them, even at peak time. You can expect to see a variety of hawks and falcons, among many other species.

As the road continues up the river, the west side of the Mazatzal Mountains come into clearer view, and in the winter, are typically capped or covered in snow. It's not far from here either until you arrive at the Horseshoe Dam, named so for the bend in the Verde River at this area. It's a nice area to get out and explore and even go underneath the dam to the other side of the river. Even more birds can be seen here including many different types of cranes. If there's been an unusually large amount of rain, walking underneath the dam adds an extra element as the water rushes above your head and in front of you on its way down.

Just past the dam is a flattened out piece of land that provides a relaxing and scenic resting spot with, other than the dam, is completely cut off from all signs of civilization. Thanks to its remote location, it doesn't see too many visitors making it an excellent, but nearby escape from the city.

Make sure you go with a full tank of gas, plenty of water and a fully inflated spare tire. The dirt road heads back roughly 20 miles one way and can be very bumpy and rough in some areas. A car technically is capable of making it all the way to the lake, but a high-clearance vehicle is highly recommended.

Picacho Peak - Hunter Trail Hike

As the site of Arizona's only Civil War battle, Picacho Peak is almost monolithic in its surrounding desert and can be seen from dozens of miles away on the approach from Phoenix, seeming to never get any closer. An intimidating hike up the Hunter Trail of Picacho Peak lives up to the reputation as one of the more difficult hikes in Southern Arizona. The appropriately named Picaho, or "big peak" in Spanish, spires above the trailhead 3374 feet, tempting only experienced hikers up its rocky peak.

The trail begins climbing immediately, and sooner than you think, you're level with smaller surrounding, lava-formed peaks almost as soon as you're ready for your first break. The mountain's sides are scattered with saguaros and cholla cacti of all sizes as the trail switchbacks its way directly into the base of the peak. While you may think that at the base of the peak you're almost there, the trail has only just begun. After a few more switchbacks, the trail meanders its way into the side of an enormous cliff, only to turn to the north to head for the saddle. This is one of the easier parts of the trail and once finally at the saddle, it makes an excellent resting point for the next surprise that newcomers to the trail never see coming.

After all that work to ascend to where you are now, the trail winds around the base of the peak to the west side of the mountain, only to lead you to a steep descent of 500 feet. Once you're at the bottom of a descent so steep, steel cables are there to help, you begin your climb back up with enormously large panoramic views of a flat desert land to the west with mountains pushed back on the horizon.

The steepness never lets up and there are even more spots where the steel cables are required to help less experienced hikers along that become even more of an adventure on the way back down. You know you're getting close to the top though when you cross an old, metal bridge hung off the edge of the cliff of the peak. From here, it's only about a 10-15 minute hike up the remaining switchbacks until you're finally given an indescribable view from the top of a peak that is literally jutting out of the desert floor. The only company you'll get up here are other hikers and an occasional chipmunk.

To get there from Phoenix, head south on I-10 and take the Picacho Peak State Park exit. There will be an entrance of $6 and the road to the trailhead is the first left down the road from the fee station. Plenty of food and water is required, and good gloves for the steel cables is also highly recommended.

Bear Mountain Trail

All over Arizona are hiking trails that do nothing short of dropping your jaw and amazing your senses. There seems to be at least one in every region of the state, and in Sedona, that hike would be the Bear Mountain hike.

It's a strenuous five mile round trip, and while it could be done in a few hours, no one in their right mind would rush through a hike like this. Every step up and every turn unfold a new view overlooking red rock country and making you stop and just appreciate the view. For that reason, it takes a good four to five hours to summit and make it back to the trailhead.

The trail starts off deceptively easy and you make your way through a grassy meadow cut through by a couple of deep washes. The climb picks up soon enough though as the base of Bear Mountain begins directing the trail upward. An unfortunate part of the hike is the amount of false summits that make you think the trail ends sooner than it does. While they keep you guessing on the way up, they're also responsible for unobstructed views of the Sedona area that aren't visible in any other place.

The trail eventually climbs up into the limestone of the higher peaks that surround the city where airplanes offering scenic air tours fly overhead. The limestone's eroded forms curve around the mountain and Pointleaf Manzanita almost hide the route as they cover what's now become a relatively level mesa.

The last ascent takes a lot of energy out of you, but the pine trees that scatter the trail at this point are reminders that the summit is right around the next corner and up just a little farther. It's the final test of a hike that does nothing but astound you up every step. The summit is no exception as the pine trees offer much needed shade and an excellent place to stop and eat a meal that you hopefully packed with you as you sit back and enjoy the views.

To find the trailhead, head south from the "Y" in Sedona (where 89A intersects with Hwy. 179) and take a right on Dry Creek Rd. It will intersect with Boynton Canyon Rd., at which point you'll want to go left. You'll reach one more intersection where you'll want to make another left onto Boynton Pass Rd. and about a mile down the road on the right you'll see the trailhead. Bring plenty of food and water, and especially, a camera.

Peak 2429 Trail

The Phoenix Mountains, set right in the middle of the city just north of downtown Phoenix, have a seemingly endless amount of trails that connect each peak to another. Some come to summit each one, others come for a simple walk, looping through the flat valley. It's no wonder so many people choose the Phoenix Mountains for exercise - it offers every level of exercise for anyone looking to get into shape. From the rigorous challenges of Piestawa Peak, to the easy going trails meandering in and out of washes, hundreds of people every day flock to the Phoenix Mountains to ironically, escape the city.

One of the more challenging hikes in the preserve is the Peak 2429 Hike, named so for the altitude of that particular peak. With the trail beginning just over 1,400 feet, it provides roughly a 1,000 foot altitude gain over a span of just over a mile. The trail continues along what would be 40th St. from the parking lot heading south, and for a while, is a leisurely walk to get you warmed up. After crossing the #100 trail, a gradual, but steady ascent begins. It continues following the edge of the mountains for about a quarter of a mile until it cuts east heading straight up the side of the mountain. You soon find out that it's time to start climbing.

About 100 yards up, the trail forks and a sign indicates to continue to the right. Most people consider this to be the halfway point; however, the hard part is only just beginning. Two giant saguaro cacti guard the remaining half mile of the trail, leaving switchback after switchback ahead for you to overcome. There's hardly a moment where the trail lets up its climb, but scenic spots are opened up at the edge of a few of the switchbacks for you to catch your breath and admire the view unfolding before you.

With continued climbing, you see the land begin to flatten out as the saddle comes into view. From here, you're offered a fantastic view of Camelback Mountain to the southeast, and Piestawa Peak to the west. The trail also branches off into two different directions. One heads north providing a longer, but more casual route up, another heads northeast going straight up the peak. The latter may remind some people of the steepness associated with Echo Canyon of Camelback. Regardless, the view from the top is outstanding as you have an unobstructed view of the entire city. A neat feature about being up there as well is being able to look the Scottsdale Airpark runway head on.

Though it seems like the climb can take a long time, the whole trail can be ascended in just 30 minutes, depending on how good of shape you're in. Water is available at the trailhead, and while I've seen it crowded, I've never seen the parking lot completely full. To get there, follow 40th St. south from the intersection at Shea, and continue until it dead ends into the parking lot.

The Thomas Pointe 142 Trail in Oak Creek Canyon

Buried on the eastern side of Oak Creek Canyon lies an unpopulated, yet beautifully scenic hike just waiting to be found as cars unknowingly drive by the trailhead thousands of times, every day.

Most people might wonder why such an amazing hike off of such a major highway is so unknown. One reason is because trail access is located at the parking area of the most popular hike in Sedona, the West Fork Trail. Parking for the Thomas Point trail can be found in the West Fork Trail parking area. Once parked, follow a trail from that parking lot south and it will bring you up to cross the highway to begin your ascent. If you don't want to pay the fee for the parking lot, you can always try chancing your luck with the narrow and scarce shoulders on the side of the road about every 100 to 200 yards along the highway, but just make sure you've got a Red Rock Pass in your windshield. Be cautious though as the road gets narrow when there is no shoulder and many vehicles aren't expecting pedestrians to be walking along the side of the highway.

As mentioned, the trailhead is well-hidden, but if you're looking for it, can be found roughly 200 yards south of the West Fork parking area. It begins on the east side of the highway and begins its climb through the pine trees that line the highway and up the canyon side. The trail starts out climbing and never really lets up much. That being said, it's a bit strenuous as you climb over 1,000 feet in just over a mile to the top, but isn't too much of a problem. The initial climb switchbacks through the pine trees and stays along the highway, which unfortunately is easy to notice as cars are constantly going by, but soon enough you turn east and reach an exposed area on the side of the cliff giving you a fantastic view south of Oak Creek Canyon.

This overlook makes a great resting point if you need it as limestone becomes more exposed providing a home to agave plants and prickly pear cacti that now begin to line the sides of the trail. The trail begins climbing more switchbacks up this side of the cliff, offering potential break sites along the entire way as views of Oak Creek Canyon become gradually more majestic.

Once you've gotten a cut or two on your legs from the encroaching agave plants, the trail brings you back into the pine trees where overgrowth begins to crowd the trail. Luckily though, it's just small oak trees and leaves that block the way a bit, as opposed to cacti and agave that you were dodging just moments before. Soon after this point, the trail flattens out as the end of the trail is officially marked by a wall of cairns. Feel free to explore this area as to the south is an inspiring view of Oak Creek Canyon with the red rocks of Sedona in the distance, and to the north is the remainder of Oak Creek Canyon ascending into the San Francisco Peaks on the horizon. The rocky cliffs on either side also add a bit of dynamism to the scene, created sharp drop-offs that open up the landscape before you.

The best times to do this trail would in the Spring as the agave and prickly pear are blooming, but also in the Fall when all the oak leaves are changing color and painting the canyon.

Hiking Mount Humphrey via The Inner Basin

Hiking Mount Humphrey via Lockett Meadow unleashes a few more challenges than just a 15 mile round trip hike. Given the altitude that affects many people, it's a good idea to camp out in Lockett Meadow at least a night before so that you can accumulate yourself to the altitude. A good night's sleep though is easier said than done, as the temperatures in late May and early June can easily dip into the 20s overnight. That being said, an air mattress becomes useless as the air inside of it will recreate the effect of sleeping on a frozen lake. So a 20-degree rated sleeping becomes essential for a good night's sleep, as does a comfortable mat to absorb the rocks that would otherwise be poking you in your sleep. It's also a good idea to avoid hiking too deep into the summer as thunderstorms form much easier in the summer months, and there's nothing worse than hiking half a day up Arizona's highest peak only to be forced to turn back within 1000 feet of the summit because of a thunderstorm.

Assuming you don't have any issues with sleeping, you can wake up looking out over a green meadow as birds fill the air with constant, soothing chattering and chirping. With the sun still behind the mountains to the east, a good but quick breakfast is a good idea. With such an expeditious hike awaiting at the top of Arizona, it's always a good idea to begin hiking before the sun crests the eastern peaks of the meadow. While it may not be monsoon season just yet, a stray afternoon thunderstorm is never an impossibility, even if the sky is a crystal clear blue upon awakening.

The journey begins on one of three panoramically scenic trails, The Inner Basin Trail. It begins the first 3.9 miles of the hike, climbing just over 2000 feet before joining up with the Weatherford Trail and later the Humphrey Trail to complete the final four miles up to the summit. What starts out as an awe-inspiring hike through an aspen and ponderosa pine-filled forest only continues to get better with the gains in elevation, and the difficulty in breathing. The forest towers over the trail providing excellent shade from the sun and keeping you cool as the air becomes increasingly thinner.

A couple of miles in after rounding out a turn, the Inner Basin Meadow comes into full view, as does the Mount Humphrey peak. The meadow is an excellent place to stop for an extended break to catch your breath and have a small meal while admiring the highest peaks in Arizona that have now formed an enormous barrier all around you. Black bear have even been known to roam in this area after sniffing out picnic foods. For that reason and also because of the amount of hiking still awaiting, you'll want to keep moving once you've had a bite to eat and caught your breath.

The trail continues its gradual ascent and now where aspens and pines used to be, are now firs prospering in the melting patches of snow that begin to dot the side of the trail. At roughly 3.5 miles in, the trail makes a 90 degree turn and for the next quarter to half-mile, begins a steep climb through a much narrower trail in the forest of firs and bristlecone. The small patches of snow that were once dotting the trail and providing nice surprises have now become much more frequent and expected, and with the sun peeking through the trees, has also been busy all Spring melting it away leaving muddy streams in the middle of the trails.

The scenery doesn't change much as the Inner Basin Trail meets up with the Weatherford Trail close to four miles in. Instead, at about 10,000 feet, the air becomes noticeably thinner as breathing becomes much more difficult. Slowing your pace to help you adjust isn't a bad idea. It's not too much farther though to the Freemont Saddle, where a large clearing offers up an excellent view of the Inner Basin on one side, and Oak Creek Canyon on the other. On the edges of the clearing are some old, rusted car parts that were leftover from the days of John W. Weatherford, for whom the trail is named after. In the early part of the 20th century, he would drive people the full distance up the Weatherford Trail to show the views that would later force so many hikers to work so hard for. The road was eventually closed off to traffic to preserve the wilderness of the San Francisco Peaks.

The Freemont Saddle for many people becomes the destination when the reality of hiking another two miles above 10,000 feet begins to set in. For others, it's another extended lunch break and a chance to rest before beginning the hardest and most exhausting stretch of the hike. It doesn't take very long at all after the saddle to see the trees begin to shrink all around you. What once were dominating firs providing ample shade now begin to thin out, leaving the trail more exposed as the trees begin to fade away.

With the trees disappearing, the ground grows looser and harder. The dirt that was there for the trees is now gone, replaced by volcanic rocks ranging from marble sized, to football sized. The only plants you'll see up here are plants that are often found in the tundra. The only reminders you have that you're still in Arizona are the majestic views unfolding as you drag yourself up one of the lengthiest switchbacks you'll ever hike, scaling the side of Mount Agassiz. Beyond the Inner Basin, Sunset Crater, and on clear days, the Painted Desert come into view, no longer blocked out by the forested trees. It's not long at all until the trees are all but behind, and below you. The air is increasingly thin at this altitude and you will notice in addition to your pace slowing, some threatening afternoon clouds building up in what was a completely clear sky in the morning.

A small relief comes when you're able to descend about 100-200 feet on your way to the Weatherford, Mount Humphrey trail intersection. It's a welcome change of pace, as moving downhill is significantly easier in higher altitudes than hiking uphill. Unfortunately though, just as quickly as it started, it's over, leaving you at the hardest and most challenging part of the hike. Resting at the Agassiz saddle, you're given outstanding views of the Inner Basin, Sunset Crater, the Painted Desert and even the Grand Canyon before the final mile long trek up the hardest 800 foot elevation gain of the hike. It's also at this saddle the full effect of the caldera that you just came from can really be appreciated.

Pressing on, the clouds begin to get darker. The threat of rain becomes a bit more ominous as the clouds now block out the sun. Many would welcome the rain, except that lightning almost always comes with it, and above the tree line, there's nowhere to hide. If it ever starts raining on you above the tree line, run back down. You're much better off back in the protection of the forest.

At 11,800 feet and climbing, exhaustion comes with every step, weighing down your legs so much that only will power will keep them moving. Signs provide reminders that you're in a completely different type of atmosphere, stating, "Fragile tundra. Please stay on trails." False summit after false summit tease and taunt throughout three-quarters of that last mile, until finally, drained of almost all your energy, the summit comes into full view. It's a painfully sweet sight as it's now so close, but still so far. You want to start running to it, but there's just no energy. Slowly but surely, it gets closer and closer. The specks that were once on top of the summit now resemble people moving around or resting. As loose rocks spill down the side of the mountain from a lost step every now and then, the final ascent has at last arrived. As tempting as it is to run up, the energy once again, just isn't there. It doesn't matter at this point though, as the summit is now under your feet, standing at 12,633 feet above sea level with views of many of Arizona's most significant landmarks below you in the distance. The view justifies itself as entirely worth the effort.