Pictures from last Fall – watery Hutch’s Pools, a bright moonrise from the West Fork and a beautiful night – but what really sticks in my mind is the lower half of the Box Camp Trail. The rough trail hides other footsteps – hard to guess the last time someone has been here – an hour? a week? Nice to be alone and wonder!
east fork trail
Palisade Trail, Late Summer Night – 9/16 and 9/17/2018
Simple – down the Palisade Trail, along the East Fork Trail to water, back up the Palisade Trail – I can’t remember ever recommending this route to someone and probably never will – once you’ve made it down the Palisade Trail to the East Fork Junction there are so many nearly-impossible-to-resist connections into other parts of the mountain! But simplicity has its place and the Palisade Trail is a great place to spend time – besides, no two trips along the trail are ever the same.
This is the first time I can remember finding the cement tank at Mud Spring completely empty – the spring is still running, the familiar patch of mud along the trail – but the tank is dry, I assume something is cracked and broken.
A summer storms rolls across the trail – enough rain to give me a brief excuse to get out the rain gear and take a break under an Oak Tree before continuing along the impressively grassy and overgrown trail. I knew I would have to walk west on the East Fork Trail to find water – but I have to walk a little farther than expected, eventually finding a large pool to filter and refill from. Back up the trail to one of the grassy ridges above Sabino Canyon – a few more mosquitoes than expected but a lovely night – and then back up to the Palisade Trailhead the next day…
Bigelow Trailhead to the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site – 1/17/2015
We started at the Bigelow Trailhead, walked past the gate that closes Organization Ridge Road to public motorized traffic in the winter and continued on to the Palisade Trailhead. The road was icy and there was just enough snow at the trailhead to give a pleasant hint of winter, but not enough to require anything other than a little caution.
We could hear Palisade Canyon flowing below – it looked like quite a bit of water from the trail – walked snowy sections of Palisade Trail where the shade preserved the remains of the last storm, paused for birds and enjoyed the polished stone in Pine Canyon before reaching Mud Spring.
The waterfall in Pine Canyon was roaring away – quite a sight – and we paused just before the trail begins to plunge downwards to enjoy the view – Thimble Peak to Brinkley Point!
Down to the junction with the East Fork Trail and then up – past the Bear Canyon Trail and onto the Bear Canyon Trail, across Sycamore Canyon, past Sycamore Reservoir where Sycamore Canyon and Bear Canyon were pouring an impressive amount of water over the dam, up to Shreve Saddle and then down the Molino Basin Trail to the car we had left at the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site earlier in the day.
Descending the Palisade Trail is a great way to see everything from pine forest to cactus and take in quite a few impressive views. Currently miles 4-6 of the Palisade Trail are distinctly more overgrown and less used than the upper sections of the trail – with some attention and effort you should be able to find the trail, but be prepared to use your map and navigate if needed.
12.8 miles, +1,400’/-4,350′ of elevation gain/loss.
Box Camp to Sabino Canyon – 12/13/2014
The rain turned to sleet sometime after we passed Ski Valley, the drive up had been slightly faster than usual on the empty highway, when we got out of the car at the top of the mountain the area was a wet mess – no winter wonderland, just frozen slush – a change of plans and down…
The clouds were just as solid at the Box Camp Trailhead – but the water falling from the sky was not nearly as frozen. As my ride pulls away the cold makes me shiver, no where to go now but up the trail.
Lower on the trail, normally home to vast views, I spend a dreamlike hour alternating between watching the loose trail under my feet and the ridge twisting away into the clouds.
The grass is heavy with rain and the trail occasionally obscure – lower still the clouds break and views of Palisade Canyon, Sabino Canyon and the East Fork trail emerge. By the time I arrive at the end of the Phoneline Trail the rain is gone – I pull off my shell and head down the empty trail towards the city. Box Camp Trailhead to the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, 12.8 miles, +680’/-5800′ of elevation gain/loss.
Palisade Trailhead to the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, Pines to Cactus – 11/6/2014
We started the day at the Palisade Trailhead – it was cold when we stepped out of the car, but we knew we would warm up quickly on the Palisade Trail. We paused occasionally for pictures, stopped to enjoy Pine Canyon above the falls (still flowing), peered into the Mud Spring tank (filled with water and leaves) and nearly ran into the old phoneline that still angles across the trail.
The grass covered trail as we descended – below Mud Spring the trail is not as frequently used and more than once we had to pause to find our way – well worth the effort, the last part of the descent to the junction with the East Fork Trail is so beautiful!
Sabino Canyon was full of cold water near the East Fork Trail/West Fork/Sabino Canyon junction – a nice break before finishing along the Sabino Canyon and Phoneline Trails.
Pines to Cactus run – Palisade Trailhead – Palisade Trail, East Fork Trail, Sabino Canyon Trail and Phoneline Trail – Sabino Canyon Visitor Center. 15 miles, +600’/-5400′ of elevation gain/loss.