Garmin InternationalDSC00458Flag, BluephotoSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T13:58:02ZDSC00459Flag, BluephotoSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T14:18:53ZDSC00460Flag, BluephotoSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T14:42:09ZDSC00461Flag, BluephotoSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T17:05:41Z1847Gold Ridge #47Gold Ridge #47Gold Ridge #47Trail Headuser60.96SymbolAndName60.96SymbolAndName2020-04-19T22:31:26Z982.95007299999997Good Bird spot 01CoveyuserSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T16:09:24Z1026.032837Good Bird spot 02CoveyuserSymbolAndNameSymbolAndName2020-04-20T13:56:23Z1011.936Parking: CornucopiaCaruser60.96SymbolAndName60.96SymbolAndName2017-04-18T02:32:58Z1811Pigeon SpringPigeon SpringPigeon SpringDrinking Wateruser60.96SymbolAndName60.96SymbolAndName2020-04-19T22:31:26Z1850South Fork Deer Creek#47#47Trail Headuser60.96SymbolAndName60.96SymbolAndName2020-04-19T22:31:26Z01 South Fork - Gold Ridge Loop (13.5)Notice: Please read the Triplogs to understand the poor condition of this trail due to the Willow Fire in 2004
This twelve and a half mile hike starts at the Deer Creek trailhead and uses both the South Fork and Gold Ridge trails to form a loop through some of the Mazatzals lower elevations.
Lets start with the South Fork trail. This could well be the prettiest trail I've ever hiked in AZ. It's lush, shady, smooth, and fast. Suffice it to say, it is a nonstop pleasure from start to finish.
It starts out typically as desert scrub for about the first mile then begins to hug the northern ridge of the South Fork of Deer Creek. This area would be great for rock hounds as the rocks were of an amazing variety of colors and textures. You'll find yourself looking down into the lush riparian habitat wondering why the trail isn't down there. Be patient because it soon drops in for the remainder of an enchanted trip through a deciduous environment more reminiscent of a Northern California inland forest than arid AZ.
It struck me immediately how smooth this trail was in contrast to the typical AZ rocky terrain. You can literally breeze along the leaf covered trail without having to carefully watch each step.
At about the 2.5 mi point you will come across what looks to be the remains of an old stone cabin. It is a beautiful little spot and it appears that some have used it for an overnight camp and a very unique setting for a camp fire. At about 5mi round trip, turning around at this point would be ideal for kids.
Continuing on there were many small pools of water despite a lengthy dry spell. A little further up trail at about the 4mi point you will see a prominent rock formation appear on the immediate left side of the trail. As you continue around it you will suddenly find yourself standing in the middle of the stream bed looking straight down from the top of what should be about a 50' sheer waterfall into an awesome small canyon. The terrain is very rocky with the solid granite lending itself to scrambling around to explore or take photos. My one regret is that I went in dry season, but rest assured I will be back at amore opportune time to check this one out. This is the point I would consider turning around for a great "date hike".
But if you still have an appetite for more, you will not go disappointed. I must interject here that although the beauty tends to masquerade it, this trail does have a definite vertical climb (3245'accumulated) and there are certain wicked pitches that will quickly remind you of it.
The next phase of this little journey will lead you into the higher climes of the Douglas Fir trees. The forest floor begins to thin out with a carpet of needles and fallen logs. It begins to take on a definite Rocky Mountain flavor as you begin nearing the top.
At the top you will suddenly find yourself exiting the woods onto the smooth and well maintained FR201. This is about the 6mi point. Follow it south or left for about a quarter mile to the terminus of the Gold Ridge trail. If you basically bear to your left at all forks, you'll end up on the right track. There are several jeep trails in this area in addition to the forest road and the first 3mi of the Gold Ridge trail is just one of these. I found this particular area, which is accessible by auto, to have some of the nicest camping spots I've seen anywhere.
Proceeding down the G.R. trail on this beautiful little jeep road, all I could think about was how I wished I were on a mountain bike. Unfortunately it doesn't continue like that to the bottom - oh well.
As the So. Fork was all valley, this is a total ridge trail which makes for nice variety. The views to the north of the Mazatzal and surrounding peaks are spectacular. The trail flows down nicely to about the 9mi point where the nice jeep road ends and the trail makes a distinct change to amore vertical and brush crowded character. It isn't really too bad and only lasts about two miles where upon you finally emerge into a pleasant, "African savannah" looking area all the way to the end.
The only published mileages I could find for these trails were from the Gorp site and the Forest Service. They were completely different and neither agreed with my mapping software. Both had the So. Fork as being the longer trail, when even a cursory glance at the topo would tell you otherwise. The beginning half mile of both trails is not accurately depicted on the topo. My research puts the So. Fork at about 6mi and the Gold Ridge at 6.5mi.
Anyway, all I can say is "Hike any or all of the So. Fork trail and you'll be a happy camper - guaranteed."Black100810081008100810081008100810071007100710071007100810091011101210121013101410141018102010221022102310241024102410241024102410251026102710271027102810291030103110311031103110311031103110321032103310331034103510351036103610361036103610361036103610371038104010411043104410451046104610471047104810481049104910501051105110521052105210511051105110501050105010491049104910491049104910491049105010501052105410551055105810591059106010611062106510661067106910701071107210741076107910841086108610891095109710991099109910991100110111041105110811091110111011061106110511031101110111011105110811101111111311131112111211111111111211121113111311131113111311141115111711191121112311251126112711281128112911291129113011311134113511401141114211431145114911551158115911591159116011601161116111611162116311641165116411651165116411671169116811691170117211711172117311741175118411861188119011931195119711981200120112011201120312031205120612111213121612181219122012201223122612261227122912321233123312321230122912301232123512381240124212441246125012511254126112671268126812691270127112701270127512771280128112831288129012911293129412981303130613071308130913101313131513171317131913221323132513261327132813291329133013311329132813281331133313381341134113421344134413441346134713551356135613571361136213661371137413761379137913801379137913791380138013811385138913921394139513981399140014021406140614081409140914101411141114121413141414151417142014221424142814351435143714371437143914391440144314451445144714491451145314541455145614571460146514701471147314761476147414721469146714661465146414631462146114611462146414671473147614771479147914811483148514881491149214931493149414951496149714981499150015011502150515071508151115121514151615191521152315241525152615281529153015311532153315341536153815411544154715481550155015511552155215531553155115491548154815481548154815481547154715471548155015511551155115511550154815451542154115391539153815381538153815381538153915401544155415611569157215731575157715781579158015831584158515881587158715871589159015921598159715961598159815991600160216051607160916101610161116121613161316131614161416141614161416141614161416121612161316141617162016241624162316231624162116171613161216111611161216141613161316131613161316141616161816191618161916201622162016191621162616281630163116311630163216381636163716381638164116421641163816381638163916391636164016401639163816361637164016431644164316421640163816421645164516461647164716471648164816481648164816471647164716491650164916481649164916481650164916481647164616451644164516461648164916521652165216521654165516551657165716541653165616581659165916551656165716581658165916601661166116591662166316621659165916591660166016571658166316641665166516661668166916691668166916701668166916711672167016681669166916691670167316751676167616751674167416751675167516721670166916731674167516741675167216721674167516791681168216831684168616891689169016911690169016921692169416941694169516951694169516931692169416941695169516961696169616941700170517061707170817071706170217011701169917001702170317031704170517041707171017101708170917061707170917091710170917071705170217001705170717071707171217111713171317131715171717171718172117241723172217211717171917211725172617251725172517241717171717171720171817131711171117111711170717051704170317061707170817081709171217131713171317131716171817211725172517231723172417291732173617381739173917381739174217461747174917501753175217511751175217571763176417641760175417491749174517441745174517471748174817501752175417571758175817581758175717601761176217631764177117741782178017791778177617761775177917801778177917801783178517841784178417861793179817991798179817981799180018031808180718081810181018131814181618161814181418151821182118231824182718281830182918301832183318331831183518341837183818371837183818411842184118421843184318441845184918491850185218541856185618571857185318521849184718451844184418461850185218541856185918591859185718571858185918601860186018591858185718561853185218511849184818481848184818491849185018511852185318531853185318521852185018481848184718481848184718461846184718471848185018551858185918601860186018601861186118621862186518651865186218631863186118601858185918581857185318521853185318551859186018601859185518541854185418541852185018501847184618461844184318421838183718381839183918411842184318421839183918381837183618371834183318321831183018291826182318221822182218201811181218171816181518121809180618021799179617961795179517931789178617841783178117781772177217711771177117711771177017651763175917581755175217501748174417401738173617361737173817381739173717351734173317331732173017301730173017301730173017301730173117311730173017291728172817281728172817281728172817281727172717261722172017201720172017201720171917191718171817181717171517131711171017101709170917081707170717071707170717061702169916981697169616961695169516951696169616951696169616981697169616961693169016841687168716811679168016791666166516611661165916591658165816571652165016501651165516601661166116591657165416481646164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Deer Creek Trail #45 (17.2)2016
This trail has received a lot of maintenance since the Willow Fire in 2004. It's still difficult to follow in areas. Avid hikers will like it, casual hiker will probably turn around.
Hike
Deer Creek Trail (#45) reminded me of both the Barnhardt trail (a few miles north) and Secret Mountain trail in Sedona. Barnhardt (BH) has well paced and fairly uniform elevation gain (at least for my tastes) and provides an excellent sampling of all the Arizona terra zones (high desert scrub up to pines). Deer Creek (DC) starts similarly but has a much more modest elevation gain (at least for the first 4 miles or so.all the time I had that day). DC does have, however, high desert, nice sections of riparian growth (cottonwood and sycamore trees, river grasses, ivy), a gurgling creek, grave site (!), and working windmill powered water pump. I thought it was worth doing at least once.
If I had to choose only one, I'd go with BH, but I decided to check out DC since I've already done BH a few times and DC is closer to the valley. The trailhead is literally a stone's throw from highway 87. The turnoff to the trailhead is well marked from SR 87, right at the highway 87/188 juncture (where the rest stop is.rougly highway marker 235.5). Coming from the valley, this is a big plus in travel time and wear/tear to your wheels compared to BH, which has a 5.5 mile rutted, washboardy dirt (sometimes muddy) road you must take to get to the trailhead. Probably saved an hour round trip. It's a minus if highway noise bothers you (I only noticed the first 1/2 mile or so).
I hiked on May 27, 2001 (Memorial weekend), and it wasn't a cool day by any means. Luckily there are sections of shade throughout (some pretty dense), and the trail more or less runs along the north side of a ridge/canyon, so going in you've got ridge/shrub/trees rising to your left, creek to your right. I'd guess that in March/April the sun is low enough in the sky that you're mostly in the shade once you're in the creek area. No other humans in sight on this trail.half dozen cottontails, a harmless water snake, and probably 1,000+ lizards. No deer!
Like BH, it's got that funky mix of desert cactus type veg, mixed with high desert scrub, and oddly colored rock.deep purple, red, green, blue, etc. Prickly pear cactus was in bloom, as were a few blooms of some orange wildflower looking stuff near the creek. You're introduced to the creek after about 3/4 of a mile. Around this area, reach into your pack and pull out any horses you brought (ha ha) to give them a drink from the windmill powered water pump that trickles water into a metal trough.
From there the trail alternates back and forth from being creekside, to only being within earshot/view; brief sections of up/down over natural land contours. At the approx 1.5 to 2 mile mark you'll find a single grave site.'David O. Cowan, 1843-1926'. At the approx 3 1/4 miles you 'officially' enter the Mazatzal Wilderness (a forestry sign tips you off). At this point you're heading back creekside, actually crossing it several times (I think the full hike involves about 20 creek crossings after this point). Water level was maybe ankle high.no big deal. The terrain was really just getting interesting about this point, but had to turn back. Eventually it climbs into pine country. It's 8.8 miles one way to FR201 and numerous connecting trails.
It would be worth returning after a good rain when everything is wet and it's overcast.good photo opportunities. On my particular trip there was only some high diffuse clouds, so most pics ended up washed out.
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2016
This trail has received a lot of maintenance since the Willow Fire in 2004. It's still difficult to follow in areas. Avid hikers will like it, casual hiker will probably turn around.
Hike
Deer Creek Trail (#45) reminded me of both the Barnhardt trail (a few miles north) and Secret Mountain trail in Sedona. Barnhardt (BH) has well paced and fairly uniform elevation gain (at least for my tastes) and provides an excellent sampling of all the Arizona terra zones (high desert scrub up to pines). Deer Creek (DC) starts similarly but has a much more modest elevation gain (at least for the first 4 miles or so.all the time I had that day). DC does have, however, high desert, nice sections of riparian growth (cottonwood and sycamore trees, river grasses, ivy), a gurgling creek, grave site (!), and working windmill powered water pump. I thought it was worth doing at least once.
If I had to choose only one, I'd go with BH, but I decided to check out DC since I've already done BH a few times and DC is closer to the valley. The trailhead is literally a stone's throw from highway 87. The turnoff to the trailhead is well marked from SR 87, right at the highway 87/188 juncture (where the rest stop is.rougly highway marker 235.5). Coming from the valley, this is a big plus in travel time and wear/tear to your wheels compared to BH, which has a 5.5 mile rutted, washboardy dirt (sometimes muddy) road you must take to get to the trailhead. Probably saved an hour round trip. It's a minus if highway noise bothers you (I only noticed the first 1/2 mile or so).
I hiked on May 27, 2001 (Memorial weekend), and it wasn't a cool day by any means. Luckily there are sections of shade throughout (some pretty dense), and the trail more or less runs along the north side of a ridge/canyon, so going in you've got ridge/shrub/trees rising to your left, creek to your right. I'd guess that in March/April the sun is low enough in the sky that you're mostly in the shade once you're in the creek area. No other humans in sight on this trail.half dozen cottontails, a harmless water snake, and probably 1,000+ lizards. No deer!
Like BH, it's got that funky mix of desert cactus type veg, mixed with high desert scrub, and oddly colored rock.deep purple, red, green, blue, etc. Prickly pear cactus was in bloom, as were a few blooms of some orange wildflower looking stuff near the creek. You're introduced to the creek after about 3/4 of a mile. Around this area, reach into your pack and pull out any horses you brought (ha ha) to give them a drink from the windmill powered water pump that trickles water into a metal trough.
From there the trail alternates back and forth from being creekside, to only being within earshot/view; brief sections of up/down over natural land contours. At the approx 1.5 to 2 mile mark you'll find a single grave site.'David O. Cowan, 1843-1926'. At the approx 3 1/4 miles you 'officially' enter the Mazatzal Wilderness (a forestry sign tips you off). At this point you're heading back creekside, actually crossing it several times (I think the full hike involves about 20 creek crossings after this point). Water level was maybe ankle high.no big deal. The terrain was really just getting interesting about this point, but had to turn back. Eventually it climbs into pine country. It's 8.8 miles one way to FR201 and numerous connecting trails.
It would be worth returning after a good rain when everything is wet and it's overcast.good photo opportunities. On my particular trip there was only some high diffuse clouds, so most pics ended up washed 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Fork Trail #46 (11.0)History
This trail is a little known or hiked trail, the one thing that made it interesting to me was that the Gowan property is located on this trail and not on the Deer Creek trail. David Gowan was one of the first pioneers in this region, he had a claim on the Verde river just west of the town of Payson. He was also credited for discovering the Tonto Natural bridge, the story goes like this, he was hunting in the Pine creek area when a group of Indians chased him up the creek where he took cover under the bridge, he later gave the property to his relatives, the Goodfellows. A good book I've found for information is Rim Country History put out by the Gila County Historical Society
Hike
This hike starts at the Deer creek trailhead, you actually start out on the Deer creek trail but within the first quarter mile you run into first the Gold ridge trail #47 and very shortly after that you come to the South Fork Trail #46 intersection, The trail is nice for the first few miles until it turns south and starts heading up the south fork of Deer Creek, where it's rock hopping for the next few miles, 3 1/4 miles you come into the Mazatzal wilderness for about a mile and a half then back out,about 1/2 mile from the wilderness boundary you come to the Gowan property.
When you reach the Gowan property your about a half mile from the end of the trail at Pigeon Springs on the FR201. A major storm last January 2010 has changed all the trails in this area with fallen trees etc, like all other trails in this area I saw many signs of fresh bear droppings so take extra measures (making a lot of noise) I've personally ran into several bears in the Mazatzal Mountains but have always avoided contact.Black103410341034103310331034103410341034103410321030102910281027102710301031103210331035103510331031103110311031103410341033103110311030103010301034103510341034103410361036103710391041104210421042104310471048104910491049104810461048105310571059106010591059106010621065106610691072107510771075107310731075107710781079108010821084108610871087108910901090109110931093109310931094109510981101110211021105110711071107110911131117111911201120111911191119111911191118111911191120112211261127113311371136113611401141113911421144114511451151115211521149115011511154115711581160116311661169117011701179118211811179118211871186118411851187118911891187118711871188119712011202120212021203120512061207121512201221122212251227122712281230123012331238124412481251125012481246124112441244124412471248125312631271127512781276127812801285128912891290129112901291129813011301130113011301130413051308131213101309130813091312131313181319132013241332133213331331132913281328133213341334133313331333133713421344134413461350135213531353135513581360136213621363136613671367136713701375137813801382138613891390139714081415142014231426142914281429143114371442144514471445144814511452145514551455147014791483148514861487149014931497149915001500150415061507150815121518152215261530153515391541154215401541155015511558156915691571156915651562156215671567156915701570157015701569157015701571157115721572157215731573157515761576157615761576157715791579158215851586158815931593159815991598159715991600160216031604160616081611161416151615161516161618161916191618161816181618162316271632163416361641164416471647165016511655165816591660166516681668166816681668166816691671167116711671167216751680168216931700170417061708170817121713171317131716171717181718171817191720172117231724172517281730173317351738173817381739173917401742174317461747174817491748174717471750175717631771177417781783178917941798180118051811182118291836184518551867186718691875