ASCEND & WANDER

This passage uses historic trails and recently-built singletrack to travel through the Mazatzal Wilderness. Portions of it feel quite remote, and the lush zone through Oak Spring Canyon is nice. Trail users also enjoy frequent views of the Mogollon Rim, the massive and colorful escarpment that rises 1,500 feet above the Pine Valley. The great little town of Pine. Has a general store, groceries, and a restaurant tailored to hikers. Even some accommodation options but rather expensive. An easy hitch into the bigger city of Payson.  Tons of elk roaming around I went to the local trail running store for food and chatted with the owner who posted on the facebook bulletin page that I was looking for a ride and I got a few texts that evening. Thanks for helping me out! A rather nice change in the ground under your feet. I decided to go to Pine and hike southbound back to Sunflower which was closer geographically to PHX. I thought I would be able to call for an uber but that turned out not...

  I returned in November 2023 for a section hike of the Arizona Trail through the Four Peaks and Mazatzal Wilderness areas. My last trip in December proved to be a good time at the moderate elevation desert assuming no major storms bringing snow to the area. It had the potential to be wet cold and miserable but with a good weather window, it can also be a great escape to play around in the Southwest.  This page is part 1 which includes the zone around the Four Peaks Wilderness. Starting in roosevelt and ending in Sunflower. Part 2 will be SOBO from Pine and back to Sunflower through the Mazatzal mountain range. LINK Driving north of highway 87 and you see the first glimpse of the Four Peaks Wilderness I had coordinated with a local trail angel who generously picked me up from the airport and drove me directly to the town of Roosevelt that same evening with a fuel cannister which I was unable to fly with. Thanks again for supporting my hike SH Removing my airport luggage tag at...