OBSERVATORY MESA NATURAL AREA
OBSERVATORY MESA
NATURAL AREA
Flagstaff
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| Observatory Tank along Forest Road 515 |
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| Wavyleaf thistle and guests |
Allow me to introduce A-1
Mountain, ruler of magma, queen of ashes and Mother of the Mesa. This dramatic
introduction�admittedly inspired by a certain fantasy franchise�is an accurate description
of the 300,000-year-old cinder cone located on the urban-forest interface west
of Flagstaff. A-1 Mountain is the source of volcanic materials that built
Observatory Mesa and other nearby geological features. Rising to 8,300 feet, the
pine-cloaked mound is just one of many visual goodies dished out
to visitors of the Observatory Mesa Natural Area.
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| A-1 Mountain is a 300,000 -year-old cinder cone volcano |
The 2,251-acre site was
acquired by the City of Flagstaff in 2013 to preserve native ecosystems and an
essential wildlife corridor while allowing for recreation. Rich in biodiversity, the landscape is a mix
of pine-oak woodlands, grasslands, shrubby range, tiny drainage areas and seeps
that foster wetland species like willows, frogs, wild roses and salamanders.
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| Observatory Mesa |
Hikers can access
the area on dirt forest roads or by way of the Flagstaff Urban Trails
System (FUTS) trailhead at Thorpe Park near downtown. Either way, both options merge at a hub in the middle of the mesa where the Mars
Hill, Tunnel Springs, Flagstaff Loop and Observatory Mesa trails spin off in different
directions. Although both access points
are close to town, the trailhead along Forest Road 515 has more of a woodsy
feel than its city-inflected counterpart.
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| Slash piles |
Beginning at the FR 515 trailhead requires some route finding. The side
road at the kiosk is Forest Road 515D which is one of several non-motorized
dead-end roads that wander through meadows, wetlands and forests replete with antelope,
porcupines, fox and squirrels. You can wander along these scenic roads for
hours, but if you want the most direct route to the FUTS hub, hike 2.6 miles
farther up FR 515 (the road you came in on) from the parking spot at the kiosk. At 1.1 miles, go right at a fork and then stay straight on the main road at a second fork. Continue to a cattle guard and gate at the 1.3-mile point where Forest Road 9113C crosses, pass the gate and continue hiking on FR 515 to a hub of trail signs. From here, you can pick up the FUTS or return the way you came.
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| Logs ready for transport |
While hiking on the mesa, you'll see fresh-cut tree stumps and slash piles (stacks of branches). These products of forest thinning efforts are part of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Program that's designed to reduce the threat of devastating wildfires and post-fire flooding while improving forest health to promote diverse habitats for sensitive species
like the Gunnison�s prairie dog, boreal chorus frog and Mexican spotted owl. Signs at the hub have information about the program. During logging operations, heavy equipment is in use on and around the dirt roads, so stay alert and be sure to park well out of the way.
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| Yellow Salsify |
LENGTHS:
Forest Road 515 hike to hub:
2.6 miles one-way, 7400' - 7560'
Observatory Mesa
Trail: 1.6 miles one-way, 7070� � 7370�
Mars Hill Trail:
1.9 miles one-way, 6933� � 7402�
Tunnel Springs
Trail: 1.9 miles one-way, 7014� � 7404�
RATING: moderate
GETTING THERE:
Forest Road 515
Trailhead:
From the
Interstate 17/40 interchange in Flagstaff, go 4.8 miles west (toward Williams)
on I-40 to A-1 Mountain Road exit 190. Follow A-1 Road (Forest Road 506) 1.8 miles
and continue straight on Forest Road 515. Pass a cattle guard and go 0.2 mile and
park at the kiosk. No facilities.
Thorpe Park
Trailhead:
From downtown
Flagstaff, go north on Humphreys Street to Cherry Avenue, turn left and
continue to North Thorpe Park Road, turn right and drive a short distance to
the parking area near the ball fields.
Pick up the Observatory Mesa Trail across the road near the disc golf
course.
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