INDIAN SPRINGS TRAIL # 627
INDIAN SPRINGS
TRAIL # 627
Late summer in
Arizona�s White Mountains is prime time for wildflower viewing. Cooler evenings
take the edge off daytime heat and mornings break in a crisp dewy dampness that
hints of autumn and nurtures a colorful spectacle of blooming plants. Fields of
sunflowers dress roadside pastures making the annual bloom frenzy accessible to
anybody willing to take a drive and pull off onto a random dirt road.
But if
you want deeper access to high altitude botanical treasures, lace up your
hiking boots, strap on a backpack and hit the Indian Springs Trail near Big
Lake.
The 2011Wallow
Fire roared across this classic trail of fir-spruce woodlands taking out some segments
while leaving others mostly intact.
The upside to the loss of coniferous
canopies is a sunlight-generated surge in wildflower proliferation. The best
part about loop trails like this one is its mix of sun, shade, hydrology and
micro climates that produce a wide variety of flowering plants.
The blossom
bonanza begins right from the get go in a bud-dotted meadow. Here, sun-loving
fleabane and harebells bob in mountain breezes. Beyond the trailhead,
the path moves into a section of survivor pines and the filtered light domain
of species like Richardson�s Geranium, Pleated Gentian and brilliant orange Paintbrush.
A passage of wild red raspberries and ferns culminates at
the junction for the optional half-mile spur trail that leads to Big Lake
Lookout. Although the fire tower that stood on this rocky knob succumbed to the
blaze, there�s an upside. Lake views are now easier to see through toasted
stumps and resurgent shrubs.
The next section of the hike passes through an old
growth forest of fir, spruce and mature aspens. This darker, wetter space favors
Canada violets, mushrooms and Blue-eyed grass. At the 1-mile point, the reliable trickle of Spillman Spring creates a water
garden of clovers and Seep Monkey Flowers that grow in bright clumps in and
around the rustic wooden troughs set up to catch the flow. Fire damage is much
more visible throughout the remainder of the hike. Thickets of aspen saplings
account for much of the regrowth.
In these areas, look for Common mullein,
Apache lobelia and Spurred Gentian.
Indian Spring
appears as a mucky pond at the 2.5-mile point.
The swamp�s fringe of Rocky
Mountain irises that bloom May thru June, are long past prime by mid-summer.
Beyond the loop�s
halfway mark, marshy areas define the trail�s lowest elevation. Runoff collects in soggy bogs and funnels
into streamlets that feed the tributaries of the Black River. These swales are
the habitat of False Hellebore, horse mint, New Mexican checker mallow, lupine
and penstemones. At 5-miles there�s an option to add on the 6-mile round trip West Fork of the Black River Trail #628 before the route curves back to the start point.
LENGTH: 7.5-mile
loop (8.5 miles with lookout side trip)
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 8600� - 9415'
GETTING THERE:
From the Hon-Dah casino in Pinetop-Lakeside go 19.6 miles
east on State Route 260 to State Route 273, just past milepost 377 and signed
for Sunrise Ski Area. Go 19.2 miles south on SR 273 (turns into Forest Road 249
past the Big Lake turnoff) to Forest Road 249E, turn right and continue 0.4
mile to the trailhead on the left. Roads are paved up to FR 249E which is good
gravel.
INFO & MAP:
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/asnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=45143&actid=24
TRAIL # 627
 |
| Indian Springs Trail |
Late summer in
Arizona�s White Mountains is prime time for wildflower viewing. Cooler evenings
take the edge off daytime heat and mornings break in a crisp dewy dampness that
hints of autumn and nurtures a colorful spectacle of blooming plants. Fields of
sunflowers dress roadside pastures making the annual bloom frenzy accessible to
anybody willing to take a drive and pull off onto a random dirt road.
 |
| Apache Lobelia |
But if
you want deeper access to high altitude botanical treasures, lace up your
hiking boots, strap on a backpack and hit the Indian Springs Trail near Big
Lake.
 |
| Paintbrush and ferns |
The 2011Wallow
Fire roared across this classic trail of fir-spruce woodlands taking out some segments
while leaving others mostly intact.
 |
| Richardson's Geranium |
The upside to the loss of coniferous
canopies is a sunlight-generated surge in wildflower proliferation. The best
part about loop trails like this one is its mix of sun, shade, hydrology and
micro climates that produce a wide variety of flowering plants.
The blossom
bonanza begins right from the get go in a bud-dotted meadow. Here, sun-loving
fleabane and harebells bob in mountain breezes. Beyond the trailhead,
the path moves into a section of survivor pines and the filtered light domain
of species like Richardson�s Geranium, Pleated Gentian and brilliant orange Paintbrush.
 |
| Indian Spring suffered damage from the 2011 Wallow Fire |
A passage of wild red raspberries and ferns culminates at
the junction for the optional half-mile spur trail that leads to Big Lake
Lookout. Although the fire tower that stood on this rocky knob succumbed to the
blaze, there�s an upside. Lake views are now easier to see through toasted
stumps and resurgent shrubs.
 |
| Wild Raspberry shrubs and ferns |
The next section of the hike passes through an old
growth forest of fir, spruce and mature aspens. This darker, wetter space favors
Canada violets, mushrooms and Blue-eyed grass. At the 1-mile point, the reliable trickle of Spillman Spring creates a water
garden of clovers and Seep Monkey Flowers that grow in bright clumps in and
around the rustic wooden troughs set up to catch the flow. Fire damage is much
more visible throughout the remainder of the hike. Thickets of aspen saplings
account for much of the regrowth.
 |
| Seep Monkey Flowers |
In these areas, look for Common mullein,
Apache lobelia and Spurred Gentian.
Indian Spring
appears as a mucky pond at the 2.5-mile point.
 |
| Red Raspberry |
The swamp�s fringe of Rocky
Mountain irises that bloom May thru June, are long past prime by mid-summer.
 |
| Harebells |
Beyond the loop�s
halfway mark, marshy areas define the trail�s lowest elevation. Runoff collects in soggy bogs and funnels
into streamlets that feed the tributaries of the Black River. These swales are
the habitat of False Hellebore, horse mint, New Mexican checker mallow, lupine
and penstemones. At 5-miles there�s an option to add on the 6-mile round trip West Fork of the Black River Trail #628 before the route curves back to the start point.
 |
| False Hellebore |
 |
| Water Hemlock |
LENGTH: 7.5-mile
loop (8.5 miles with lookout side trip)
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 8600� - 9415'
 |
| Pleated Gentian |
GETTING THERE:
From the Hon-Dah casino in Pinetop-Lakeside go 19.6 miles
east on State Route 260 to State Route 273, just past milepost 377 and signed
for Sunrise Ski Area. Go 19.2 miles south on SR 273 (turns into Forest Road 249
past the Big Lake turnoff) to Forest Road 249E, turn right and continue 0.4
mile to the trailhead on the left. Roads are paved up to FR 249E which is good
gravel.
INFO & MAP:
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/asnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=45143&actid=24
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