big man tips

INDIAN SPRINGS 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, hydrolo...

THOMPSON TRAIL #629 Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest Parts of Thompson Trail survived the Wallow Fire Trails with good bones have a way of reinventing themselves after a major wildfire. When the 2011 Wallow Fire---the largest in Arizona history-- roared through the woodlands around Mount Baldy and Big Lake, the nearby Thompson Trail #629 suffered heavy damage that will change is character as it recovers. Because of its good bones, the classic White Mountains route that follows the West Fork of the Black River still embodies everything great about high country trails�a creek with native fish, moss-laced trees, clump grass meadows and shadowy forests teeming with wildlife. West Fork of the Black River flows along the trail But the blaze altered its feel. The fire impacted the trail in patchwork style leaving some sections intact and others charred beyond recognition. The most noticeable change is the loss of shade-casting fir and spruce trees that had covered the canyon walls surroundin...

EAST FORK TRAIL #95 Pasture at the base of Mount Baldy If you drive down State Route 373/Main Street, through the town of Greer to near road's end, you'll find yourself at the banks of the West Fork of the Little Colorado River and the trailhead for the East Fork Trail #95. Yup, the East Fork Trail begins at the West Fork and this woodsy stream side spot is the most popular place to begin the hike that rambles through alpine meadows sprawled out between two creeks that originate on the slopes of Mount Baldy. Although the drive through town is scenic, it's often crowded and parking can sometimes be a challenge. Couple that with the fact that accessing trail #95 here requires an immediate creek crossing that might cause unprepared hikers to turn back before even starting. Mooooont Baldy cows.  There's a work around, though. If you start the hike from the Gabaldon Horse Campground at the edge of Mount Baldy Wilderness, you'll avoid the traffic and parking headaches. Ea...