Backpacking AZT Passage 40: Kaibab Plateau South
AZT Day 6, Part 2
Trans-Arizona/Utah Day 13, Part 2

Welcome back to Aspen’s Tracks, thruhiking the Arizona Trail from Utah to Mexico. Today, we’re continuing hiking along Passage 40, from East Rim Overlook to about MM 61.2. Starting with the best view of the eastern Grand Canyon visible from the trail north of the park boundary, backpacking southward, the AZT soon begins climbing toward its highest point, flanked by aspens.

In the land of Arizona
Through desert heat or snow
Winds a trail for folks to follow
From Utah to Old Mexico

It’s the Arizona Trail
A pathway through the great Southwest
A diverse track through wood and stone
Your spirit it will test

Oh, sure you’ll sweat and blister
You’ll feel the miles every day
You’ll shiver at the loneliness
Your feet and seat will pay

But you’ll see moonlight on the borderlands
You’ll see stars on the Mogollon
You’ll feel the warmth of winter sun
And be thrilled straight through to bone

The aches and pains will fade away
You’ll feel renewed and whole
You’ll never be the same again
With Arizona in your soul

Along the Arizona Trail
A reverence and peace you’ll know
Through deserts, canyons, and mountains
From Utah to Old Mexico
-“The Arizona Trail,” Dale R. Shewalter

Arizona Trail: East Rim Overlook to Crystal Spring

Hiking south, the Arizona Trail reaches the East Rim Overlook – a beautiful spot with a bench and picnic table overlooking a portion of the eastern Grand Canyon, with additional trails leading out to further views – and I find I do indeed have service. I spread my solar panel out and hook up my batteries to charge given the open sky view here and charging opportunity, and make the call to the park for the interview.

A rusted metal sign holding the Arizona Trail logo stands against the edge of a plateau with arrows pointing in opposite directions. The arrow to the left reads "Utah 59" and the arrow to the right reads "Mexico 743."
Arizona Trail mileage sign hiking southbound – 59 miles to Utah, 743 to Mexico
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
East Rim Overlook panorama, looking east over Grand Canyon toward the Navajo Nation, backpacking southbound on the Arizona Trail across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
East Rim Overlook panorama, looking east over Grand Canyon toward the Navajo Nation, hiking southbound on the Arizona Trail across the Kaibab Plateau. Navajo Mountain in Utah is visible on the horizon, with the Vermilion Cliffs at left
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers climbing away from the East Rim Overlook, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest

After doing my interview and taking care of some other business, I’m backpacking south again. Continuing south, the trail passes through more aspen groves, rice meadows, and mixed conifer forest, the latter increasingly spruce-fir as the rolling Kaibab slowly rises in elevation. Each displays the forest in a different stage – the rice meadows, areas most recently disturbed by something, be it a fire, severe wind, etc; the aspens, one of the pioneer trees to move in thereafter; and the spruce-fir/mixed conifer forest, the least recently disturbed.

The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers climbing away from the East Rim Overlook, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest

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The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through aspens and mixed conifers south of the East Rim Overlook, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Panorama of an aspen meadow seen hiking southbound along the Arizona Trail
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens in fall foliage and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens in fall foliage and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens in fall foliage and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens in fall foliage and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through meadows lined by aspens in fall foliage and mixed conifers, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
The Arizona Trail passes through towering aspen groves in fall foliage and mixed conifers, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest

Crystal Spring to Meadows Edge/North Rim Country Store Detour

It’s been a rough last few days with the wind and overnight temps, so upon reaching Crystal Spring I take a detour to Meadows Edge and the North Rim Country Store through some USFS roads and more aspen groves that continue to shine, meeting Roger and another thruhiking friend and discuss strategy and escape from the wind for a period.

Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent lichen on trees adjacent to the Arizona Trail, a clear sign of air quality, backpacking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest
Magnificent aspen foliage along forest roads adjacent to the Arizona Trail, hiking southbound across the Kaibab Plateau
AZT Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
Kaibab National Forest

Arizona Trail: Crystal Spring to MM 61.2

I then return to the trail and put some more miles in. Another 18 or so mile day in total, although not as many of those were on the actual trail as I might like (a fair number were getting to and from the North Rim Country Store). Still, I’m fairly close to the border between the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park.

Regardless, I should be at the Grand Canyon North Rim tomorrow (about 15 miles away), Phantom Ranch Thursday, Grand Canyon South Rim on Friday, and on the trail to Flagstaff perhaps on Tuesday.

Arizona Trail: Passage 40 Logistics

Arizona Trail: Passage 40 Logistics

Passage 40 (Kaibab Plateau South)
AZTA Passage Info & MapArizona Trail, Passage 40
Passage 40 Map
Trail SurfaceDirt trail
Length (Mi)24.3
SeasonSpring-fall. No vehicular access to this section December-mid May. Feet of snow in winter.
Potential Water SourcesCrane Lake (mi 46.5 SOBO, 742.2 NOBO)
Little Pleasant Valley Tank (mi 48.8 SOBO, 739.9 NOBO)
Wildlife Drinker (mi 56.5 SOBO, 732.2 NOBO)
Dog Lake (mi 56.6 SOBO, 732.1 NOBO)
North Canyon Spring (mi 58.9 SOBO, 729.8 NOBO)
Crystal Spring (mi 59.5 SOBO, 729.2 NOBO)
Sourdough Well (mi 62.1 SOBO, 726.6 NOBO)
Upper North Canyon Creek (mi 63.9 SOBO, 724.9 NOBO)

Full AZTA Report: Arizona Trail Water Sources
TrailheadsNorth: Telephone Hill
South: Grand Canyon National Park boundary
Trailhead AccessNorth: Vehicular access via FR 241 off AZ-67
South: Foot access only
WildernessNo, but it can feel like it. Most hikers in the area stick to the national park. Or are passing through to reach routes in the national park.
Possible resupply pointsNorth Rim Country Store & Meadow’s Edge
Accessed via FR 216 at AZT MM 54.6 S/734.1 N
ATA-Rated DifficultyEasy
Potential campsites (mileages S to N)Various
Ecosystems TraversedGreat Basin Subalpine Conifer Forest
Rocky Mountain Montane Conifer Woodland
Logistical details – sources include personal experience, Guthook Guides, ATA Guidebook

Arizona Trail: Passage 40 Ecology

Rocky Mountain Montane Conifer WoodlandGreat Basin Subalpine Conifer Forest
Common Trees/Shrubs* Ponderosa Pine
* Southwestern white pine
* Subalpine fir
* White fir
* Rocky Mountain maple
* Bigtooth maple
* Grey alder
* Red birch
* Red osier dogwood
* Cliffbush
* Mallow ninebark
* New Mexican locust
* huckleberry
* bilberries



* Corkbark fir
* Gambel oak
* Quaking aspen
* White fir
* Blue spruce
* Engelmann spruce
* Buckwheats
* Currants
* Dwarf juniper
* Elderberry
* Fendler’s ceanothus
* Greenleaf Manzanita
* New Mexican locust
* Perry’s rabbitbrush
* Raspberry
* smooth sumac
* Snowberry
Common herbaceous plants* fringed brome
* Geyer’s sedge/elk sedge
* Ross’ sedge
* Bronze sedge/dry land sedge/hillside sedge/hay sedge/Fernald’s hay sedge
* screwleaf muhly
* bluebunch wheatgrass
* Spruce-fir fleabane
* wild strawberry/Virginia strawberry
* Small-flowered woodrush
* mountain sweet Cicely
* bittercress ragwort
* western meadow-rue
* Fendler’s meadow-rue		* Bracken Fern
* Buckwheats
* Cinquefoils
* Columbines
* Fleabane daisies
* Geraniums
* goldeneye
* Goldenrods
* Groundsels
* Hairy golden aster
* Indian paintbrush
* Lotus
* Lupines
* Meadow-rue
* Parry’s bellflower
* Peavine
* Penstemons
* Puccoon
* Pussytoes
* Thistles
* Western & white prairie asters
* Wild strawberry
* Wormwood
* Yarrow
* Yellow hawkweed
Common SucculentsN/APrickly pear, occasionally
AquaticsN/A* Bulrush
* Buttercups
* Rushes
* Sedges
* Water plantains
Passage 40 Ecology (source: Arizona Trail Association AZT Guide & NatureServe). Only California and Texas are more diverse ecologically than Arizona.

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