Amazing, Spectacular Arizona Trail: Missouri Bill Hill-San Francisco Peaks

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

Slow start. I overslept by 15 minutes past sunrise, but the views atop Missouri Bill are fantastic – all the way to the North Rim, the Navajo and Hopi Nations, and the San Francisco Peaks. Small alpine plants are blooming, too.

For those who didn’t see my last post, another note about the San Francisco Peaks. They are the highest peaks in Arizona today, including Humphreys at 12633 and Agassiz at 12360 ft. They are a product of a volcanic hotspot under northern Arizona that formed what we know of today as the San Francisco Volcanic Field, a cluster of lava fields, around 600 cinder cones, and lava domes surrounding Flagstaff. The most prominent feature are the Peaks, an extinct stratovolcano complex. San Francisco Mountain erupted around 400,000 years ago in a lateral blast (think Mt St. Helens).

The eruption carved a hole in the northeast side of the mountain and is estimated to have lowered the height of the mountain by approximately 6000 ft. At an estimated height around 18000 ft prior to the eruption, had the eruption not taken place it would be the highest peak in the continental United States today. The view from the top reaches into Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico at a minimum. I’m not sure if you can see the southwest corner of Colorado.

The most recent eruption in the San Francisco volcanic field was Sunset Crater, now contained within Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and probably one of the most unexpected places for many visitors in the United States where one can walk on and get a hands-on experience with lava. Sunset Crater last erupted around 1085 AD, meaning there is human documentation of the event from native people.

I head back down and south along the AZT, encountering a European couple heading nobo, fnishing what they started in the spring (apparently they bailed when they ran into a blizzard in Flagstaff in April), and yet another friendly camper. The ecosystems change again, from pinyon-juniper to sparse ponderosa. These also seem affected by dwarf mistletoe, and it’s obvious a prescribed burn or wildfire has come through.

A gorgeous view of the peaks with aspen on their middle flanks appears, an irressistible photo op. After a brief retracing of steps for my camp light, it is on to Kelly Tank, encountering a strung-out group of hikers from Maine, South Carolina, and Washington. We talk and fill up on water, me providing recommendations for Grand Canyon & Flagstaff.

Then it is on through the glowing light beams through the ponderosa, on to camp among the aspens at around 8300 ft, and the discovery of the largest, most painless blister I’ve ever had. Unsurprisingly, right around a spot I’ve been trying to treat for possible fungal infection. Maybe a connection there? Also, everything around – grasses, ferns – totally browned out from the dry summer.

Passage Logistics

	Passage 34 – San Francisco Peaks
Trail Surface	Mixed – Dirt Road, Singletrack
Length
Season	Spring-Fall
Potential Water Sources	Kelly Tank & supply box
Trailheads	None
ATA Rated Difficulty	Moderate

	Passage 34 – San Francisco Peaks
Trail Surface	Mixed – Dirt Road & Singletrack
Length	35.3 miles
Season	Spring-Fall
Potential Water Sources	Cedar Ranch East Cedar Tank Kelly Tank & supply box Alfa Fia Tank Schultz Tank
Trailheads	Cedar Ranch Arizona Snowbowl Schultz Pass
ATA Rated Difficulty	Moderate