Thruhiking the Amazing, Beautiful Arizona Trail: Walnut Canyon, Part 2

Backpacking Arizona Trail Passage 31, Part 2
AZT Thruhike Day 26, Part 2
Trans-Arizona/Utah Hike Day 33

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

Welcome back to Aspens Tracks, thruhiking the Arizona Trail from Utah to Mexico. To learn how I got to this point, check out my prior entry:
Amazing, Spectacular Arizona Trail: Walnut Canyon, Part 1 (Passage 31) (aspenstracks.com)

Heading west, the forest transitions back to the ponderosas, rolling up and down through drainages. The ponderosas are dense throughout, and their reddish bark glows in the light that filters through the green needles. The gambel oaks continue to impress along the route as well, adding splashes of yellow, red, and orange to the green ponderosa woodlands. I filled up on water at the visitor center for the National Monument, so I should have enough to get me back into Flagstaff. The trail crosses two spur trails leading to overlooks with more magnificent views of the canyon. Both well worth the minor extra mileage and time.

After the late start due to the magnificent cliff dwellings at the monument, I dont quite make it as far as I would like to before evening rolls around. I make camp near the trail on a bed of pine needles and crash for the night. Tomorrow I will be back in Flagstaff.

Trail Logistics & Ecology

	Passage 31 (Walnut Canyon)	Passage 33 (Flagstaff)
Passage Map	Passage Map	Passage Map
Elevation Profile	Profile	Profile
Trail Surface	Dirt singletrack	Dirt singletrack
Length (Mi)	18.5	15.5
Season	April-October. Snow can be significant in winter.	April-October. Snow can be significant in winter.
Potential Water Sources	Walnut Canyon Visitor Center	Various
Trailheads	North: I-40 at Cosnino Road South: Marshall Lake	North: Schultz Pass South: Fisher Point
Trailhead Access	Vehicular access via paved road	Vehicular access via paved roads (Schultz Pass on north end is unpaved, but various paved access points exist in between)
Wilderness	No	No
Possible resupply points	East Flagstaff Flagstaff	Flagstaff
ATA-Rated Difficulty	Easy	Moderate (south end is easier)
Potential campsites (mileages S to N)	Various points throughout; terrain is not a limitation here. However, camping is not allowed on the west end below Fisher Point.	N/A
Ecosystems Traversed	Rocky Mountain Montane Conifer Woodland	Rocky Mountain Montane Conifer Woodland
Sites of Interest	Walnut Canyon National Monument Fisher Point	Historic Flagstaff
Pet Friendly?	Yes, but will impact a visit to Walnut Canyon National Monument	Yes
Bike Friendly?	Yes	Yes

	Rocky Mountain Montane Conifer Woodland
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
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
Common succulents