Archive All Issues October 2022

FALL COLOR GUIDE

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The mission of this magazine is to inspire readers to get off the couch and explore the state. This month, we're using autumn leaves as the lure.

Featured in the October 2022 Issue of Arizona Highways

Fall Color Guide Hikes

Arizona Trail (San Francisco Peaks Passage)

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION: 8,928 to 9,000 feet

LENGTH: 15 miles round-trip (to Forest Road 418)

DIRECTIONS: From Flagstaff, go north on U.S. Route 180 for 7 miles to Snowbowl Road. Turn right onto Snowbowl Road and continue 5.1 miles to the Aspen Corner parking area, on the left.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: Late September to mid-October

CONTACT: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866 or fs.usda.gov/coconino

FEE: None

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION: 2,400 feet

LENGTH: 1.5-mile loop

DIRECTIONS: From Phoenix, go east on U.S. Route 60 to Mile Marker 223, near Superior.

TREES: Chinese pistache, combretum, sumac, walnut TIMING: Mid-November to early December; open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas) CONTACT: Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 520-689-2723 or btarboretum.org FEE: $15 for adults and teenagers, $5 for children ages 5 to 12

Hamburg Trail

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

ELEVATION: 5,579 to 6,907 feet

LENGTH: 5 miles round-trip DIRECTIONS: From Sierra Vista, go south on State Route 92 for 6 miles to Ramsey Canyon Road. Turn right onto Ramsey Canyon Road and continue 3.5 miles to The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking area and trailhead.

TREES: Sycamore, maple, ash, cottonwood, willow TIMING: Mid-October to early November; open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 31, then from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays CONTACT: The Nature Conservancy, 520-378-2785 or nature .org/arizona FEE: $8 for adults and teenagers; free for children under 13

Houston Brothers Trail

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

ELEVATION: 7,732 to 7,170 feet

LENGTH: 14 miles round-trip ACCESS: From Payson, go east on State Route 260 for 29.2 miles to the turnoff for Woods Canyon Lake. Turn left and continue on the paved road for 3.1 miles to Forest Road 300. Turn left onto FR 300 and continue 23.8 miles to a dirt parking lot on the left. The trailhead is just beyond the parking lot, on the right.

TREES: Maple, oak, aspen

TIMING: Late September to mid-October

CONTACT: Mogollon Rim Ranger District, 928-477-2225 or fs.usda.gov/coconino

FEE: None

North Kaibab Trail

DIFFICULTY: Strenuous

ELEVATION: 8,225 to 5,221 feet

LENGTH: 10 miles round-trip (to Roaring Springs)

DIRECTIONS: From Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim, go north for 2 miles to the signed right turn for the North Kaibab Trailhead.

TREES: Aspen, maple, oak, cottonwood, boxelder, creeping barberry

TIMING: Early October

CONTACT: Grand Canyon National Park, 928-638-7888 or nps.gov/grca FEE: National Park Service fees apply.

Pole Knoll Trail

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION: 9,005 to 9,186 feet

LENGTH: 6.2-mile loop

38 OCTOBER 2022 4.9 miles to State Route 260. Turn left onto SR 260 and continue 2.4 miles to Forest Road 112. Turn left onto FR 112 and continue a quarter-mile to Pole Knoll Recreation Area.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: Late September to late October

CONTACT: Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-6200 or fs.usda.gov/asnf

FEE: None

7 See Canyon Trail

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

ELEVATION: 6,183 to 7,856 feet

LENGTH: 7 miles round-trip DIRECTIONS: From Payson, go east on State Route 260 for 20.2 miles to the Christopher Creek Loop exit. Turn left onto the loop and continue 1 mile to Forest Road 284. Turn left onto FR 284 and continue 1.5 miles to the trailhead.

TREES: Maple, oak, aspen

TIMING: Mid-October

CONTACT: Black Mesa Ranger District, 928-535-7300 or fs.usda.gov/asnf

FEE: None

8 Verde River Greenway Trail

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION: 3,300 feet

LENGTH: 4 miles round-trip DIRECTIONS: From Clarkdale, take State Route 89A (Main Street) to 10th Street. Turn right onto 10th Street and continue to the Dead Horse Ranch State Park entrance. From there, take Dead Horse Ranch Road to the trailhead at the West Lagoon parking area.

TREES: Cottonwood, willow

TIMING: Late October to mid-November

CONTACT: Dead Horse Ranch State Park, 928-634-5283 or azstateparks.com/dead-horse FEE: Arizona State Parks fees apply.

9 West Baldy Trail

DIFFICULTY: Moderate

ELEVATION: 9,287 to 11,420 feet

LENGTH: 14 miles round-trip DIRECTIONS: From Eagar, go west on State Route 260 for 18.7 miles to State Route 273. Turn left onto SR 273 and continue 8.6 miles to the trailhead at Sheeps Crossing.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: September

CONTACT: Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-6200 or fs.usda.gov/asnf

FEE: None

10 West Fork Oak Creek Trail

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION: 5,316 to 5,565 feet

LENGTH: 6.75 miles round-trip DIRECTIONS: From Sedona, go north on State Route 89A for 9.5 miles to the Call of the Canyon Picnic Site.

TREES: Apple, boxelder, ash, canyon grape, maple, dogwood, willow, Virginia creeper

TIMING: Mid-October

CONTACT: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-282-4119 or fs.usda .gov/coconino

FEE: $11 per vehicle

Drives 11 Catalina Highway

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 30 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway (also known as General Hitchcock Highway or Sky Island Scenic Byway) in Tucson, go north on Catalina Highway for 30 miles to Summerhaven.

TREES: Oak, walnut, maple, aspen

TIMING: Mid-October to late November

CONTACT: Santa Catalina Ranger District, 520-749-8700 or fs.usda.gov/coronado

12 Greens Peak

CONDITION: Unpaved but suitable for most vehicles in good weather

LENGTH: 20 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From State Route 260 west of Eagar, go north on Forest Road 117 for 10.5 miles to a "T" intersection. Turn right, onto Forest Road 118 (also signed as County Road 1325), and continue 9.5 miles back to SR 260.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: Late September to late October

CONTACT: Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-4372 or fs.usda.gov/asnf

13 Haigler Canyon

CONDITION: Unpaved but suitable for most vehicles in good

weather

LENGTH: 20 miles one way DIRECTIONS: From State Route 260 east of Payson, go south on Colcord Road (Forest Road 291) for 4 miles to Forest Road 200. Turn right onto FR 200 and continue 16 miles to State Route 288 north of Young.

TREES: Maple, oak, cottonwood, sycamore

TIMING: October

CONTACT: Pleasant Valley Ranger District, 928-462-4300 or fs.usda.gov/tonto

14 Madera Canyon

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 14.5 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From the Continental Road exit (south of Green Valley) on Interstate 19, go east on Continental Road for 1 mile to Whitehouse Canyon Road. Turn right onto Whitehouse Canyon Road, which turns into Madera Canyon Road, and continue 13.5 miles to where the road ends at the Mount Wrightson Picnic Area.

TREES: Oak, ash, maple, willow, cottonwood, sycamore

TIMING: Midto late October

CONTACT: Nogales Ranger District, 520-281-2296 or fs.usda.gov/coronado

15 North Rim Parkway (State Route 67)

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 31 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From Jacob Lake, go south on State Route 67 for 31 miles to the North Rim entrance station at Grand Canyon National Park.

TREES: Aspen TIMING: Mid-September to midOctober (snow closes road) CONTACT: North Kaibab Ranger District, 928-643-7395 or fs.usda.gov/kaibab

16 Oak Creek Canyon (State Route 89A)

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 16 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of state routes 179 and 89A in Sedona, go north on SR 89A for 16 miles to Oak Creek Vista.

TREES: Apple, oak, cottonwood, sycamore, walnut

TIMING: Early October to early November

CONTACT: Red Rock Ranger District, 928-282-4119 or fs.usda .gov/coconino

17 Prescott to Crown King

CONDITION: Unpaved; highclearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle required

LENGTH: 37 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From the intersec-tion of Gurley Street and Mount Vernon Avenue in Prescott, go south on Mount Vernon Avenue, which becomes Senator Highway (County Road 56), for 12.5 miles to Forest Road 52. Turn right onto FR 52 and continue 24.5 miles to Crown King.

TREES: Maple, oak

TIMING: October

CONTACT: Bradshaw Ranger District, 928-443-8000 or fs.usda.gov/prescott

18 Rim Road (Forest Road 300)

CONDITION: Unpaved; highclearance vehicle recommended

LENGTH: 43.3 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From State Route 87 north of Payson, go east on Forest Road 300 for 43.3 miles to State Route 260.

TREES: Maple, oak, aspen

TIMING: Midto late October

CONTACT: Mogollon Rim Ranger District, 928-477-2255 or fs.usda .gov/coconino; Black Mesa Ranger District, 928-535-7300 or fs.usda .gov/asnf

19 Snowbowl Road

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 7 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From U.S. Route 180 northwest of Flagstaff, go north on Snowbowl Road for 7 miles to the Arizona Snowbowl parking area.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: Mid-September to midOctober

CONTACT: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866 or fs.usda.gov/coconino

20 Springerville to Alpine (U.S. Route 191)

CONDITION: Paved

LENGTH: 26 miles one way

DIRECTIONS: From Springerville, go south on U.S. Route 191 for 26 miles to Alpine.

TREES: Aspen

TIMING: Mid-September to midOctober

CONTACT: Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-5000 or fs.usda.gov/asnf