HIKE OF THE MONTH

HIKE of the month SYCAMORE RIM TRAIL Spectacular views of Arizona's secondlargest canyon, remnants of frontier history and a unique environment of ponds and streams highlight this high-country hike near Williams.

Before there were wilderness areas, there were primitive areas, which, in the words of Aldo Leopold, were defined as "a continuous stretch of country preserved in its natural state ... big enough to absorb a two weeks' pack trip." In 1935, Sycamore Canyon was given that protection and designated a primitive area, the state's first. In 1972, it was designated a wilderness area, and in 1984, it was expanded by 9,000 acres. Today, the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness protects 58,448 acres in and around the canyon,from its forested rim near Williams to its riparian mouth in the Verde Valley. In all, it winds for more than 20 miles along Sycamore Creek, and at its widest point, it extends 7 miles from rim to rim. In addition to its namesake trees, the wilderness is home to cottonwoods, hackberries, piñon pines, ponderosa pines, black bears, badgers, mountain lions, mule deer and ringtails. There are hiking trails, too, many of which take you into the rugged and remote canyon. The Sycamore Rim Trail, as the name suggests, offers a look from up above. Unlike its sister trails down below, this one is relatively young. It was proposed in 1975 to protect a unique environment of ponds, streams, cliffs and deep canyons. People liked the idea, and the route was finally cleared and marked in 1979. Since then, the Sycamore Rim Trail has become an easy way to get