January 11, 2023- Picketpost Mountain. Arnett Creek.

John Prehiked Picketpost Mountain. He found that the cattle that were using this land for grazing were tearing up the trails so it is easy to get off trail in these spots. 

At the parking lot, John took the left trail called Lost Loop Trail #221 which follows Arnett Creek and counterclockwise around the mountain. This trail turns into Arnett Creek trail #218 by going straight. He turned right onto Telegraph Canyon Trail, then kept right onto Arizona Trail as he followed the trail around the mountain. Arizona Trail passes the Picketpost Mountain trail and the other end of the Lost Loop Trail to go back to the Trailhead. (John kept on the Arizona Trail). 

This hike is good in dry conditions, but if it rains, Arnett Creek floods the area. 

John's All Trails Map

January 4, 2023 50 Year Trail - East Golder Ranch Drive

We turned off I-10 East (exit 219) at Picacho Peak and turned right onto Camino Adelante Road then turned left onto Park Link Road until the end of the road. We turned right onto Highway 79. We turned right onto Highway 77 and drive past the Oracle Junction. We turned left onto E. Golder Ranch Drive. The Valero Gas Station is a good place to stop for the restroom. We continue on E. Golder Ranch drive until we come to a parking lot and a cattle guard.  Google maps to E. Golder Ranch Trail

Google maps shows 50-year trail at the end of East Equestrian Trail. This is a road that is past the cattle guard and proceeds straight toward another cattle guard. There is no real parking lot there. If we could park there it would take us ½ mile closer to the rocks but it would need to be an out-and-back hike. All Trails - 50 year trail

E. Golder Ranch Parking Lot. 

Can see Mount Lemmon from here 

There are posts along the way, showing the trails.

We turned left here, to go clockwise on the loop. If we turned right we could go counterclockwise. 

This is on the trail, when we go clockwise. 

If we went on the left trail, it would take us to the residential area. 

John going down right trail.

This is a high area, where we start going down into a wash.

We met some bikers who had just done the Chutes. 

We turned left onto Gem Trail that took us up into the rocks. There is another Chutes Connector Trail that goes straight. The connector trail might be a shortcut to the rocks. 

We had lunch on the rocks. Great view. 

After lunch we took the trail to the right to continue the loop. 

We turned to the right after coming out from rocks. 

This is the 50 year trail. 

We came to a cattle guard that is the end of the E. Equestrian Trail. That is the trailhead for 50-year -trail, but we would have to have a permit to park there

There are corrals for cattle. 

We veered off the 50- Year- trail to the right. This trail takes us back to the parking area. 

We can see the parking area in this picture.

December 20, 2022 to Dobbins Lookout, Buena Vista Lookout Trailheads. Holbert, National/Maricopa, and Hidden Valley Trails

 

Google Maps to Dobbins Lookout

We chose to come this way because Google Maps told us to use 16 Ave. rather than Central Ave. likely due to traffic. Either way is fine, although there was some construction on the corner of Baseline and Central Ave. 

John and Nancy hiked from the Dobbins Lookout. We scouted out washrooms and found the best were at the South Mountain Ranger Station. 

The hike from Dobbins Lookout is about 7.8 miles so it is good for a long hike. The medium hike can start from Buena Vista Lookout which we pass along the way (5.5 miles). The Buena Vista Lookout trailhead is further down the road from Dobbins Lookout. 

At Dobbins lookout there is a great view of Phoenix and surrounding mountains as well as a stone house. 

At Dobbins Lookout we started on Holbert Access Trail and kept to the right to Holbert Trail. We hiked down into a rocky valley and a wash. This trail crosses the E. Buena Vista Road and continues along ridge. (See pictures).

We continue on Holbert Trail. We can see the highway below.  We turn left when the trail crosses the Tv Road and turns into Maricopa/National Trail that leads down to Buena Vista Lookout. (See pictures).

Buena Vista Lookout 

On the Buena Vista Lookout, we continued on the National/Maricopa Trail to Fat Man's pass. Fat Man's Pass is known for the narrow passage where we take the challenge to see if we can get through. We have to take our backpacks off and watch our heads for the large rock at the end of the passage. There is a trail that diverts away from this passage just to the left. Fat Man's Pass is the start of the Hidden Valley Trail. 

The Hidden Valley trail has a number of fun obstacles that offer a challenge to us, senior hikers. This  

picturesque valley is also a good place for lunch. 

From the Fat Man's pass passageway we hike to an area where we make a choice of taking off our  backpacks and sliding under a large rock, or we can go to the right and work our way through boulders to the bottom of the wash. John and I chose go through the boulders on the right. 

From here we came across a slippery Rock. It is advantageous not to use poles, but instead, sit down and hang onto the rock to the right. and slowly work your way down. You may have jump a short distance or have someone hold your feet for security as you slide down. 

Pictures from Previous Hikes 

The rock where you take your pack off and go under a large rock and slide down. 

This is where you hold onto the rock and may need assistance from fellow hikers. 

There is a short distance to the tunnel, where we can see interesting rock formations from water running through the wash. 

Once through the tunnel, we turned left to the National/Maricopa trail again. This makes a loop with the Hidden Valley Trail. At the junction with Mormon trail we turn left again and hike until we pass the turn to Hidden Valley/Fat Man's Pass. We headed back to Buena Vista Lookout on the National/Maricopa Trail. 

Once at Buena Vista Lookout we continue on National/Maricopa Trail. 

We looked off to our left along the trail and saw what is called the Chinese Wall (a rock formation that resembles the Great Wall of China). 

We cross the Tv Road and turn right on Holbert Trail, back to Holbert Access Trail and back up to Dobbins Lookout. On All Trails map this hike is 7.8 miles. 

Dobbins Lookout at the top

                                          

Note: There are mountain bikers along the way who we have to pay attention to. If they happen to come around a corner when we are there, a mishap may occur. They are going over large boulders and narrow trails.