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Arizona Hiking Trails: Other than the Grand Canyon
by Glenda Jao
http://www.forarizona.com
Everyone knows that you can go to Arizona and hike the
Grand Canyon, but what about other trails? There is plenty
of great hiking in Arizona that has nothing to do with
jockeying for position at the Grand Canyon. Many of them
are difficult, but they reward with beauty that is seldom
matched anywhere in the world. Here are five of the best.
Wet Beaver Loop. This trail is extremely difficult, but it
is an amazing hike in the Wet Beaver Wilderness Area. The
trip is 22 miles round trip and needs more than one day to
complete. Do not bring children on this trail. It is
punctuated by camps, Waldroup canyon (stunning), and
waterfalls. You will get wet when you do this hike. In
fact, a portion of the hike is done entirely walking
through water. You make a large loop to come back out where
you began.
Picacho Peak. This hiking trail is fairly close to the Casa
Grande and once you reach the top, you will be rewarded with
a stunning view of the Sonora desert. The trail offers two
options: the shorter seven mile round trip or the nine-odd
mile trip if you return using the alternate trail from the
peak. This is a fairly steep hike with numerous switchbacks.
It is advisable to wear gloves on this hike and you may need
to use steel cables to aid your climb at times. You must be
in good physical condition to undertake this hike as some
Class 3 climbing will be necessary.
Kendrick Mountain. This is a trail that is moderately easy.
It is 9.2 miles round trip, and features a look at a cabin
and ends in some spectacular views of Red Mountain, Mount
Humphreys, Sycamore Canyon, and even the North Rim of the
Grand Canyon. There are a series of short switchbacks
toward the end that provide the great views.
Paria Canyon. The Paria Canyon hike begins near the Utah
border and immediately afterwards moves into Arizona. It is
a multi-day trail, which will end far away from your car, so
you will have to take the shuttle for the ride back. You
must also keep a sharp lookout on the weather as the
trailhead gets frequently washed out due to flash floods. In
addition, permits from the BLM will be required as this
trail will take you through the wilderness area.
After the rains the trail gets muddy and prone to quicksand
so you will have to pick around a bit. Once you actually get
into the canyon, the trail disappears and you have to follow
the river. You will be walking through a narrow slot canyon
with spectacular formation. It is advisable not to take the
trip if rain is forecast for any of the days that you plan
to be hiking, because once you are in the Narrows you won't
be able to escape flash floods.
Nonetheless, the views and formations along this hike are
amazing and worth the trip. In addition, you will find
fantastic features like a cave "room" in one of the walls,
Wrather Canyon, Wrather Arch, Judd Hollow, and other canyons
and routes, as well as springs.
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