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Sixshooter Trail Loop Hike - Tonto National Forest
| Summary: |
A steep loop hike in the
Pinal Mountain Recreation Area south of Globe
with an optional detour to Ferndell Spring and Pinal Peak
(though neither destination is very interesting).
Route mainly follows the Sixshooter Trail up,
then back along the Telephone Trail. |
| Directions: |
From Phoenix,
drive east on route 60 to Globe. Just past mile
marker 251, after crossing the one major bridge
in town, turn left at the light onto Hill Street
(zero your odometer). You will soon hit a stop
sign, turn right, then left over a small bridge,
following the brown signs for Pinal Mountain
Recreation Area. After 1.2 miles, turn right
onto Icehouse Canyon Road (Forest Road 112).
Drive 1.8 miles to a stop sign, go straight
through the intersection and continue another 2
miles to the end of the pavement. Another 0.5
miles will bring you to the signed left branching turn
off (FR 112B) for the CCC Camp picnic area. Turn left and
drive a short distance to the picnic area and
park. The picnic area has picnic tables and a
bathroom, but was trashed when I was here. Be
careful where you walk, there is broken glass
everywhere. |
| Road Conditions: |
Passenger Car |
| Navigation: |
Moderate - well defined trail
with a few moderately tricky turns |
| Length: |
9 - 12
miles |
| Date Hiked: |
October 2003 |
| Weather Conditions: |
Overcast |
|
Required Skills: |
 |
| Hike Description: |
From the CCC Camp picnic
area, walk east past a low cable fence to the
trailhead. The wide dirt path begins by winding
its way east through chaparral consisting of
manzanita, scrub oak and sugar sumac. A short
walk will bring you to a signed junction, stay
right on the Sixshooter Trail #197. Soon, the
path bends right (south) and begins climbing
moderately beside the wide and shallow drainage
of Sixshooter Creek where some shade is provided
by alligator juniper and Gambel oak. After a
mile you will cross a dirt road; the trail picks
up immediately on the other side where a sign
indicates that the Telephone Trail is 4 miles
ahead, Ferndell is 5. After passing through a
black metal gate, the path continues its
moderate ascent, crossing the streambed a few
times eventually becoming more forested as you
climb. When the trail heads out of the drainage
on the left into a pine covered area, it becomes
fairly steep (though I don't mean to discourage
you, it remains this way for the rest of the
climb to the summit). The path crosses the
streambed 2 more times, then climbs away from
the drainage on the left, eventually passing
through an area where a few downed trees cross
the path, before joining up with an old mining
road. The path then levels out (and even loses a
bit of elevation) as it traverses the hillside
west until it reaches an old mine entrance (on
the left, full of water when I was here) and the
signed junction with the right branching
Telephone Trail #192 (5 miles). Those wishing to
complete a 9 mile hike can head down the
Telephone Trail; however, we will continue on to
Ferndell Spring. The path begins climbing
steeply once more until you reach an unsigned
junction with a right branching trail. Straight
will take you towards Pinal Peak, the spring is
right. Heading right, you soon reach the spring
(which is fenced off and capped by a small pump
house) and a sign on the left indicating Pinal
Campground is 1/2 miles, Pinal Peak Trailhead
3/4 miles (6 miles). To visit the peak, turn
left. You'll soon see a path that enters from
the left (this is the other end of the unsigned
trail you passed earlier). Stay straight, cross
over a few more downed trees and you'll soon
reach an unsigned trail that branches right.
This path will bring you to the Pinal Campground
(which has several camp sites with picnic tables
and a bathroom), but we'll stay straight and
soon reach the signed trail for the camp in a
stand of quaking aspen trees. Stay straight and
soon you'll reach the Pinal Peak summit, which
doesn't really have any views, except those of
several large radar arrays which protrude above
the surrounding trees. When ready, return the
way you came, maybe paying a visit to the
campground on the way back (instead of walking
all the way back to Ferndell Spring you may want
to take that unsigned trail on the right, which
soon joins the Sixshooter Trail). Ok, once
you've returned to the Telephone Trail junction,
turn left onto this path (8 miles). The
Telephone Trail crosses the streambed then
passes the remnants of an old building before
joining an old mining road. The road appears
little used and is covered with many tree
branches, but soon becomes more distinct as it
traverses the hillside to the west, and begins
descending gradually. The path passes through
some corridors of manzanita, then drops down
along a ridge with good views to either side and
to the north. The path continues descending to
the west (orange and pink flagging tape mark the
way), passes through a fence (please close the
gate), then heads south to eventually reach a
signed junction with the left branching Icehouse
Trail (10 miles). Stay straight (towards the CCC
Rec Site) and look for the Telephone Trail to
branch right (there's a sign) just past the
remnants of another old building. The trail
winds its way southeast along the hillside,
eventually leaving the cover of the trees, back
into the chaparral. After passing through
another gate, the path soon begins descending
steeply, straight down the hillside on a wide,
eroded path beside a fence. Keep an eye out for
the trail to branch right (do not follow the
path beside the fence). Turn right and continue
descending at a more reasonable grade. Stay
straight at the signed junction with the left
branching Icehouse Canyon Trail, walk a short
distance to where the trail crosses a road. Pick
up the path on the other side and you'll soon
reach the CCC Rec Site and your car (12 miles). |
| Rating (1-5 stars): |
Nothing exceptional, but this is a nice enough
forested hike.
The author completed this hike solo at a
moderately brisk pace in 5 hours. |
| Maps: |
Tonto
National Forest Map |
| Photos: |
Click picture for larger view, click your browser's 'Back' button to return to this page. |
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