G.E.T. Guidebook

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Segment 15: Coronado Trail  12.6 miles

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Segment Length	from PHX	to ABQ	Segment Status	Season
12.6 mi.	281		finalized & accessible	all year
Resources
OVERVIEW MAP ELEVATION PROFILE 4 G.E.T. Topo Maps 44-45 4 Town Guide: Morenci/Clifton 4 Water Chart 4 Image Gallery: Album 5				Additional maps: Clifton 1:100K Topographic (BLM) Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (USFS) visit PLIC website Land management agency: Apache NF Clifton Ranger District: (928) 687-1301 BLM Safford Field Office: (928) 348-4400

SEGMENT OVERVIEW

When Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led his expedition across the Southwest in 1540, he followed a route that ran close by today's Highway 191 from Clifton to Alpine. Coronado came in search of the storied Seven Cities of Cibola - that is, for gold - but today's visitor finds a more enduring treasure along the highway dubbed the "Coronado Trail" - mile after mile of unspoiled natural splendor.

The GET in Segment 15 also passes this way, in turn following a route loosely described by the two-lane mountain highway. Following it briefly at the start of this segment, our route passes an overlook revealing torturous curves for which the Coronado Trail is (in)famous - several hundred of them en route to Alpine, the nearest town for northbound vehicles. Trading asphalt for dirt, the GET soon rejoins trail of the foot-traffic sort, contouring along the scenic slopes of 7000+ foot peaks. Mitchell Peak, a lightly forested crest along a ridge faceted with crests, typifies the mountains here at the southern edge of the Blue Range, itself only a portion of Arizona's vast Central Highlands region below the Mogollon Rim.

Among the Apache National Forest trails that the GET follows here are Frye Trail, HL Canyon Trail, and Pigeon Creek Trail, the last of which is predominantly an old 2-track road. The segment ends at Forest Route 475, which is accessible to passenger cars in dry weather and, with the segment's starting access point, offers a convenient option for a one-way overnight trip. Forested camping is available in HL Canyon a little over half-way along, with probable water at Fry Spring and Mud Spring.

ROUTE DETAILS

From the dirt parking area for Painted Bluff Trail 13 (waypoint 15010, elev. 6250'), head north on the dirt road, reaching US 191 (Coronado Trail) in less than 0.1 of a mile. Granville Campground (developed, but currently with no water likely available) is located 1.3 miles north along the highway. (The campground can also be reached later on in this segment via a side trail.) The GET instead turns right, following the low-speed, 2-lane highway around a hairpin curve, then another. Traffic is generally light, but the shoulder is narrow, so be alert. Chase Creek Scenic Vista is a worthwhile stop, just off the highway at 0.6. An interpretive sign points out several area peaks, as well as a small natural arch below, alongside the serpentine highway. Portions of the Morenci Mine are also visible. The scenic vista also serves as a convenient spot to try hitchhiking into Morenci or Clifton. (Be patient waiting for a ride, especially on weekdays; thankfully almost all southbound traffic goes at least to Morenci.)

Where the highway turns south at the next bend (MP 0.8), leave it to join unsigned FR 8375. A hiker & equestrian sign marks the turn-off. The 4WD road climbs, then bends east, passing a side road on the right at 1.1 (waypoint 15030). This junction marks the end of the Eagle Creek Highwater Bypass, described in Segment 14.

FR 8375 passes through an old corral, then crosses a cattle guard to reach a fork at 1.5. A turnout on the left is something of a car camping area, and offers an alternative parking spot for accessing Frye Trail 12 (see Beginning Access Point, above). Take the left fork, signed "Frye Trail / HL Canyon Trail." In 100 yards come to a t-junction, just before a metal gate. Turn right here, reaching a trail sign in 20 ft (1.6, waypoint 15040). Frye Trail 12 heads left from the sign. (Westbounders, turn right at the sign and proceed down to the main road. Turn left, then keep straight at the next fork, soon crossing a cattle guard.)

Frye Trail is generally well maintained, offering a pleasant stroll on good, benched tread. The trail traverses along the east side of a north-south oriented ridge complex, with nearly continuous views, which include prominent Walker Butte to the east. Among the trailside chaparral and scattered pines, note the variety of live oak species, including silverleaf and Mexican blue oak, occurring here near the northern extent of their range.

A junction with Trail 713 was not noted, but this side trail may be an option for those interested in visiting Granville Campground, perhaps as part of a side loop hike. (Another side trail to the campground is at 3.9.) Just ahead, Fry Spring is located near an old corral where Frye Trail turns right (east) down a prominent drainage (3.1). (Head due north a short ways up a side drainage to find it.) Water may also be found just ahead along the trail; where it crosses then leaves the drainage on its left, look down the embankment to the right for pools (waypoint 15050).

Frye Trail contours, with occasional ups and downs, to a saddle-top junction with signed Granville Trail 572 at 3.9, which heads to the campground. Frye Trail now heads down from the saddle, dropping steeply toward a maple-blessed side canyon, its crimson canopy a feast for the senses in autumn. The trail then resumes its steep descent, reaching the main drainage of Sardine Creek, which only occasionally holds water, such as in small pour-offs at trailside. Follow the trail up-canyon along the north bank of the riparian drainage, then as it climbs northeast rather steeply away toward a viewful flat. Frye Trail 12 ends here, at a signed junction (4.7, waypoint 15070, elev. 6400'). Here, HL Canyon Trail 11 runs both left and right. Follow it right (east). Trail 11 forms a loop around Mitchell Peak, the prominent high point to the northwest, and is accessible from US 191. (Westbounders, take the left fork at the signed trail junction onto Frye Trail 12, reaching Sardine Trail 10 in 3.2 miles, per the sign.)

HL Canyon Trail is somewhat brush-choked in the first mile, although the tread is followable. This trail has actually seen a crew within the last few years, but the oak and mountain mahogany must rebound very quickly on sunny exposures at this elevation. Pass evidence of an old corral on the right, and descend toward a signed junction with Walnut Spring Cut-off Trail, at 4.9 (waypoint 15080). (Walnut Spring, reliability unknown, is ~1.4 mi via this side trail.) Turn left, staying on HL Canyon Trail, and immediately passing a large cairn. (Westbounders, turn right beyond the cairn.)

The trail traverses obviously across a shallow, cottonwood-studded canyon draining from Mitchell Peak, the first of several in the next few miles. It then ascends on an eroded surface of tuff or caliche to reach a brushy point. Here it bends north, dropping into an overgrown drainage, which flagging may lead the way across. A resumption of sidehill climbing leads to a junction with Trail 703, signed "Walnut Spring 1 mile." (5.5, waypoint 15090) The junction is rather vague; keep left, remaining on HL Canyon Trail, which climbs northeast on faint tread with occasional cairns. (Westbounders, remain on HL Canyon Tr, which bends right (west) and descends.)

Traverse above some eroded cliffs, with fine views south toward Pinal Point and the peaks above Morenci mine (seen through localized haze caused by airborn dust from the mine). The cairned trail trends northeast along the slopes, now with the juniper-clad expanse of Prieto Plateau in view, Maple Peak and the distant Mogollon Mountains beyond. Pass between a pair of old wooden posts, then follow the trail left (north) along a fenceline, reaching a gate in 100 yards. Here, in a fenced enclosure at 6.5, is Mud Spring, a seemingly reliable, PVC-fed cement trough. The nearby ground appears to be muddier than the spring itself, and the trough was full and clear on first observation in fall of '07. Eastbounders, fill your bottles here, as the next sure-fire source is nearly 15 miles away at the Blue River in Segment 16. (Westbounders, follow along the fenceline beyond the spring, then in 100 yards turn right, away from the fence, passing through a pair of old wooden posts.)

Resume a viewful northward traverse, passing tiny and fragile McBride Spring on the left, just before the trail bottoms out in HL Canyon. The shallow rockbound pool at trailside was almost unusable in fall of '07, and tasted strongly of tannins, but would nonetheless be a convenient source if camping nearby. Trail 11 crosses the usually dry drainage in HL Canyon and comes to a prominent t-junction (6.9, elev. 6400') at a cairn and sign, where it heads left. Our route instead turns right (east), joining Trail 312.

Trail 312 soon reaches an old stone corral. Here a semi-cleared area among the rocks would offer one of the better camping spots since the start of the segment, with ponderosas, sycamores, and stately oaks lending a sheltering, secluded ambience. Just beyond the corral the trail reaches an opening in a fenceline. Don't pass through, but instead turn left on the trail that leaves the drainage. This is unsigned Pigeon Creek Trail 465. The trail parallels the fence for 100 feet, then passes through another opening at a wire gate and continues uphill along its opposite side. Soon the fenceline jogs away, and the trail ascends to reach another fence with a gate at 7.2 (waypoint 15110). Beyond the gate, Trail 465 becomes vague, then fades out entirely. But Trail 465 resumes as an obvious 2-track road near Wing Tank in less than half a mile. To reach the tank, head northeast, cross-country along the pinyon-juniper clad mesa. Follow along the northern edge of the mesa, from which an old cat track arcs southeast as it approaches the unreliable earthen tank in a corral. Head through the corral to reach the obvious 2-track road at 7.6 (waypoint 15120). (Westbounders, to reach HL Canyon from Wing Tank, pass through the corral obliqely, guided here by a recently-installed metal trail sign. Rather than following the sign's instruction to continue straight, turn right and walk along the outside of the corral to pick up an old cat track. The track heads northwest along the edge of the mesa, then continues along it as it bends southwest. Where the track finally fades out, proceed ahead cross-country toward a fenceline spanning the mesa and seek out a gate near the mesa's southern end (waypoint 15110). Pass through the fence gate and follow the resumption of Trail 465 (now singletrack) southwest, traversing down off the mesa. The trail passes through another fence opening at a wire gate, soon reaching the drainage of HL Canyon by an old stone corral.)

From the corral and tank, Trail 465 turns left (east) on the narrow 2-track road (also known as FR 475E). The little-used track meanders pleasantly downhill, following the contours of a series of broad-topped ridges, and offering good vantages to the north and east. Eventually shady pinyons give way to hillsides of scattered junipers as the 2-track descends more earnestly northeast, reaching a road junction at 11.0 (waypoint 15130). Turn right here (east). (Westbounders turn left at the junction, climbing.)

Trail 465's 2-track contours across an eroded gully, here entering an area of welded tuff or caliche similar to that near milepoint 5. The road descends into the often-dry drainage of Pigeon Creek, then climbs out on its south bank to reach a junction with a lesser 2-track heading south (12.4, waypoint 15140). Turn left, staying on the better road as it descends northeast, passes an unreliable stock pond, then crosses the Pigeon Creek drainage once more. Pigeon Creek Trail 465 ends at a junction with 2WD FR 475 (Juan Miller Road), at 12.6 (waypoint 16010, elev. 4950').

3Segment 14

Segment 164