OAK TRAIL #16 and WALNUT TRAIL #251
If a loop shuttle hike down a forested canyon to a natural spring appeals
to you, this is your hike.
HOW
TO GET THERE
This hike is located near Payson, AZ.
To the Walnut Trail #251 Trailhead: From the Phoenix area, take HWY-87
through Payson to Pine. In Pine, turn left on FR 428, which is signed as
'Hardscrabble Road'. Drive 1.7 miles to the trailhead sign. There is
limited parking here (two cars). The last 0.7 miles is well graded dirt
road.
To the Oak Trail #16 Trailhead: Instead of going into the town of Pine,
look for the Pine Traihead sign just south of town. Pull off to the left
and look for a road that goes west. This road is not signed so it could be
tricky to find. After about 0.2 miles of driving, there is a barbed wire
fence across a wash with a gate across it. Park here and go through the
gate (or through a hole in the barbed wire fence).
RATING
Be Aware of: Route finding, shuttle needed
30 yr old Recommendation: Excellent solitude for such an easily
accessed hike. We had this hike all to ourselves. The spring is pretty
disappointing but the Oak Trail is very enjoyable. This is a Moderately difficult day
hike.
DETAILS
Elevation change: about 400 ft loss for the shuttle hike. The
hike does drop into Oak Spring, so the drop in elevation is about 700 ft
and the climb out is the same. After the climb out, the trail descends
back for a total loss of about 400 ft.
Distance: 5.0 miles for the shuttle hike.
Time: It took us 2.5 hours with a 15 minute break for a snack
Time of year: Summer is best, but spring and fall are good too.
Solitude: Excellent, especially considering the easy access to both
trailheads. We had this trail all to ourselves.
From the Walnut Trail trailhead, the well traveled and easy to follow
trail generally descends for the entire 2.0 miles down to Oak Springs.
This section of the trail is more shaded and has more pine and oak trees.
The footing is a little rocky throughout. Sometimes you have to walk
through a dry wash and the trail crosses this wash a few times. It would
probably be even more picturesque if there had been a recent rain and this
wash was a running creek.
After about 2.0 miles, you will reach the junction of the Oak Trail. At
this well signed junction, turn right to go the additional 200 yards or so
to the sign marking the Oak Spring. After the sign, it is another 200 ft
down to the spring in the canyon. The spring is not hard to find, as there
is a cement trough marking it and the water around is unmistakable. There
are several large oak trees shading this area. There is also evidence that
this area was worked as a ranch at one time. There is rusting barbed wire
and stove tops, in addition to some grass clearings. This is a nice place
to stop and have a snack.
Backtracking your steps will again put you at the junction of Walnut
Trail and Oak Trail. This time keep right and continue on the Oak Trail.
The Oak trail gains elevation more steeply and has some switchbacks as
it climbs out of the canyon. The reward is that the views across the
valley are more impressive. The trail gains about 700 ft here before
topping out and then starting a slow decent back to the Pine trailhead.
There is not much shade here, and the foliage is mostly juniper and short
pines. As the trail drops back down, more of the pine forest arrives,
however this section is recovering from a burn, so there is still not much
shade. There are several pretty meadows and a water tank along this
section.
After about 3.0 miles from Oak Spring (totaling 5.0 miles) you will
start to see the signs of civilization and hear HWY-87. Use your route
finding skills here, as this trail bends south, but you want to continue
to head east. After entering a clearing, there is a wash to the left and a
barbed wire fence with a gate. Going through this gate (or going through a
hole in the fence) puts you on an unnamed forest road. Follow this forest
road east for 0.2 miles to the Pine trailhead and your shuttle vehicle.
If you don't want a shuttle, taking an out and back on either trail
would be enjoyable. My personal choice would be from the Pine trailhead
along Oak Trail as I feel it is more scenic than the other. Unfortunately,
this trailhead is more difficult to find. If you are heading to Oak Spring
from the Oak Trail, there is a junction about 0.5 miles into the hike
marked by a sign stating "No Motor Vehicles". Stay left here to stay on
the Oak Trail.
[Oak Spring]
[Clearing along the Oak Trail]
This hike was taken in late August 2006
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