Mount Baldy Super Loop - Greer, Arizona
This post is a republish of an article that originally appeared in the Mogollon Gazette in November, 2006 and subsequently was published in the Arizona Outdoorsman Magazine the following year. I have taken the liberty to update portions of the article, however the basic content remains the same.
This is probably the most scenic trail system in the White Mountains. I typically hike the area a dozen times a year. I enjoy starting out along the river and rising up above the valleys to be greeted by 100 mile views. The wildlife is fantastic and for 9 months out of the year, (except the Winter of 2008), the trailheads are very accessible, (however construction has closed portions of CR273- FR113 at this time). The fact that the area is located in the Mount Baldy Primitive Area and adjacent to the Fort Apache Indian Reservation give it a remote and pristine feel.
Directions: There are numerous ways to access the trailheads. From Eagar take US260 west to the Big Lake turnoff (CR261), follow until you intersect with CR 273 (FR113), turn right (west), past the Reservation Lake turnoff, you will first come to the East Baldy Trailhead #95, continue on less than 3 miles and you will come to Sheeps Crossing, (the very next river crossing - a new "modern" bridge is currently being constructed). You will now be located at the unofficial West Baldy Trailhead # 96. From Greer take the Northwoods Road to CR273 (FR113), turn left (east), after a couple of miles you will come to Sheeps Crossing. From Alpine take take FR 249, (Williams Valley Winter Recreation Road), west toward Big Lake, go past Big Lake, you will come to CR273, Turn left (west) and proceed toward Sheeps Crossing using the instructions from Eagar above.
If you are going to hike the 17+ mile Mt. Baldy Super loop, I strongly suggest that you begin at Sheeps Crossing. N3357.590' & W10939.495' (WGS84 Datum on your GPS) - Elevation 9185'. There are two reasons, the first is that you will be finishing somewhat downhill and the second is that you must cross the West Fork of th Little Colorado River right before you finish up on the Crossover Trail. This keeps your feet dry until the end of the hike. If you are going to take a 2-3 hour day hike, either trailhead will work for you. From Sheeps Crossing you are simply going to head south down the well worn trail and you will come to a gate. This gate signifies the "old" West Baldy Trailhead parking lot. Proceed through the gate and turn left on the trail. If you take a right, you will be taken back to the campground. After a quarter mile or so you will come to a sign reading "Phelps Cabin 3.25 miles" - this is the West Baldy Trail side of the Crossover Trail. Continue south on the main trail and you will be treated to a wide-open valley with the West Fork of the Little Colorado River as your companion for several miles. The fishing is actually quite good if the river has been recently stocked.
After an hour or so of easy brisk hiking you will cross the river on a small bridge and begin your ascent to the southeast. There is a very nice rest area along the way with a big rock and great views. (Just past this area now has quite a bit of down timber to "log hop", the Springerville Ranger District has scheduled a clean up) The ascent will dramatically incline for a couple of miles as you begin a series of switchbacks. This is the most strenuous hiking on the Super Loop. The trail is well worn and route finding shouldn't be an issue. After one last u-turn switchback the trail will "top out"at close to 11,000' elevation. At this point you are approximately 1.5 miles to the Reservation Boundary Pole. This portion of the trail is unique since you are cruising along at 11,000' and it's fairly level ! The Reservation Boundary Pole is a small clearing and signifies the intersection of the West Baldy Trail #96 and the East Baldy Trail # 95. N3355.015' & W10933.965' - Elevation 11,195'. If you've made it to this point you've just climbed a little over 2000' of vertical elevation. You can turn around and proceed down the West Baldy Trail or to the north you will see the East Baldy Trail # 95. (The trail leading to the southeast is on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation; access to this area is prohibited, for more information contact them directly.) I strongly urge you to continue north on the East Baldy Trail - you won't be disappointed.
The East Baldy Trail # 95 is in my opinion the more scenic of the two trails. It is not as well trodden as the East Baldy Trail, and offers fantastic panoramic views. Besides that, from the Reservation Boundary Pole, you are less than a half mile to plane wreckage that adds a bit of mystery to your hike. The plane is easy to spot if the vegetation isn't too heavy. You will come to a clearing with lots of rockfall. This is an easy spot to remember since you have to place your feet carefully in order not to twist an ankle, (it's the worst 200' of "bad trail" on the hike). On the far side of the rockfall, look to the south back towards the summit and you will see the wing and fuselage of an older model plane. Your descent will take you across a small bridged-creek, down a couple of switchbacks, and then you will be rolling long fairly level in a northerly direction. After a mile or so, the trail will turn to the east 90 degrees and before you will be a scenic overlook. Take a few minutes to climb up onto the overlook and gaze out across northern Arizona. On clear days you can see Mt. Humphreys in Flagstaff, the Painted Desert, even Escondido Mountain outside of Quemado, NM - well over 100 miles away ! Be careful, the overlook is very steep and rocky; the north side of the overlook is almost a sheer drop off !
Picking up the trail you will descend a couple of switchbacks and the trail will again turn northerly. After a mile or so you will come upon an open area of smooth volcanic rock for 200 yards. This is a great place to kick back and relax. The views are awesome and the darker rock feels wonderful on your bare feet. It's also usually out of the wind. If you're not ready for a rest yet, you are only a mile or so from the greatest picnic area that I've come across in eastern Arizona. N3355.535' & W10931.175' - Elevation 10,170' The area is composed of pyroclastic volcanic rock and there are numerous hoodoos, which offer jaw dropping views. (A "hoodoo" is an irregular pillar of stone and is also the name of our Golden Retriever, a better name than the previous Golden "McFly") Everywhere you look are cool places to sit down and relax, many are wonderful "butt buckets". This area is only a one hour hike from the East Baldy #95 trailhead. If you're not up for doing the full Super Loop, this is a great destination ! Once you descend and switch back through the hoodoos, you will be in a heavily forested area overlooking the drainage for the East Fork of the Little Colorado River. The trail will wind through the woods for a mile, then open up into the valley itself. After another short stint of hiking you will arrive at the East Fork of the Little Colorado River, you are now only a half mile from the #95 Trailhead.
The East Baldy Trail # 95 has a rough little parking area, but can be accessed by cars. N3355.800' & W10929.500' - Elevation 9480' If you don't wish to belly drag your Corvette to the trailhead; you can park out near the road too. I've been to this parking lot numerous times in the winter months - with a 4x4. The trailhead is also home to the former Phelps Cabin, which has since been torn down. As you pass through the gate of the trailhead, th Crossover Trail will be on your right (west). The Crossover Trail itself is a really nice destination for a short afternoon hike. It's 3+ miles long to Sheeps Crossing and it rolls up and over several small round-tops and drops you back down to beautiful meadows. These meadows are usually full of elk; I have witnessed several herds of cows along with several lone bulls. Even though Sheeps Crossing is lower in elevation than the East Baldy #95 trailhead, the Crossover Trail will give you several good heart pumping uphill slogs during the Beer Frame of your Super Loop hike. The trail will eventually wind down and resemble drainage for a few hundred feet before it drops you off at the West Fork of the Little Colorado River. There was a makeshift log bridge, but not trustworthy for human crossing. You're probably better off picking a narrow spot in the river, grabbing hold of an overhanging branch for balance, and doing your best Olympic long jump to clear the water - or you can just wade across it. Wet feet are not going to ruin your day at this point; you're less than a half mile to Sheeps Crossing. Once safely on the other side of the river, you will see the West Badly Trail # 96 directly before you. This area should look familiar; you were there several hours before. Turn to the north, remember to pass through the gate, and hike back on up to your vehicle. The soft seat of your ride will feel awesome after 6-8 hours on the Super Loop Trail.
This hike took place in late November, 2006. This time of year it can be 50 degrees and windless or you can be "post-holing" through several miles of trail in the higher elevations. From a winter hiking standpoint, make sure you dress in layers. Optimally, an upper body base layer, a middle layer and a jacket strapped on to your pack. Your lower body will do well with windpants and don't forget gloves and a hat. You should not be wearing any cotton at all, no denim jeans or cotton sweatshirts. Cotton works great in the Arizona deserts in the summer, but not at all advisable during the winter months in the mountains. You should be wearing polypropylene, capilene, fleece or nylon.This will allow your body to wick away moisture from sweating and not soak your clothes. A cold winter wind will really get your attention and make your outing far less enjoyable, (if not miserable), if your clothes become wet and then cold.
So stay warm, hike strong and remember to keep smiling - Krugie
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