Cabin Loop Trail

[Bwjohnson]

Taking Scouts to Cabin Loop Trail:
1. How is parking at General Springs for 6 cars?
2. How far is coyote spring once you get on Barber Shop Trail after leaving Houston Brothers trail?
3. Other good camp/water sources? Three nights/four days trip.

[nonot]

@Bwjohnson
There's plenty of parking out of the way, without it really being a trailhead per se. Cars may have some issues with the road if it hasn't been graded all the way to the cabin recently. It can get a bit bumpy but likely you'll be OK. Parking near the 300 rim road intersection near the battle monument and walking the road is possible. If I remember accurately, the entire side of the road has been cleared of trees for some industrial equipment related to the pumping/aquaduct.

Coyote Spring is perhaps 5 miles from the split from Houston Brothers, pretty much where you reach FR 321 (the access from Buck Springs). I can't remember finding nor looking for this spring as I preferred filtering from Dane Spring and Aspen Spring, and often there is water flowing in the draws in this area making Spring finding unnecessary. Also, Fred Haught draw is often flowing where the cabin loop and the AZ trail split ways, about 3 miles north of the general springs cabin.

[chumley]

@Bwjohnson
1. Plenty of parking. As nonot said, the road is a little bit rough and some prefer to park out at FR300 or along the side of the road leading to General Springs Cabin before the rough stretch of road.

2. Coyote Spring is 3.8 miles from the Barbershop/Houston Brothers junction. It's a small spring but I've always found a little bit of water there. You can camp in this area, but it's not ideal. There's a big car-camping area just north of here where the road crosses FR321C. That's a nice spot to camp, but it takes a bit of the backpacking feel away since there's usually some vehicle traffic from time to time.

3. If you view the official [ gps route ] as found on the hike description page for [ Cabin Loop - Mogollon Rim ] you can select the "options" while on the map (the three line "hamburger" icon) and then click on the water droplet icon to "find water". This will add icons for water locations to the map, and if you click on any droplet icon it will show historical water reliability. The larger the icon, the more recent the report. Older reports work too if you look for dates in June, or whenever you're planning to be there.

There will always be water at Dane and Barbershop Springs; Pinchot, Aspen, and McClintock Springs along Houston Brothers ... which features excellent camping opportunities.It shouldn't be tough to find water at the canyon crossings, and good camping there as well. Most of Fred Haught has water, and the FH cabin area is nice for camping. There is generally no reliable water this time of year between Fred Haught and Barbershop Spring along the south side of the loop (along FR300).

Those water reports are user-contributed. If they help you out, help the next person and post here when you return. Hope you have a great trip.

[Bwjohnson]

Thank you Both!! This is great, really appreciate the assistance and the scouts are indebted to you.

[hikeaz]

Hiked Pinchot to Dane Sp.(CCW Houston Bros./Barbershop/U-Bar) yesterday. Gobs of water everywhere. Plenty of nice camps along the Barbershop and or Houston Bros.
The 'big car-camping area' seems to have been successfully restricted - no misbehaved RV conventions! The meadow looks GREAT! While it IS possible to drive into the meadow area - no RV's or trailers need apply.
A section of the forest road that is part of the the Fred Haught trail about 1-mile west of Pinchot Cabin has been completely washed out leaving a massive 80 foot crevice. Maybe the USFS guys/gals will start to look into the culverts BEFORE the road caves in, moving forward.
FR95 is pretty badly washboarded coming in from SR87 - FR 300 is worse.

[chumley]

SR87 - FR 300 is worse

Agreed! I drove this segment last week and have never seen it as bad as it is right now.

But @kingsnake just commented on his triplog that FR300 is in the best shape he's ever seen it from a trip last Thursday. [ photoset ]
I was wondering if it had been graded between my trip and his! But if you did this yesterday, then there's clearly just a differing of opinions!

Back to @bwjohnson, reading kingsnake's post reminds me that it's good to know that the rim is criss-crossed by countless old roads that are closed to motor vehicle traffic but not signed or barricaded. The forest service provides free maps showing the open roads and you can even install them on your phone for use when out of cell range. It's your responsibility to know which roads are not permitted for motor vehicle use. The cabin loop crosses a handful of them, and it is a little bit annoying when you encounter people who choose to drive on them anyway, or don't know they're not supposed to.
Forest Service road map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino ... rdb5356224

[hikeaz]

SR87 - FR 300 is worse

Agreed! I drove this segment last week and have never seen it as bad as it is right now.
But @kingsnake just commented on his triplog that FR300 is in the best shape he's ever seen it from a trip last Thursday. [ photoset ]
I was wondering if it had been graded between my trip and his! But if you did this yesterday, then there's clearly just a differing of opinions!

KS must have been running at about 15# air pressure then.

[big_load]

But @kingsnake just commented on his triplog that FR300 is in the best shape he's ever seen it from a trip last Thursday. [ photoset ]
I was wondering if it had been graded between my trip and his! But if you did this yesterday, then there's clearly just a differing of opinions!

I've been up there a 3-4 times immediately after grading (or during grading) and it was as nice as a gravel road can get. It seems to go bad really fast, though.

[Bwjohnson]

Thank you all! New Question:

We are leaving from the monument and heading East (counter-clockwise). For the first night of camping, would you stay at 'big car-camping area' or keeping going? Our goal is to camp the second night at Pinchot or Aspen.

As always, the Scouts thank you!

[nonot]

@Bwjohnson

Depends on ability of the group and the number of days you will spend. It sounds like you have 3 days and plan on roughly doing the "outer loop" so the area you are debating seems to roughly split it up into about 3 equal pieces. The most important factor with trip planning is not to bite off more than anyone can chew. I'm not sure how much to expect from your scouts.

There are so many places to camp along the cabin loop I couldn't even recommend a specific spot. But I would prefer one of the draws compared to camping next to a road personally.

Also, be aware that the first section you have planned from the general springs cabin heading east, the trail is hard to find/barely exists (last I hiked it anyway) and many people just walk the rim road to the start of Houston Brothers. Perhaps best to get it out of the way first though. GPS will be helpful if you want to find the actually route.

[hikeaz]

As mentioned, the General Crook Trail is kind of a slog and using it with H.B and Barbershop to get over near FR321C (former car/RV-camp area) would be an ambitious first day for most Scout groups. The three 'do not miss' trails, for me are Barbershop, U-Bar and Houston Bros - I would try and spend most of my time on those. The H.B. and Barbershop are home to some of the most beautiful woods you can find (remaining) in Arizona.

[outdoor_lover]

Also, be aware that the first section you have planned from the general springs cabin heading east, the trail is hard to find/barely exists (last I hiked it anyway) and many people just walk the rim road to the start of Houston Brothers. Perhaps best to get it out of the way first though. GPS will be helpful if you want to find the actually route.

Thank You! I'm glad it wasn't just me. I did not have the GPS Route and was just following a topo map and there really was no Trail. There really wasn't any bushwacking per se, but still a PITA. @Bwjohnson He's right, I just tried to do that piece about a month ago and it's pretty impossible to stay on Route without a GPS Route of it. But if you want to spend a whole day on that section and teach the Scouts the fine art of using a Compass and a Map, then that section is perfect. Otherwise, seriously, use the road.

[Bwjohnson]

Question: Where would be the best place to put in a fishing line on the cabin loop trail?

[nonot]

Using it as floss? There is no fishing along the cabin loop, you will have to venture off the loop and closer to the reservoir if you want to fish.

[ALMAL]

@Bwjohnson
Depends what you're fishing for. Several uppermost headwaters, General Springs, Bear Canyon, and Barbershop have some very remote, very small pools, with possibly some very small trout. I have seen trout in General Springs at the Fred Haught crossing, although it's dry this year right in that same spot. I've also seen trout in a pool where U-Bar Trail crosses Barbershop Canyon.
Or you can hike 45 minutes north of Pinchot Cabin along FR139A to it's terminus aka Rock Crossing C trail. lakeside campsites abound in this area. CC Cragin is stocked with rainbows and holds some browns too. Casting 1/16oz. rooster tails or some orange Power Bait should catch you some dinner. It's literally like a 45 minute addition from Pinchot Cabin. If you're starting from Washington Park on the Colonel Devin Trail, you can also find wild reproducing browns along the headwaters of the East Verde river, and stocked rainbows at the Houston Mesa road crossings.

[BunsbertMontcroff]

If you're starting from Washington Park on the Colonel Devin Trail, you can also find wild reproducing browns

Wild rainbows. No brownies in that stretch of the Upper East Verde. The section above the pump house is catch and release, artificial fly/lure single barbless hook only. I wish there was signage along this stretch of the East Verde like there is along Horton Creek that outlines the regulations.

And thanks for the suggestions on where to look for trout along the cabin loops. I have some guides from the 90s that mention Miller, Barbershop, Dane, and Leonard Canyons but I wonder if that water is still there and cold enough to sustain trout. Preston (user:kingsnake) actually has a video of what look like trout (could be chub or maybe dace?) in his hike report from East Miller Canyon. I have been meaning to check that out. This kind of "blue line" fly fishing is my favorite.

Have you explored Hi Fuller or Crackerbox Canyons in search of trout? Or the creeks above Knoll or Bear Canyon Lake? I've fished the streams below the Rim, including several that are not unknown but are also not really on anybody's radar. Always nice to catch and release wild trout from remote streams on the fiberglass 3 weight.

[ALMAL]

@BunsbertMontcroff
Hmmm, never seen those signs at EV, but they may be there. Also, only catch browns there, never rainbows, but not saying they aren't there. They're tiny, 4-6", same as Horton.
Those other canyons you mentioned that are closer to HWY 87, may have some fish. They might be harder to access. Been trying to get back to Chevelon...

[azbackpackr]

Is there Verizon cell phone service within some of that Cabin Loop area, such as on the higher points? Also, a hiker friend just told me there is a bridge washed out, I think she meant a hiker bridge? I forget which canyon she said it crossed.

[hikeaz]

Yes to Verizon.
Bridge (really a culvert) is Bear Canyon? on FR95. 95 is closed at that point. There is a hiker work-around regarding the trail through the area. 'Proclamation' says closed but we and others are hiking through the closure - just a rubble pile is all. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 641464.pdf

[ALMAL]

@azbackpackr
[ photo ]
Piece of cake!