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| Backpack | 3.00 Miles |
1,040 AEG |
| | Backpack | 3.00 Miles | 24 Hrs | | 0.13 mph |
| 1,040 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Here's a gem of a trail that is the high country on the east side of the Blue River. It's a trail that's not easy to access but worth the effort. On the Blue Range Wilderness and Primitive area map it's trail #43. There are numerous ways to access this trail but the shortest distances require one to hike a lot of elevation. I'd highly recommend doing this trail as part of a backpack as we did. The USFS says the trail is 3 miles long and ends at the AZ/NM border. Interestingly, on the 1998 Blue Range Wilderness and Primitive Area the trail continues from the border down Bear Canyon for 9 more miles to the Pueblo Park CG TH in New Mexico. Bear Canyon shares the same trail number 43 as the Franz Spring trail. We only did the AZ part of it on this trip and backtracked to the Bonanza Bill trail #23 to go and check out Devils Monument.
From the lower elevation end of the trail it starts at the JCT with trail #55 (Cow Flat)in a place called Cow Flat on the map. This is a nice and cool big pine area as is the rest of the 3 mile hike to the JCT with trail #23 (Bonanza Bill). The entire hike up to the Mogollon Rim (2.8 miles) will be in a narrow V shaped creek that had intermittent water flow on our trip. The terrain on both sides is steeply sloped and heavily wooded. From the start of the trail it'll be .2 miles to Franz spring which is a very reliable water source.
The spring is so reliable that there is a well maintained cabin and corral here. This cabin is used by local ranchers as well as by hunters judging by the animal skulls lying about. The cabin has 2 locks on the door but was open on our visit. A lot of recent work has been done to the cabin so please take care of it! If ranchers and/or hunters are present an excellent alternate camp spot can be found about half way between the cabin/spring and start of trail.
Enjoy the forest as you hike up to the rim but remember it'll be about 1000' climb. Once you reach the rim you'll come to the JCT with trail #54 (WS) just SW of WS Lake (2.8 miles from start). WS Lake is a glorified stock tank but very scenic. This area is moderately burned over from a fire but not scorched, plenty of living pines around. We didn't need any water at the time but the water in the tank looked good. No cow pies or animal tracks around the lake and it MAY have been some years since it's been used for cattle. This area could be a good place to camp.
From the JCT with trail #54 (WS) it's about .4 miles more to the AZ end of the trail at the state line. It's a faint trail here and there's a bit of downfall to deal with but follow the path of sawed trees and you'll arrive at a fence line and cowboy gate. At the time we thought that this was the state line but after reviewing the map we discovered it was a little further on. Once you pass thru the gate you'll come to another JCT, this will be with trail #23 (Bonanza Bill) and its about .25 mile from the border but I'll call it the end of the AZ part of the trail at 2.75 miles from the start. |
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