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| Car Camping | 5.00 Miles |
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| | Car Camping | 5.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
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| no partners | | After all the day trips up the mountain in the past couple of years, I finally decided to spend a night - mainly because I couldn't think of any other place within two hours' drive that would be as high/cool. Worked out great with highs around 85 and lows 55 - can't really ask for better than that in Arizona on Summer Solstice!
Hiked the Lakeshore loop three times, and spent many more hours wandering aimlessly and joyously through the woods around the campground.
I ended up at Riggs after checking several other campgrounds and dispersed areas on the way up - they were all too populated (Soldier Creek) or too scorched (Cunningham) to appeal to me, so I just kept going ... I knew Riggs would be green and beautiful - and was pleasantly surprised to find it uncrowded. Despite one area of the campground being taped off/closed (I assumed for tree work or something), the few groups of campers were all clustered around one area, so by driving to the end of the loop I got a site where I could neither see nor hear anyone else. Perfect. Next time I will bring my tent instead of using the CRV camper since the walk-in sites are so great, with that lake view! #31 is the closest and best lake view, but #29 or any around there are also great - and that whole area was completely empty!
I noticed more bear warnings posted around than usual - the sign on the bathroom door said sightings were "numerous", but it was "just bears doing bear thing so far". Pretty soon a Game & Fish guy rolled up to the campsite and started to talk about the bears, before stopping himself with "I know you - where do I know you from?". After we got that sorted out, he told me to be on the lookout - and that he had a bear trap set (see pic), which is why that section of campground was closed.
Maybe an hour and a half later I was back at camp and this time a Forest Service LE ranger stopped to talk about the bears - he glanced at my site and upon seeing no tent, he nodded towards my hammock and said (in a slightly alarmed tone) "You're not going to sleep in THAT are you?"  I replied no, but pointed out that a tent doesn't really offer any protection either - he laughed and agreed "just psychological". Said he would feel like a big hotdog sleeping in the hammock, though.
Eventually I was visited by Jan, the sweet camphost, and she's the one who actually told me what all the fuss was about - seems they have a bear (she even gave me a detailed description, which I thought was cute) who has "lost it's fear" and has been bluff charging people when they see him and try to make noise and scare him away.  Anyhow, I didn't see a bear - or even any bear sign in all my wanderings, and the trap was still empty the next afternoon when I left.
Only annoyance was the flies and other bugs - they laughed at my natural bug repellent, but the DEET helped for a while. Just about a perfect 27 hours on the mountain. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
