Coconino National Forest reports
Following weekend rain and high winds, many of the peak colors have been stripped off some groups of trees at the higher elevations. The best bets for good fall color viewing opportunities over the next week is on Mount Elden and the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, and along the Mogollon Rim above Payson and Pine-Strawberry.
Flagstaff Ranger Distict Fall Color Update: October 4, 2016 5:30PM
The fall color season for the Flagstaff is in full swing around Mt. Elden and the San Francisco Peaks. There is strong color in Lockett Meadow, Inner Basin, Schultz Pass, and around the north side of the Peaks in the area of Bear Jaw, Reese, and Abineau canyons. Reports are there is good color around Hart Prairie, and color is just starting around Snowbowl and the western slopes of the Peaks.
Tuesday observations of Mount Elden show that color at the top is beginning to fade or drop as color moves downslope, but there is still a lot of great color for all the east slope trails. There are great views along Elden Lookout Road and the slopes below the lookout tower. The eastern ridgeline is colorful along Sunset Trail. Color progress is approximately a week earlier than last year. Recommended trails for viewing fall color on Mount Elden:
- Sunset Trail: This is a good hike to start from the signed trail access near the top of Elden Lookout Road (high clearance recommended).
- Heart Trail
- Sandy Seep Trail
- Elden Lookout Trail
Tuesday observations of Schultz Pass show strong color on the lower flanks of the San Francisco Peaks along Weatherford Canyon and Schultz Peak. Recommended Schultz Pass area trails:
Lockett Meadow, the Inner Basin and the north side of the San Francisco Peaks have mostly turned. Most trees are at or past peak color (especially in the Inner Basin and along the switchbacks along Inner Basin Trail). Traffic controls will be in place the first two weekends of October going up to Lockett Meadow.Recommended trails, routes, and areas for viewing fall color on the San Francisco Peaks:
- Inner Basin Trail moderately strenuous hike into the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks. High clearance vehicle is recommended on Lockett Meadow Road. Trees are at or past peak color all along the trail. As of Monday and Tuesday, most of aspens are holding their leaves and peak gold color through the switchbacks and into the Inner Basin. A few groups of aspens in the Inner Basin have dropped their leaves.
- Lockett Meadow campground and day use area in a meadow in the interior of the San Francisco Peaks with access to Inner Basin Trail. High clearance vehicle is recommended on Lockett Meadow Road. Color is at peak, nearly all gold, with a few trees still a bit green and others dropping leaves.
- Abineau-Bear Jaw Trails Loop strenuous hike on the north side of the San Francisco Peaks. Trees are at or just past peak color along Waterline, especially at upper elevations of Bear Jaw Canyon and along the Waterline. Leaves are beginning to fall, gilding the Waterline Road. Lower elevations of the loop are still turning. While Abineau doesn’t have the same large groves and aspens that Bear Jaw and Waterline have, the golden leaves drifting down through the intimacy of the denser mixed conifer forest along the trail is magical.
- Around the Peaks Loop scenic driving loop around the north side of the San Franciso Peaks. High clearance vehicle required to complete the loop due to the rough and rocky nature of the road. Good fall color viewing can be found on the smoother parts of the route accessible to low clearance vehicles at the eastern and western ends of FR 418.
Reports are that color is good around Hart Prairie, but Aspen Loop and upper Kachina are still green. The Arizona Trail between Bismarck Lake and Aspen Loop (at the Snowbowl) is a great way to experience this area.
There is great color on Kendrick Mountain and hikes should be rewarding for another week or so. Visit Fall Color on Kaibab National Forest for details about fall color in the Williams District and elsewhere on our neighboring Forest.
The next scouting trip to Lockett Meadow, Hart Prarie, Schultz Pass, and the north side of the San Francisco Peaks is planned for Wednesday, October 5. Updates and recommendations should be online by the following day.
The higher elevations of the San Francisco Peaks trails will be much chillier than Flagstaff. Be prepared for temperatures 10°F to 20°F cooler than Flagstaff, even chillier on the upper reaches of Humphreys Trail. Dress in layers and carry at least two quarts of water for a half day hike. Watch the National Weather Service forecast closely. The weather forecast may change unexpectedly:
Mogollon Rim Ranger District Fall Color Update: September 28, 2016
The Mogollon Rim reports maples are turning in the Dick Hart Ridge and Dane Ridge area within a few miles of the Rim Road (FR 300). This should be a beautiful weekend to go out to explore the area, as many of the trees will be approaching their peak. The maples can be spotted in the draws from the ridge roads (FR 139 and FR 321), and hikes into the draws at the southern ends of the Cabin Loop trails should be rewarding. (October 4 – We hope to get a report this week on the status of fall color following last weekend’s storms. Due to the remoteness of the area, this is the most challenging area to cover.)
Note there is a an area closure for the Pinchot Fire. Houston Brothers and northern portions of Fred Haught and U-Bar trails are closed. Barbershop Trail is a good choice for finding maples and fall colors. Winds are typically from the southwest. Roads and trails north and east of the fire may be smokey at times, and smoke settles in nearby draws and canyons in the evening.
Watch the National Weather Service forecast closely. The weather forecast may change unexpectedly:
Red Rock Ranger District Fall Color Update: October 4, 2016
Oak Creek Canyon, the red rock country around Sedona, and the Verde Valley are at lower elevations and further south than Flagstaff and the Mogollon Rim. Color changes run later in the Red Rock Ranger District, generally from mid-October through early November.
A weekend report from West Fork of Oak Creek) shows trees are beginning to turn, but are mostly green.
A recent report from lower Sycamore Canyon(Parsons Trail) is that the trees are showing a hint of color, but are mostly green.
Watch the National Weather Service forecast closely. The weather forecast may change unexpectedly:
Keep an eye on this page and @CoconinoNF on Twitter for updates through the fall season.
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