Fourteen trailblazers assembled at Picketpost Trailhead despite a rain forecast ranging from 30% to 70% on the days leading up to the hike. We were greeted with some sprinkling of rain initially, and began the hike with rain gear on. Starting the hike clockwise, we quickly noted some squishy muddy spots and an absence of other hikers on the trail.

As we passed through the desert to the riparian zone, the water crossings started. The creek was full after a few days of rain on the week before. This provided us with very manageable crossings, lots of green and a few little waterfalls. The green carpet of new growth combined with the remaining fall colors on trees made for a very beautiful hike. We only had to work to locate the trail a few times, requiring us to jump over a few large fallen trees and branches.

After about 4 miles, we stopped at a clear rocky and watery area for a snack. The weather was nice and the little waterfalls made for a relaxing break. Afterwards, we resumed our path with a lot less water and a more deserty environment.

We moved quickly on the trail after the intersection with the Arizona Trail, not because of weather, but because we could. We only encountered 3 other folks on the entire trail and 2 of those were bikers. As we reached the trailhead, the sky began to let a few drops down, but we all returned from the hike mostly dry and satisfied after a beautiful, fast paced day with Picketpost to ourselves.