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It’s a good day to hike the Arizona Trail.
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There are light, wispy clouds as we start up Whitford Canyon on the Arizona
Trail. Actually the streambed is our trail for the first 1½ miles.
It is sometimes rocky and sometimes sandy, with shade trees and intermittent
water flowing.
The road, FR 650, dips down into the streambed in several places, but we
stay on the rocks until we leave the road behind and enter Reavis Trail Canyon.
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Trooping the Arizona Trail, passage 18.
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The trail climbs high above a steep part of the canyon on the west side, then
dips down and crosses the canyon many times in the next two miles.
Water flows much of the way.
In two places it forms a cute little waterfall that looks like a decoration
in somebody’s back yard.
There are lizards and ants on the ground.
Some of the trees and shrubs are green,
while others have yet to show any sign of life.
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The canyon was a trade route of Elisha Reavis.
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Finally the trail leaves the canyon on the west side as we hike up to a
marvelously flat rock, big enough to build a house on, but with steps that
are just about perfect for enjoying a picnic lunch.
A breeze refreshes us.
From here the trail continues north on switchbacks to the top of Montana
Mountain (5557') and beyond, but that’s another hike for next season.
So we start down, hiking on the road when we get back to Whitford Canyon
to make better time.
Along the road we visit an abandoned stone corral and other discontents of
civilization, but everyone is in good spirits as we reach the trailhead.
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Arizona Trail at the Reavis Picnic Rocks.
Motorolans catch their breath before hiking on.
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Nine hikers enjoyed this springtime outing: David Self, Dave and Yu-Ling Langford,
Tom and Jeannie Van Lew, Julia Staley, Alicia Staley, Beatrix Tenny, and hike
leader Ted Tenny.
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