Hikes to Write Home About

Unexpected shapes suddenly burst into sight — Thor's Hammer, Duck on a Rock.

THE 100 MOST BEAUT

If you ask 10 people to name their 10 favorite hikes you'll get 10 different answers. This month, we asked Roger Naylor to give us his list. We weren't looking for a set number of hikes, however; we were looking for the 100 most scenic hiking miles in Arizona. What follows is his rundown. It's all very subjective, of course, but if you're looking to hit the trail, this is a great place to start. BY ROGER NAYLOR

RED ROCK-SECRET MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS Secret Canyon

The trail first rambles through a verdant woodscape, yuccas and agaves rubbing pointy elbows with manzanita. Soon it dips into the stream-bottom as coral-andcream-colored cliffs close in. The seductive splash of water lures hikers deeper into the gorge past narrow sections amid towering ponderosa pines, their needles crunching underfoot like day-old gingerbread men. Watch for a small arch about 3 miles in.

Length: 5.5 miles one-way. Elevation Gain: 600 feet. Difficulty: Moderate. Payoff: Red rocks, seasonal stream and peaceful forest. Location: Trailhead is 3.4 miles down Forest Service Road 152. Additional Information: Red Rock Ranger District, (928) 282-4119; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/secret-canyon-tr.

Point in Time Sandstone spires rise from Sedona's Secret Canyon like measuring sticks for geologic time. LARRY LINDAHL

ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT Bull Pasture-Estes Canyon Loop

If the stately saguaro defines the Sonoran Desert, the organ pipe cactus celebrates it with clustered arms flung skyward like teenagers riding a roller coaster. Common in Mexico, the organ pipe cactus claims only a small swath of turf in southern Arizona, most encompassed by the monument. Bull Pasture Trail scrambles up a rocky shoulder to a basin tucked in the folds of the rugged Ajo Mountains. Return via Estes Canyon, the trail weaving through a spiny forest of chain fruit chollas, saguaros and those magnificent, joyous organ pipes.

Length: 4.1 miles.

Elevation Gain: 865 feet.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Payoff: Pristine desert and rare cacti.

Location: Take Ajo Mountain Drive 11 miles to the trailhead.

Additional Information: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, (520) 387-6849; www.nps.gov/orpi.

Bent Out of Shape A saguaro cactus skeleton frames a majestic organ pipe cactus (right). Usually found on sunny, south-facing slopes, organ pipe cacti can grow as high as 20 feet. JACK DYKINGA The Living Desert A patch of wildflowers and saguaro cacti mingle on a hillside in the rocky Ajo Mountains (below). TIM FITZHARRIS To order a print of this photograph, see page 1.

SUPERSTITION WILDERNESS Black Mesa Loop

Consider this hike Supes 101, an exquisite introduction to the Superstition Mountains, brimming with legend, where volcanic plugs rise from the ground like demon fingers, and spring wildflowers roll off hillsides in riotous waves. Combine three trails-Lost Dutchman, Second Water and Black Mesa-to navigate a curling route through desert basins and spiny cholla forests. And, yes, good views of Weavers Needle help to easily pinpoint the supposed location of the Lost Dutchman's gold.

Length: 9.5 miles.

Elevation Gain: 400 feet.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Payoff: Seasonal wildflowers and desert views.

Location: Trailhead is located at the end of Forest Service Road 78.

Additional Information: Mesa Ranger District, (480) 610-3300; www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto.

APACHE-SITGREAVES NATIONAL FORESTS Mount Baldy Loop

If asked to close their eyes and imagine the perfect mountain hike, some might envision a tumbling trout-filled river, lush meadows dotted with deer and elk, panoramic views and a spruce-fir forest so deliciously pastoral it could pass as Santa's private Christmas tree grove. They would, in short, picture Mount Baldy. Two trails, one snaking up the east slope and one on the west, merge at a saddle near the top. By combining them with the Crossover Trail slashing across Baldy's grassy flanks, hikers can spend a long day in high-country paradise. Sweet. The actual summit of Mount Baldy is on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, and is closed to nontribal members.

Length: 16.5 miles.

Elevation Gain: 2,125 feet.

Difficulty: Strenuous.

Payoff: Wildlife, views and fishing.

Location: West Baldy begins on State Route 273, 9 miles south of State Route 260. Continue 3 miles to the parking area for the East Baldy and Crossover trailheads.

Additional Information: Springerville Ranger District, (928) 333-4301; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf.

Eastern Influence At Yaki Point (below), the sun illuminates Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple against a stormy-sky backdrop. Early cartographers and geologists named many of the Grand Canyon's natural landmarks after eastern deities.

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK North and South Kaibab Trails

Spanning that glorious gaping maw, the North Kaibab and South Kaibab trails provide two distinctly different Grand Canyon experiences. South Kaibab plunges steep and shadeless down a ridgeline, while the North Kaibab skirts sheer-walled canyons, brushing past waterfalls and creeks. Hikers encounter crowds and dodge mule trains. They also witness knee-buckling, gasp-inducing, soul-searching scenery.

Length: South Kaibab, 4,780 feet; North Kaibab, 5,770 feet.

Difficulty: Strenuous.

Payoff: Views and more views.

Location: Trailhead for South Kaibab is at Yaki Point on the South Rim; for North Kaibab, travel 2 miles north of Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim.

Additional Information: Grand Canyon National Park, (928) 638-7888; www.nps.gov/grca.

Downward Slope

Hikers descend into the Grand Canyon on the South Kaibab Trail (left) at Cedar Ridge. The National Park Service constructed this popular trail in 1924 as an option for hikers who didn't want to pay the $1 fee to hike the once privately owned Bright Angel Trail.

Serene Space

The West Fork of the Little Colorado River along West Baldy Trail (right) shimmers in the afternoon sunlight. Located in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, the 7-mile trail is home to elk, mule deer, wild turkeys, blue grouse, beavers and many songbirds including the Virginia's warbler and grey-headed junco.

COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST Humphreys Peak

Before tackling Arizona's highest point, remember the cautionary anthem of 1950s sci-fi movies, “Keep watching the skies!” Above the timberline, weather can turn abruptly violent. Head back at the first stormy crackle. On sunny days, however, the wraparound summit views include the Grand Canyon, Mogollon Rim, scarlet buttes of Sedona and pastel badlands of the Painted Desert. The route traverses an often wildflower-covered meadow before climbing through a dense forest of spruce, fir and aspen to the saddle connecting Humphreys and Agassiz, the state's second highest mountain. The final stretch is a lung-squeezing slog across a wind-scoured ridge of alpine tundra. Expect three false summits-the jerks-before bagging Humphreys.

Length: 4.5 miles one-way.

Elevation Gain: 3,333 feet.

Difficulty: Strenuous.

Payoff: Broad, spectacular views.

Location: Trailhead is located in the lower parking lot of the Snowbowl north of Flagstaff.

Additional Information: Peaks Ranger Station, (928) 526-0866; www.fs.fed.us/coconino.

SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK Tanque Verde Ridge

This rollicking view-fest chews through life zones as it climbs toward Tanque Verde Peak. Saguaros line the slopes but sputter out in shaggy grasslands above 4,000 feet. By then every horizon has erupted in a profound case of the verticals. Mountain ranges roll away in all directions. Keep an eye peeled for coatimundi near Juniper Basin Campground.Length: 9 miles one-way. Elevation Gain: 4,000 feet. Difficulty: Strenuous. Payoff: Views and wildlife. Location: Trailhead is at the Javelina Picnic Area on Cactus Forest Drive. Additional Information: Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District, (520) 733-5153; www.nps.gov/sagu.