AZT Part 5: Summerhaven to Kearny
Day 14 | April 4, 2022
26.7 Miles
The day began with a long descent across Oracle Ridge.
The trail went through oak-studded grasslands with expansive views, and passed by two historical sites: High Jinx Ranch, which was once owned by Buffalo Bill Cody, and American Flag Ranch, which is known for being the oldest territorial post office building in Arizona.
I entered Oracle State Park and continued across a rolling terrain with grasslands, oaks, and granite boulders. I crossed sandy washes and traversed low ridges lined with shrubs, mesquite, prickly pear, wildflowers, and chollas that illuminated the landscape.
The trail leaves the state park and continues west and northwest to a culvert under Highway 77. I passed through the culvert and continued on Old Tiger Road to the Tiger Mine Trailhead, making my way into the desert washes and arroyos of the Black Hills.
Day 15 | April 5, 2022
18.4 Miles
I woke up early and continued my journey across the dry desert of the Black Hills.
The trail followed both singletrack and doubletrack through a vast desert landscape, featuring the iconic saguaro cactus, prickly pear, and luminescent chollas. It crossed dirt roads and passed broken windmills and abandoned wells. This stretch was hot and dry without much shade.
It was a pleasant surprise to find a group of hikers relaxing at Big Red's trail magic after spending most of the day alone. I was blown away by this display of trail magic. There were tarps for shade, lounge chairs, blankets, games, and a truck trunk converted into a bar. I couldn't help but sit back and enjoy Big Red's cocktails, snacks, and the company of fellow hikers.
Day 16 | April 6, 2022
23 Miles
The day was spent hiking across a remote section of the Sonoran Desert up to the foothills of the Tortilla Mountains, and then down to the Gila River. It was hot, dry, and exposed but with the unique, rugged beauty of the desert.
The trail crossed several ranch roads and sandy washes. It passed large boulder piles and unique rock formations. The landscape was dotted with mesquite trees, ocotillo, and cholla cacti, while spring wildflowers, such as yellow brittlebush, desert globemallow, and the magenta petals of the strawberry hedgehog cactus lined the trail and colored the hillsides.
The trail descended through Ripsey Wash and its forest of swollen saguaros, and then ascended into the foothills of the Tortilla Mountains. The toughest part of this section was the ascent up the “Big Hill,” a two-mile exposed climb with a series of switchbacks that led to a scenic ridgeline with expansive views.
The scenery remained impressive as the trail continued across the ridge and eventually descended towards the Gila River.
At the Florence-Kelvin Trailhead, we contacted Old Time Pizza, a Kearny restaurant that is well known for its hiker-friendliness. True to their reputation, they were happy to help and quickly arranged for a trail angel to pick us up and take us to town.