Lakeside, Arizona (March 7, 2021) Debra and I recently moved to Show Low, a small city (pop. 10,000) in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona that we have visited many times over the past 20 years. We love it here!
Show Low is surrounded by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. It is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, with 34 lakes and reservoirs, more than 680 miles of rivers and streams, and 280 miles of trails (mostly non-motorized). I love to hike, so the trails, which vary in length and difficulty, were one of the main draws of mountain living for me.
Show Low is surrounded by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. It is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, with 34 lakes and reservoirs, more than 680 miles of rivers and streams, and 280 miles of trails (mostly non-motorized). I love to hike, so the trails, which vary in length and difficulty, were one of the main draws of mountain living for me.
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Today I hiked the Ice Cave Trail – a trail I first hiked about 15 years ago. It is a 6.6 mile “out and back” trail with an elevation change of about 600 feet. AllTrails rated it as “easy.”
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I arrived at the trailhead, located on Porter Mountain Road in Lakeside (a neighboring town), midmorning. The weather was beautiful – about 60 degrees, slight breeze, mostly blue sky. Picture perfect for a hike!
As I researched trails last evening, looking for the “right hike” for today, I read that Ice Cave Trail was one of the most popular trails in the White Mountains TrailSystem. Not this morning, though, as mine was the only car parked at the trailhead and, during my three- and one-half hour hike, I crossed paths with just one couple. Needless to say, my hike was tranquil.
As I researched trails last evening, looking for the “right hike” for today, I read that Ice Cave Trail was one of the most popular trails in the White Mountains TrailSystem. Not this morning, though, as mine was the only car parked at the trailhead and, during my three- and one-half hour hike, I crossed paths with just one couple. Needless to say, my hike was tranquil.
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There wasn’t much to see in the first mile, as I passed the backside of Porter Mountain Stables and a couple of other businesses, but the scenery got interesting once I reached Porter Creek.
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The creek was filled with water – snow run-off, I believe – which created a bit of challenge to cross the creek AND stay dry. Well, I found a place where a couple of trees had fallen – or were dragged to this spot – and used my acrobatic skills (right!) to balance as I carefully crossed the creek on my “high wire” of tree trunks. Mission accomplished!
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Soon I stood along the south shore of Scott Reservoir, which was built in 1928. Later I learned that this reservoir was a great place to fish, as it was stocked with trout, bass, and catfish. I plan to buy a fishing license in the spring, so perhaps I’ll soon be back with rod, reel, and bait!
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I skirted the reservoir and entered the forest, and as I did, I stopped and breathed deep. Ahhhh…the scent of ponderosa pine! By the way, ponderosa pines weren’t the only trees in the forest – I spotted alligator junipers (its distinctive bark looked like the skin of an alligator), aspens, and oaks.
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About a mile into the forest, I took a side trail to reach the ice cave, which I learned was actually a lava tube (yes, the White Mountains were the site of extensive volcanic activity millions of years ago) with a constant air flow of about 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Much to my chagrin, the cave was surrounded by a tall chain link fence topped with barb wire (for safety and preservation), so all I could glimpse was the opening to the lava tube. Not much to see, so I quickly backtracked to the trail to continue my hike.
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The trail, by the way, was mostly hard packed dirt – although the hard pack gave way to mud in places where snow melt had run across the trail. Like all trails in the White Mountains TrailSystem, Ice Cave Trail was well-marked with white diamonds that were numbered every quarter mile.
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Still, I lost the trail at one point – about two-thirds of the way up, where the U.S. Forest Service was harvesting timber. The Forest Service, you see, had cut a dirt “road” (for its equipment) across the trail, and the cut had obscured the trail. I wandered a bit until I spotted a white diamond, and there I reclaimed the trail and restarted my hike.
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Up, up, up I went on the winding trail, and soon reached the point where it linked with the Blue Ridge Mountain Trail. It took me a little less than two hours to make this climb and I covered a distance of 3.75, according to my GPS-integrated navigation watch. My pace was a pokey 30 minutes per mile, which I attributed to two factors: I was hiking uphill and I snapped a lot of photos along the way.
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The hike back was a different story, as I covered the same distance in just over an hour. It was downhill all the way and I took no photos.
Moderate exercise (no sweat), lots of fresh air, beautiful scenery, and welcomed quietude. Yep, this was a great hike!
I look forward to sharing future hikes with you as I explore other trails.
Moderate exercise (no sweat), lots of fresh air, beautiful scenery, and welcomed quietude. Yep, this was a great hike!
I look forward to sharing future hikes with you as I explore other trails.