Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club
Bismarck Lake Day Hike
when Trip Report : May 30, 2021
  Trip Report : August 6, 2016
  Trip Report : July 24, 2010
where Flagstaff
the hike     Begin by hiking north on the Arizona Trail 3.5 miles to the Bismarck Lake Trail Junction. Hike 0.4 miles to Bismarck Lake, followed by a steep downhill through spectacular old-growth forest to the seldom visited Little Spring, where C. Hart Merriam had his base camp in 1892/3.
    It was here that the naturalist developed his treatise on the relationship between elevation and climate/biozone change. After a break at the spring, we return to the POB, (the hike back to Bismarck Lake is STEEPLY uphill). See Aspen Corner.
    Passage 34 of the Arizona Trail is described on pages 256-262 of Arizona Trail: The Official Guide by Tom Jones and Jerry Sieve, Westcliffe Publishers, 2005.
    Expect cool high altitude temps with little chance of rain, but bring a rain jacket, just in case!
distance 9.8 miles
time 4-5 hours
EC +-700' elevation change
elevations Bismarck Lake: 8801 feet; Aspen Corner: 8876 feet
type round trip
starting at
Aspen Corner 35° 19.156' N,  111° 43.241' W  [NAD27]
rating "B"     Rate yourself as a hiker.
on trail 100% — Arizona Trail
dogs? no
cost Sharing gas expenses with the driver.
The club also allows voluntary contributions of $5 per non-member.
weather Flagstaff
meet 8:30 AM at Aspen Corner
drive
•  North on I-17 to Flagstaff.
Drive through town to HWY 180.
Hwy 180 north to the Arizona Snow Bowl Rd.
Turn right and go 5.4 miles up the Snow Bowl Road to Aspen Corner.

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updated June 7, 2021 © Copyright 2021, Arizona Trailblazers.  All rights reserved.