Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club
Berry Road Day Hike

when	September 28, 2024
where	Mormon Lake
the hike	The hike offers a dramatic tour of the high-country woodlands of the Coconino National Forest. This hike will take us along the old Lake Mary frontage road, better known as Berry Road, which was built with red lava rock interspersed with road building materials used in the 1920’s and the 1940’s. The hike begins at a gate where the old road has been closed to motorized use. The hike offers views of Mormon Lake, Arizona’s largest natural lake fed mostly by snowmelt. This old crumbling byway contains a bounty of fruit-bearing native plants (the Arizona walnut, Utah service berry, wax currants, blue berry elders) that attracts an abundance of wildlife. If you walk quietly and gaze over the lake you are likely to see waterfowl (egrets, herons, ducks) in addition other birds such as hawks, turkey vultures, ravens, swallows and other avians looking for an opportunistic meal. Dens of the Kit Fox could be viewed at the bottom of the cliff-tops composed of basalt evidenced of volcanos long passed. Between shady strands of ponderosa pine, Gambel oaks, junipers, cottonwoods and aspens a view of Mormon Mountain which rises to 8,456 ft. above the lake’s western shore can be spotted along the horizon. The San Francisco Peaks appear as a hazy silhouette. We will turn around at the 4-mile point and head back in the same direction. Be sure to bring a small set of binoculars. This hike is written up in Mare Czinar’s book The Hike Book in conjunction with Phoenix Magazine on page 155. Pace: Moderate pace. This hike is fairly level, but solid hiking boots are highly recommended in addition to layered clothing, a broad brimmed hat (little shade is available), binoculars and rain gear. Bathrooms are not available in the very small parking area.
distance	6 - 10 miles
time	4 - 6 hours
EC	+/- 200' elevation change
elevations	7,100' to 7,140'
type	Out and back
on trail	100% — Berry Road
rating	"C to B"     Rate yourself as a hiker.
dogs allowed	no
cost	The club allows voluntary contributions of $5 per non-member.
weather	Happy Jack
leader	Email the leader to confirm.
meet in Phoenix	7:15 AM in the McDonald’s carefree off I -17 at 3140 W Carefree Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85086.
drive	• Turn right on Lake Mary Road and go 24.6 miles and start going down hill • Just past milepost 319 (on left) Turn right on to unsigned road on the right Where you will come upon a sign that reads “no vehicle turnaround.” Low clearance vehicles should park along the pullouts here. High clearance vehicles can drive the road to 0.2 mile, turn right at a fork and continue 0.1 mile uphill and park near a locked gate.

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updated August 22, 2024	© Copyright 2024, Arizona Trailblazers.  All rights reserved.