| when? | Trip Report : October 10, 2009 |
| Trip Report : October 13, 2007 | |
| Trip Report : October 7, 2006 | |
| Trip Report : September 20, 2003 | |
| Trip Report : December, 2002 | |
| Trip Report : June 20, 1998 | |
| where? | Prescott |
| the hike |
Walk off your summer doldrums in the cool forest of the
Bradshaw Mountains as we follow the trail up South Spruce Ridge to the
lookout tower. Starting in a granite-based ponderosa forest, the trail steadily climbs 1,400 feet up to Spruce Mountain, then loops back down to the trailhead. Pines make up the predominant feature, but enough stands of Gambel oak exist to have inspired the town of Groom Creek’s original name of Oakdale. A large forest of oaks on the trail’s south edge weaves a cozy thicket with crooked, spindly trunks. Along South Spruce Ridge, a sprinkling of white fir follows the trail; their frosty blue-green needles practically beam through the green cover. A very scenic trail, it passes through stands of ponderosa pine and white fir. On the ridge, where trees do not obstruct the view, you can get panoramic views of the Prescott area, Crown King, Mingus, and on a clear day, the San Francisco Peaks. The Groom Creek Loop is described in Ganci, Dave, Arizona Day Hikes (5th. ed.), Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, CA, 1995, pages 173-176, with a map on page 174. |
| distance | 9 miles |
| time | 6-7 hours |
| EC | +-1600' elevation change |
| elevations | 6331' (Wolf Creek) to 7696' (Spruce Mountain Lookout Tower) |
| on trail | 100% — Groom Creek Trail #307 |
| dogs? | no |
| hike rating | "B" [moderate] |
| cost | When car-pooling, pay your share the cost of gas. The club also allows voluntary contributions of $1/member or $3/non-member. |
| weather | Prescott. |
| meet | 7:00 AM by the M&I Bank on the southwest corner of I-17 and Bell Road, across the driveway from Denny’s. For those leaving their vehicles behind, please park them away from the bank and away from Denny’s. |
| drive | Take I-17 north to Exit 262. Drive west on AZ 69 to Prescott. At Mount Vernon Avenue (which turns into Forest Road 52, the Senator Highway), turn left and go 6.5 miles south to the trailhead. |
| Schedule of Events | Arizona Trailblazers Home Page |
| updated October 11, 2009 | © Copyright 2009, Arizona Trailblazers. All rights reserved. |