We began our loop trek from the Rim Campground at 9:30 with Tom & Jeannie Van Lew, Kim Driscoll and her son Kevin, Doug Scheitlin and Ben Velasquez. We were in radio contact with Bill Ruppert and Ted Tenny, who began the hike at the Rim Top Trailhead and were waiting for us on the trail.

The trail skirts along the Mogollon Rim among the Ponderosa pines. We stopped at each of the prominent vista points and could see fantastic views of the mountain ranges that extend for miles, as well as the steepness of the rim that shapes this Northern Plateau.

After a mile or so we ran into the Military Sinkhole Vista parking lot and trailhead. We turned onto the Military Sinkhole Trail, crossing the road (FR 300) and down into a low but wide sinkhole, with its abundance of green ferns that stood chest high. We followed that trail until we met up with the General Crook Trail. We then followed the General Crook Trail, watching for signs of deer and elk.

The only wildlife we encountered was a rather large horny toad or was it a short-FAT lizard? We encountered a couple of areas fenced off which we went around, but was subject to debate of its purpose, until we found a sign on the roadside. The area was fenced off to keep the deer and elk out, allowing the Aspen trees that were attempting to establish themselves in the forest to thrive. It seems those large animals consider the Aspen a sort of treat thus the sign was labeled, “Aspen Ice-Cream.”

We crossed the road and were again heading toward the Rim until we again met up with the trail that led us back to the trailhead in the campground. We returned by 11:30 and drove up to Forest Lakes where we had a picnic lunch. It was an easy hike, but enjoyable as it was definitely cooler that in the Valley of the Sun.