Seven enthusiastic hikers – Gail, Terry, Tom, LiLi, Vicki, Dave, and Janet – met at the Mint Spring Trailhead on Mount Lemmon at 9 AM on a sunny Saturday morning. Temps were in the low 60s, and all of us were looking forward to the cooler weather and fall colors.

After a brief introduction, we were on our way. We made our way uphill and were immediately rewarded with beautiful golden aspens, then headed down to the tiny Mint Spring, down into a valley, and back up to a trail intersection. From there, we headed down the incredibly scenic Marshall Gulch Trail, with lots of stops for photo opportunities and into the picnic area.

We enjoyed a snack break and headed up the Aspen Trail, a not-so-scenic and grueling, uphill journey that took us back up to the main trail intersection. Once again, we took the Mint Spring Trail back down to our vehicles, enjoying a last look at the beautiful autumn foliage for a total of approximately 9 miles.

Several hikers enjoyed a late lunch at Firehouse Brewery in Tucson before heading back to the Valley of the Sun.