Humphreys Peak Trail

Trail Series, Part 41 Is there a bad time to go hiking in Flagstaff? Not that I’m aware of, but Fall is certainly a GREAT time for this! Just as the days become shorter and the temperatures cool, the Aspen leaves adorn the forest with a glorious yellow hue that seems to first absorb, and then reflect, the sunshine. While not the only location for getting your Fall groove on, we found “Humphrey’s Peak Trail” (and its surrounding environs) to be generous providers of the vibes we were seeking. None of the trails that we traveled were paved and their difficulty ranged from easy to moderate. However, as you travel up the mountain you’ll find that the rocky outcroppings become more frequent and the hike becomes more strenuous. Before long you’ll find yourself at 10,000 feet, so you’ll be in much thinner air than you’re likely used to and your water/rest breaks should increase accordingly. Each trail we explored was well traveled, but the buddy system is still recommended (if for no other reason than to have someone to marvel at the beauty with). Wildlife sightings are common, but it is the rare sightings of Big Foot that are the most cherished. 😉 Ample parking and portable restrooms can be found at the trailhead located at the end of Lot 1 of the Arizona Snowbowl Resort. For those interested in traditional restrooms and/or a restaurant, both are located at the resort and an easy walk from this parking lot. If you visit Flagstaff in the Fall, please don’t find yourself “leaving” without experiencing the “leafing” all around you this time of year! And that’s…Henry’s Take. Photo credit @danavoros 📸 #flagstafffallcolors #trailseries

Great hike. 3300 feet in elevation gain over 4.5 miles is no joke. We started early so we could avoid mid-day storms. Start time was 6am and we were at the car by 1pm. Storms were rolling and rained hard shortly there after. Don't get caught on the mountain in a storm!

We went to Snow Bowl for our annual color tour. The Aspens were beautiful!! Lots of parking and loads of fantastic views!!

Great hike to the summit, took me 7 hours and 6 minutes. I was a bit sick when I did it but this was a challenging hike. 10 miles overall from trailhead to summit and back.

Beautiful mainly wooded hike thru dense lush forest on wide, well maintained trail. The trail is well-marked and generally easy to follow, tho becomes a bit more challenging above tree line (11,800 feet) as it transitions to rocks; look for posts , well-packed soil, footprints and cairns. A lot of elevation gain to the top, about 3,500 feet. Great views into the caldera from saddle. Saw plenty deer, grouse and other small animals and birds. NOTE: during monsoon season (July through September), get an early start in order to be off the mountain before the thunder storms build up. Storms often build up on the peak around noon; 5 or 6 am is not too early to start. Sunrise in the summer is very early so there's plenty of light. Another advantage of early start is a lot less people and the chance to have the summit to yourself for a little while.