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Coronado Hiking Trails |
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Crest Trail #144 & Armour Spring Trail #71
The Crest Trail stretches between Florida Saddle at the
head of Florida Canyon and the 9,453-foot summit of Mt. Wrightson,
the highest
peak in the Santa Ritas and one of the highest in southeastern
Arizona. Views are immense from this skywalking trail along the high,
rocky
backbone of the Santa Rita Range. From the high-flying
perspective offered by numerous overlooks along this trail, the landmarks
that
stretch out at your feet include Baboquivari Peak, the
sacred mountain of the Tohono O’Odham to the west, the Santa
Catalina and Rincon ranges to the north, and the Huachucas, Mustangs
and Whetstones to
the east. To the south you can see well into Mexico.
In spite of those majestic views, the Crest Trail is rather
infrequently used for most of its length. The exception
to this is the last mile or so in the vicinity of Baldy Saddle and
the summit of Mt.
Wrightson. South of the saddle, the Crest Trail connects
the Old Baldy Trail #372 and the Super Trail #134 to the summit of
Mt. Wrightson, referred
to as Old Baldy by some. North of Baldy Saddle, the Crest
Trail wanders along slightly below and to the east of the actual
crest while a number
of spur trails branch off to the west to take advantage
of overlooks and scale the secondary peaks that make up the crest
ridge. One spur
trail that veers off near the top of Florida Saddle is
the Armour Spring Trail. This short, lightly traveled path leads
through a stand of large
Douglas-fir to a seep at the base of a cliff. This spot
marks a jumping-off point for a bushwhack route to the top of McCleary
Peak, the 8,367-foot
summit that marks the northern limit of the Santa Rita
Crest.
Attractions:
Great views every step of the way
Access to top of Mt. Wrightson
Access to several other peaks
Douglas-fir stands/alpine forest
Season: Spring, summer, fall
Length: 3.2 miles (#144), 0.4 mile (#71)
Elevation: 7,810'-9,453'
Rating: More difficult
Use: Moderate
USGS Map(s): Mt. Wrightson
Access: These trails have backcountry access only.
Best access to the Crest Trail is via
the Florida Canyon Trail #145. Leave
Interstate 19 at the Continental
Exit/Madera Canyon Road. Turn east and follow the Madera
Canyon road about 7.3 miles to the FR 62 cutoff, then immediately
bear right onto FR 62A about 3.6
miles. The Florida Canyon trailhead is on the left just
outside
the entrance to the Florida Work Center. Travel
the Florida Canyon Trail 4.6 miles
to the Crest Trail.
Access is also available via the Old Baldy
Trail #372 and the Super Trail #134.
Notes:
3.2 miles of the Crest Trail and all
of the Armour Spring Trail are within
the Mt. Wrightson Wilderness.
Motorized and mechanized vehicles and
equipment, including mountain
bikes, are not permitted in Wilderness. See
the Wilderness section
of this guide
for more
wilderness rules and ethics.
Before visiting this trail, call the Nogales Ranger
District for current trail conditions which can
vary with season,
weather and maintenance
status.
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