Hike To Alligator Juniper On Granite Mountain

1 h 20 m.
Hike to alligator juniper on granite mountain. Visiting the juniper during a loop hike of upper pasture trail 38 little granite mountain trail 37 and white rock spring trail 39 is 6 6 mi. Granite mountain arizona trees prescott national forest hiking trails plants license purchase this photograph. Straight to the juniper is a 3 2 mi 375 aeg round trip hike. On the way to the junction for granite mountain trail a large switchback offers views straight up a steep debris filled avalanche chute.
From the saddle the route becomes a series of long moderate switchbacks and after about 20 minutes you ll come to a monstrous alligator juniper. The hike begins as a shady wonderland with immediate views of the vertical rock ledges of the granite summit to your right. The trail is primarily used for hiking walking trail running and nature trips and is best used from march until may. Length 4 7 mi elevation gain 538 ft route type out back.
Just days before 19 members of the granite mountain hotshots died fighting the yarnell hill fire in june 2013 the crew saved a giant alligator juniper that was in the line of the doce fire in the. Arizona granite mountain photographs. It passes through a mixed forest of ponderosa pine and alligator juniper as it as it travels toward granite basin lake. After that stretch the trail dips into a dry creek bed.
Hiking to the granite mountain juniper tree in prescott az youtube hiking to the massive 2000 year old alligator juniper tree near prescott az. After about a half mile look for the white quartz rocks or maybe they are granite since it is part of the granite mountain range littering the trail. It is believed to be the largest and oldest of. This wilderness is a protected area for the nesting of peregrine falcons which were almost extinct just a few years ago.
There are three main hiking options to visit the granite mountain hotshots juniper. Alligator juniper tree near the top of granite mountain. Begin at the pratt lake trailhead in cool mossy forest where you hike along a wide moderately graded tread. Giant alligator juniper trail is a 4 7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near prescott arizona that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate.
2 9 mi est.