Hay Meadow

Trail Overview

This nice dirt trail picks up off Highway 87 and cuts over to the trail. A gate off the highway has a wire fixture to open and close. The trail has some excellent camping areas just a short distance from the highway. It crosses a meadow and then goes through a rocky section through the trees. Towards the end of the trail, which joins with other trails, there is a lovely meadow called Hay Meadow. There is lush grass and abundant wildlife in the area. There are a couple of nice dispersed campsites here with established fire rings. The last little hill down, where it meets the Lost Eden Trail, is a little rocky but not bad. This is a nice area to base out of and then go explore. It is far enough off the highway and the other main trails that you most likely won't get much traffic.

Photos of Hay Meadow

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Difficulty

The trail is generally narrow, and oncoming vehicles must find places to pull off. Some ruts are left over from mud in springtime or heavy afternoon monsoons. One end of the trail, where it meets up with Lost Eden, has some bumpy, rocky sections that make it slow going.

History

The Mogollon Rim is a rugged escarpment that forms the southern limit of the Colorado Plateau. It extends across the entire forest, approximately 200 miles in total, and provides excellent views within plateau country and desert canyon country as well. Dropping as much as 2,000 feet in some areas, the Rim offers some of the most far-reaching scenery in Arizona. Views stretch from its rocky precipice to Four Peaks of the Mazatzals northeast of Phoenix. Sightseeing is a favorite activity along the Rim. Still, this forest area also boasts a historic system of hiking and horseback trails, a couple of picturesque lakes for boating and fishing, and backcountry skiing for wilderness adventurers. The Mogollon Rim is a topographical and geological feature cutting across the northern half of Arizona. It extends diagonally approximately 200 miles, starting in northern Yavapai County and running eastward, ending near the New Mexico border. It forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau in Arizona. The Rim is an escarpment defining the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. Its central and most spectacular portions are characterized by high cliffs of limestone and sand, namely the Kaibab limestone and Coconino sandstone cliffs. This escarpment was created by erosion, faulting, and cutting dramatic canyons into it, including the Fossil Creek Canyon and Pine Canyon. The name Mogollon comes from Don Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollon, the Spanish governor of New Mexico from 1712 to 1715. The Mogollon Rim's limestones and sandstones were formed from sediments deposited in the Carboniferous and Permian Periods. Several of the Rim's rock formations are also seen on the walls of the Grand Canyon. The extensive basaltic lava flows cap or even bury the Rim in many places. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the endangered Mexican spotted owl. Other wildlife present on the Rim will be herds of elk and deer. You may see black bears, mountain lions, and even the occasional red-tailed hawk or peregrine falcon. There are also coyotes, horned toads, and rattlesnakes. This area frequently has fire restrictions early in the season. Be sure to contact the local ranger station for information about the current campfire restrictions. Or, at the minimum, check the Coconino Fire webpage. https://www.coconino.az.gov/2595/Fire-Restriction-Information

Technical Rating