Moqui Lookout

Trail Overview

This trail has a variety of terrain. It starts on both the east and west as a nice graded road. From the west, everything changes past the Doppler radar tower. From there to the lookout is one rocky, rutted, bumpy section of trail. The boulders are sharp, and careful line choice is required to avoid sidewall damage and hitting your pumpkin. Once on the lookout, be sure to check if the red flag is flying, and if it's not, you may be invited up for a tour of the tower, as long as it's during the open season. There's a pit toilet that's seasonally locked as well. From the tower back to the main road is nicely graded and the clear choice for access if you are only interested in checking out the tower. There are plenty of dispersed campsites all over the forest with established fire rings. Even on a busy weekend, you can carve out a nice spot in the trees with some shade. A few bars of Verizon LTE cellular service are up by the tower if you need to download offline maps or get your bearings.

Photos of Moqui Lookout

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Difficulty

The trail is rated a three for the middle section, which is very rocky and rutted and may be impassable when wet. The other two ends are nice and graded, easy trails.

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