Mountains

The range, often referred to as simply the White Tanks, is a moderate sized mountain range whose peaks rise to an elevation of around 4,000 feet (1,219 m).  The Park has both mountain and desert environments and includes most of the White Tank Mountain range.  Two handicapped accessible trails at White Tank Mountain Regional Park allow visitors in wheelchairs to take in the splendors of the area as well as visit Petroglyph Plaza.  During seasonal heavy rainfall, accumulated water tends to rush rapidly through the steep canyons, over time scouring out a number of depressions or “tanks” in the white granite near the base of the mountains.  These white “tanks” are the source of the mountains’ name.

Trails

The Waterfall Trail is in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park and is a popular place for family hiking.  The trail will take you past Petroglyph Plaza, where you will find some 1,000-year-old petriglyphs on giant boulders, symbols left behind by the Hohokam Indians who inhabited the mountains until about 1100.

The range, deeply serrated with ridges and canyons, rises sharply from its base to peak at over 4,000 feet and provides wonderful opportunities for hiking on established trails and includes facilities for picnicking throughout the park.   There are about 22 miles of  hiking and biking trails at all levels of difficulty. The White Tank Mountains Park does not have a trail to the top, and they discourage people from ‘visiting the towers’ with mild threats that it is patrolled by law enforcement. Horseback and mountain bike riders are welcomed, although caution is stressed as some of the trails may be extremely difficult.

With so many amenities, this is a park that receives many visitors in the cooler times of the year.  You’ll find people of all ages on the hiking trails and many of them will have their family pets along for the day.  As with any hiking in the desert Southwest regions of the U.S. you must be careful to drink plenty of water.  The air is so dry that you don’t even notice that your body is loosing moisture at a rate that is much faster than usual.  Be sure to bring drinking water in containers that you can carry along with you as you explore this beautiful mountainous park.

Jere Moline has recently retired and now resides in Sun City Arizona.  He loves traveling and has taken up hiking some of the trails located in the Desert Southwest.  For great videos and information on hiking in the Phoenix area go to http://www.coppertrailstowncarservice.biz.

Wind Cave Trail in Usery Mountain Park

This area is very scenic and you should plan to spend several hours and have a picnic in the covered ramada. There are restrooms available and a store where you can purchase souveniers and some picnic items. Pets are not allowed on the trails.
The park is usually open in the summer months from 8am to 7 pm and is located about 12 miles north of Payson.

Arizona Outdoor and Travel Club
P.O. Box 5465
Scottsdale, AZ 85261
www.azotc.com

Backcountry Hiking Club
The Backcountry Hiking Club is a volunteer-run organization. Members lead groups on hikes in the Phoenix area as well as greater Arizona, typically over the weekends. Hikes generally range anywhere between five and 13 miles and have varying elevation changes and levels of difficulty. The group leaders are from all walks of life: young, old, single, married, men and women. The hikes are open to all, though not usually designed for children.

www.backcountryhikingclub.org
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Arizona Trails Arizona Hiking Trails About The Author
Kay Hammer has been a freelance writer since 2009. She has a B.S. in Retailing and Consumer Sciences from the University of Arizona and an M.A. in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University. She has written for various publications through school such as the Turning Leaf and Demand Studios such as Golf Link.

Luckily there are a number of great places to look for information about hiking or trekking as it is called by many people.  If you have an idea about where you would like to start your journey then the first place to look is the internet.  You’ll be surprised at the number of hiking videos that can be found on sites that allow you to upload pictures and videos.  Youtube is a great source of videos that cover trails in many specific locations.  You’ll find all the information you need about trails in various cities and many well known locations throughout the country.                                                                       

You may want to make a stop at the local book store and check out magazines that are dedicated to hiking in your specific location.  They will give you the locations of trails and good descriptions of the actual route.  They will tell you how long trails will be and what level of competence you will need to complete the hike you have chosen.

Another place you can try will be local recreation centers. You can find plenty of information to help you decide where to hike and there is always the possibility of meeting others who may have the same ideas about outdoor activities as you have.

Many cities and towns will have a parks department that can give you a list of upcoming activities and even the names of some of the local hiking clubs.  Don’t forget to drop in to the local museums which usually sponsor field trips and hikes into the local areas of interest.

• You’ll save lots of time if you use the internet
• You’ll get loads of local information from hiking magazines
• Parks and Recreation centers will have descriptions and ratings of trails that are nearby
• Museums can help you with sponsored excursions that will usually give you a background into what ever subject they are concerned with.

If you decide to go online with your search you can save loads of time and energy because the information is attainable with just a few key strokes.  You won’t spend your valuable time running all over the country hunting for that perfect place to spend your day.

Hiking magazines can usually be found that are location specific and will give lots of good descriptions of trails in your town or in your locale.

If you stop into local parks and recreation departments they can usually give you accurate information about  trails and hiking groups they sponsor.  They will have a list of events for the upcoming month or so and you can sign up to join any interesting hikes that may satisfy your interests.

Museums can give you an opportunity to join in on excursions that include a variety of different activities.  They normally charge a small fee and provide a guide.  I have gone on museum sponsored hikes that included transportation and snacks and were really a lot of fun. 

Be sure to let us know where you find the best informtion on hiking in your area.

Now that you have made up you mind to do some trekking all you have to do is arm your self with a few supplies and a little information about trails that are at hand.  Hiking can be on urban trails or they can be out in the country.  They can be easy hikes or strenuous ones that take you up the sides of mountains.  Now that you have the information you can decide what hiking trails will be best for you.

Be sure to let us know about the best sources you find for information on hiking near you.           
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