Blodgett Basin Loop

On Saturday, 28 January 2012, the Skyliners hiked in Blodgett Basin. Our plan was to split into two groups. One group would hike the entire Blodgett Basin Loop, returning by way of the West Clear Creek Trail. This would involve an elevation gain of 2200 feet, a hike of about 14 miles and four crossings of West Clear Creek. The other group would hike up Blodgett Basin Trail 31 to Cedar Mountain and return, about a five to six mile round trip hike with a 1700 foot elevation gain.

We gathered at the cottonwood Safeway parking lot and drove through Camp Verde on Hwy 260, turned left onto FR 618 at Clear Creek and drove about 2.2 miles, then turned right onto FR 215 (Bull Pen Road) and continued another 3 miles to the parking lot at Bull Pen Ranch. Facilities are provided.

At Bull Pen we split into two groups; the first group, Mary Gavan, Becky Fowski, George Everman and I had decided to do the entire Blodgett Basin Loop and we set out at a good pace, soon pulling ahead of the other hikers. Pausing once along the way for a short break we arrived after a hard 2.5 mile, 1700 foot, climb at a dirt road that would soon feed into FR 214 (Cedar Flats Road). We wasted little time there before pushing on to FR 214 where we would stop for a break and a snack. The views were spectacular on the way up the mountain, as well as from the top where the second group of hikers turned back, and Jon Lloyd took several excellent photographs along the way.

Looking back the way we came, Jon Lloyd

Looking back the way we came, one could see a distinctive red cliff near the bottom, the deeply eroded terrain beyond and a slice of the deep blue sky at the top. 

Red cliff below us - photo by Jon Lloyd

I think the shot of lichen on a rock with the sky as a background shown below must have been taken at or near the top of the trail at Cedar Mountain.

Lichen with blue sky as a background - photo by Jon Lloyd

From the saddle at the base of Cedar Mountain (where Blodgett Basin Trail intersects with the dirt road), we had a clear view on to the snow-covered San Francisco Peaks.

Looking on to the San Francisco Peaks from the saddle at Cedar 

Mountain – photo by Jon Lloyd

The second group of hikers stopped at the Blodgett Basin Trail/dirt road intersection for lunch before turning back.  Jon took a photograph of them (below) all scattered out and enjoying the views, along with a well-earned rest, while eating. Lila is in the foreground, but because they are so scattered and are not facing the camera I will not attempt to identify other individuals.

Hikers enjoying lunch near the Blodgett Basin upper Trailhead

ary Gavan provided a great shot of an earthstar taken during a Skyliner scouting hike earlier this month (below).

Earthstar - photo by Mary Gavin

). The earthstar is a fungus; other than that I will not attempt to further identify it. It is hydroscopic and a dried out specimen seemingly comes to life before ones very eyes upon the application of water. Mary also provided a picture, taken on the same scouting hike, of the Blodgett Basin Trailhead sign located where the trail ends/begins at FR 214. The sign (below) is located at the spot where the first group of hikers stopped for a snack break.

Blodgett Basin Trailsign

After our snack, ever conscious of the fact that it would be close to dark when we finished our 14-mile hike of the entire Blodgett Basin Loop, pushed on along FR 214 going first east and then turning to the north. After about 1.2 miles, we came to FR 214A and turned east on that road, following it 2.9 miles to the West Clear Creek Trailhead. We signed in at the trailhead, giving our destination as Bull Pen, and paused long enough to take a group photograph.

Left to right: the author, Becky Fowski, Mary Gavin and George Everman

– photo by George using my camera with time delay

We then headed headed down the trail toward West Clear Creek, soon finding ourselves descending a very steep trail with loose gravel on top of the rocks in many areas, making footing pretty precarious. I almost fell more than once on the way down. This photograph (below) shows Mary picking her way down the steep trail. West Clear Creek runs along the foot of the steep cliff shown directly ahead.

Mary picking her way down the steep trail

Since we had stopped for a snack at the upper Blodgett Basin Trailhead at FR 214 and were determined that we would get halfway through our hike before stopping for lunch, we pushed on until our GPSs showed we had traveled seven miles. Unfortunately, although this turned out to be on a sunny slope, a stiff breeze was blowing and I wanted a sheltered spot for lunch, so I continued on for almost a quarter of a mile looking for a good spot. I finally found it and settled in on a spot of grass alongside the trail for lunch. I then stretched out for a nap only to be interrupted immediately by the arrival of the rest of the group who were anxious to continue on and complete the creek crossings before dark.

Mary borrowed George’s camera for a few pictures and took the following shot looking back up West Clear Creek as we neared the bottom of our steep hike.

Looking up West Clear Creek from the trail as we descended to the creek 

– photograph by Mary

The hike down to the creek from the upper trailhead turned out to be approximately 2.9 miles. However, we found that the trail turned downstream before it actually reached the creek and and continued along for about 1.7 miles before our first creek crossing. We then followed the trail along the south side of the creek for another 2.1 miles before crossing back to the north side. From there it was another mile to the next crossing, but only about 0.4 miles from that third crossing to our fourth and final crossing (below).

Fourth and final crossing - photo by George

After that fourth crossing, we had only one more mile to go before reaching our cars at the lower end of Blodgett Basin Trail. We quickly climbed out of the streambed, almost over-looking wilted bouquet (below), carefully arranged on a rock alongside the stream; we decided it must be a memorial to a previous hiker who didn’t manage to complete the crossing.

Wilted bouguet - photo by George

For this hike, with the creek crossings in mind, I wore a pair of combination wading and hiking boots with mesh drains placed at the instep. These, Worn with a pair of heavy wool socks and synthetic sock liners keep me comfortable in just about any circumstances. My feet remain wet, to be sure, but after just a few minutes of walking after a crossing they are warm again and feel dry.

The trail between the last two crossings proved to be difficult to follow and we went astray, having to climb back up the creek bank and search for it. I have removed our wanderings in this area from the GPS track and substituted a section from the track shown on my AZ topo map.

Between the last downstream crossing and the parking area, one can either keep to the trail, following closely along the stream, or hike along an old road that runs by the abandoned Bull Pen Ranch house; we chose the road. The included GPS track shows the way we actually hiked.

The entire loop hike turned out to be 14.2 miles by GPS reading (but only 13.3 when I later downloaded the track and measured it in MapSource). I have no explanation for the different readings. The maximum elevation 5771 feet and the total ascent was more than 2100 feet. Our GPS track is shown on the included map (below). Note that the stream crossings are numbered on the map in reverse order to our crossings on this hike. In other words our first crossing is numbered as four on the map and our fourth crossing is numbered as one on the map. I did that because I think that most people will be hiking just the West Clear Creek Trail and not the entire loop. And even those who do hike the entire loop may very well hike in a counterclockwise direction to make sure they can cross the creek before committing themselves.

If I were doing this hike again, I would start earlier and leave time for a good 45-minute lunch stop and a couple of 20-minute breaks. As it were we did manage to finish the last creek crossing before it got dark and actually got back to our cars without using our flashlights.

NOTE: I am told that West Clear Creek Trail is sometimes impassable because of high water. Stream flow should be checked before hiking the loop in the clockwise direction as we did. Otherwise one might find himself faced with the prospect of having to retrace his steps and climb back out of the canyon after having completed two thirds of the hike.