Hike to Hickey Mountain

Information for this report was derived from two separate hikes one on 27 April 2013, the other on 7 June 2008.

To take the hike, drive south from Cottonwood on Hwy 89A to the top of Mingus Mountain beyond Jerome. At the summit, turn right on the paved road to Potato Patch Campground and travel about 0.30 miles before turning left on another paved road. After another 0.10 miles, the pavement ends and you will enter a roughly circular area with toilet facilities. Continue on through this area, going generally northwest, on a dirt road for about 0.70 miles to arrive at the Woodchute Trailhead parking lot. Although one could drive farther, this is a good parking spot for the Hickey Mountain hike. Starting at this point makes the hike just about right for an easy day's outing.

Hikers participating in the 27 April 2013 hike are shown in the below photograph.

Left to right: Lynn Johnson, Colleen Maktenieks, Robert Coates, Daisy 

Williams, Felicia Coates, Anita Jackson, Lila Wright, Miriam Sterling, 

Dolly Yapp, Kwi Johnson and Gary Jacobson – photograph by the twelfth hiker

The route from the parking area led generally west along Forest Road 106D, through a gate about 0.2 miles ahead and to a fork in the road after another 0.8 miles. At the fork the trail to Hickey Mountain leads to the left, continuing straight ahead (FR 106E) would lead one down into Martin Canyon, and that's a hike for another day.

There are several good viewpoints along the stretch of trail before the intersection of FR 106D and 106E. One can see across Martin Canyon to Woodchute and also, looking a bit to the northwest, across Coyote and Little Coyote Canyons. The below photograph shows Woodchute.

Woodchute seen from a viewpoint along FR 106D - photograph by Lila Wright

About 0.1 miles past the fork, the trail leaves FR 106D and follows west along the spine of a ridge leading to the top of Hickey Mountain. The climb to the top starts at a gentle slope but later becomes a scramble over rocks and through brush. Along the way is located one of the most intriguing junipers trees I have seen anywhere. It has a short main trunk with many branches; it appears to have been deformed early in life and to have suffered many other setbacks along the way, but has continued to a ripe old age despite everything.

Tough old juniper tree – photograph by Lila Wright

This tree is one of my favorite spots for a break and I have always made it a practice to linger there a bit.

But the summit calls and breaks must end. From the old juniper the trail continues through the forest along the ridge, still rising gently toward the top of Hickey Mountain. Eventually, however, the trail leaves the cover of the trees and continues through scrub growth to the summit. It could get pretty hot along this final section of trail on a sunny, windless day. Fortunately, there always seems to be a nice breeze blowing to temper the heat a bit.

Arriving at the summit, the traditional lunch stop for this hike, you find yourself in a generally open spot, surrounded by rocks and scrub growth at an elevation of 7619 feet. The view is great in all directions and I usually find it hard to get going again.  I saw a survey marker the last time I hiked to this spot; it now appears to have been removed. Vandals? Still to be seen are a neatly-lettered date someone inscribed to record their presence at this spot in 1917 (photograph by Lila Wright, see right) and the letters MHS (probably Mingus High School) in a rock above the date, apparently added at a later date.

The below photograph shows Mingus Mountain from the Hickey Mountain summit.

Mingus Mountain from Hickey Mountain summit - photograph by Lila Wright

On the way back one is presented with an alternative return route. Look carefully about 0.3 miles below the summit, and you will find cairns marking a path leading off to the right (east). Following the cairns down the mountain will lead you to Mingus Tank about 0.8 miles ahead. The trail is relatively easy to follow; however, the last portion of it is a bit steep and rocky.

Mingus tank is located at the end of FR 106D, so all one has to do from here is follow that road back to where the trail left the road to climb along the ridge spine to the top of Hickey Mountain. This little detour is perhaps a bit longer than going straight back would be; however, it is well worth the extra effort.

The GPS track shown on the included map (below) measured 5.3 miles and provided an elevation difference of just under 500 feet. The red track shows the hike path and the dark yellow track is a section of the road leading from Hwy 89A to the Woodchute Parking lot.