Crest

From its southern trailhead at the top of Montezuma Pass, to the northern Forest boundary at the edge of the Fort Huachuca Military Reservation, this skywalking pathway provides access to the highest ridges and some of the most outstanding features of the Huachuca Range. Since the Crest Trail forms the backbone of the trail network that crisscrosses these mountains, one would not be far off the mark in saying that all trails lead to it. This important connector also serves as the prime access to a number of spurs which lead to points of special interest such as the summits of Miller Peak (9,466'), Ramsey Peak (8,730'), and Pat Scott Peak (8,800'). Another spur leads to Bond Spring. Views are marvelous all along the Crest. On a clear day you can see all the major mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona, including the Chiricahuas, the Santa Catalinas and the Pinaleños–home of Mt. Graham. Portions of the trail also offer views of the broad grasslands of the San Rafael Valley to the west and the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. Because the Crest Trail offers such a number of different access possibilities, Forest visitors frequently use part of it to complete loop trips incorporating two or more other trails. Loops that include portions of this trail are most easily made via the Carr Peak #107 , Hamburg #122 , and Comfort Springs #109 trails or the Oversite Canyon #112 and Ida Canyon #110 trails . If you’re willing to set up a shuttle, you can put together just about any combination you choose. This trail passes through a variety of habitats from desert grassland to mixed conifer; however, much of the area has been burned in wildfires, both human-caused and natural. As you might expect of a mountaintop trail, it also has its share of switchbacks and steep grades. Portions cling to rocky outcrops where the way had to be dynamited, and others wander across almost level areas.

The 11-mi. Crest Trail is part of the 20.5-mi. Huachuca Mountains Passage (AZ Trail Passage 1) of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Visit www.aztrail.org for additional information.

A fine riparian area, plenty of evidence of the area’s mining past and good views from the Huachuca Crest are some of the rewards you’ll reap along this trail. After detouring around a piece of private property, the trail drops back into Miller Canyon to follow what was once an old mining road. The trail passes the remains of the townsite of Palmerlee and a number of abandoned mining digs as it slants steadily up the canyon. Down in the bed of Miller Creek, which usually has water in it year-round, you’ll be able to see lengths of the old carbon steel pipe which were placed here in the nineteenth century to carry water to the boomtown of Tombstone. Along lower stretches of the trail, large old sycamore trees shade the streambed, and sunlight filters down through the limbs of tall Douglas-firs. There are a number of bigtooth maples along the streambed in this area, too, making it a colorful place to visit in mid to late October when the leaves of these trees paint the canyon in hues of orange, red and yellow. After crossing the stream several times, the trail switchbacks its way up the north side of the canyon into an area that was burned by a large forest fire in 1977. Here, you’ll find good views down-canyon of the San Pedro Valley and the Mule Mountains around Bisbee while Miller Peak stands high above the canyon rim to the southwest. From this point, the trail continues to climb, visiting the stream a couple of more times and passing several more old mine sites before it intersects the Crest Trail #103 high in the Huachucas