Huachuca, Joiner and Korn Canyons

Miles: 8.5 miles

Elevation gain: 2663',  7026' maximum elevation

Significance: shade, water, views of western Huachucas

 This was a group hike led by SteveS.  We met at 0630 hours in town at the Pizza Hut Bistro.This early start was much appreciated, as it was a hot day.  Steve, JimA,  RyanD, BillC and DougB were the other hikers.  I brought Zeke and Gretel.  This was Gretel's first group hike; I had no idea how she would act in a large group of men. (She barked at Doug when she first met him, but warmed up slowly to him and the others)

We got started at 7:15, driving 1.5 miles up Huachuca Canyon past the first water gauge and parking just before the Narrows.  The road was rough but my Honda CRV conquered the rocks.  I followed the two Nissan Frontiers ahead of me.  Only once did I hit a rock under my chassis, but I never felt that my car couldn't handle the road.  I must have impressed the men with my driving.

I had Gretel on leash for the first mile.  I trust Zeke so he was next to me off-leash, but Gretel is only 15 months old and still gets easily distracted by deer, squirrels, turkeys and cows, so I kept her close until there was enough space between us hikers as we hiked uphill to the Crest Trail, passing the Narrows where the dogs could saunter through some water.  Shortly after the Narrows the road forks. This time we took the right turn.

I now know what I did wrong last month when I took SteveT and Susan up the Canyon.  I took a left in the fork when I should have stayed right.  Both roads quickly gain in grade and become hard to hike up, but reaching the Crest trail on the Huachuca Trail is a mere 1.5 miles from the fork.

Once we reached the Crest Trail, we continued on a descent into Joiner Canyon, walking through a gate in the  post boundary fence. There was no trail here. Steve wanted to take a social trail down to the drainage and Joiner springs. "I've never taken this trail" Steve admitted. "Oh, so this is an exploratory hike?" I shot back.  I don't mind exploratory hikes, but once again I left all hiking poles at home. 

Joiner Canyon is a narrow canyon that in the rainy season surely explodes with water. It was mostly dry today. We followed the drainage for two miles.   What started out as a dry and cowscat-laden canyon soon morphed into a shaded oak  canyon with clear springs of water for the dogs to romp in.  Luckily we never encountered any cows here, although Gretel did chase after some shortly after we exited Joiner Canyon and walked on FR202.

We were moving slowly, stepping carefully over rocks and rock slabs.  This canyon would be especially scenic with more water in it. The only wildlife we encountered was a very dead and stinky skunk.

We reached FR202 at the 3.5-mile mark.  We walked up the road, now gaining elevation again, and took a lunch break near another drainage before continuing up the road the then turning back north via Korn canyon, a wider and dryer canyon than Joyner but at least the cool breeze was blowing. 

I have never been in Korn canyon, which was the attraction to hiking today.  We passed an abandoned ore processing plant (just two adobe walls and some foundation remain), then an old dam as we slowly hiked back uphill to the Crest Trail.

Doug fell behind briefly when he stopped for water, allowing the dogs to rest for a bit.  We were now at the 6-mile mark and the Crest Trail was still 0.35 miles away, and this was a steep grade up a hillside with loose and brittle rock.  My right knee was hurting again.

This last uphill exhausted me and I gladly rested a bit before resuming.  The dogs were tired, too, most likely from the sun that poked through the exposed sections. It was 12:30 and the heat was getting intense. I, too, was feeling tired and couldn't wait to get back on the Crest Trail for the downhill return hike.

We could see Parker Lake from our section of the Crest Trail.  The lake is visibly drying up in this drought.  We didn't stay long to enjoy the view.  The dogs and I were feeling exhausted by the sun.

Jim separated from the group to hike up another peak while the rest of us went back to our cars.  Doug then stayed behind with Jim.  

Steve, Bill, Ryan and I got back to our cars just before 2pm.  Steve and his group took off and I followed, stopping only to photograph a Scarlet Kingsnake crossing the road. 

I got out of the Honda to get a closer look of the snake, only for the snake to then crawl into my wheel well.  I stayed parked and watched the snake move around under the car.  I didn't want to run over it, but eventually took off when I didn't see the snake under the chassis.  I guess I'll find out later if the snake hitched a ride into town.