Passage #1 - Huachuca Mountains

Location:  Mexico border to Parker Canyon Lake.

Length:  21.7 miles

Southern Trailhead:  Montezuma Pass - FR 61.
- GPS Coordinates:  31.33367° N, 110.28276° W  

Northern Trailhead:  Parker Canyon Lake - FR 194.
- GPS Coordinates:  31.41946° N, 110.44206° W

Trail Route Description:  The Yaqui Ridge Trail provides hiker-only access as it descends steeply to the international border. From Montezuma Pass the route follows the Crest Trail (#103) up into the Miller Peak Wilderness. After a steep and strenuous ascent, it passes a junction with the Lutz Trail and soon reaches the turnoff to Miller Peak. From here the trail follows a ridgeline over to Tub Spring and then goes left at the signed Miller Canyon/Crest Trail junction and left again at the Carr Peak/Crest Trail junction. The trail continues on past the Oversite Canyon Trail junction, past Bear Saddle and Granite Peak, and then goes left at the signed junction with the Sunnyside Canyon Trail near Pat Scott Peak. It follows this trail down into Sunnyside Canyon, passes the Copper Glance Trail junction, and runs downstream to the wilderness boundary. Here it joins a dirt road (FR 204) for a short distance and then turns right at the AZT sign onto a trail again. It crosses FR 228 and then turns south into Scotia Canyon and works its way down to FR 48. After crossing this road the trail turns west and reaches the Parker Canyon Lake Trailhead on FR 194.

Difficulty:  Moderate to Difficult.

Season(s):  Spring, Summer and Fall (current weather forecast)

Water:  Water may be found at Bathtub Spring and Parker Canyon Lake. Seasonal water may be present in Sunnyside and Scotia Canyons.

Notes/Warnings:

• This area can be hot and dry. Bring plenty of water. All water along this passage should be purified prior to use.
• Most of this passage is located within the Miller Peak Wilderness. Motorized and mechanized vehicles and equipment, including mountain bikes, are not permitted on the Memorial's trails nor in the Wilderness.
• Transportation is available from the Tucson airport to the Coronado National Memorial Visitors Center close to Montezuma's Pass. See below for more information.
• Before using this trail, call for a report on current trail conditions which can vary with season, weather and maintenance status.

Resources:

• USGS Topographic Maps: Montezuma Pass, Miller Peak and Huachuca Peak.
• Coronado National Forest Map, Sierra Vista Ranger District.
• BLM Information Center maps.
• "Hikers Guide to the Huachuca Mountains" by Leonard Taylor.

For more information, contact:

• The Passage Steward
• Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, 5990 S. Highway 92, Hereford, AZ 85615   (520) 378-0311.
• Coronado National Memorial, 4101 E. Montezuma Canyon Rd., Hereford, AZ 85613   (520) 366-5515.
• BLM Information Center  (602) 417-9300.
• Huachuca Hiking Club, P.O. Box 3555, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636.
• Arizona World Shuttle Express, 51 N. Garden Ave., Sierra Vista, AZ 85635   (520) 458-3330.

Current Trail Information:
12/2011 - The AZT along the AZ/Mexico border continues to be impacted by illegal border crossers. Many new side trails are being created by the border crossers. And AZT users should avoid mistakenly taking illegal trails intersecting the Arizona Trail, as the illegal trails are often quite distinct. Trail users may meet illegal border crossers and are advised to not hike alone in these areas. Also, overnight users are advised to camp away from the trail as far as possible.