Juniper Flats Via City and Ridge Trails

Yesterday, while having my mid-hike snack atop Mural Hill, I looked off in the distance to the northwest and the communication towers on Juniper Flats and pondered hiking up there the next day. And so I did. I had hiked up to Juniper Flats Road (but not to the towers at the top) in 2017, and again last year using the Ridge Trail. I also rode my mountain bike all the way up to the towers last February via Tombstone Canyon Road and Juniper Flats Road (quite a steep trip on a bike), and I also hiked up via the same road route. But I had never hiked all the way to the towers via the Ridge Trail, until now. The additional 2.3 miles is all on the steep Juniper Flats service road. I only packed a liter of water and it proved barely sufficient for the nine miles, but the last 3.7 miles were all down hill on gravel and pavement, so no worries.

The first of many mountain biker I would encounter taking the easy way down from the Flats.

My destination as seen from the beginning of the Ridge Trail.

The Ridge Trail is pretty smooth when actually on the Ridge, getting rocky in the climbing bits.

Looking east toward Mural Hill and my previous day's hike.

More mountain bikers. There were a lot of them, thoughtfully staggered in groups of 2-6, perhaps a hundred in all. Some club or other, but without exception possessed of great trail etiquette, always stopping for me, as hikers always have the right of way.

Another shot of Mural Hill in the far distance.

I used my PeakFinder app to identify some local landmarks looking southwest: San José Mountain in Naco, Sonora, Mexico (just the tippy-top showing), and Ballard and Fissure, peaks often combined into a single hike, one I first did in 2015 with my good pal Ira.

Looking west toward the Huachuchas.

Looking down on the white guard rail of Mule Pass Road.

Stele marking the completion by prison labor of Mule Pass Road up and over the Mule Pass in 1913-1914. It also marks this area as part of the Continental Divide. However, the Divide lies 200 miles to the east, in New Mexico so, oops. Some things never change in Arizona: their love of prison labor, and one of the worst education systems in the country.