Douglas Spring to Cow Head Saddle

I finally got out for the first long hike of the year—19 miles—after having to scotch a 17-miler on the 4th because a snow melt- and rain-engorged stream kept us from the trailhead. In the mean time, I've been doing un-noteworthy short hikes just to keep in shape for the longer hikes like this one. 

This was a makeup hike and boy did it deliver. In addition to the mileage, there was over 3,800 feet of elevation gain. But the trails were in great shape, even after we passed the Bridal Veil Falls turnoff. Most people on the Douglas Spring Trail only hike the short 5.5 miles out to the falls and back, so that first section of the trail gets all the attention from the trail building folks. After the falls we saw only a couple other hikers. Beautiful weather today, highs in the low seventies and a slight wind.

I've hiked this trail to the Saddle twice before, once a solo out-and-back, with no side trip to the falls, and the next time with my hiking pal, Misty, as a point-to-point, from the Douglas Spring Trailhead to the Tanque Verde Trailhead. That hike bested this one in distance (20 miles) and elevation gain (4,900ft).

Temps were around 40º at 8 when we hit the trail, but I soon doffed my fleece.

Near the Douglas Spring Campground where we had lunch on our return. I camped at this campground a couple of years ago with my brother as we tested out out new backpacks we bought for the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim backpacking trip we had planned for May of 2020. That trip never happened as the park closed in May. I now plan to hike it in May of this year after recently securing the hard-to-get permit.

Moi.

Misty.