Land of the Pioneers Trail #629
Arizona's
White Mountains
Attractions and Considerations: The Land of the Pioneers Trail winds eleven miles primarily through ponderosa pine. The short spur heads to the top of Ecks Mountain. Excellent views of the surrounding countryside make the trip up well worth the extra effort. On the north part of the loop, the trail passes just above a small box canyon. This is an excellent place to set your pack down and take a break. The trail gets its name from the several homesteads established in the area. Between the box canyon and trailhead is one such sight with the local legend of three "Arab" women. These women were rumored to have a lot of money stashed on their property. Apparently, there was at least one person who believed the rumor, because the three women were murdered and their homestead torn apart. The foundations and parts of structures still remain, as do the lilac bushes that they planted and which will probably never receive enough moisture to bloom. There is a short loop trail which bypasses Ecks Mountain and eliminates approximately one third of the distance. Access and trailhead location: From Show Low, go east on AZ 60 towards Springerville. Drive 19.4 miles. Turn right in front of the Midway Exxon Gas station on FR 224 towards Vernon. Drive 5.3 miles to FR 5. Turn right on FR 5. Drive .6 miles to the trailhead on the right.
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White Mountains Online wishes to express our appreciation to the USDA Forest Service, Lakeside District and the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside for providing this information! |
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