Day 16, Flagstaff to Lakeview Campground

I was back on the trail by 9:15 a.m., continuing on the Urban Route out of Flagstaff. I didn’t get far, however, before making a stop. The trail passed a Taco Bell, and I went in to buy a cold drink. That was the one thing I craved all last week, and I knew there wouldn’t be an opportunity for another one for nearly a week.

The trail soon went under Interstate Highway 40. "If I jumped on this highway," I thought, "it could take me all the way home to Tennessee."

At this point, that wasn't an idea I seriously considered.

After the interstate, the trail quickly lost its urban feel. There were nearly four more miles to go before reconnecting with the other AZT route, only now there were no buildings or roads along the trail.

I was now far south of the San Francisco Peaks with their lovely forests of ponderosa pines. This side of Flagstaff had trees, but fewer of them. The terrain was also much flatter, at least at first.

The Urban Route descended into Walnut Canyon, and that’s where it reconnected with the Elden Mountain Route (the equestrian bypass). 

Although the trail was now in Walnut Canyon, neither route passes through Walnut Canyon National Monument. The Elden Mountain Route follows the edge of the canyon’s north rim until just before the junction of the Urban Route. 

It seems likely the trail wasn’t built through the national monument because the park protects ruins of pre-Columbian cliff dwellings. Many of these are not publicly accessible.

What little I saw of the canyon as the trail went along Walnut Creek was enjoyable. The sky was partly cloudy, keeping the temperature pleasant.

Several large boulders dotted the canyon floor. When I noticed a flat one under some shade, I decided to stop there for lunch. The time was 11:55 a.m., which felt a little early for another meal after eating a large breakfast.

I'd only walked five miles so far because of my late start and an early break at Taco Bell. Nevertheless, the rock was a perfect place to sit, and I didn’t want to pass it up.

A hiker and a bikepacker passed me while I was taking my lunch break. I only stayed for about 20 minutes.

Soon after I started hiking again, a wildlife ranger stopped to chat. He told me he works in Southern Arizona and was enjoying a day hike here because it was too hot where he lives and works. 

I said I hoped the weather would be cooler by the time I got down there, and he agreed that it should.

The trail made a jarringly steep climb when it left Lower Walnut Canyon, going up 600 feet in 1.5 miles.

Stopping to catch my breath on the climb, I turned back and got a final glimpse of the San Francisco Peaks. It will be a few days before I see mountains of any note again. That will be when the trail passes through the Mazatzal Mountains.

The rest of today was mostly flat until I left the trail to hike down to Lakeview Campground.

After leaving Walnut Canyon, the trail began a traverse of the west side of Anderson Mesa. The terrain varied between gently rolling and flat.

At 2 p.m., I found another large flat rock next to the trail, so I took another break. I didn't stay long, just sat and sipped some water.

Until now, I had assumed I would not walk far enough today to reach Lakeview Campground. During my break, however, I realized I was making better time than I expected. If it looks like I can get there by dark, I decided, I’ll camp there.

Then at 4:30 p.m., I passed some unusual buildings. They were part of Anderson Mesa Station, an astronomical observatory. The facility is a dark-sky observing site that is operated by Lowell Observatory. 

This site operates three large telescopes and a telescope array called an astronomical interferometer.

Upper Lake Mary came into view about 15 minutes later. Along with Lower Lake Mary, the long and narrow reservoirs impound water from Walnut Creek and store it for use by Flagstaff residents, businesses, and industries.

Construction of the lower dam was completed in 1904. When it proved to be unreliable because of sinkholes, the upper dam was built in 1941.

The land became flatter with fewer trees as I continued south on Anderson Mesa. The trail was now following a double-track road.

I was still able to maintain a faster-than-usual pace. As I hoped, this was helping me reach Lakeview Campground before dark.

Sunset was at 5:59 p.m. I arrived at the side trail leading down to the campground a few minutes before that.

The mile-long side trail was rugged in spots. It dropped about 300 feet but didn’t go all the way to the lake.

By the time I got to the campground, the sunlight was quickly fading. I didn’t know where to go, though I assumed I needed to find the camp host. She was at the far end of the campground.

The host told me which sites were available, and I picked one. Because this was a National Forest campground, there was a fee to camp here. She said I didn't have to pay for my site.

As I’ve done every night on the trail so far, I cowboy camped. Tonight, I needed my headlamp to set up and cook dinner. A picnic table and a flat space for my sleep pad and quilt made the extra mile down to the campground worthwhile.

I felt strong and positive about the day. The trail wasn't difficult for me, even with a substantial climb in the middle. The weather was favorable, and I walked farther than I expected after a late start.

Still, getting news this morning from Ballsack had been disheartening. Her description of the trail ahead was unsettling. She and her two companions were young, strong, and experienced hikers, and yet the trail made them so dispirited that they decided to quit.

What happened to Ballsack, Racoon, and Shadow shows that long-distance trails are a great equalizer. All thru-hikers are subject to the same variables. No one is immune to challenging conditions and the emotions they render.

Anyone can feel discouraged on a long hike. Ballsack, Racoon, and Shadow proved that.

I’ve known this emotion myself.

And in the next 24 hours, I would know it again.